Anyone used a car dolly to transport an old car (long distance)?

Did you notice how many of us posted our tow dollies BROKE IN TWO. not talking about spare tires here.

 

One good thing to ponder is if you rent a u-haul you could schedule it to pick up at your destination. That way you only have to pull it one way verses there and back.
Tow dollies I think would be ok if the car your towing has good tires, bearings, etc.

 

I used a dolly to haul a '57 Chevy wagon about 1600 miles a few years ago. I used a '72 Chevy 1/2-ton.

The pickup had good brakes, one new axle shaft, new rear bearings and new tires. The dolly had new tires, repacked bearings and new wiring. The car had new rear tires and fresh grease in the rear. The rear bearings had been checked and deemed up to the trip.

On a trip that long its very hard to avoid backing up and backing a dolly is at least as hard as they say. On the freeway in the middle of a metro area I had to make one panic stop. I stopped in time, but it wasn't fun, and my shorts needed changing afterward.

I've since bought a trailer and a bigger pickup and would rather never use a dolly again.

Often when you see a dolly on the highway its behind an 7,000 pound motorhome with a 12,000 plus GVWR. Make sure the brakes on the towing vehicle are adequate to stop the load behind you. That would be my biggest concern. You don't always get to choose when and where you stop!

 

As a young just divorced idiot...a friend and I went to collect my 59 XK150 from Chicago..and tow to Tucson. We bought a 56 Chev PU..6 and 3 tree..and got a BUMPER HITCH from U Haul..and flat towed it about 2,000 miles...

And lived...


Never again

 

I rented a Uhaul tow dolly to bring my '62 Grand Prix from Dallas to Milwaukee ... I had a choice between metal or plastic fenders on the dolly. Glad I took plastic, because only minor damage was done to the fenders from turns...

I didn't see what you're towing but if it's a fullsize car, consider other ideas... cheap aint always easy and easy aint always free.

good luck, man...

 

I prefer my big clamp-on towbar to a dolly. You can back up with a towbar, I've used them to back cars into garages where there was maybe 6" to spare on each side. On something that's a driver, I wouldn't hesitate to use it. If I'm at all worried I add a safety chain from one vehicle to the other on top of the towbar.

And of course with the towbar there's nothing to hit the fenders or the sides of the car as you turn corners or load/unload the vehicle.

But for that long distance you may be better off with a trailer for the simple reason that some states require the car to be registered and insured if any of it's wheels are on the road. So if you haven't put plates on the car, you could get an expensive ticket.

 

realistically (who does that ) I should just go back to plan "A" ...... find someone who is up that way, needs something to haul back to help cover fuel costs and have them bring it back, but that seems easier said then done......

 

Back in the 80's I rented a tow dolly from Uhaul to transport my gremlin....my big block mach 1 did the hauling. Yep, got lots of strange looks. I too had the drive shaft out of the gremlin. With 3 different tire widths, it was a chore to handle, but did get the job done. That was from SoCal to Ohio....My buddy Martin uses an S-10 with a flat bed trailer tow his Opel g***er with a big 4 wheeler around....Thing to remember is if you overload the tow rig, just slow down and take your time. Don

 

I have a tow dolly and tow with it all the time. Other than backing up, never had a problem. Mine is a quality professionally made dolly and I always pull the driveshaft.

 

Don't do it.... Get the better trailer.

 

F100 Ok to WI
Triumph TR2 TN to WI
'47 Ply TX to WI
Mercury ragtop FL to WI
And many more over the last 15 years.

Never any problems... I own my own dolly that I bought 10 years ago for $400.00. Put on new tires last year. Lube the bearings every other year.

 

I used a tow dolly to bring my 65 country squire from Florida to Ohio and use them all the time,if its a automatic pull the driveshaft and put on good tires if going any distance. Jeff

 

when you rent a tow dolly, the rental place will ask you what kind of car you are towing. this is most likely a liability issue, but they are rated to carry only so much weight. i am sure their weight restriction is probably alot lower than what it will realisticly carry though. better to be safe then sorry i guess.

 

So if I tell them a 55 chevy, will that be an issue?

Also I just remembered last time I was back there I found a nearly new set of 50 series bias plys and put them on the back, pretty sure they wouldnt be what I would want to leave on there for the long haul tow would I?

 

my 99 silverado pulled an 83 K5 blazer from San Antonio Tx to Great falls Mt. No problem. Just make sure you carry spares for both the car and the tow dolly.(Long story)

 

yes, a '55 would give them heartburn. tell them a vw and you will make them happy.

 

I've used tow dolllies for years with no issues. Make sure the straps are not old and frayed and use safety chains in case one breaks.
I always stop avery 100 miles or so to check straps and wheel heat.
The only issues I had was with a tow dolly that didn't have a swivel bed on it. Dented in the fenders of my prized 63 Rambler American on sharp corners. When I sold the car I included the tow dolly with the sale.
Towed that Rambler from Omaha to Joplin and then to Sedalia, Mo with zero drama. For the guys who broke the tongues in half? I'll bet there was crackage long before the unit broke in half......gotta really check your equiptment if you're gonna be towing 2 tons of metal in traffic.

 

I towed two cars each a combined total of 200 miles on rotty old bias plies. As long as you have good tubes in them they should be fine, even if they have some dry rot. One of them had been parked since '63, the other had a '71 inspection sticker in it.

