Community Forums

Bogie71 · 09-24-2018, 06:04 PM

Why the heck does this keep happening with Acme Tow Dolly? I get both tires touching the front of the trailer and can't get the straps any tighter. I make sure the steering is unlocked, and drive a few miles. Usually I might only be able to get only one or two clicks on the straps.

Still, whenever I turn the car is sliding all over the place on the dolly. I bought new straps hoping that would help. On my last trip, only about 100 miles I stopped for gas and found the strap like this. The safety chain held in place luckily.

Pictures attached

BFlinn181 · 09-24-2018, 06:38 PM

New straps will stretch more than older ones until they get pulled tight after repeated use. You are supposed to tighten the straps after putting the car on the dolly, drive a few miles, then stop and tighten them again. With new straps you might have to stop and tighten them more than once.

twinboat · 09-24-2018, 07:49 PM

Are you sure the steering is unlocked ?

Get up on the dolly, without straps and really pull the steering wheel to see if it turns a half a turn or more.

It will always push away from the front tire stop on one side or the other.
The geometry of the steering moves one wheel foward and the other back, while turning a corner.

Making a right will cause the left wheel to move a bit foward while the right moves back.
You can see this yourself by turning the steering with foot off the brake. One wheel will turn foward and the other backwards.

Watch the Acme video and you can see it happening.

Mich F · 09-24-2018, 08:12 PM

Are you turning too sharply ? A 90 degree turn is about the limit for the dolly.

Bogie71 · 09-25-2018, 06:21 AM

Definitely not turning very sharply.

Mich F · 09-25-2018, 07:20 AM

Is your receiver at the right height ? Acme recommends 14-16", I believe. Are your straps getting caught on some part of your suspension when you install them?
I second what twinboat asked about making sure your steering is unlocked.

Dougsee3 · 09-25-2018, 10:36 AM

It shows in Acme videos the tires moving back and forth as you turn. It does not help to over tighten sraps I have had them so tight the tire looked flat and it still moves. In a turn the wheels steer, but not enough there are other forces from the hitch, rear tires, and dolly tires that force the tires back and forth.

The Acme dolly is different than other dollys, its like you are stapping the car to the dolly, as the other dollys you are tying the dolley to the car, There is not as much force placed on the straps and car wheels in other dollys that pivot.

Having not owned the other dollys, i would think you could drive around a parking lot and take curves and even corners with no straps on a car. and it would probally stay on the dolly.

Get the car square on the dolly. Spend a few mins. pulling and adjusting the straps as tight and uniform as possible by hand around the tires before tighting the straps. You will find them tight enough most of the time on a strap recheck.

alank · 09-25-2018, 01:16 PM

I don't have a dolly and never will, but from your pictures you are definitely doing something wrong. Best advice I could give is have someone with a dolly check your tiedown procedure. The other thing is to take it to a large parking lot on a day when it isn't in use, hook the car & dolly up and have someone drive the coach around the lot, with corners, while you walk beside the dolly and watch what is happening. I think you'll find the dolly tires scuff sideways quite a bit while tight cornering but that's normal and won't hurt anything.

BFlinn181 · 09-25-2018, 01:56 PM

The Acme dolly requires that the steering of the car be unlocked. The dolly doesn't have the front wheel platform on a pivot, so when turning at all, the auto's front wheels to 'steer' to allow for the 4 wheel unit to 'bend' to allow tracking going around a curve. If you are still having issues with the straps coming loose, I'd suspect the steering is locked. If you have trouble with the Acme dolly, perhaps you should buy one that has a pivot, although the Acme is a fine product with much to desire.

Bogie71 · 09-26-2018, 05:52 AM

I can guarantee that the steering wheel is unlocked. The steering wheel is turning when the RV turns, I mark it off with a piece of tape so I can verify in the rear camera. Just seems no matter what adjustment i make to the straps, the car slides all over the place. When it is straight on the trailer there is no way to tighten the strap down further, but the car figures out how to move around.

Waiter21 · 09-26-2018, 06:03 AM

The cars front tires will steer and move back and forth on the dolly a few inches when you do a turn. i.e. in a left turn, the cars steering will turn left, AND, the cars left tire will move forward on the dolly and the right tire will move backward on the dolly.

When I load my Acme dolly, I don't put the tires up against the front rail, I leave an inch or two to allow for this movement. I then snug the straps up, but not honker down tight like I would on a swivel pan dolly. A couple miles down the road, I stop and re-snug the straps. This is usually all I need to do for the next 2500 miles.

When I put the safety chains on, they are slack enough to allow for the front tire movement. I adjust them so they would catch the car if it rolled all the way to the back of the dolly with the tires just near the back edge.

twinboat · 09-26-2018, 06:16 AM

Take a few pictures of the straps when the car us hooked to the dolly.

Maybe someone can see if there is a different way to hook them up.

Brockx · 09-26-2018, 06:23 AM

I always used sewn straps never had a problem yours look like a slip fit.
Tow Dolly Basket Straps

Lanson · 09-26-2018, 06:45 AM

Are the straps you're using from Acme? The straps I use are cross straps looped on each side with a tension strap running front to back thru the loops. Cross straps should be positioned at the 2 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 9 o'clock points in the wheel. In the right photo from OP, strap is unhooked, not good.

What tool are you using to tighten straps? I use a 1/2" drive ratchet & socket to fit nut on tension reel.

Ensure straps are threaded thru slot on tension reel and 2-3 turns to ensure straps tighten on themselves.

I tow a 2015 Nissan Morano. Have 5-6K towing with no problems. Even made some u-turns with 40' DP on a 4 lane hwy. No problems