Saftey Chains on Tow Dolly

[RJsfishin]

Dolly towing not much more difficult than a tow bar, except for hookin up the safety chains.
I'm thinking of an easier way so as to not have to crawl under the toad.
What about just an extra set of straps w/ big snaps mounted to both ends, thrown over the first ones ?
I think code calls for chain, cable, or straps, so seems this would qualify. Or they could be chain, kinda like a set of tire snow chains
Whatcha all think?

[Beacher]

jergeod wrote:
..... Acme EZ TOW dolly gives you safety chains with their dolly.

Yes they do. I use an Acme EZ Tow to pull my Prius.

Unfortunately, the Prius is so low that I need to lay down on the road to put on and remove the safety chains. Besides that, it's a breeze to tow and store when not using it.

[Peddler95]

enblethen wrote:
Traveylin:
If I understand you correct, No the brakes on the tow dolly will not be applied and neither will the brakes on the vehicle.
Many tow dollies have surge style brakes. Some do have electric brakes. Some electric brake setups do have a break away function if dolly comes loose. Not many though.

Any dolly with electric brakes can be upgraded to a break away configuration with a $10 switch and a battery. I use a pigtail on the toad's battery so it cost me less than $10.

[xctraveler]

We almost lost our tow'd 4 down a few years ago. When I pulled into a campground as we were returning from Alaska I noted that the hitch was at a "funny" angle (any angle other than straight being funny). When I examined it more closely with a mobile service tech we saw that the several of the welds holding the receiver to the coach were cracked. Had they let go the car would have gone off on its own playing pole vault over the towbar and the breakaway cable and the safety cables would have still been fastened to the receiver no longer fastened to the coach. My fully installed break away system would have been useless.

Not to get into the to have or not to have auxiliary brakes in the tow'd, but I can feel the difference when braking hard even in my 30k lb coach with airbrakes. Every bit of assistance is welcome when the idiot crosses in front of me.

[msmith1199]

Every once in a while (once a week!) a debate comes up about having a Brake Buddy or other similar device on vehicles towed four-down. There is always the crowd that says if you don't have aux brakes that you're basically going to kill everybody on the highway. Quite a few times they have posted links to news stories about towed cars breaking free of the tow vehicle and causing some type of damage to the car or to other vehicles. Only problem is every single link that I have ever seen posted on here about an accident caused by a car breaking free are cars that were on tow dollies as opposed to being towed four down. There have been stories of four-down cars having hitch malfunctions but all stayed behind the motorhome thanks to safety chains or safety cables. The only stories I have seen where that didn't happen was when the straps on the tow dollies gave way and the driverless car was off to the races.

[J-Rooster]

Whatever works and is legal! I run cables, I'll I do is bend over on each side of the tow bar, hook one cable onto back of RV and the other to the front of my tow vehicle. I have a Roadmaster Tow Bar it's a very fast and clean set up for me.

[enblethen]

Traveylin:
If I understand you correct, No the brakes on the tow dolly will not be applied and neither will the brakes on the vehicle.
Many tow dollies have surge style brakes. Some do have electric brakes. Some electric brake setups do have a break away function if dolly comes loose. Not many though.

[traveylin]

Do tow dollies have brakes actuated when the car comes off the dolly

[wa8yxm]

Proper safety chain attachment is fast and simple, epically on a dolly where it's up in the air about a foot, Just get one of those folding steps (single step) and sit on it to attach the chains.

With practice you will find a place where you can attach swiftly, You may even be able to hook into the slots many cars provide for safety chain attachment.

[robertbenita]

Mine attach to the front area so I do not have to get under the toad or the RV. Mine are cables now too. Maybe a good trailer shop or tow yard can point you in a good direction. Good luck.

[Donna_and_Rob]

My safety chains wrap around the lower control arms and hook back into the chain. Reason being if tow dolly comes loose from MH the car and trailer will stay together. I've wore out two straps from rips and tears and my car always moves 2 or 3 inches back from original position.

[jergeod]

Road master states it is up to the person if they want to use safety chains, same with master tow. You are using basket straps made of 12000 lb webbing with a braking figure of 5000 lbs on each wheel. If chains make you feel better use them. New York does not require safety chains from dolly to car on dolly but all states require safety chains from dolly to towing vehicle. Acme EZ TOW dolly gives you safety chains with their dolly.

[Nomadac]

Our RAV4 had tie downs on the frame used for shipping that I used for the safety chains.

[cvholmes]

What year RAV 4? I have a 2024 Limited and see nowhere to attach chains.  Thanks

[MrWizard]

moved from technology