Tow Dolly

[jestew3]

I used one for a few years. They are not as easy as flat towing to hook up, but for vehicles that could not be flat towed, it is another option. The one I purchased also let me bring my bike. I flat tow my Ford Expedition EL now and I am looking for a Hydralift for my bike.

[737 Driver]

Thanks to everyone responding. It looked like lots of people would steer away from the dolly so I ended up buying a Ford Edge today. I checked and double checked that Ford allows flat towing of the new 2019 Edge. I saw the "e" documentation from Ford where it stated that the 2019 2.7 liter V6 and AWD could be flat towed, if the specific engine start/run was followed. Now I just need the manufacturers of baseplates to hurry up and make the equipment)

[ThePowells]

Well, Too late for our commentary, but we have a Demco 460SS and I love it. I can't turn too short with it. I used large eye bolts on the chassis to move the safety chain attachment where I can attach from a squat and got shorter chains. I installed lights in the back and wiring runs from front spoiler to rear in a channel under the car.

[Dippelj]

My experiences say you will be pleased with flat towing the edge. I have towed my 2013 edge over 50,000 miles with no problems. I did tow a car on a dolly for one trip when helping to relocate a friend and it was a pain.

[Gary.Jones]

You made the right decision. Don't look back and second guess your decision.

I have watched with horror at some of the older motorcoach owners and their equally "older" DWs struggle with trying to move their heavy and clunky tow dolly into position on and off the coach and into an out-of-the-way spot in whatever RV park they are in at the time, and they work their butts off trying to get it connected, disconnected, and in a suitable place ("Pop" trying to direct the tongue of the dolly while DW pushed on a tire to try to get it to move or turn..... no thanks). . No way would I tackle that every time I have to connect or disconnect. I can do my Honda in 3 minutes each direction (not including the 3 minutes the Honda engine needs to idle before shutting it down and firing up the Cummins). And getting a good tow dolly will be a big piece of the price of the new towable car.

The car we tow is the DW's car and so it has to be two things: towable four down, and something she feels comfortable driving (no Jeeps for this woman). So, I had a one year old Ford that needed to be traded in on this Honda to avoid the tow-dolly mess, but we bit the bullet and traded the Ford so we could do it. Never regretted that decision. The choice of 4-down towable toads is getting smaller and smaller so my choices are getting narrower each year it seems, but it will be another towable car when it is necessary, regardless of the cost.

Gary

[brobox]

If some are "thinking" of a tow dolly, rent one from U Haul and try it for a short trip. Very little cost involved, the experience is priceless.

[Cooperhawk]

We towed with two different Demco Kar Kaddy II dollys for almost fifteen years. We now have a vehicle that can be flat towed so we sold the dolly.


It was not that big of a problem. I could actually get it loaded and on the road almost as quick as flat towed and unloading was even easier. Once you get used to tightening the straps that problem goes away. I always stopped after twenty miles or so and checked them as they did stretch.


The other thing were the safety chains. I had to crawl under the front to attach them. If you could find a better way for that it would help. Perhaps through the front wheels.


The dolly had surge brakes so no brake buddy install to do. It also had lights but I also had a light bar I placed in the rear window. It was wireless.


With the dolly we were able to tow two VWs with little problem. I could back up the dolly a short ways which I cannot do with the tow bar now. It followed in the MHs tracks and was never a problem turning. I had a ball hitch installed on the toad and could use it to tow the dolly to a storage site or whatever.


All in all it worked pretty good and let us tow the vehicle we wanted. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

[Cooperhawk]

One more thing. I always carried a mechanics creeper in the trunk of the toad and used it to get under the front and attach the chains.