Sunseeker two wheel Dolly towing

[ColonelRick]

Dear friends, I thought I was clever ordering a 2022 Ford Escape PHEV to tow on a two wheel dolly behind my Sunseeker. Making RVing slightly greener. But there is no obvious way to connect the dolly’s emergency chains to the Escape - unlike my previous toad with a nice big steel D- ring under the front frame. Thus far Ford doesn’t have a solution. Anyone out there able to help? Are these emergency chains mandatory in all states snd provinces even? Help!!!

[llr]

I have seen some cars that have a pop out in the bumper and an attachment you screw in, the attachment is probably near the spare if it has one. This would be a single point attachment but better then nothing.

This is what tow trucks use.

[PopFla]

I used to tow a Master Tow dolly with a Hyundai SantaFe on it. The only chains involved were the ones from the dolly to the MH's hitch. The SantaFe was held firmly in place by the basket-style tiedown straps on the front tires. The chances of both of them failing at the same time are extremely low. And there was nothing in the manual recommending or requiring chaining the toad.

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by ColonelRick

Dear friends, I thought I was clever ordering a 2022 Ford Escape PHEV to tow on a two wheel dolly behind my Sunseeker. Making RVing slightly greener. But there is no obvious way to connect the dolly’s emergency chains to the Escape - unlike my previous toad with a nice big steel D- ring under the front frame. Thus far Ford doesn’t have a solution. Anyone out there able to help? Are these emergency chains mandatory in all states snd provinces even? Help!!!

To the best of my knowledge the 2022 Ford Escape Hybrid, Plug in Hybrid and Maverick Hybrid (all on the same platform) are recreational tow capable. aka 4 wheels down, dinghy and flat. Why you want to thrash with a dolly is a mystery.

[ColonelRick]

Thank you, IIr. That is exactly what I have on my little Hyundai - but nothing like that on the Ford… Your response is much appreciated!

[ColonelRick]

Thank you for your insights, Duckogram. Could it possibly have something to do with having a two wheel Dolly from my previous toad and not wanting to invest in the hardware for four down towing? Maybe…

[ColonelRick]

Thank you for your informative response PopFla! That may end up being our solution…

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by ColonelRick

Thank you for your insights, Duckogram. Could it possibly have something to do with having a two wheel Dolly from my previous toad and not wanting to invest in the hardware for four down towing? Maybe…

Thank you for clarifying the mystery.

[Sunseeker16]

Originally Posted by ColonelRick

Dear friends, I thought I was clever ordering a 2022 Ford Escape PHEV to tow on a two wheel dolly behind my Sunseeker. Making RVing slightly greener. But there is no obvious way to connect the dolly’s emergency chains to the Escape - unlike my previous toad with a nice big steel D- ring under the front frame. Thus far Ford doesn’t have a solution. Anyone out there able to help? Are these emergency chains mandatory in all states snd provinces even? Help!!!

My tow dolly has two safety chains attached to the table the front wheels sit on. Mine are long enough to attach to the underframe near the front suspension components and short enough to keep the vehicle from going off of the ramps. Don't ask how I know that.

[hunter99]

I have a tow dolly I used with our Mini cooper and there is not a place to put chains under the car as it is too tight. I went another route I was told works.

Get 2 straight safety cables from Blue Ox. These are about 3' long but are not cheap. I paid $60 for them as a warehouse deal on Amazon. they come in different weight handling and the ones I got are 5,000lbs each. Then I got 2 5,000 hooks, or you can use d-rings or a combination of both, and put them on each end of the cable.

You attach them on your tow dolly on each side of the wheel cradle. When you hook up. after putting the baskets over the tire, you run the cable through your wheels and attach on the other side of the cradle. This way of the basket ever came loose, or failed, the cables hold the car by the wheels. Works fine and I did have a basket come loose and the cable held the car over some bad road until I found it at the next stop.

[retireearly]

I don't think the chains are required from dolly to toad. I had to pay extra to have them added to my dolly as I wanted the safety factor, on the honda accord there was plenty of room to wrap them around the lower control arms. I have wrapped them around the axle on the jeeps (solid axle). Both ways prevent you from unloading if you forget about them. If you tow much with a dolly you know you must periodically tighten those straps.

[n1acguy]

The type of safety chain setup on my tow dolly wouldn't really differ from car to car. You just throw the chains over the lower control arm of whatever you're towing. At least the regular hybrid can be flat towed so I wouldn't mess with a dolly either.

I would say safety chains are absolutely necessary on the type of tow dolly I have. The center of the tire sits on the main cross beams and the straps allow the tire to move fore and aft quite a bit to facilitate turning. The type with a turning table isn't that much different, though. I wouldn't trust just the straps on any of them.

[TowPro]

Is this what you need?

of course as always, double check your application.

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by TowPro

Is this what you need?

of course as always, double check your application.

I think the newer Escape Hybrid has Active Grill Shutters and cannot use the tow eyes.

[Gidyupgo]

Originally Posted by ColonelRick

Dear friends, I thought I was clever ordering a 2022 Ford Escape PHEV to tow on a two wheel dolly behind my Sunseeker. Making RVing slightly greener. But there is no obvious way to connect the dolly’s emergency chains to the Escape - unlike my previous toad with a nice big steel D- ring under the front frame. Thus far Ford doesn’t have a solution. Anyone out there able to help? Are these emergency chains mandatory in all states snd provinces even? Help!!!

ColonelRick, I don't know if your front wheels have slots in them, but in our "dolly" days, we used these 2" x 3' nylon web slings through the front wheels attached to the dolly with clevises for safety. They were each rated at 12,000 lbs. Made by Advantage Rigging, from Amazon.

[PoppySteve]

Originally Posted by Gidyupgo

ColonelRick, I don't know if your front wheels have slots in them, but in our "dolly" days, we used these 2" x 3' nylon web slings through the front wheels attached to the dolly with clevises for safety. They were each rated at 12,000 lbs. Made by Advantage Rigging, from Amazon.

I used a similar method with chains through the front wheel openings. I put the chain through a bicycle tire tube for wheel protection.

Sorry, I deleted my pics when we went to 4 down.