Considering a tow dolly...... Info needed

I towed a Demco Kar Kaddy SS for over 50,000 miles 7 years. Only problem was brakes come on and locked up wheels. Called Demco, they sent repair parts in days.
Ease of use is one of it's features. In pull thru sites we left the dolly on. In back in sites we disconnected it and rolled it to back of site.
We had 2 Malibu Maxx cars that did not have locking steering wheel when in park. Never did tie steering wheel. Always towed straight.
Changed to flat towing last year. It was getting to hard for us to move dolly when it needed to be disconnected for storage.

I have never seen a receiver mount tow dolly, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

I used a http://www.stehltow.com/Stehltow/Home.html for 3 years until we finally had to replace the car. Then we went 4 down.

This dolly has the rotating pan, which works well. Mine came with electric brakes, and I added a breakaway switch.

Leave the car in PARK as that locks the transmission and drive (front) wheels, but leave the parking brake off since that would lock the rear wheels.

When parked at the CG, we would push the dolly to a tree and use a large bicycle type lock to secure it. If you are in a pull-through spot, absolutely, leave it attached.

And FOR HEAVENS SAKE, DON'T LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION WITH THE WHEELS UNLOCKED! That is only for dollies that don't have wheels that steer or a pan that turns, and they are rare. That would allow the dolly pan to turn one way and the car to offset by turning the other way causing an offset tow. The car's wheels need to be locked straight ahead. Let the dolly handle all of the turning that is required. If the car's steering doesn't have a lock, tie the steering wheel to keep it from turning.

P.S. Be sure to double check the car's manual be ensure that it can be dolly towed. While many front wheel drive cars can be, there are exceptions.

ezgoin wrote:
Do all tow dollies use a ball mount? Those make me nervous with bouncing concerns. I'd prefer a receiver mount like on a tow bar.

Tow dollies use the same type of ball mount that TT, car trailers, etc. use and have a latch that locks the mount to the ball and you can use a padlock to secure the latch so it won't come loose.

Do all tow dollies use a ball mount? Those make me nervous with bouncing concerns. I'd prefer a receiver mount like on a tow bar.

Our dolly wheels don't steer but the "table" pivots. Personally I like this better less moving parts to go bad or out of alignment. Something has to pivot, so either the tires of the dolly, the table or the tires of the car. We have surge brakes on ours which I like because again no changes to coach just hookup and go.

Your car will stay in park, front wheel drive so trans affects front wheels not rear, and yes parking brake off and leave steering wheel loked if either wheels or table pivot on dolly.

We used a tow dolly for more than 21 years. Ours didn't have auto-steer or brakes, and the brakes were the main reason I switched to four-down.

If the wheels on the dolly don't steer, you put a tremendous load on the hitch if the overhang on the motorhome is excessive. It actually tried to separate my rear cap from the sidewalls. I don't recommend a dolly that doesn't have wheels that steer.

Just like towing four-down, you can't back a dolly with the vehicle on it. Our dolly was light enough that when we had the car off, it was easily moved by hand, even up slight hills. That said, a good dolly with steering and brakes will be heavier than ours was. There were many places I'd remove the car, and then back the dolly into a space where we could secure it.

Most of the time I'd disconnect it, put the dolly on the ground and back the motorhome over the tongue of the dolly. When I couldn't secure it that way I wrapped a chain through the holes in one of the wheels and secured it with a lock. That way the wheel would drag after just a few feet. If I did leave it attached to the MH, I locked the links of the safety chain.

With a front wheel drive automatic you can leave it in neutral or park, it shouldn't matter. Our car was a manual trans and I always left it in neutral. With either choice, leave the key in the ignition in the unlocked position, because the wheels of the car will turn when the dolly turns.

It was a good way to tow many different vehicles (all front wheel drive), but I didn't want the problem of where to keep the dolly in some of the smaller spots we camped in. I've gone back to four-down for a number of reasons, but I understand both choices.