Tow bar vs Dolly?

[helferdm]

I like the flexibility. Since we started RVing in 1998, we've towed four cars on a dolly. To flat tow would have cost 4X as much one dolly.

[DaGrinch]

Originally Posted by helferdm

I like the flexibility. Since we started RVing in 1998, we've towed four cars on a dolly. To flat tow would have cost 4X as much one dolly.

4x as much?
Here's my Sunseeker all hooked up with the protect-a-tow installed. What's an average dolly run? $1200-$1500? I've probably got $2000-$2500 wrapped up in the whole thing, including the protect-a-tow..... but like I said, we did our own work.

[atemplesr]

A lot of good advice about tow dolly vs. Tow bar. I tow my Honda CRV four down. Cost more to install but less weight, less tires to maintain, quick and easy to hook up, and one less item to put somewhere. Good luck with what you choose.

[DaGrinch]

Originally Posted by atemplesr

A lot of good advice about tow dolly vs. Tow bar. I tow my Honda CRV four down. Cost more to install but less weight, less tires to maintain, quick and easy to hook up, and one less item to put somewhere. Good luck with what you choose.

Another reason for a "like" button. [emoji106]

[FFred]

Sometime your RV may need a tow to a repair station.

Weather the tow company will also tow your car on a dolly is a big question.

We prefer to flat tow 2010 Honda CRV , way less hassle than tow dolly.

[Chrisc40]

Originally Posted by helferdm

I like the flexibility. Since we started RVing in 1998, we've towed four cars on a dolly. To flat tow would have cost 4X as much one dolly.

We bought top of the line brand new equipment for flat towing and total cost was about 2500. Amazon has a dolly listed for 1175 which is the cheapest compared to an average cost of around 2500 for better grade of dolly.

But price becomes a non-issue for me after having observed many times a car being dollied. In any case I've seen cars damaged by not properly loading the car on the dolly $$$.

[emm-dee]

Something that hasn’t been mentioned yet is dolly weight limits. There’s confusion about this because as far as I’ve seen there is no consistent standard.

One might see a dolly advertised as having a 5,500 pound capacity. Reading the fine print (if any) reveals a limit of, ie, 2,800 pounds for the front axle of the vehicle being towed. It could be possible to have a vehicle weighing up 5,000 pounds with more than 3,000 pounds on the front axles. Just something to consider.

However, all towbars have their weight limit plainly shown, so the lower of your towbar or receiver hitch will be the limit for the toad.

[Chrisc40]

I'm a proponent of flat towing for the following reasons:
1. Loading can be difficult and definitely more laborious compared to a tow bar that flips down and attaches within 2-3 minutes. Think about having to load or unload in the rain or showing up at dark and having to unload. Tow bars are so quick by the time my wife finishes checking in I have the car disconnected and equipment stowed.
2. Tow bar takes up no room whatsoever but a dolly can dominate space. This may not be a problem if you have a small RV but you're still going to take up space (including at home) that would otherwise be free for other things.
3. You may get tired of pulling and pushing the dolly around to store it at camp. Even with wheels it can be heavy to move.
4. Can't tell you how many times I've seen damage upon loading. You have to be precise in aiming the car and moving it on very carefully.
5. I use a brake buddy that applies the brakes should a catastrophic failure occur it stops the vehicle immediately. If the same happens to a car on a dolly where the car comes off then the car will hit pavement and blow transmission and possibly continue rolling down the highway like a 3500 pound bomb.

There's other reasons too. But when I'm sitting in my nice warm and dry RV watching someone loading their car on a dolly it makes me feel great that I went with towing 4 down. Also consider whether or not your significant other is a good sport about getting wet and cold...probably the most important point of all. :-)

[Chrisc40]

Good point. Also some dollies have brakes while others do not. Cheap ones for 1200 no brakes...safe dollies with brakes double 2400 bucks.

[757Dave]

I think you have gotten many great responses to your question. I would like to add one more thing for you to think about.

Determine your physical abilities for performing the task. What will be required for each.

We have had both.

First a tow dolly. The dolly performed fine. Never any problems other than stowing it in a campground and at home. It does take up space.

We are older now with typical old age issues like joint pain, flexibility, etc. So we currently tow four down. Much easier to hook up and unhook. Everything works well and never had a problem. More expensive to get set up, but we are very pleased that we made the change.

Just my $0.02

[PenJoe]

Somethings not mentioned here are extra costs for license and maintenance of a dolly. More important is that a dolly has brakes on two wheels. That is like reducing your braking ability by 50 percent of the toad when towing with a dolly. With large rigs, that can increase stopping distance you may not have.

