Community Forums

Map40 · 03-09-2006, 02:42 PM

Hi. Today I picked up a Car Tow dolly from Forest River with electric brakes, and while talking to the Forest River guys, they told me that for MH use, I should get the heavy duty tow dolly, that the regular tow dolly doen't work. Does somebody uses this? The dealer told me that this dolly will work fine with a motorhome.
By the way, I got a coachmen Mirada 31 feet, F53, 11 feet overhang.
Any comments from anybody who uses this tow dolly woul dbe welcome. Thanks.

Map40 · 03-09-2006, 02:42 PM

Hi. Today I picked up a Car Tow dolly from Forest River with electric brakes, and while talking to the Forest River guys, they told me that for MH use, I should get the heavy duty tow dolly, that the regular tow dolly doen't work. Does somebody uses this? The dealer told me that this dolly will work fine with a motorhome.
By the way, I got a coachmen Mirada 31 feet, F53, 11 feet overhang.
Any comments from anybody who uses this tow dolly woul dbe welcome. Thanks.

jimandsandy · 03-09-2006, 06:19 PM

Hi Map40
I used a tow dolly for 6 or 7 years, it was a light duty one. The tow dolly size should go by what size car you will carrying on it. I towed a lightweight ford on the I had with on problems.
Jim

SeeTheUSA · 03-10-2006, 05:30 AM

I'd be sure your toad vehicle does not exceed any of the dolly's specifications and that your MH has the right hitch and towing capacity, then hit the road! Many such dollies are used all the time.

joycemarie · 02-25-2014, 07:50 AM

be very careful when buying this tow dolley. We have had nothing but trouble with the electrical system. First the turn signals wouldn't work, then the power brakes wouldn't work and when we contacted forest river they said they couldn't help us because the warranty wasn't in our name. We paid cash through a dealer who charged us an outstandingly huge price on this thing (we were newbies) and now after just 8 months we are on the road and can't use this thing because it isn't safe. Called the dealer back home which said they would contact forest river still no calls from dealer or forest river. We have a coachman Mirada 35', so not fun when you hit the brakes and you can feel the dolley not stopping. Good luck with your dolley.

spritz · 02-25-2014, 12:00 PM

I bought the KarKaddySS, I figured that I would buy a big one first that way I can change vehicles as needed with out changing out the Dolly. It has Surge breaks and everything has worked flawlessly 3 years now.
JMO,tb

Hikerdogs · 02-25-2014, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joycemarie

be very careful when buying this tow dolley. We have had nothing but trouble with the electrical system. First the turn signals wouldn't work, then the power brakes wouldn't work and when we contacted forest river they said they couldn't help us because the warranty wasn't in our name. We paid cash through a dealer who charged us an outstandingly huge price on this thing (we were newbies) and now after just 8 months we are on the road and can't use this thing because it isn't safe. Called the dealer back home which said they would contact forest river still no calls from dealer or forest river. We have a coachman Mirada 35', so not fun when you hit the brakes and you can feel the dolley not stopping. Good luck with your dolley.

I'll bet your problem is more likely with the trailer wiring socket at the rear of the motorhome than the wiring on the dolly itself. We had similar problems when we first started using our Roadmaster dolly. I checked every wire on the dolly and couldn't find any bad connections, poor grounds, or broken wires.

I finally disassembled the socket at the rear of the motorhome and found all kinds of problems. The forward facing end wasn't sealed from the elements. Over a short period of time enough water got in to cause all kinds of weird problems and intermittent. Some of the wires were rusted and became insulated from the connectors. Others had broken off and touched either against a ground and blew a fuse, or against another wire and caused intermittent brake and signal light problems.

To cure the problems I replaced the socket, cut new ends on the wires. Then I used liquid electrical tape to make sure the forward facing end of the socket was sealed against the elements. After that everything worked fine for another 100,000 miles when towing our Buick on the dolly or flat towing our Jeep.

GaryKD · 02-26-2014, 08:23 AM

Hi Map40,
The techs were wrong to make those statements to you, unless they thoroughly understand:
1. The GCWR minus GVWR of the coach. This is the weight you can tow.
2. The hitch/receiver weight rating
3. The dolly weight rating
4. The weight of the vehicle you are going to tow
So you can sleep at night consider making these calculations yourself.