Tow Dolly tire straps

[Horizon170]

Has anyone come up with an alternative to the troublesome adjustable tie down straps. I'm thinking Snow chains altered.
Marvin

[Horizon170]

Well, the Wife and I came to an agreement.
Forget towing the Fiat, sell the brand new tow dolly for 60% of the original cost and continue to tow the Geo Tracker 4 down.
We are just too old for all the work involved with a dolly.
Thank you all for the advice and knowledge you offered.
Marvin

[Horizon170]

STBRetired wrote:

oldschoolhdmike wrote:

my issue is the ratchets. I cannot release mine because they hit the bumper of the car. I physically have to unbolt them from my master to dolly.

If you look closely at the ratchet mechanism, you will see that there is a plate that gets pushed back when you move the handle to the release position. If you cannot open the handle that far because it contacts the bottom of the car, you can use a short pry bar to push back the plate and release the ratchet strap. Much simpler that unbolting the ratchet mechanism.

My solution was to place a 2" X 10" under each tire. I still don't like the one size fits all straps.
Marvin
BTW, I have one chain strap almost completed using tire chains.

[STBRetired]

oldschoolhdmike wrote:

my issue is the ratchets. I cannot release mine because they hit the bumper of the car. I physically have to unbolt them from my master to dolly.

If you look closely at the ratchet mechanism, you will see that there is a plate that gets pushed back when you move the handle to the release position. If you cannot open the handle that far because it contacts the bottom of the car, you can use a short pry bar to push back the plate and release the ratchet strap. Much simpler that unbolting the ratchet mechanism.

[oldschoolhdmike]

i just got some of these off ebay. They are the best quality i have seen

DEMCO Car Basket Straps Tow Dolly Wheel Net Set Flat Hooks BLUE USA

my issue is the ratchets. I cannot release mine because they hit the bumper of the car. I physically have to unbolt them from my master to dolly.

Mod Edit: Fixed URl to be clickable with title.

[RJsfishin]

Never ever even thought about the straps, that was the easy part.
And then when I ditched the safety chains, it was a pc a cake.
Law does not require safety chains from vehicle to dolly.
And once I convinced myself that the vehicle is NOT trying its dammedest to get loose from the dolly, made things easier.
I hate chains,....good luck w/ them.

[Fleet_Man]

www.autohaulersupply.com

[Horizon170]

I searched and found that there are sizes to fit small tires. The one size fits all that I have are too time consuming to adjust each time for me.
I experimented with a set of tire snow chains today and have one side about 80% finished. It is specifically for my Fiat size only.
Even though it is made of chain it is relatively easy to install.
Pictures later on.
Marvin

[Horizon170]

Dennis M M wrote:
DO a search on "wheel bonnets" or "tire bonnets"

Thank you Sir.
Marvin

[Horizon170]

First off, this is NOT a debate on Tow Dolly vs. Flat tow. I have over 50 years experience with flat tow but very little with a tow dolly.
I want to tow a Fiat 500 on my tow dolly and find it difficult to adjust the straps. My straps are made to fit a variety of tire sizes. When adjusted to my small tires they loose the setting when I remove them and I have to set them to fit every time.
Marvin

[STBRetired]

Back when we used a dolly, it had straps like these.

Did not find them difficult to deal with at all. Just got your hands dirty putting them over the tire. Not every car is towable 4 down, so sometimes you just have to stick with the dolly.

[Dennis_M_M]

DO a search on "wheel bonnets" or "tire bonnets"

[IB853347201]

Horizon170 wrote:
Has anyone come up with an alternative to the troublesome adjustable tie down straps.

Yes, Solution? 4 wheel down towing! Ditch the dolly. 🙂

[gbopp]

One alternative is to tow 4 Down.

A few years Acme Tow Dolly was offering chains. I think they went over part of the suspension, not the tires. I don't think they were very popular. They are no longer an option.

[Tyler0215]

Why? Straps are much lighter and easier to handle.