IMO, it is, pure and simple, personal preference.
Which is to say, there actually is NO "right answer"!
I, for instance, like towing my Jeep "four down", with a fixed arm, inexpensive towbar. Others insist that such a towbar is "much too inconvenient", and they say they would never own one.
Many people buy a vehicle to tow that requires expensive modifications, such as driveshaft disconnects, or lube pumps. Some vehicles restrict the distance you can tow them without starting the engine, or the speed that you can tow them. Personally, I would never have such a vehicle for a toad!
There are vehicles that the manufacturer says are towable, but they keep burning transmissions up when towed. Some folks have had 4 or 5 or more transmissions replaced, and still keep towing that vehicle!
Like I said, "personal preference".
Keep in mind that not all vehicles can be dolly towed. If it can't be towed four down, and it isn't front wheel drive, you probably can't tow it on a dolly, either.
However, a trailer can carry any vehicle up to the size and weight limits of the trailer, AND it can be backed up anytime anywhere, even around corners, AND you don't have to worry about brakes (they are installed), AND it can be very handy for hauling other "stuff" when needed.
BUT, there is a weight issue, and a size issue, and where to park it while at some campgrounds.
Nothing is "perfect".
Good luck.
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
I think mowermech hit it on the head. We have towed both ways, my 85 Ramcharger 4X4 on the ground with fixed towbar. Now we tow my BMW 323i convertible on a dolly. The BMW can be towed on the ground but no one makes a baseplate so it needed to be custom made. Quotes were $700-850. Then I would need brakes and lights! Found our dolly with surge brakes, pivot table and lights for $600 on craigslist. Easy decision at that point.
Ray, Cheryl, Cory & of course Miss Molly the four-legged child
We've done it both ways and as other have expressed it's a matter of personal preference. To us it was one like another. They both cost about the same and take about the same time to hook up.
We started towing our Biuck with a dolly. It worked great and we still have the dolly if we decide to go back to it. However after a few years it seemed pointless to tow the Buick across the country just to leave it at the campsite while we rented a Jeep for off roading. In 2006 we parked the car, bought a Jeep and started towing 4 down.
The Jeep tows great and is a lot of fun off road, but it isn't the most comfortable thing pounding down the highway. In time we may decide to leave the Jeep behind and take the car (another Buick) along. Either way is fine with me. Engineer Pass will be just a little tougher on the Biuck than the Jeep.
We have just purchased a tow dolly as our car can't be towed 4 down. We have the wheel straps but my question is, we think we should use a safety chain connecting the car to the dolly but don't know where you hook the safety chain or strap to on the car. What do you use, chain, straps, etc.?
2012 Forest River Sunseeker 32 ft
2011 Jeep Liberty Limited Edition
Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar & Base Plate
Nubbins (Pembroke Welsh Corgi)
Quote: We have the wheel straps but my question is, we think we should use a safety chain connecting the car to the dolly but don't know where you hook the safety chain or strap to on the car. What do you use, chain, straps, etc.?
My dolly came with a safety chain anchored in the middle of the axle. I looped this around part of the engine mount on the Prius and fastened it down. Was a real PITA because I had to lay on the ground to get at it.
Will & Di
2004 Southwind 32VS
Workhorse/8.1
Jeep Wrangler/Blue Ox "We have met the enemy, and he is us" Pogo
Den&Carol wrote: We have just purchased a tow dolly as our car can't be towed 4 down. We have the wheel straps but my question is, we think we should use a safety chain connecting the car to the dolly but don't know where you hook the safety chain or strap to on the car. What do you use, chain, straps, etc.?
..As one that has personally witnessed a tire coming completely loose from the wheel strap...I will say that you better %#$ believe you need to safety chain the car to the dolly!
You also need to make sure the chain is tight enough that should both wheel straps let loose, the car will stay on the dolly. But, allows enough slack to allow pivoting as necessary.
As to where to attach them: That is going to be different for every vehicle. You need to attach them to something really solid, though, preferably a chassis or frame piece.
