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Old 11-22-2017, 11:53 PM   #1
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Dinghy Towing

As I await the delivery of my Seneca, I need to consider a safe Dinghy Tow.
Any opinions on "dolly vs flat tow".
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Old 11-23-2017, 05:44 AM   #2
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Dinghy Towing

First welcome to the forum lots of good information from people who have have tons of experience.

Flat vs tow dolly vs trailer
Flat
+ Easy set up and disconnect, +nothing to store or move around.
-cost slightly higher requires set up on vehicle
-finding flat towable vehicles getting harder every year
-can not back up easily
Dolly
+works on almost all front wheel drive vehicles
+relatively cheap
-have to store unit somewhere. Not to bad some fold and some can be tipped up
- requires moving ramps, aligning car properly,securing car with straps and then crawling under and installing safety straps.
- not pleasant unloading or loading in the rain or on mud.
+units with built in brakes require no set up time.
Trailer
+easy load and unload
+little or no wear on vehicle
+can be backed up easily(provided the person driving knows how to back up)
+ can use trailer for extra toys
- takes up a lot of real estate
- storage and moving can be difficult

I have the acme car dolly. Simple and inexpensive About $2k.
Shunt disk brakes so no controller.

My only issue is the safety chains. I hate going under the cars to snap on the chains.

I got mine as I have several front wheel vehicles that I tow. We use the Seneca to take the kids to college in NC and tow their cars with us

If I had my dream set up it would be a flat tow pickup.


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Old 11-23-2017, 07:18 AM   #3
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We flat tow a Chevrolet Traverse. It works well and is easy to set up. My next vehicle will be a pickup with a cap on the bed. I had this when towing a trailer and regret daily that I do not still have it.

Dolly towing only works with front wheel or I guess all wheel drive vehicles.

Trailers for putting vehicle on work and allow you to back up when towing. However, we watch people struggle constantly trying to figure where to put the trailer when staying someplace.
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Old 11-23-2017, 08:02 AM   #4
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I have done all 3 methods RVermont has called out for similar reasons he mentioned (moving kids around), and I have settled on flat towing of my personal cars. As he mentioned you often have to "do" something with the trailer or dolly unless you get a pull-thru spot every time. If you have a back-in spot you may have to just "muscle" a dolly around since it is unlikely you will be able to back it into a campsite with the Seneca. With or without a car loaded dollies never seem to go where you need them to when backing. And in some campgrounds I have stayed, dollies or trailers had to be left in a lot. They were not permitted to be left at the individual campsite for what are likely "aesthetic" reasons. If one has a physical limitations, pushing a dolly around might be quite challenging.

Something regarding flat towing - you will also need a braking system for whatever dinghy you tow. Even with a Seneca despite their size, since most frequently it is the law and it only makes sense to be able to stop the combination more safely and have breakaway protection in the event of a major failure.

As RVermont also mentioned it does seem toad selection is becoming more limited, lots of vehicles are AWD and none I have seen can be dolly-towed since rolling just one axle will ruin the drivetrain in short order. So they either go on a trailer, or be flat-towed if the manufacturer allows it.

Another item to consider is whether a particular vehicle needs to have anything "done" to it before flat-towing. Some vehicles need to have one or more fuses pulled each time, but there may be work-arounds (aftermarket switch kits) that make that easier. Some, like my Explorer, have to be idled before towing to circulate the transmission fluid, and stop and do that again if the tow exceeds a certain time or mileage limit.

Many who tow find actual four-wheel drive vehicles (that have transfer cases) the best flat-tow solution since the drivetrain can be effectively disconnected. And many manual transmission vehicles also are easily towable by putting the transmission in neutral. And there may be other automatic transmission vehicles that can be towed with a driveline disconnect system or an aftermarket transmission lube pump, but if it is a new vehicle say goodbye to any driveline warranty if you do that!

I have been very satisfied with my two current toads, my Roadmaster tow bar, and Roadmaster Even Brake auxiliary braking device. Done all the bracket and wiring installations myself saving quite a bit of money in the process. And it is easy to hook up and disconnect when we travel, with the towbar folding up nicely on the back of the Seneca when not in use.

Good luck in your quest!
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Old 11-23-2017, 11:00 AM   #5
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The Jeep Wrangler is the most popular toad vehicle. Easy to set up and tow.
I like the toad. Hook up the braking system and tow bar and your set.



