Stehl tow dolly owners input wanted

[Pepper2]

I will be looking at a new Stehl ST80TD tow dolly tomorrow and would like the input from other owners. The good, the bad and the ugly. I have already decided to dolly, opposed to buying a new/used car to flat tow. Thanks for your help.

[twinboat]

We bought a new Stehl Tow in 2014. Surge, disk brake model. We've dragged our Kia Soul over 30,000 miles with it so far. Tires look great.

Pulled the wheels at 25,000 miles to check the brake pads and they are about half worn, so I put the wheels back on. I have a spare set with me, cost $11.00.

I re-designed the safety chains by getting rid of them and using vinyl coated cables, that go thru the wheels from the outside in. We can now hook up without kneeling.

The only issue so far is 2" cracks in the fender rear corners. I tek screwed a 1" L bracket over the cracks, until I get to my brothers house and borrow his welder.

[Pepper2]

Thanks for the input twinboat. Sounds like your Stehl has performed well for you.

[dxg0001]

Originally Posted by twinboat

I re-designed the safety chains by getting rid of them and using vinyl coated cables, that go thru the wheels from the outside in. We can now hook up without kneeling.

Could you elaborate on your cable setup a bit? Where did you get the cable? How exactly does it work?

Thanks,
Dan

[nothermark]

There are multiple threads with pictures. Home Depot sells a heavy duty long cable with crimped ends that I cut down to do mine. The two crimped ends go through the wheel, cable clamps on other end after stripping the vinyl under the clamps. You will need and abrasive cutter to cut the cable.

Here is a link with a picture of twinboats:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/dolly...in-301686.html

I did my attachment points on the opposite ends so the cable opening attachment is outboard. I also used screw links where he used hooks. Either way works.

[twinboat]

I push the loop ends thru from the outside because I would need to kneel down to push them thru from the inside. Since my double knee replacement, kneeling isn't fun.

I bought the cable at Wal-Mart in the bike section. I cut the cable by taping the spot to cut and going at it with a fine tooth sawzall.

Here is the cable I think I used.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Master-Lo...XoELZscZteF4KY

[Charlie 5320]

They have safety cables 40" long made for tow dollys on Ebay for about $20.00 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MASTER-LOCK...53.m1438.l2649

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Charlie 5320

They have safety cables 40" long made for tow dollys on Ebay for about $20.00 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MASTER-LOCK...53.m1438.l2649

They look like the springy, pig tail type. They would be a real pain running thru the wheel holes.