Questions for SOLO's on fueling and towing

[rescue7]

You could get one of the magnetic back up cameras. Put the camera on the dolly at wheel level and watch the monitor in the car while pulling on the dolly.

Don

[vito.a]

Lots of good ideas here.

When I tow a traditional rear wheel drive car, I load it backwards. No need to disconnect the driveshaft.
The first few times it is much easier if the motorhome, dolly, and car all all in a straight line with a reference next to them like a side walk or curb. I just back the car up to the dolly with the door open slightly, watching the dolly ramp. I start up onto the dolly and stop and set the brake and get out and check it. If it is going on square, I get in and continue until I feel the wheels drop into the saddle. Also, when towing a car backwards it is important to lock the steering straight forward.

[ronspradley]

Originally Posted by vito.a

Lots of good ideas here.

When towing a car backwards it is important to lock the steering straight forward.

Why?

ronspradley

[vito.a]

Originally Posted by ronspradley

Why?

ronspradley

When towing a rear wheel drive car on a dolly backwards: If the steering is locked with the front wheels canted, the car will not track straight.

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by Afubar

...how do you figure out your stopping point to re-fuel...How do you load up on the dolly without a spotter?

Kaye, our single friends are simply looking for the wrong kind of woman




I often take the rig to fuel solo, while DW works. In the Fleetwood's case, if I put the far end of a standard fueling island abeam my butt, the filler door is at the approach end. Of course, overhead clnc and toad's interfering with traffic are taken into consideration.

Similarly, both of us frequently load the car solo. I get in and out two times to judge alignment with the ramps (you only have to look at the left side, really). Then, once everything is set up, and the wheel direction is confirmed as centered, no lateral excursions will take place. I climb the ramps with the driver's door open just enough to see the left ramp. As you get to the proper point, it rises and clicks into place. The braile method! With practice, you can make the coordination between forward motion and the ramp's upward swing sheer poetry.

Be sure to exercise caution, eg the car and dolly both must be on the same heading; wear your seatbelt and assure door clearance when holding the door open; follow all the dolly manufacturer's guidelines to a tee.

Again, our hats are off to you!

[Barbaraok]

For all sorts of reasons, especially safety, the best thing you could do would be to trade your current car for one that can be towed 4 down.

Barb

[Georgia]

FWIW

I drive our rig SOLO now and then. I have a 24ft trailer that I have to hitch up, then load a car and a motorcycle on. I cannot even remotely lift the tongue of the trailer, even when empty, so I have to be spot on when I back up to hitch it up with my 40' rig. I have a rear camera that has a tilt option so I drop it all the way down so it's looking almost straight down. I cannot see my hitch, so i've placed a small black mark on the top of the engine cover overhang that I CAN see in the rear video monitor. So now I just back up until the receiver for the trailer is directly under the little black mark. It's now always so close that I can simply lower the trailer right on to the hitch, no fuss , no muss.
Once connected to the RV, I load the bike. The car is normally not around when i'm driving the RV alone. But i've had no issues loading it when I had to alone.

As for fueling, I just look out my side mirror and spot the pump along side a spot on the RV body that I know is just above the tank fill on either side of the rig. again, never had a problem fueling up by myself.

cheers
geo

[ronspradley]

Originally Posted by vito.a

When towing a rear wheel drive car on a dolly backwards: If the steering is locked with the front wheels canted, the car will not track straight.

My question is why do you lock the steering wheel on the car that you put on backwards on a dolly? If the rear wheels are on dolly and they are affixed securely, it seems that having the front wheels of the car being able to pivot with turns ( front wheels not locked) would make turns easier? Just asking.

ronspradley

[vito.a]

Ron, the front wheels tend to wondor and in turns will go the wrong way. I have had my wife sit in the car and turn the wheels to assist in backing up, but I do not recommend this as it tends to jacknife.