Motorhome with car tow dolly concerns

[429CV23]

Just be aware of the extra width of a dolly compared to towing 4-down. It can be very tricky at some gas stations, especially if they don't have RV/truck lanes. Depending on your angle, you may need a spotter when leaving to ensure you don't get a dolly wheel hung up on those concrete posts next to many pumps.



We used a Kar Kaddy SS for a few years; nice thing about them is they are steerable, and have an integrated surge brake system, so no need for installing an electric brake controller. They also store in a smaller space as the ramps fold up, and the tongue folds.



I did the same as others have mentioned, replaced the tires with the highest load rated tires available.

[MarvinG]

I use the Acme dolly with the smaller tires my experience on tire wear and temperature is vastly different than Crasher’s. I have put more than 6,000 miles on it with very little tire wear and tires are always just warm to touch.

[Waiter21]

I use the Acme dolly with the smaller tires my experience on tire wear and temperature is vastly different than Crasher’s. I have put more than 6,000 miles on it with very little tire wear and tires are always just warm to touch.

Me Too. Never any problems with tire wear, and I have the original 10 inch wheels on mine.

The vehicles front tires must be allowed to roll forward and backward a little, AND the steering wheel must be unlocked, otherwise the dolly tires are pulled sideways on even the slight turns.

i.e. don't honker down on the straps so the tires can't move at all.

[blueridge-fl]

Originally Posted by MarvinG

I use the Acme dolly with the smaller tires my experience on tire wear and temperature is vastly different than Crasher’s. I have put more than 6,000 miles on it with very little tire wear and tires are always just warm to touch.

We had a newer Acme with the bigger tires and never had a problem with the tires. Regardless of using a tow dolly or flat tow, it is critical that you view all gas pumps with an escape strategy as the number one priority. While on the road, and starting to look for a gas stop, my wife uses satellite map views to get an idea of the most likely places to stop. Also love the Flying J RV lanes. Some folks are very happy with their tow dolly solution, we were not, and moved on to a flat tow. You won't know which you are until you try it.

[tommar]

We recently bought an Acme EZE Tow dolly used for towing our Prius. We really like the vertical storage feature. This dolly does NOT have a swivel pivot for cars with locked steering. If your car has an unlocked steering wheel, you'll be fine. If your steering wheel is a locked kind, then you will have to leave the key in it with the steering wheel in the unlocked position and sometimes doing this will cause problems with battery draining. Apparently, you are living at a MH community? Not sure what this is. Ask if they will allow the dolly to be stowed under the MH. If not, is there a place you could tow the dolly to be stored? X2 on installing a hitch on the toad so you can tow the dolly using your toad. Let us know what dolly you end up buying. Our used Acme dolly came with a spar tire (new) and 3 sets of tires straps and one set of car-to-dolly safety chains for $1100. New, with the options I cited, it would cost about $2k.

[Jim_HiTek]

Flying J isn't the only station where there is room for long RVs...any station where you see semi trucks hanging around will be a candidate.

As a full timer, I go many places and stay at many many RV parks and most of the time, those parks have storage areas, at least over here in the west, and in RV parks in the suburbs or countryside. My point is that often you can park your dolly in the park, often in a fenced and locked area. And to deter theft, use 2 of these parking boots: Parking Boots

But as others have mentioned, I often see tow dollys parked under the back end of their owners RV. Safe and convenient.

[DuaneMiller]

Up to about a month ago we have been towing with a dolly since 2009 using a Demco KarKaddy SS pulling it with a 38' gas motorhome. In all of that time, I never once had an issue with the length, the stability of the tow, getting trapped in a gas station while trying to refuel, of finding a place to store the dolly at a campsite or at home while not traveling.

Do you have to be alert and be choosy as to where you fuel up? Absolutely! But that just goes with the territory of owning an RV. Just make sure when you fill up to choose the pump at the end and make sure your departure route turns the rear of the motorhome away from the pumps as you leave. If you have to pull up and wait for someone to leave that "end pump" then sit there and wait.

We inherited my dad's truck which I have set up to pull 4 down, and have done so with great results. However, I have absolutely no intention of getting rid of my dolly, which I tow my wife's Honda CRV on, and will continue to do so going forward.

