HI...We have a Kar-Tote tow dolly. We previously used it with our 24' Minnie Winnie, and didn't notice any problems.We purchased a 32' Fleetwood, and had to get a new hitch, with a longer drop, and now we notice that our tow dolly sways really badly when the car is not loaded. We've asked our dealer, and they don't have a clue as to why it does this.Does anyone have any ideas for me? Or things we should check?It loosens up quite a bit as we drive along... even after we re tighten it, it gets loose again.Thanks for any help....

Sway when the car is not loaded?Remember, your dolly has no suspension at all. It relies on the cars suspension when loaded. When not loaded a dolly spends as much time bouncing up in the air as it does on the road. It bounces just like a basket ball. Sway might be caused by uneven air pressure in the tires or it might be just how it is landing & bouncing.My dolly had instruction to avoid towing unloaded but if you had to then lower the tire air pressure. I forget the recommended unloaded pressure but it was so low the tires felt soft.

OK... that sounds like very useful info. Thanks much..We have to tow the dolly to and from the storage lot to where we live.

How tight does the hitch fit in the receiver? Grab the ball & see how much the hitch will move side to side.

MyRV4Me wrote:HI...It loosens up quite a bit as we drive along... even after we re tighten it, it gets loose again.Thanks for any help....I'm guessing you mean the ball loosens up? Usually they come with a massive lock washer. What do you use to tighten it? Also, you should be putting axle grease on the ball to help with that.If you didn't mean the ball, just ignore my post.

I'm purchasing a new Master Tow T77. The instructions say to lower the PSI to 10 when towing without a load. Normal PSI with a toad loaded is 50

Tow Dolly Sways | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

MyRV4Me
Explorer
Apr 20, 2014
blknomad wrote:
For some reasion the wheels are not aligned properly. Why did you have to buy a new hitch? With the dolly hooked up on level ground, measure the distance between the inside at the front of the tires then measure the distance between the rear of the tire. There should be anoticeable difference. Because of driveway considerations,I have to tow my dolly 5mi before I load the toad. Never had a problem with sway or lowered the air pressure from 50psi. I use the same hitch on 35ft Itasca as I did on 30ft Winney.

Someone else also mentioned that... the tires not being aligned. We we have to get that taken care of... thank you.

We had to buy a new hitch cuz the one on our Minnie had a short drop, and it is much farther to the ground from where the receiver is on our Southwind.

We haven't had any issues with the car on the dolly... only unloaded.
MyRV4Me
Explorer
Apr 20, 2014
wallynm wrote:
Our had a pin to install from the back of the dolly that stop the dolly wheels from articulating when you went around corners.

This made the dolly tow more like a two wheel trailer than a dolly with the car loaded snd the pin removed.

To be really safe the safety chains should be attached to the MH frame and not the hitch in case the hitch comes loose and they do.

I think they are attached to the RV. That piece is welded on as part of the undercarriage.

vERY IMPORTANT, tho, since this is where it is loose.... that bolt gets very loose, and we think that is somehow tied in with our "issue".
Thank goodness we have the locking pin in there.... that keeps it on, just in case...

Thank you
blknomad
Explorer
Apr 19, 2014
For some reasion the wheels are not aligned properly. Why did you have to buy a new hitch? With the dolly hooked up on level ground, measure the distance between the inside at the front of the tires then measure the distance between the rear of the tire. There should be anoticeable difference. Because of driveway considerations,I have to tow my dolly 5mi before I load the toad. Never had a problem with sway or lowered the air pressure from 50psi. I use the same hitch on 35ft Itasca as I did on 30ft Winney.
wallynm
Explorer
Apr 19, 2014
Our had a pin to install from the back of the dolly that stop the dolly wheels from articulating when you went around corners.

This made the dolly tow more like a two wheel trailer than a dolly with the car loaded snd the pin removed.

To be really safe the safety chains should be attached to the MH frame and not the hitch in case the hitch comes loose and they do.
MyRV4Me
Explorer
Apr 18, 2014
HI...
thank you to all of you who are trying to help....
OK, so, this page shows the swaying problem...
My tow dolly swaying issues.

and here are the pics of the set up...
carringb
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
Trailer axles have built-in camber to compensate for flex when loaded. If the ball is too low, this built-in positive camber become toe-out, which causes instability.

If you raise the ball up, I'm pretty sure your sway will go away.
blknomad
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
Yes,yes,yes and yes the tow hitch height has everything to do with the way the dolly tracks. Tow dollies, trailers, utility trailers with axels are made with a certain amount of "tow in" just like your car when aligned will have the front wheels towed in to be self centering. If you are absolutely sure your ball hitch is the proper height and there is no adjustment on the dolly to set tow in then you will have to get a welding shop or a frame shop to heat the dolly axel and bend it to have proper tow in.
Patrol_65
Explorer
Apr 15, 2014
Lower the air pressure in the tires and it won't bounce as much. The other problem that causes sway is tongue weight. You may not have enough tongue weight without the car on the dolly.
DutchStar38
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
I'm guessing you have the hand wheel for tightning the tow receiver to the ball? If true then there should be a small lever lock so that the hand wheel cannot turn.
I looked at a manual for Kartote and they recommend unloaded tire pressure to be 20PSI. Also, I think the recommended ball height should be 16-18 inches but I will check it again. If the front of the dolly is to high it will have an effect.
tommy_g
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
MyRV4Me wrote:
OhhWell wrote:
MyRV4Me wrote:
HI...

It loosens up quite a bit as we drive along... even after we re tighten it, it gets loose again.
Thanks for any help....

I'm guessing you mean the ball loosens up? Usually they come with a massive lock washer. What do you use to tighten it? Also, you should be putting axle grease on the ball to help with that.

If you didn't mean the ball, just ignore my post.

HI... no, not the ball, the tow dolly. If it wasn't locked in, I am afraid it would just go it's own way... lol.... as it is, we are afraid it will flip.
If not the ball, I still don't understand what comes loose and need to be retightened.

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Tow Dolly Sways

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