Tow Dolly?

[opel racer]

Now that my car is complete and my tow vehicle has been purchased, I'm trying to decide how to tow the IT car. I like the idea of the tow dolly as it would take up very little room in an already cramped garage space. Are there any down sides to a tow dolly?

[Bill Miller]

Well, you don't want to tow the car w/ the driven wheels on the ground. Also, if the car is damaged, there's a good chance you won't be able to tow it home on the dolly. Also, it's pretty much impossible to back one up, and it's rare that you get paddock space where you don't have to back your tow rig up.

I'd keep your eyes open for a decent open trailer (16' min.). You can get some good deals on used ones.

Oh yeah, it's hard to put a tire rack on a tow dolly!

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI
SCCA 279608

[racer-025]

I would agree that an open trailer is the best way to go (if $$$ is no problem - then an enclosed trailer). However, if you are just starting out and funds are thin, you can get away with using a tow dolly with the down sides as Bill mentioned. The one good thing about a tow dolly is that usually you can sell it 2 years later for the same price that you originally purchased it for. I keep one around for short hauls. I installed a hand winch to put that dead car on by yourself. Sometimes they are quite usefull to go get your brother's dead Integra on the highway.

[Scirocco#28]

Or if you're really lucky the recovery truck driver will be nice enough to dispose of your wrecked car right on the dolly for ya!

Don't ask me how I know this....

Steve

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87 ITB Scirocco
HighSpeed Motorsports

[joeg]

You might as well flat tow it.

This is a viable option.

[machschnell]

FYI, July issue of Circle Track magazine, (circletrack.com) had a two part article on building your own trailer, using motorhome axles, and a bunch of steel. could help keep costs down if you can weld.

PJ

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83 Rabbit GTI - future ITB

[zooracer]

I have seen some single axle trailers. If you have a 2000 lb car what is the disadvantages. Wouldnt it work ?
matt

[Knestis]

You are going to discover that a tow dolly is WAY bigger than you might think.

Have you considered renting? U-Haul and others rent trailers and dollys (dollies?) and, if you do the math, it might well be cheaper while REALLY solving the storage problem.

Racers have a tendency to think that "owning" race stuff is better than "renting" it. However, given the short time that most of them actually use the race car, tow vehicle, motorhome, and/or trailer, they are truly just rented - typically at some really outrageous rates...

Kirk

[hornerdon]

Originally posted by zooracer:
I have seen some single axle trailers. If you have a 2000 lb car what is the disadvantages. Wouldnt it work ?
matt

I've got both a double axle trailer with a 16' deck and a single axle with a 10' deck. I used the single axle for years to pull around a Solo II Toyota Starlet (under 1800#) and a Solo II 1st gen MR2 (under 2400#), along with tires, wheels, etc. Both cars are about 13' long, so, after tucking in under the tire rack, they hung out about 18" in the back. In order to get the right tongue weight, I had to back the MR2 onto the trailer.

I never had any problems, but the trailer had been heavily reinforced, had a 3500# axle, and I kept the best trailer tires on it I could find, rated at 1875# each. There were times I wished it had brakes, especially when I used to tow it with a '72 Winnebago with drum brakes. One time in Nashville...long story, but I did get pushed right through a traffic light {shiver}. It was OK here in Florida - no hills, but I had to be careful.

The biggest disadvantage of a single axle was that it's a little harder to manuever when backing. If the axle is in the wrong place, they also don't follow as well - more prone to wagging. I had a trailer shop move mine a few inches. The best part was it only cost $150 - but by the time I put on the tire rack, new coupler, new lights, new fenders, moved the axle and painted it, I had around $700 in it.

I got my tandem, with brakes, in decent condition, for around $800. Both of them were cheaper than most dollys I've seen for sale - like someone said above, the dollys hold their value, because the RV folks create a demand.

I've towed with a dolly, and the worst part is not being able to back up. I've gotten stuck a couple times, once in a parking lot and once in a small gas station, where I had to remove the car, uncouple the dolly, back up the tow vehicle (once a Ryder truck, once my Dakota), then hook up and load up again. Pain in the butt. Same thing in campground where there is no pull-through site. Now, even when I'm taking along a "dinghy" (towed street car) behind my motor home, I use a full trailer instead of a dolly or flat towing. Much more manueverable, and no wear and tear on the towed car. I'd take even a junk, old farm equipment trailer with wooden boards nailed across it and no fenders or brakes before I'd use a dolly. Most dollys have no brakes either, or are more expensive than most trailers if they have surge brakes.

Finally, there's no place to put any "stuff" on a dolly or flat tow. In less than one season, you'll want a tire rack, a place to put the poles for your $149 Sam's Club canopy, etc. etc. without stuffing your race car full of stuff that has to be loaded and unloaded.




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Don Horner
Port St. Lucie, FL
[email protected]

[hornerdon]

Originally posted by Knestis:
Have you considered renting? U-Haul and others rent trailers and dollys (dollies?) and, if you do the math, it might well be cheaper while REALLY solving the storage problem.

Great idea. I know one racer who drives a Ford Festiva on the street. For race weekends, he rents a Ranger and car trailer. You might have to sweet-talk a local rental outfit to get that combination, but it works, and his overall cost (including 43 mpg on the Festiva while commuting, instead of driving his tow vehicle) is way lower than buying and owning, plus he gets automatic road service. You won't appreciate the value of that until you lose a tire, whether flat tow, dolly or trailer.

I own, because I use both trailers frequently in my business.

{Edit} One problem with renting is that some rental companies will only rent a trailer or dolly if you combine it with a trcuk rental. Again, sweet-talking the local agent may solve that.


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Don Horner
Port St. Lucie, FL
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by hornerdon (edited December 21, 2002).]

[fireball]

I bought a single axle trailer for $400. It was homemade, about 14' long, had electric brakes and was made of pretty heavy I beam steel. It tows the miata fine. Not as nice as a bigger or lighter trailer with a tire rack, storage, etc, but for $400 it can't be beat.

[Campbell]

I bought a tow dolly several years ago for $250 and have used it to tow my ITB Scirocco behind my wife's station wagon (Volvo 850T). It has worked great for me.. easy to use and store around the house and I can use it easily and quickly to get the car wherever I want. I have used it for maybe 24 race weekends (1hr to 3hr tows) without an issue, I guess it has paid for itself. A regular full trailer would be nice but just not pratical for me, I don't have a vehicle to pull it or a place to keep it.

Depending on your situation a tow dolly can work fine.