Trailer Dolly Expereince?

[poodlepeople]

I am about to buy a new Surveyor SV250 and I have a couple of tight spots I will need to negotiate (by my house and at the trailer storage area in my neighborhood). I can already see it will be hard to manuver 24 ft. of trailer with my SUV and I recall a home built trailer dolly I saw once that used old bicycle parts to provide some motive power from a hand crank. The simple manual dollys (or is it dollies?) sold in hardware stores don't provide any leverage to move 3500 lbs of trailer and the electric ones are very expensive.

Does anyone have any expereince with this sort of thing? I can do a bit of welding and think it would be an interesting project but would like the benefit of an existing plan that is known to work well.

[milzat]

poodlepeople,

I know this is off subject(dolly), but would a front receiver hitch on your SUV help to manuver the TT any?

[MRimmer]

We just went from 23.5 to 27 and I feel your pain. The wife always helps me by standing in mirrors view and screaming when I get close and so far we have had no bad results.

I remember the dolly your are speaking of and I will try to find the pics and parts list.

Mike

[poodlepeople]

Even a picture of a successful unit would help. My dealer uses a manual dolly but then he has a flat paved lot to move around in and I have a gravel area, a small upgrade, and no additional strong bodies to help push and pull.

A front receiver on the TV would be the ticket but, unfortunately, mine is a Nissan Pathfinder and it does not allow this without considerable damage to the front bumper (if you can still call them that!) and trim.

My problem is there is too little manuvering room in front of the space to get properly lined up. Our Casita was only 17' and I am sure I will long for that many times later on (as far as towing and parking is concerned, of course).

[Mrs. Bear]

Originally Posted by MRimmer

We just went from 23.5 to 27 and I feel your pain. The wife always helps me by standing in mirrors view and screaming when I get close and so far we have had no bad results.
Mike

Sounds very familar. We bought walkie talkies so the neighbors don't stare.