Whatever you decide to use, you will become more confident the more you use it. Just be ready for any situation and keep an eye on your mirrors and use your cameras in places like parking lots and gas stations.

As newer cars become less and less flat towable, I think you will see a lot more tow dollies hit the streets.

[Sweetbriar]

I recently switch after 8 season of four down towing to an Acme dolly. Overall the new setup added maybe a foot if that much to my overall length. Never had an issue with refueling in past or now with the dolly but I do plan my stops to insure easy in and out when on the road and have my known easy in/out local gas stations picked out.

I have also had to change from keeping the coach at home to a storage facility where I also store the dolly. When parking I’ll first push to dolly into my assigned parking spot, lift the dolly to it’s vertical storage position and then back the coach in stoping with the rear of the coach a few inches from the dolly. If someone wants the dolly they will have to push it over backwards (it will then be upside down) then flip it over. If they want it that bad there isn’t much I can do to stop them from taking it from storage. I did notice that when vertical the tires are off the ground so you could take them off and make it that much harder to take. You could also “boot” a tire or both.

Four down I needed the coach and toad in a straight line to connect just as I do now to load the car on the dolly. Never had a problem in any CG finding enough straight road to get everything in a straight line to connect. I did add a receiver to my toad (2017 Honda Accord) so I can, if necessary, easy move the dolly around inside the camp ground using the Accord rather than being dependent on the coach for such should the need ever occur.

[Gary RVRoamer]

It's not always feasible to slide the dolly mostly under the coach. Depends on the site terrain and how the coach is leveled out. If the back end is low, the dolly won't go under much at all.


You definitely want a tongue dolly wheel on the tow dolly to aid in moving it around by hand. And it still doesn't move easily on soft ground, loose gravel or any grade.

[AudiDudi]

We have used an ACME for about 3 yrs and 15k miles. I replaced the 10 inch bias ply tires with 12 inch wheels and radial tires for about $175 last year.

The ACME is pretty easy to move around by hand, especially if the ramps are removed and not adding to the tongue weight.

I've never had an issue with storing it at a campground. I either leave it hooked up if in a pull-thru, unhook and back over it, or park it next the motor home.

It's also pretty easy to back up - I use a C clamp to disable the surge brakes.

[tommar]

Originally Posted by AudiDudi

We have used an ACME for about 3 yrs and 15k miles. I replaced the 10 inch bias ply tires with 12 inch wheels and radial tires for about $175 last year.

The ACME is pretty easy to move around by hand, especially if the ramps are removed and not adding to the tongue weight.

I've never had an issue with storing it at a campground. I either leave it hooked up if in a pull-thru, unhook and back over it, or park it next the motor home.

It's also pretty easy to back up - I use a C clamp to disable the surge brakes.

Some good ideas re: Acme EZE Tow! The C clamp is an idea I will pursue. At a campground, if all else fails, you can also store it standing up vertically. Just make sure it can't fall over by using the tongue safety chains and fasten them to something.

[Sco70ttie]

EddieM,

I have a EZ tow dolly and made several trips from Va to Az with very few problems. I bought it because of the special hubs (guaranteed for 5-10 years) and the built in brakes that allow towing anything that will fit. My previous Master tow dolly would dent the Sienna Van on sharp turns. Since there in no swivel plate on EZ tow, the steering wheel of the tow vehicle needs to be free to turn. My Sienna needed the key in the ignition and cycled to the on position then back to the off position for the steering wheel to remain unlocked. I usually park my tow dolly behind the motorhome. I also have a hitch on the tow vehicle to assist in moving the dolly when needed.

[NXR]

As someone else noted, a dolly may have a wider tire spacing. Our motorhome tires are 96" from outside tire to outside tire but the dolly is 102".

Three inches on a side does not sound like much but the dolly does not track perfectly behind the motorhome so you can easily clear a curb with the motorhome and scuff a dolly tire.

You get used to it but we found a dolly does take more planning and time to hook up and unhook than we care for.

Ray

[twinboat]

With my 30 ft class C and its 13 ft overhang, behind the rear axle, the dolly tracked wider then the RV track.

Turning away from a parallel curb, the dolly tire would strike the curb if I departed to sharply.

Never worred about hitting a curb with the tire on a sharp right turn.