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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Legacy on April 06, 2014, 07:15:26 PM

Poll
Question: Need to know pros and cons to each
Option 1: for votes: 0
Option 2: agaist votes: 1
Title: tow dolly or car hauler when pulling mini van/front wheel drive
Post by: Legacy on April 06, 2014, 07:15:26 PM
Need to know pros and cons to each
Title: Re: tow dolly or car hauler when pulling mini van/front wheel drive
Post by: Scott & Heather on April 07, 2014, 04:21:44 AM
Tow dolly pros:
cheap to buy
Small and easily storable
Lightweight

Tow dolly cons:
Strapping vehicle to it can be dirty and a pain.
Backing up (reversing) takes artistic skill and most can't do it.
Wear our rear vehicle tires sooner than fronts


Car hauler pros:
Vehicle tires and drivetrain not involved or being used up at all.
If enclosed, protects vehicle from rocks and grime from coach
Simple trailer braking system
Allows you to back up
Likely a bit more stable driving down the road.

Car hauler cons:
Big heavy and difficult to store at rv campgrounds
More weight for your coach to haul May have to upgrade your hitch
Expensive


I assume flat towing isn't on the table?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Clumsy fingers may contribute to mistakes.
Title: Re: tow dolly or car hauler when pulling mini van/front wheel drive
Post by: bevans6 on April 07, 2014, 04:31:09 AM
Some mini-vans are going to be over the weight limit for a typical dolly.  They have a weight limit of around 2800 - 3000 lbs on the axle, and a larger front wheel drive mini-van loaded with stuff will exceed that.  Some dolly's don't have brakes, some do.  You want some nice electric brakes for a larger load like a mini-van.   Other than that, what Scott said.  Now, I personally have both an enclosed car hauler and a tow dolly, and when I tow my front wheel drive car I put it on the tow dolly.  I find the work involved in hooking up and loading the tow dolly to be far less than the work of hooking up and loading the car trailer, to say nothing of the ease of dealing with a car dolly at a typical camp site.

Brian
Title: Re: tow dolly or car hauler when pulling mini van/front wheel drive
Post by: Tikvah on April 07, 2014, 05:44:49 AM
I used a tow dolly from Michigan to Florida and sold it as soon as I got there.  I hated it.  It towed ok, but a pain to load and unload, and with a Detroit diesel it will be dirty too. 
We bought a four wheel down.... Now much happier