Interesting new info on tows or towing

[LORIDER]

We have experienced a problem I think is important enough to share. We have a tow dolly with every safety feature the manufacture could engineer into it. While on this extended trip the ratchet straps that cradle the tires safely to the dolly would not stay in place. This is a new tow dolly which we have tested before taking this trip, however this is our fourth dolly of which we still have three, and we prefer this rather than four down.
We discovered the front steering on our toad wasn't locking in place with the vehicle in park ignition off. We are old folk and know this should happen which allows the turntable on the dolly to do the turning and not the front steering on the vehicle allowing the straps to stay safely in place, and this WAS NOT THE CASE. We felt there was a defect in the vehicle itself as it is a new vehicle less than a year old. We where advised by a fellow camper that he was having the same problem and asked if the car was equipped with a Fob, which it is. The old method of front end lock can not be used with a Fob due to the release of the steering is done when the key turns a tumbler in the steering column which isn't possible with the Fob.
We found a way to safely strap the car from a center support using double straps and the ratchets on the dolly, however the straps were purchased from a supplier.
If you use a tow dolly and your vehicle has a Fob only, please check to determine if the steering moves when in park, ignition off.

[JJH3rd]

Ironically we have the opposite problem. we have a front wheel drive car and on our tow dolly, the front tires are strapped in place directly to the frame of the dolly. With the car in 'park' (and the steering wheel locked) we had excessive tire wear on the dolly tires until I checked out the video at the web site of the manufacturer and saw that the steering wheel needed to be free to turn so that the car's rear wheels track inside the turns rather than forcing the tow dolly and car tires to slide on turns.

The problem is that the ignition must be "on" - one click before starting the engine - so that the steering wheel will turn (which it will not do when in 'park') and the rear wheel track through turns. Having the key in this position, the battery is being drained all the time the car is on the dolly and you may have a dead battery when you go to drive off the dolly.

To overcome this problem I installed a battery disconnect switch and use it once the car is strapped to the dolly. Now the front wheels 'turn' and the rear wheels follow the turn and the dolly's tires don't show excessive wear and the battery isn't being drained.

[ThePowells]

Originally Posted by LORIDER

We have experienced a problem I think is important enough to share. We have a tow dolly with every safety feature the manufacture could engineer into it. While on this extended trip the ratchet straps that cradle the tires safely to the dolly would not stay in place. This is a new tow dolly which we have tested before taking this trip, however this is our fourth dolly of which we still have three, and we prefer this rather than four down.
We discovered the front steering on our toad wasn't locking in place with the vehicle in park ignition off. We are old folk and know this should happen which allows the turntable on the dolly to do the turning and not the front steering on the vehicle allowing the straps to stay safely in place, and this WAS NOT THE CASE. We felt there was a defect in the vehicle itself as it is a new vehicle less than a year old. We where advised by a fellow camper that he was having the same problem and asked if the car was equipped with a Fob, which it is. The old method of front end lock can not be used with a Fob due to the release of the steering is done when the key turns a tumbler in the steering column which isn't possible with the Fob.
We found a way to safely strap the car from a center support using double straps and the ratchets on the dolly, however the straps were purchased from a supplier.
If you use a tow dolly and your vehicle has a Fob only, please check to determine if the steering moves when in park, ignition off.

This has been discussed multiple times and I am sure that it is covered in your instructions and online tutorial video for your dolly.