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Old 09-17-2012, 05:20 PM   #1
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Tow Dolly- 1st trip, have question

Recently finished my 1st trip using a dolly that required an overnight stay prior to reaching my final destination. Should the straps be loosened overnight and retightened in the morning or can they be left "under pressure" until reaching your final destination?

I left them "under pressure" but was wondering if that length of time is good for the tire.
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Old 09-17-2012, 05:22 PM   #2
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Leave them under pressure once adjusted. After you load and cinch down the wheels, stop after about 25 miles and retighten the straps. If they were very loose, I'd stop again to make sure they stayed tight.

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Old 09-17-2012, 05:25 PM   #3
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I have never loosened them once I strap it down and check them in a few miles.

On our dolly the tires rest hard aganst the sides of the pans. In fact they hang over the edge when clamped down. No tire damage ever.
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Old 09-17-2012, 05:45 PM   #4
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Thank you! Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to damage toad's tires.

What I discovered on this trip about tightening was that in order to prevent the straps from loosening and tires backing away from the front of the ramp was that after the last ratcheting by hand I needed to use my foot for a final one.
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Old 09-17-2012, 05:50 PM   #5
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Thank you! Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to damage toad's tires.

What I discovered on this trip about tightening was that in order to prevent the straps from loosening and tires backing away from the front of the ramp was that after the last ratcheting by hand I needed to use my foot for a final one.
Bob, try this: After you load your tow and strap it down start up the tow vehicle and turn the steering wheel back and forth. This will help seat the straps. Then tighten again and repeat till there's no more play.
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Old 09-17-2012, 06:29 PM   #6
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Another tip I was given was to load the car and install the straps tightly. Then put the car in Neutral for the final click of the straps. This allows the car to roll forward and compresses the tire to the stop. Then put the car in Park. This has always worked well for me in the past. I hope this helps..
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Old 09-17-2012, 07:14 PM   #7
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Thanks for the tips about the straps!

Another thing I need to get used to, although my MH is 102" wide, is that the dolly is also 102" wide
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Old 09-20-2012, 06:46 AM   #8
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My question is with these new pivoting dolly"s, how do you back them up? I have rrented a few buying cars and towing with my truck and when I back up, the car goes 1 way and the dolly goes another. The old dolly"s you could back up with no issue, I can only imagine what it would be like in my coach. A friend of mine has a coach as well and he was a truck driver for years and he could not back up his jeep with his coach using the newer dolly"s.
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Old 09-20-2012, 06:56 AM   #9
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My question is with these new pivoting dolly"s, how do you back them up? I have rrented a few buying cars and towing with my truck and when I back up, the car goes 1 way and the dolly goes another. The old dolly"s you could back up with no issue, I can only imagine what it would be like in my coach. A friend of mine has a coach as well and he was a truck driver for years and he could not back up his jeep with his coach using the newer dolly"s.
A simple answer is you don't back up. If my rig is in a straight line I can back up a short distance before it trys to jacknife but not very far.
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Old 09-21-2012, 04:17 PM   #10
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Speed racer, I live out Sullivan mo, so howdy neighbor. Thanks for replying. I think the new dolly"s are useless myself. Going to buy me a real dolly.
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Old 09-21-2012, 04:21 PM   #11
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Always left mine tight. I don't see a need to loosen them.
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Old 09-21-2012, 04:38 PM   #12
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Speed racer, I live out Sullivan mo, so howdy neighbor. Thanks for replying. I think the new dolly"s are useless myself. Going to buy me a real dolly.
If you mean you're buying a dolly that neither the wheels or table turn, you're trading the option of backing for a much worse problem of tracking.

Just curious, how far do you want to be able to back?
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Old 09-27-2012, 06:23 PM   #13
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If you mean you're buying a dolly that neither the wheels or table turn, you're trading the option of backing for a much worse problem of tracking.

Just curious, how far do you want to be able to back?
I have used several dolly's that didn't swivel and have traveled across the country with them and never had a problem. I had to rent 1 from uhaul last year because I bought a car and I wanted to tow it out to my house. Welll it towed fine, but when I went to back it up, the car went 1 way and the dolly another almost causing the car to come off the dolly. Thats the last time I use a pivoting dolly. I can back up anything been doing so since I was 14, but something that doesn't work with ya makes it impossible. When I talked to uhual the next day they said the new dolly's aren't meant for backing up. That being said whats the point then? Its like riding a trike and not have reverse, what are you going to do, get off at try to push it back with the handle bars? I will stick with the classic. they're cheap enough now. If I was towing smething bigger I would just get a trailer and put it on it.
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