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07-13-2017, 12:12 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Missouri Ozarks
Posts: 237
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Tow Dolly Owners
Currently, we don't have any RV and are still deciding what type of RV we want, but we have had two Class As and we used a Blue Ox Tow Bar and it worked well. However, there aren't many good choices anymore that can be flat towed. Our last towed was a Jeep Cherokee which was a good vehicle except for the occasional wobble when towing.
I like the additional options that are available in front wheel drive cars.
I would like to hear from current Tow Dolly owners and what brand you have and are you satisfied with it? Anything I should be concerned with in a Tow Dolly?
I have seen YouTube videos on how to hook up the vehicle and they make it seem fairly easy as long as you follow the particular model instruction.
I know it wouldn't be quite as easy as a tow bar, but I am ok with the trade off of having a better selection of vehicles and I am still physically capable of moving the dolly around.
Look forward to the comments.
Thanks in advance!
John
__________________
John (USAF Reti)/Cheryl (Teacher) Boo (15 year old cat), Billie (18mos cat), Ben (18mos cat), Beau (18mos cat). '20 Tiffin 32SA (Feb 2020 arrival); Past RVs: '16 Newmar Ventana 3709, '16 Tiffin Allegro 36LA, '14 EverGreen Bayhill 295RL, '12 Voltage V3200, '09 BigHorn 3400, '06 Jayco Octane, '04 Jayco Baja
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07-13-2017, 12:20 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Corinth, MS
Posts: 485
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Master tow with surge brakes, upgraded to basket straps . No problems created by the tow dolly. I tow a Focus, Malibu or Avalanche
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Mike & Becky
2005 Holiday Rambler Navigator 45PBQ
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07-13-2017, 12:26 PM
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#3
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Registered User
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 7,114
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I flat tow a Saturn Vue, but also tow dolly my Camry with an Acme Dolly.
- No swivel plate.
- loading / unloading is reasonably easy
- removable ramps
- It has surge brakes
- Don't tighten the straps to much.
- make sure the dolly to car safety chains have enough slack in them to allow the car to move on the dolly
- On my version the ramps can pop off when loading unloading so use caution or install latches on the ramps to keep them from popping off
- Very good support from the Acme people
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07-13-2017, 12:27 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 17
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I have a Stehl tow dolly which worked fairly well on a trip from NJ to ND and Colorado last year. Two complaints the unit was put together in a manner that caused the wires to the lights to contact the wheels causing a short and loading the vehicle requires laying on the ground to connect the safety chains. This is no fun in the rain
Flat towing is so much easier.
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07-13-2017, 12:31 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15
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Acme EZE Tow Dolly with Hydraulic Disc Brakes.
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John and Robin
along with Cali, Roxi, Tank, Major, and Stella
2005 DSDP 4023/Mini Clubman Toad
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07-13-2017, 12:46 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Key Largo Fl./Ft Mill Sc
Posts: 876
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We tow a ford escape with a master tow / surge brakes. Very easy on and off.
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Barry & Martha
2016 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 Freightliner
2018 Harley ultra Limited / 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport
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07-13-2017, 12:59 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Desert Hot Springs Ca.
Posts: 947
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I tow a Ford Edge on a used 2008 Kar Kaddy SS with drum surge brakes. I did away with the chains & use straps through the wheels. Upgraded the straps that hold the tires as my Edge has 20" rims.
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Mike & Trish Romans 10:9
2011 Mobile Suites 36RSSB3
2014 F-350 6.7L CC DRW
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07-13-2017, 01:03 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,413
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Stehl Tow dolly. No problems with lights. Surge brakes, disk brake pads under half warn with 25,000 miles towing a Kia Soul. 14" tires still look great.
Fixed ramps. I don't need to crawl under to attach or worry about falling off while loading. The ramps have never contacted the underside of tow car. Some say they could.
Put a shopping cart type caster wheel near hitch. Wife and I each push a fender to move around like a tricycle. Still fits under rear of MH.
Threw out safety chains. I clamped vinyl coated, steel cable to the whinch bar and push a looped end thru wheel openings and use spring latch hooks bolted to old safety chain holes.
Have never kneeled or crawled under it.
Each fender has a small crack, not worried about them yet.
Can send pictures if wanted.
Master Tow about the same dolly. They have plastic fenders.
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07-13-2017, 02:15 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 47
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Acme EZE Tow Dolly with Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Towing a Kia Sorento. Just finished 1800 miles from Denver to Seattle and back. No problems.
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07-13-2017, 02:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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We bought a KK-460 some years ago to tow our '05 Honda Odyssey. Worked very well even with the Ody loaded with our show sales inventory.
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2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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07-13-2017, 02:39 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8,055
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Ford Escape with a Stehl Tow electric brakes. I rewired the dolly because the mice wintered in the tubes and chewed everything up. Put the wires on the outside of the tubes so no more mouse problems.
My version of twinboat safety cable. Start with a 15 ft heavy duty cable because I needed an eye and several feet of cable for each side. 6 ft cable was too short when cut in half. That cable is tough on hacksaw blades but a snap with a cutoff wheel. The same idea will probably work on other dolly brands.
The one thing worth considering is whether or not to get a self steering system. If you have a locked steering column you are better off with a pan or some kind of axle steering or you need to unlock the column while towing so the vehicle can pivot a bit in relation to the tow vehicle.
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07-13-2017, 05:58 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Appalachian Campers Freightliner Owners Club RV Trip Wizard
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lenoir City, TN
Posts: 709
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Kar Kaddy 460. Surge brakes. Basket straps. Towing a Buick Rendezvous FWD. Can load or unload in 5 minutes. I don't even know it's behind me whether using my motorhome or my F150.
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Greg, Gina & Ginger the rescue dog
2014 Palazzo 36.1, Cummins ISB 6.7 300hp, Allison 2500
TOAD 2008 Jeep Rubicon 4x4, Blue Ox Avail tow bar, RVi3 brake
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07-13-2017, 06:26 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Missouri Ozarks
Posts: 237
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Great responses. Thanks everyone.
__________________
John (USAF Reti)/Cheryl (Teacher) Boo (15 year old cat), Billie (18mos cat), Ben (18mos cat), Beau (18mos cat). '20 Tiffin 32SA (Feb 2020 arrival); Past RVs: '16 Newmar Ventana 3709, '16 Tiffin Allegro 36LA, '14 EverGreen Bayhill 295RL, '12 Voltage V3200, '09 BigHorn 3400, '06 Jayco Octane, '04 Jayco Baja
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07-14-2017, 07:37 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tampa FL
Posts: 679
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Get LED lighting. Filament lamps fail quickly when lit and you run over rough roads. One of my only complaints with my Master Tow (w/ surge brakes). I also had to upgrade the straps for our Solara's tire/rim size.
__________________
2006 HR Scepter 42DSQ
Holiday FL
RVIA Certified RV Service Technician
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