We purchased a 2012 Jeep Liberty with an extremely low 8,012 miles. It is a 4x4 with a neutral position in the transfer case. No key in the ignition to tow. It also has locations in the tail light assemblies for an independent turn/stop/tail light kit. This was a very easy DIY. I located a Blue Ox tow bar and Blue Ox brake system on craigslist. They were 9 months old. Purchased the base plate, a battery tender wired to the coach, and the Blue Ox tail light kit on Amazon. Total cost was under $1,000. I did the research before doing it and it pays to shop. When detached, the tow bar is all but invisible. It is a great setup. Note: The Dodge Nitro appears to be nearly identical to the Liberty, but has a different transfer case that does not have the neutral-it can not be flat towed.

[Chrisc40]

Talking vehicles to tow. There are other vehicles that are not on the dingy guide that can be towed. I currently tow a Nissan Juke manual transmission and it isn't listed in the guide. It as also happens that the height of the attachments are exactly the height of the RV hitch. Meaning nice ground clearance and no scraping a drop hitch.

So if you pick 4 down towing consider height of hitch, weight of the vehicle, ease of installing tow plate and wiring, etc.

[Blazer]

Never did the tow dolly thing but I did observed a pouring rain hook up in a camp site next to me . The ramps were very slick took a few trying moments
To get the car on the dolly the wife did not look like a happy camper out there in the rain then the guy is on the ground hooking up the straps talk about a bad situation .
I'm a 4 down guy .Kia soul 6 speed 012 being pulled by 2020 XLT 45A

[rthomaslyons]

I really like my 2018 Toyota Corolla iM 6 speed manual for towing flat, not sure if the 2020 replacement model is flat towable

[Chrisc40]

Originally Posted by rthomaslyons

I really like my 2018 Toyota Corolla iM 6 speed manual for towing flat, not sure if the 2020 replacement model is flat towable

I like the smaller cars for towing. Less weight = more power going uphill. I'm towing a Juke which is not on the dinghy list but the owner's manual states flat towing is ok.

BTW, another plus about towing flat is less weight to tow uphill.

[jdebevec]

So here's a question for you 4-down people:
Ever have a problem with the front wheels turning to the side...or do they always track straight? Any other problems to watch out for?

We've towed our front wheel drive car on a dolly for a couple years now, but I'm ready to find something 4wd that I can flat tow for several reasons. The car and dolly are paid for so I'm not in a hurry to buy another car. But this winter may push me over the edge.

Top 4 reasons I want to flat-tow:
1. PITA to load and unload car in bad weather. And we travel in winter a lot.
2. Have had times when we needed the wife to drive the car separately, and then meet somewhere. I hate towing the dolly all by itself.
3. Want to take along a 4WD vehicle instead of our front wheel drive car. See #1 above. The wife was not happy when I told her she had to drive the car over Vail Pass in a snow storm.
4. Tow dolly needs lots of maintenance.

[RudysWorld]

Originally Posted by jdebevec

So here's a question for you 4-down people:
Ever have a problem with the front wheels turning to the side...or do they always track straight? Any other problems to watch out for?

We've towed our front wheel drive car on a dolly for a couple years now, but I'm ready to find something 4wd that I can flat tow for several reasons. The car and dolly are paid for so I'm not in a hurry to buy another car. But this winter may push me over the edge.

Top 4 reasons I want to flat-tow:
1. PITA to load and unload car in bad weather. And we travel in winter a lot.
2. Have had times when we needed the wife to drive the car separately, and then meet somewhere. I hate towing the dolly all by itself.
3. Want to take along a 4WD vehicle instead of our front wheel drive car. See #1 above. The wife was not happy when I told her she had to drive the car over Vail Pass in a snow storm.
4. Tow dolly needs lots of maintenance.

I have been 4 down towing for 5 years and my Chevy equinox has always tracked straight and very easily. With my blue ox tow bar you have to straighten out before unhooking or it will be in a bind and won’t release. This was a little bit of a problem early on but not so much now that I know. FYI if you turn the MH wheel sharply in the direction of the arm that is in a bind and move a slight amount it will remedy the problem. Good Luck!

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by jdebevec

So here's a question for you 4-down people:
Ever have a problem with the front wheels turning to the side...or do they always track straight? Any other problems to watch out for?

The caster angle of the towed vehicle's front wheels makes the wheels naturally track straight. The wheel direction turns as needed when cornering to follow the motorhome, then resume tracking straight. The only reason the wheels would turn to the side unnecessarily would be if you attempted to back up, which of course you cannot do when towing four down without likely damaging the toad.


We have only 2000 miles experience towing our car four down, but it tracks very well behind the MH.

[cfo111]

I have only tow my saturns front wheel drive and never ever had any problems with them. Even through they are 2003 far as I'm concern best in towing as a toad.

[rebellee]

My '98 Wrangler tracks very nicely BUT . . . the key needs to be in the ignition and in the "OFF" position. On our very first trip towing we were going thru Helena MT when the key slipped out while we were making a sharp right turn.
Luckily we were going slow and there was a parking lot right there. Since then I have used a velcro strap around the column to keep the key in place and haven't had a problem since. I also check it every time we stop.