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Old 11-23-2017, 11:56 AM   #6
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I flat tow a Jeep Wrangler. I hook up my Demco tow bar while wife hooks up RVI-3 brake inside the Jeep and puts the transfer case in neutral and we are ready to go in under 2 minutes. Same process when we arrive at campground. I was really surprised how easy it is.
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Old 11-23-2017, 08:42 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Mark S View Post
I flat tow a Jeep Wrangler. I hook up my Demco tow bar while wife hooks up RVI-3 brake inside the Jeep and puts the transfer case in neutral and we are ready to go in under 2 minutes. Same process when we arrive at campground. I was really surprised how easy it is.
Most rigs that you see out on the road with a Toad - are jeep Wranglers... If you get the ones that are set up right - all you need is supplemental brakes and a good brake controller installed on the Seneca.

For us... our Toyota FJC is not "flat" or "dolly" towable... we have to have it
all wheels up - and we have gotten used to it. Our trailer hauls other toys along with our full size 4x4 and allows us to roll down the interstate with a different level of confidence at 75 MPH. We don't get blown around when Semi-Trucks come to pass us.. and we don't have as many things to go worry about going wrong with a supplemental TOAD tow bar / braking system. along with our RV, our trailer has TPMS on the tires and that gives us an instant update on pressure and temperatures.

And the best part... since we Wheel with a lot of hard core folks that are in the offroad racing circuit... we have a way to haul a lot of stuff - along with our own toys.
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Old 11-25-2017, 10:47 AM   #8
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One other thought. If you go with a dolly or trailer get your towed set up with a trailer hitch. While the dollies are fairly easy to move a short distance it makes it much simpler if you can tow it to move it to storage or even taking it in for service. Most shops don’t like them sitting around their yard.


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Old 11-25-2017, 06:58 PM   #9
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One other thought. If you go with a dolly or trailer get your towed set up with a trailer hitch. While the dollies are fairly easy to move a short distance it makes it much simpler if you can tow it to move it to storage or even taking it in for service. Most shops don’t like them sitting around their yard.


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We use our Toad to move our trailer... some parks are real tight, don't have room in the park for your trailer or dolly - but love to charge you to store your dolly in a back lot....
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Old 12-11-2017, 01:37 PM   #10
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We flat tow a 2003 Jeep Wrangler. We've seen a lot of people struggle to put their car on a dolly and a lot who had nowhere to put that dolly if they needed to.
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Old 12-14-2017, 06:57 AM   #11
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We have a wrangler. We decided against the electronic brake. The manual brake is awesome and built into the tow bar.

The mopar wiring kit for our '15 has a single connector (factory style weatherproof, with cap for storage) that allows the motorhome to control the lights and signals. No extra equipment. No starting or doing weird things before you tow. Put the transfer case in neutral, put it in gear and make sure the e-brake isn't on. Drive. It also doesn't put miles on the Jeep.

The only issues I have had in the past (and currently) is if the tow bar is not perfectly straight on and mostly level, both arms won't come out at the same time and one won't lock. This is a huge pain in the rear as you have to go fiddle around with the arms until you get it right. Given you can't back up very well, I always have to make sure I'm in a spot where there is lots of room.
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Old 12-14-2017, 08:19 AM   #12
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Most tow bars require regular maintenance for proper operation and to ensure safe and true operation. Check the owner's manual for specific requirements.

Backing up may cause unseen damage to a tow bar and should always be avoided.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:14 AM   #13
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There are tradeoffs. Trailer and dolly are easy hookup, but a pain in the rear end when you arrive nearly anywhere but dry camping. That's almost the only place you can leave them hooked up without paying for a super deluxe pull-through spot.

We flat tow the Jeep, as it is just about the ideal toad. We wanted a Jeep Wrangler from the start anyway, and it just so happens it's well suited to be a flat toad. Set up wiring, battery charging circuit (charges from the motorhome alternator while towing), auxiliary braking system (legal requirement in most states, and just a very good idea in general) all myself. Partly because I want it done right, and partly to save lots of money. All Terrain tow bar to avoid problems connecting or disconnecting on uneven terrain. Rock guard to keep from chipping the paint or busting out a headlight or chipping the windshield. 5 minutes to connect correctly. Seneca doesn't even know the Jeep is there.
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Old 12-22-2017, 04:23 PM   #14
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We did the tow dolly route for a while. The issue we experienced with a tow dolly were:

- If the wheels were a little wet, we had a hard time getting the car on the dolly.

