tow dolly vs. Tow bar

real4u2c,

Do you already have a vehicle which can be safely towed four down? If you have to buy another car either way, than one option might be better than the other. If you already have a car which CAN be flat-towed, or have one that can't be dolly towed, or one that can be dolley towed...well....you get the idea.

We have always flat-towed and I think that's the most convenient way. But, it's usually the most expensive, as well. Our car (2001 Honda Odyssey) doesn't require any special equipment to be flat-towed.

So, first question: what type of vehicle do you have, or are you buying another?

One other thing, your Workhorse chassis is probably the W-22, correct? Or is it the W-24? If it's the W-22, the towing limit is the lower of the hitch rating (probably 5,0000 lbs.) or the difference between the GCWR (26,000 lbs.) and the weight of the rig as your travel down the road. The GVWR of the W-22 is rated at 22,000 lbs. so if you weigh in about 22k, your two rating is only 4,000 lbs. (26,000-22,000). So another suggestion is to have your rig weighed fully loaded as you travel.

One last things, the owner's manual of your chassis states that an auxiliary braking system is necessary for towing most vehicles. Many people ignore that, my recommendation is to follow that statement.

~Rick

We have a 2010 Pontiac G6 that according to the owners manual can be towed 4down, however, da wife would like a newer year compact car, front wheel drive to be exact and a few bells and whistles. I am not opposed to getting a excellent used car, that can be towed either system. And I have researched cost, neither is really cheaper when our lives could be on the line as well as those around us.

Dolly towing gives you the flexibility to tow more cars than flat towing. Dolly towing is basically a one time investment unless you wear out the dolly. Just keep in mind not all cars can be dolly towed but it's a small list. Dolly towing means you have one more piece of equipment to deal with and takes a bit more time to hookup and unhook/store when done.

Flat towing is easier to deal with on a day to day basis ( my opinion ), takes me less than 5 minutes to hookup when heading out. It does take a small investment each time you swap tow cars and the number of cars that can be towed flat is diminishing but currently there is a large assortment.

I choose my Chevy Sonic ( automatic ) back in 2014 as it can be flat towed, wife can drive it, and its fine as my daily driver. My next car whenever that might be will also have to be flat towable.

Tow dollies have to be stored, they are a pain to load, they have cheap ST trailer tires and Chinese wheel bearings, but they tow vehicles that can't otherwise be towed. It's like

Flat tow eliminates the tow dolly, self storing towbar on the MH and hidden base plates for most cars. Get the right flat tow vehicle (such as Wrangler), and they are tow ready without all the electrical concerns and battery cutoff and other stuff.

We wont be towing any equipment without brakes, speaking of, electric or surge, which is better? So tow systems, and brake systems, now I have opened a can of worms? Ah, its 22000lbs according to the vin number, if I read it right. I know I need lightweight and strong, and damned great braking system. I have already witnessed a motorhome try to tow a small car without brakes, and the car went straight under the Motorhome, thank god no one was injured.

Oh, and is it equitable to just purchase 2nd hand or go through a retailer like trailers? I used them as an example because I been reading and watching their videos. Wife and I test drove a 2013 Chevy sonic, seemed to be light enough. We need simplicity too, in case I get , God forbid, injured out sightseeing, she would need something easier to figure out.

real4u2c wrote:
Oh, and is it equitable to just purchase 2nd hand or go through a retailer like trailers? I used them as an example because I been reading and watching their videos. Wife and I test drove a 2013 Chevy sonic, seemed to be light enough. We need simplicity too, in case I get , God forbid, injured out sightseeing, she would need something easier to figure out.

I already prefer flat tow and based on your last thought, I would definitely go with flat tow instead of dolly. We have had both and the few times I had to load the dolly by myself, it was a huge pain for me trying to get the tie down straps tight enough.
Kathy

Honda Accord automatics thru 2012 are towable 4 down and only have about 3500 lbs curb weight. All the bells and whistles and a good sedan ride are there as well. The Civic thru 2011 also meets this criteria. We have towed ours all its life and love it. The Brake Buddy serves us well for its named purpose.

Mile High wrote:
Tow dollies have to be stored, they are a pain to load, they have cheap ST trailer tires and Chinese wheel bearings, but they tow vehicles that can't otherwise be towed. It's like

Flat tow eliminates the tow dolly, self storing towbar on the MH and hidden base plates for most cars. Get the right flat tow vehicle (such as Wrangler), and they are tow ready without all the electrical concerns and battery cutoff and other stuff.

X2. Flat tow with a breaking system is the easiest and safest way to go. We too enjoy the Jeep Wrangler.

I have towed using all three methods: Four down (Jeeps, Dodge Ram 1500); tow dolly (PT Cruiser convertible); and trailer (Jeeps, AMC Eagle).
I agree, four down is simple. I used a fixed arm adjustable width towbar on the Jeeps, and a telescoping towbar on the Dodge. I really didn't notice a lot of difference in hooking up or unhooking.
The PT Cruiser is not towable four down (automatic transmission). The dolly worked well all the way from Montana to Georgia and back. I really wish I had not sold it! I didn't have any problems at any campground all the way down there and back. Storage of the dolly was never a problem at home or on the road.
A trailer creates some problems while it solves others. In Montana any trailer that has a GVW of 3000lbs or more must have brakes on all wheels, and a breakaway system that will hold the brakes applied for at least 15 minutes.
the trailer I had was great for hauling hay bales to feed the horses (when we had horses). A trailer can be backed up anywhere, anytime, even around corners, depending on the skill level of the driver. It is not recommended to back up a four down tow or a dolly tow, although some say they do it.
the bottom line is, the whole thing is purely personal preference, and what vehicle you want to take with you.
The choice is yours.
Good luck.