Tow dolly without brakes

[Larrysr1957]

I will be renting a uhaul tow dolly for a trip I will be taking I am pulling it with a 1998 35 ft. Bounder the vehicle being towed is a Lincoln MKX I will be traveling at approximately 60 mph 400 miles each way does anyone see any problems with this setup

[msmith1199]

Passin Thru wrote:
Uhaul uses them because they are cheap. I am a professional driver. Drove Tractor Trailer and then pulled boats TTs and enclosed trailers and I don't like them. One has O control over how much they apply. In an emergency on wet or snowy pavement, you are simply in for the ride!. So you like them. So what? go ahead a buy them.

Actually U-Haul uses them because they are renting them out and the vast majority of all tow vehicles don't have a electronic brake setup unless the owner of the vehicle has a travel trailer.

[msmith1199]

Tom/Barb wrote:

Passin Thru wrote:
Surge brake are to cause accidents IMHO. I don't like them. Rent a trailer with brakes and drive it like you own it. You probably have the brake setup anyway.

Guess they cause so many accidents is why U-haul uses them on almost every thing they rent.

In fact, if you leave out camping trailers, I would guess the vast majority of all the remaining trailer types have surge brakes versus electric brakes. All boat trailers do, most all utility trailers and car haulers so, and most car dollies use surge brakes.

[lonewolf80]

George, what does your owners manual say about towing. I would trust that more than what a dealership says. I've covered well over a 1000 miles with my wife's 2014 Sportage with the 6 speed transmission with out problem. Steering wheel locked and tranny in park. Regarding locked steering wheel or not, I tow with a Master Tow dolly that has the pivoting deck that the front wheels sit on. It does the turning for the car, which allows for a tighter turning radius vs the fixed deck dolly's. I believe the Acme is a solid deck that does not pivot and turn.

[Georgia_Popcorn]

I have two wheel/front wheel drive.

My steering wheel locks when the key is removed...
KIA tells me to press the little button and move gear shift lever to neutral and that will FIX my little problem about "moving the key to off position while STILL LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, which means the steering wheel will be unlocked...

I just was wondering whether anyone else had that problem

[Stim]

Georgia Popcorn wrote:
I tow a 2017 SPORTAGE with an ACME TOW DOLLY, with surge brakes, what's your feeling about traveling in NEUTRAL v/s IN PARK with steering wheel in UNLOCKED position, key in ignition?

Is your Kia "All wheel drive" AWD??
3 months ago I towed a new to me 2016 Kia Sportage front wheel drive on a U-Haul dolly 130 miles home after purchasing.
I had key-off/removed, transmission in- Park.
If you have AWD the owners manual has AWD towing instructions. You can find owners manual online if you google.

[mowermech]

Grandpa Tumbleweed wrote:
we had a tow dolly without brakes and I felt that there was no problem on several 3k-5k trips, I replaced it with one with surge brakes and found that there was a big difference, although they were not panic stops the motor home did stop better I will never tow without surge brakes. Florida requires brakes on towed units over 3000 lbs

I just took 10 minutes and researched the Florida Statutes. That 3000 pound limit applies to TRAILERS. According to Statute 320.01 8. (4), a towed motor vehicle is not a trailer. Florida Statute 316.261 states the 3000 pound limit for TRAILERS.
The Florida Braking Performance Law is Statute 316.262. It applies to ALL vehicles operated in Florida, regardless of legal definition. While it is somewhat more complicated than most such laws I have read, the bottom line seems to be that, like most states, you must be able to stop your coach and towed vehicle within 40 feet from 20 MPH on a level, hard, clean surface.

[Georgia_Popcorn]

My KIA dealer tells me: Leave key in the switch and press the button, front of gear shift lever, marked " Shift Lock Release" to bring it to neutral. When the transmission can be shifted to neutral so to put the key in OFF position...(it's been running my battery down going across country).

This is what ACME tells me:
"The vehicle should be in park with the parking brake released and the steering column unlocked. You can use the instructions that are on ACME's instructional video. This is the method we used for the Kia shown. However, you can always go with the information that your dealership tells you. We typically recommend checking with them for any additional methods for unlocking the steering column since every vehicle is different..."



I, like you, thinks that if the wheels are strapped down (both front wheels) how the heck can the steering wheel turn? And as far "neutral goes" the dealer says there is movement in the front end, left to right and fore and aft that will damage my transmission, so it must not be left strapped down with no movement...

[okhmbldr]

Georgia Popcorn wrote:
I tow a 2017 SPORTAGE with an ACME TOW DOLLY, with surge brakes, what's your feeling about traveling in NEUTRAL v/s IN PARK with steering wheel in UNLOCKED position, key in ignition?

Isn't your Sportage Front wheel drive? If you're on a dolly that means the rear wheels are just rolling free, so no need for transmission in neutral and the steering unlocked. Your front wheels are strapped firmly to the tow dolly so your steering is locked down on the dolly.

[Georgia_Popcorn]

I tow a 2017 SPORTAGE with an ACME TOW DOLLY, with surge brakes, what's your feeling about traveling in NEUTRAL v/s IN PARK with steering wheel in UNLOCKED position, key in ignition?

[Grandpa_Tumblew]

we had a tow dolly without brakes and I felt that there was no problem on several 3k-5k trips, I replaced it with one with surge brakes and found that there was a big difference, although they were not panic stops the motor home did stop better I will never tow without surge brakes. Florida requires brakes on towed units over 3000 lbs

[T18skyguy]

Larrysr1957 wrote:
I will be renting a uhaul tow dolly for a trip I will be taking I am pulling it with a 1998 35 ft. Bounder the vehicle being towed is a Lincoln MKX I will be traveling at approximately 60 mph 400 miles each way does anyone see any problems with this setup

I own an original Demco tow dolly as used by U-Haul. You won't find more steel in any dolly. Really built strong, but as you say no brakes. The first issue is make sure there is enough clearance at the bottom front so that you can drive it onto the dolly. I think the MKX is high enough, but the vehicles with down low air dams they won't fit. To be honest, I would advise you to get a unit with brakes. I think only the biggest diesel pushers would be safe with it without brakes. If you do rent it, you need to check the tightness of the straps after 15 minutes of driving and then whenever u stop check em again. On the flat lands keep way behind the vehicle in front of you, and slow slow down the mountains.

[ferndaleflyer]

2 summers ago my Daughter and her husband towed a Uhaul trailer with a Ranger pickup on it from Los Angles, CA to Raleigh, NC with an Explorer Sport Trac. Guess someone didn't get the word. And they had no problems along the way.

[Playtime_II]

UHaul would not let me rent their cargo trailer nor carhauler as I had a Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Uhaul and Ford went back and forth as to who was responsible for the "death tires" exclusive to the Explorer of that era. I imagine Uhaul will have a say in your rental contract.

Now I have the f-150 so I've rented their cargo trailers several times.

[John_Joey]

Larrysr1957 wrote:
I will be renting a uhaul tow dolly for a trip I will be taking I am pulling it with a 1998 35 ft. Bounder the vehicle being towed is a Lincoln MKX I will be traveling at approximately 60 mph 400 miles each way does anyone see any problems with this setup

Ask UHaul!!!