The only tire I ever had go flat while towing a car was a radial that I bought new and drove the car on before it was parked. And these were all cars I flat-towed, no dolly involved, just a towbar.

 

I hauled all over the country for 4 years with an 89 E350 wedge bed I built and a tow dolly. That way I could haul two cars at a time. I hauled for myself and for others too, so I didn't have to go far empty. Worked out good most of the time. Next to impossible to back them up with a car on, so you have to pick and choose when you park or go for fuel, but other than that fine.

Be sure to removed drive shaft if you have an automatic ****** on the old car.

Also be sure your tow vehicle has good brakes, or get a dolly with surge brakes.

Jim.
###

 

I had a friend who towed a 58 Chev from LA to Minneapolis behind a 66 Newport. The only issue he encountered was a slight rub on each front fender because the dolly was a little too narrow. Make sure you know how to use your equipment, for your sake and the saftey of others.

 

I did it 2 times, flew to LA rented a car then on to Long Beach bought a Chevy 3/4 4X4 rented a U haul dolly and had an adventure 2018 miles to Mpls, Mn with my 56 Hawk

At the time U haul wouldn't rent you a dolly they told me, Your tow unit must weigh more then what your towing - check that out first

> p.s. - your Dakota might have U haul say No ! I asked U haul if a 70 Dodge Charger a - 86 Chevy 1/2 ton 2 wheel drive & a few others were ok they said NO!
86 Chevy 3/4 ton 4X4 and a old Caddy were Good, because they weighed more! - Real tight turns can kink your new finds fenders, i know

Next time rented a dolly locally and hauled a 54 Buick back from ****inson ND went well at highway speeds, till i left Jamestown ND after g***ing up The panhard bar broke the car almost flipped at 10 mph going down the ramp, those coil springs go every where, that will scare the hell out of you I repaired the panhard bar & 25 hours later i made it home

Good tires, spares, tools, grease in the rearend, disconnect the drive shaft etc. musts

I bought a 50 state DOT approved car trailer new in PA, been to CT-NJ-OH-NC-WY with it. Trailers the way to go or hire someone it's one way half the miles and gas, i did that with my 50 Olds coupe in FL the last time

Lot of good advice listed on the thread so far - one more thing if your rear wheels are on the road you need a permit or current plates - I had CA one way trip tickets on the rear gl*** - they checked me out in a few states and never bothered me, also i had remote tail lights at the rear of the Hawk

 

Biggest complaint I have with tow dollies is travel speed. Never used one that didn't start swaying at 55, so plan your return trip accordingly.

good luck

 

why did you come back to this dead *** state ---- lol




i know alot of guys using tow dollies and i have even lent them a set of dollies -- towing industry -- to get all 4 wheels off the ground

 

I only had trouble ONCE with swaying with a dolly. IT was a homemade dolly that I borrowed and had the car loaded backwards on it. THat was 22 years ago, and I ended up in the emergency room from that trip with a broken shoulder blade.

However, I have never had problems with GOOD dollys since and loading properly. ANd I have towed maybe 60,000 miles or more with them.
I always bring tools and spare tires for both dolly and the car being towed.

And I have towed at 75 mph; with No problems.

Happy traveling.

Jim.
###

 

better off with a trailer!

 

If you're going to use the dolly, you should probably route your trip through Vegas, because you're obviously feeling lucky...

Just read the treads it's Russian Rullet... My only bad experience with a dolly, was towing a car in the rain, making a left turn on to a busy street, once i got to the center lane and tapped the breaks the dolly and car kept pushing and spun me 90...

 

Brought the wayfarer home from salt lake to sacramento, behind my ridgeliner, what a heavy pig, the 80 south from tahoe scared the **** outta me, after a non-stop turn around, but we made it, If you rent, just tell them your picking up a 1979 honda accord, cause they might not let you rent it..

 

The most important things are the quality of the tow dolly (wiring, tires, wheel restraints, etc) and the quality of the rearend, or front end, of the car to be dollied.
Motorhomers dolly cars of all sizes all around the country every day without incident for the most part so long distance is not the real issue. Things like when were the bearings packed last and were they tightened correctly are what to inspect.

 

Having just pulled 6,000 pounds of trailer & car with my Ram Sport 1500 4X4, I see one real ADVANTAGE of a good dolly is MUCH less dead weight. Equals = gas mileage, for one thing!

 

I have a dolley and a dual axle trailer. I rarely use the trailer any more. I love the dolly because, as another said, there is less dead weight, esp when you are empty. they are surprisingly stable too. I have been using either of my 2 GTOs, a '66 and a '72 and they work fine. Once I dollied a '75 Trans Am loaded full of parts from Phoenix to Columbus without issues.
So far, 20,000 miles towing with a dolly and am very comfortable with it.
Like another said, it is alwasy a good idea to stop occasionally and check your tie downs, wheel bearings, tires, etc. That is a good idea whether you use a dolly or a trailer.

Yes, you cannot back up with one so you just plan accordingly. Also avoid sharp turns. make wide turns with them or you can have issues damaging the lower fender, etc. Make sure car being towed has gear oil in diff and wheel bearings are OK, tires, etc. common sense stuff
Steve
www.pontiacheaven.org

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