When we towed with a dolly, our vehicle fortunately had two tow hooks/loops at the front. This made it easy, I just attached the chains to those loops with a clevis hook, and permanently attached the other end of the chains to the tongue of the dolly at the same place where the safety chains connected to the MH were. I also upgraded the chains to some that were much more stout than the ones that came with the dolly.
I never trusted those wheel straps, so upgraded, very stout safety chains was only way I got some peace of mind about towing the car on a dolly.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2012 FR Georgetown 351DS on F53 (V10) Chassis Our Rig
Well here we go again. I suppose every one has a preference as which way to tow a dingy, me I use a demco dolly bought used. Now when putting on the straps they are all the same and if put on correctly they will not get loose. Now for the safety chains, the first car I used was a piece of cake, it had a strut arm that rsn to the front of the car no problem. Now I tow a toyota rav 4 2wd and the whole front is plastic. I have to get on my back to hook the chains. For this I carry a large beach towel to lay on the ground. In 4 years and 40k miles I have had to un hook 3 times at campgrounds because the sites were not long enough. When I have to use a backin site as I am now I unload the car and back the dolly as you would a trailer. Now there will be some who say it can't be done but ask the camp owner in SC who wouldn't bet 2 nights that I couldn 't. In fact I backed into this site in Lancaster Pa. that I'm in now.
There is no right answer as it depends on the individuals needs and hardware. Without a doubt the tow dolly is more versatile and that can play a huge role for those with multiple vehicles and needs. The other side is that they are slightly more time intensif and maybe a little more knee time. We towed our grand cherokee 4 down for years and still tow our little motorhome 4 down. Looking back I suspect if I had to start again I would go with a tow dolly for more versatility but I would have to think it through. Now we tow a smart car and without a doubt the best way to tow it is on a trailer (not a dolly)....at least for us. For us the advantages are
* No breaking devices to worry about
* No modifications to the car (base plate...brake light wiring)
* THE ABILITY TO BACK UP WITH EASE (huge advantage for me
* The trailer stores mostly under the coach when on site
* No over the road mileage being put on the vehicle
* Vehicle is higher up so it gets no sand blasting on it.
* Trailer is about the cost of a dolly
Disadvantage I suppose is a little "knee time" during the hook up time.
To each his own. Listen to everyone and go with what you think suits your needs and your future needs the best.
This last one is a different smart car. As we are a multi smart car family we can switch between which smart car we use on the trailer.
* This post was
edited 07/01/12 09:00am by John & Angela *
2003 Revolution 40C Class A. 2002 Vanguard 22 foot Class C. Diesel smart car Toad or pulling a 2009 Timeout Tent Trailer.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but rather by the moments that take our breath away.
John & Angela, I've always liked your arrangement there. If we could get by with a car that small, there is no doubt I'd do exactly what you are doing!
However, there are 4 of us, plus one adult (my Mom) that frequently travels with us, so we need our minivan. Its 4 down for us (for now).
If someone would just invent a car hauler trailer big enough for our minivan, yet could fold up and be stowed out of the way at the campsite like the one you (John and Angela) have....I'd buy one and go that route in a minute!!
We bought our '03 Kia Sedona when we didn't have the MH (bought the MH in 2010). It has the typical Class A hitch with a 5000 pound rating. Unfortunately, the Sedona is 4800 curb weight and a dolly that can handle that heavy a car would probably weigh another 800 lb. so we'd be over the hitch limit.
I researched modifying the Sedona for 4-down, but the price had gon over $3K before I even got to the towbar. We manage without a toad most of the time, so we're beginning to think having DW drive the Sedona while I drive the MH might be a way to go. At 20 mpg, the cost of driving the Sedona would take several years to equal the cost of setting it up.
With a hairy yellow Lab, we might have problems renting a car, so we haven't evaluated that option very much.
Frank Damp, DW - Eileen
Anacortes, WA
'02 Georgetown 325, F53, V-10, bought used in 2010 at 13,000 miles.
Dogs - 2 Labs again, both yellow males, both 9 yrs old and both adopted.
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