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09-25-2016, 02:36 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Webster, FL
Posts: 52
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Necessary to Lock Steering?
When making the changeover in my 2012 Jeep Liberty for flat towing, nothing is said about locking the steering wheel. Is it necessary to do so?
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kfrog49 
2017 Nexus Phantom 32P; 2012 Jeep Liberty (Toad)
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09-25-2016, 02:44 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 19,203
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To flat tow...you MUST UNLOCK the toad's steering.
The front axle steering of the toad must be able to pivot to make turns.
Best luck
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09-25-2016, 03:55 PM
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#3
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,794
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You should read the owner's manual for the correct procedure on your vehicle. I'm sure it will NOT say to lock the steering wheel! 
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Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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09-25-2016, 11:00 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Webster, FL
Posts: 52
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Thanks. Truth is, I've been flat towing the Liberty since the end of July with steering wheel unlocked. Saw something the other day that made me wonder.
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kfrog49
2017 Nexus Phantom 32P; 2012 Jeep Liberty (Toad)
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09-26-2016, 04:14 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Brighton, MI
Posts: 775
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You want to lock the steering wheel if you're using a tow dolly. Lock it when flat towing and you'll buying new front tires for your toad after every trip.
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Hank & Lynda
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 35U, Workhorse W22
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09-26-2016, 04:21 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,446
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 70ChevelleSS
You want to lock the steering wheel if you're using a tow dolly. Lock it when flat towing and you'll buying new front tires for your toad after every trip.
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You don't need to lock the steering on a dolly towed car.
Many cars no longer have steering locks and are dolly towed all of the time.
Flat towing must have the steering unlocked.
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09-28-2016, 03:16 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Quitman MS
Posts: 2,967
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You do lock your steering wheel on all tow Dolly's with the exception of a Acme tow dolly and with that tow dolly you leave it unlocked and of course unlocked for flat tow or 4 wheels down.
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Walt & Will
2000 Dynasty
2017 Ram Big Horn Crew C 4X4 w/ M&G
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09-28-2016, 03:45 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,446
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Quote:
Originally Posted by walt2137
You do lock your steering wheel on all tow Dolly's with the exception of a Acme tow dolly and with that tow dolly you leave it unlocked and of course unlocked for flat tow or 4 wheels down.
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Are you suggesting that dolly towed cars, without locking steering, need some kind of lock, unless using a Acme dolly ?
I have unlocked steering, with a Stehl Tow dolly. They make no mention of it in the instructions. Towed thousands of trouble free miles.
Why would it be necessary to lock the steering ?
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09-28-2016, 04:55 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Appalachian Campers Mid Atlantic Campers Coastal Campers Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,622
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Quote:
Are you suggesting that dolly towed cars, without locking steering, need some kind of lock, unless using a Acme dolly ?
I have unlocked steering, with a Stehl Tow dolly. They make no mention of it in the instructions. Towed thousands of trouble free miles.
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Have a pivot tow dolly, and my current tow vehicle has unlocked steering. I just use the seat belt to wrap around the bottom of steering wheel once, then move the electric seat back to put tension on it. Figured I didn't want the wheel turning around much, and it's easy/quick to use the belt.
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DaveB, Raleigh, NC
2015 Tiffin RED 33AA, w/Honda CRV
VMSpc, Magnum BMK/ARC50
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09-29-2016, 10:16 AM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,713
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With a pivoting-type tow dolly the steering wheel should be locked so that the dolly pivot does the turning, not the car. With a non-pivot type (e.g. Acme), the steering in the car must be allowed to turn.
I don't know if anything necessarily goes wrong if the steering is left unlocked on a Stehl, Master Tow, etc, but those all have pivot hardware in the dolly itself, so there is no reason to leave the vehicle ignition in the unlock position.
Not all vehicles lock the steering when the ignition is off (My Buick Verano is an example). It depends on how the anti-theft system works. I actually strap down the steering wheel (takes about 30 seconds using the seat belt) to reduce steering wheel play.
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Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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Linear Mode