- Once on the dolly, because we had a car that had 13" wheels, there was not enough tag from the wheel tie down strap to wrench the tire down tight. So I place a piece of 2x12 wood where the tires rest in place to lift the car up enough to I could tighten the straps down.

- Not all dollies come with D rings, so you have to install them so you can safety chains the car to the dolly.

All this you are laying on the ground strapping down and safety chaining the care to the dolly.

By the way, because the straps are nylon, they stretch so about 50-75 miles down the road after putting the car on the dolly, you will need to tighten the straps down again.

With all that said, I am much happier with towing our Ford Focus with all 4 on the ground.
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Old 12-22-2017, 11:49 PM   #15
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Flat tow

I flat tow a 97 F250 crew cab 4x4 (transfer case selector mounted on the floor). The Seneca doesn't even feel it, and I am quite satisfied with the RoadMaster non-binding tow bar and the EvenBrake system.

My bro-in-law dolly tows a Ford Focus, and has had no end of problems dolly-towing, plus it takes him a solid 40 minutes to hook up the dolly and load the car on.

Flat tow is the way to go.
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Old 12-23-2017, 03:49 AM   #16
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I agree that if you have the option to flat tow that is the right way however the dolly has its place for people with a current front wheel drive car that can not be flat towed. It takes me no more than 10 minutes to load the cars and less than 5 to unload. The main issue I dislike about the dolly is installing the safety chains under the car. If it was not for that I would not be thinking about getting a flat tow vehicle. Crawling under a car in the rain and snow really can be a pain in the %€£%#!!


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Old 12-23-2017, 02:05 PM   #17
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I did a lot of research on all 3 options:

Dolly pros
Cheap, small, easy to tow & store, doesn't add milage to toad, can haul most front wheel drive cars.
Dolly cons
Can't back up, awkward to strap front wheels, crawl on ground for hitch pin.

Flat tow pros
Quick and easy to unhook. Easy to tow, no extra weight.
Flat tow cons
Can't back up, expensive to install on toad, must be careful to align straight to hook up, adds milage to toad, limited to type of vehicle (Jeep Wrangler is popular).

Trailer pros
Allows backing up, not limited to make of toad, reasonably easy to load & unload (flat tow is faster and easier), able to haul a lot of extra stuff (read tools, etc).
Trailer cons
Expensive investment initially, harder to store, more weight for RV to tow.

I went the trailer route for 2 reasons: I can back up, and I can haul my Mazda Miata convertible. The Miata can't be flat towed or dolly'd because of it's drive train.

Being able to back up is the biggest consideration, especially in certain RV parks, fuel stops, and navigation mistakes where there is no forward way out. My trailer has a hydraulic tilt bed so I can simply drive up onto it and then lower the bed. The Miata has built in bumper eye bolts that make it easy to secure the ratchet straps to the trailer's D rings.

A lot depends on the style of RVing, how frequent the stops, full time or part time, types of destinations. I used a dolly when I had grandma's Ford Taurus, but had to use a tarp and foam rubber mats to reach the hitch pin. I admired the folks with their Blue Ox flat tows and how quickly they were able to unhook.
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Old 12-23-2017, 05:37 PM   #18
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Flat tow cons
Can't back up, expensive to install on toad, must be careful to align straight to hook up, adds mileage to toad, limited to type of vehicle (Jeep Wrangler is popular).
I concur with most of what Lee states with some minor clarifications:

With most towbars the arms slide independent of each other, I can easily hook up my vehicle(s) even if the toad is at at angle to my rig, just have to be close enough to reach the toad's mounting points. Once I start pulling away it straightens right up and both bars lock in place automatically. Older fixed towbars (not common among RV'ers) do require more finesse to connect!

And with most newer vehicles equipped with electronic speedometers/odometers you will not add odometer miles while towing, but technically you are spinning various parts and some additional wear is likely occurring including to the tires. Even towing with a dolly you are spinning two tires and the wheel bearings for those wheels. Now if you tow an older car or truck with a mechanical speedometer you will add odometer miles.

To help compensate for the additional wear I have reduced my driveline fluid change intervals hoping that will help in the long run.
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Old 12-23-2017, 07:19 PM   #19
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We have some 16,000 miles in two years of flat towing a '16 Subaru Forester (manual). We have had no issues towing. When we arrive at our destination, the Subaru gives us 31 miles to the gallon, allowing us great opportunities to explore.
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