Acme Tow Dolly with Hydraulic Disc Brakes?

[Mondooker]

I'm looking at the "Acme Tow Dolly with Hydraulic Disc Brakes" because my vehicles cannot be towed 4 down. I've been reading up on the Acme unit and seems to be a good one. Would appreciate your comments. Thanks

[blknomad]

Bought my demco dolly 9 years ago and it was used. have pulled it over 60 thousand miles behind 2 motor homes. I keep it greased and have changed tires, lights, wiring and painted it. I've had to unhook at campgrounds 2 times in 9 years. Usually easy to find a pull through, if not I can back it in in most back in sites.
P.S. I'm a 68 year old diabetic and I have no problems with the dolly

[Mondooker]

Hey Mowermech, The Acme video shows the steering wheel moving both to the right and to the left with the motion of the motorhome. Are you saying this is a "Made for video untrue presentation" or are you saying "Don't confuse me with the facts"? 🙂

[mowermech]

23hotrodr wrote:
The Acme tow dolly is a well built and designed unit. The hydraulic disk brakes work great and are easy to service. This dolly is designed for front wheel drive vehicles and works very well. It is simple in design and light weight. Some of the other designs are much more complicated with more weight and maintenance issues.

If you need a tow dolly, this one is hard to beat!

As I stated: "That's fine, I will not buy one of them, nor will I buy any other dolly that does not have either steerable wheels or a turntable for steering."
That is my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.

[23hotrodr]

The Acme tow dolly is a well built and designed unit. The hydraulic disk brakes work great and are easy to service. This dolly is designed for front wheel drive vehicles and works very well. It is simple in design and light weight. Some of the other designs are much more complicated with more weight and maintenance issues.

If you need a tow dolly, this one is hard to beat!

[mowermech]

Mondooker wrote:
Oldme, you're saying you are still functioning at 68? That's a seriously wild statement right there! 🙂

Thanks for your reply. The video I watched was very impressive on the Acme website. To get it out of the way he just unhitched and wheeled it under the Motorhome. If you can't do four down this looks like the way to go. I read somewhere that setting up for 4 down is more expensive but am not sure about that?

It depends on what you buy.
The towbar, for example. I towed Jeeps with a simple, inexpensive, fixed arm adjustable width towbar for years and thousands of miles. Made by Reese, $165 at Walmart the last time I looked. But, they are only rated for 5000 lbs., so when I started towing the truck I found a Roadmaster Stowmaster 6000 lb. bar, used, for $250. A local welder set up the grill guard to attach the towbar for $75, and the lighting parts and safety cables cost about $150 total. So, about $475 buying a mix of used and new parts.
Or, you can go high-tech, telescoping arm, stainless steel or aluminum, and spend a couple thousand dollars for just the new towbar. Then add in 3 or 4 hundred for the baseplate, upwards of a thousand for a braking system, etc. For that type of set-up 3 to 4 thousand is not unheard of, installed.
The Ready-Brute integrated towbar/braking system is a little less expensive (about $1200 plus baseplate), especially if you can install it yourself, but it will still be more than the American or Acme tow dolly!

[mowermech]

irishtom29 wrote:

mowermech wrote:
Personally, I do not like the Acme dolly. ...

Elaborate.

To put it as simply as possible, if a dolly does not steer, either with a turntable (American Car Dolly and others) or steerable wheels (DEMCO Kar Kaddy and others), I don't want it.
Yes, I know, Acme claims that the wheels of the car do the turning, and show the steering wheel of the car turning when they make a turn while in tow. Yes, there is no doubt that SOMETHING is twisting when the steering wheel turns with the front wheels strapped down tightly, but based on over 40 years as a mechanic, I fear that it is something that should not be twisted! I also know that there are people who swear by the Acme dolly. That's fine, I will not buy one of them, nor will I buy any other dolly that does not have either steerable wheels or a turntable for steering.

[Mondooker]

Oldme, you're saying you are still functioning at 68? That's a seriously wild statement right there! 🙂

Thanks for your reply. The video I watched was very impressive on the Acme website. To get it out of the way he just unhitched and wheeled it under the Motorhome. If you can't do four down this looks like the way to go. I read somewhere that setting up for 4 down is more expensive but am not sure about that?

And that its built here in the good ol USA is another BIB thing!

[Oldme]

We have had the Acme unit for several years now.
We are VERY pleased with it.

Our small Class C pulls the CRV on it and I have to check to see it is back there.
The dolly has a 40 lb tongue weight and total weight of 400 lbs.
At age 68, I have no trouble rolling it around or hooking it up by myself.

The surge disk brakes work well. If you have ever used surge brakes on a boat trailer or other trailer you know how they work. Only disks work better.
The LED lights work flawlessly.

I have found support for questions after the sale to be great.
Any questions I have had came back with an immediate response.
I would buy it again and recommend Acme.
Made in the USA.

[Mondooker]

Hi Deford, The Acme looks pretty easy to handle and relatively light weight buts it's something else do deal with for sure. I don't want to have to buy another car if I can keep from it.

[DFord]

I don't mean to hijack your post but, have you used a tow dolly before? I tried one for a couple years and soon tired of stowing it once I got to a park because it was so heavy to lug around.

With me, 4 down is the only way to go and there's many cars still available that do just fine being flat towed.

[Mondooker]

That's hard to read. Go here http://cartowdolly.com/compare/

Once you get to the website click "Click Here to Download Detailed Comparison Chart in PDF Format"

[irishtom29]

mowermech wrote:
Personally, I do not like the Acme dolly. ...

Elaborate.

[Mondooker]

Here's an information sheet I downloaded on the tow brands

[mowermech]

Personally, I do not like the Acme dolly.
If I were to buy a new dolly, it would be the American Tow Dolly:
http://www.americancardolly.com/
Note that they deliver right to your door, free, and make sure you know how to set up and use their dolly. I like that service!
Of course, if money was no object, I would get the latest and greatest DEMCO Kar KAddy. IIRC, the price is just a little over $4000.