Acme Eze-Tow Functional Design

[Scarab0088]

Originally Posted by mdvs

Recently I saw where this could damage some cars. You need to find out if your car could be towed 4 down. If it can then you will be ok with the acme dolly. If it is not safe to tow 4 down, I'm talking about front wheel drive cars, then you need a pivot plate or turning wheels on the dolly.

Wait...What!?
Please share where you saw the Eze-tow dolly could damage a car?

Then your post becomes very confusing because a Jeep Wrangler can be flat towed BUT cannot be towed on any dolly.

Finally, any front wheel drive car that can be towed an a dolly will work on any of the styles of dolly.

The OP desires to tow his Prius. The Prius cannot be safely flat towed (risks damage to the driveline), but has and currently is being towed by many owners on dollies. And the Eze-Tow is a very good option for a dolly...steering just must be unlocked.
Because, the Eze-Tow steers in a very similar manner to flat-towing

A pivot pan or axle steer dolly would work for a Prius too, but those require extra weight for the extra bits on the dolly and can cost more as well.

[mdvs]

I will look for the info.

[mdvs]

I've been looking for the article but have not found it yet. I believe it had something to do with electronic steering and needing to pull a fuse to help prevent this from happening but was being discussed regarding 4 down towing and not the use of a dolly. I think the vehicle was a chevy equinox.
I may have miss understood the issue.
I know that before I towed my vehicle I checked with the manufacture to verify that it could be towed 4 down or on a dolly along with any restrictions regarding duration of tow and needing to lubricate the transmission (4 down).
The common sense thing for everyone is to check with their vehicle manufacture and find out if it can be towed and if so what restrictions need to be followed (lube, lock steering, pulling a fuse, etc.)
If they say nothing about the power steering I would not be concerned.

Who knows what new technology will come out for cars so check with the manufacture.

[vettenuts]

I believe that you are referring to the Jeep death wobble.

[seb1899]

My Acme tow dolly has been to Yuma (Saab convertible loaded) once and to Florida twice (Volkswagen Eos loaded) and the tires show minimal wear, I inflate to 80 pounds. The dolly tracks perfectly in that if the M/H can turn in a crowded gas island the car on the dolly follows as my unit is about 26' long and the amount behind the axle is not as much as larger units (less tail swing)

My only complaint is there is no "lateral forgiveness" in winch movement. Older Acme units allowed the winches to slide left and right like a Master Tow so the car tires could be off an inch or two from center when loaded and the winches could be centered by sliding. Now this is not possible as the winches are bolted in place.

With DW's directions if you are not centered you have to back down the ramps and do it again (and sometimes again and again)

In order to maintain marital bliss I am going to sell my Acme and buy a Master Tow which has "lateral forgiveness" as the winches can be slid to tire center

[Polyian]

On my way back north, was in Yuma and Palm Springs...the Acme has been towing my Prius V flawlessly. I have my TPMS monitors on the dolly tires and the Prius rear wheels. Pressures on the dolly remain in the expected range as the tires warm but the temperatures do not rise any higher that the motor home or Prius tires. So these 12 inch dolly wheels are not heating up any more than any of my other tires.
I just thought that piece of knowledge might be useful.

DW and I have the centering on the dolly down pat now so no issue there...takes about 5 minutes longer than my old flat tow setup to load...but I get to take my Prius with me and that's worth a lot of 5 minutes.

Edit...forgot to mention I was doing some tight circles around Pilot gas stations up the I5 today, no problem...after all a 180 is the sum of 2 90's.

[AudiDudi]

Originally Posted by seb1899

<snip>

My only complaint is there is no "lateral forgiveness" in winch movement. Older Acme units allowed the winches to slide left and right like a Master Tow so the car tires could be off an inch or two from center when loaded and the winches could be centered by sliding. Now this is not possible as the winches are bolted in place. <snip>

I make sure that I am within 1/4 inch of having the car centered on my ACME. I atached a piece of that 2 1/2 inch fiber optic conduit to the dolly which acts as a guide and makes centering pretty easy.

[mdvs]

How is it attached, oriented? I'm trying to visualize how it would work.

[seb1899]

Originally Posted by AudiDudi

I make sure that I am within 1/4 inch of having the car centered on my ACME. I atached a piece of that 2 1/2 inch fiber optic conduit to the dolly which acts as a guide and makes centering pretty easy.

Can you elaborate further on this loading aid or better still post a picture as it would be better than words

[AudiDudi]

Originally Posted by seb1899

Can you elaborate further on this loading aid or better still post a picture as it would be better than words

Originally Posted by mdvs

How is it attached, oriented? I'm trying to visualize how it would work.

I'll go over to storage tomorrow and snap a pic. If I forget, remind me :-)

[ThePowells]

Originally Posted by seb1899

My Acme tow dolly has been to Yuma (Saab convertible loaded) once and to Florida twice (Volkswagen Eos loaded) and the tires show minimal wear, I inflate to 80 pounds. The dolly tracks perfectly in that if the M/H can turn in a crowded gas island the car on the dolly follows as my unit is about 26' long and the amount behind the axle is not as much as larger units (less tail swing)

My only complaint is there is no "lateral forgiveness" in winch movement. Older Acme units allowed the winches to slide left and right like a Master Tow so the car tires could be off an inch or two from center when loaded and the winches could be centered by sliding. Now this is not possible as the winches are bolted in place.

With DW's directions if you are not centered you have to back down the ramps and do it again (and sometimes again and again)

In order to maintain marital bliss I am going to sell my Acme and buy a Master Tow which has "lateral forgiveness" as the winches can be slid to tire center

Can you possibly measure the distance between the edge of the tire and edge of the rack and cut a wooden block to take up the space and use it on both sides and give you a cradle to drop the front wheels into? Then once loaded, you can remove and store them. That would get you centered every time.

[AudiDudi]

Originally Posted by mdvs

How is it attached, oriented? I'm trying to visualize how it would work.

Originally Posted by seb1899

Can you elaborate further on this loading aid or better still post a picture as it would be better than words

I only did it on only one side of the dolly. If you are too far off center, the tire will ride up over the conduit. With the wife watching, I like to be about 1/4 inch or less away from the conduit.

It's attached with stainless steel self tapping screws and washers.