Tow Dolly Question
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Tow Dolly Question
Has anyone tried to tow one of these on a tow dolly. I need to pick up a 70 1/2 ton. I was considering renting a dolly. Does anyone know if you can fit one of these? Do the uhaul dolly's have brakes? thanks
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Joined: May 2004
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From: WA
I towed my 71 Ranger home on my dolly. Pulled it nice with a brand "X' 1/2 ton[blue bow tie]. No brakes on dolly or towed truck. All went well, 75 miles with mild hills. The 71 had large tires on it so I had to get some stock wheel and tires so the straps would fit. Even letting air out didn't help. Drive sensibly and have a nice trip. Good luck with your truck.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: "Islander"
Don't Tow It!!!!
71, don't tow the truck unless you disconnect the driveshaft! The tranmission will have no lubrication because the pump is turned by the torque converter. I was 8 miles from home and the oil pump drive broke. My trans builder demanded that i disconnect the drive shaft. He made a custom performance trans and wanted it to live. Hats off to the other post that towed 75 miles, wow all without lubrication, not me. I don't want to gamble as it takes 2 minutes to remove the straps and tie up the driveshaft vs the cost or rebuild due to poor judgement. Done rambling, Carl. .........o&o>...............
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Thanks, I have access to a freind of a freinds trailer type deal. The tires on it are getting scary and thats just an extra 1800 lbs or so to drag along. I've got to go about 200 miles each way. I'm towing with a a 95 F150. So the 70 outweighs me without the trailer. I've hauled F250's on the trailer but not for such a distance, maybe 100 miles. Even had a f350 wrecker on it. Had to drag that with my brothers powerstroke. That thing is sweet. I think I have some spares I could take incase the tires are too wide. Thanks for the advice.
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From: "Islander"
Before you tow
71, index is a good idea, duct tape the cups, tie wire up the rear shaft and make it secure so the shaft can't slide back off the front spline and drop on the road. Make sure the towed vehicle front tires are aired up. Remember, don't over torque the U joint straps. Your good to go. Carl.......o&o>......
Posting Guru
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From: nevada
backwards
I once towed my '72 4 wheeler with a tow dolly and motorhome. Had to back in on dolly because front end was too wide. Rear is narrower and fit even with 33" tires on it. This was the start of a long story, but I will make it short. My father in law was driving and lost control of motor home, we rolled over and did a 180 on our side down the highway. (28' vehicle). Sure was surprised to see my truck still upright hooked to the dolley. Only thing that save that from rolling was because the trailer hitch on the dolly tore loose, but the chains held. The motorhome only had the floor, both captains chairs, and the dash hooked to the chassis. Everything else was spread all over the road. He banged up his knee, and I got nothing, didnt even have the belts on.This happened at 3am on the way to our deer hunting grounds. So by 9am I had the truck reloaded with gear and away we went. gotta hunt, right?
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Baitmaster, I'm glad everyone was OK. I'm still wondering if the advantage of less weight (tow dolly) is better than more brakes (full trailer). When I eventually get my 71 finished i wont have to screw around with either. Man do I miss my Old 74 F350 wrecker. If there was somewhere to hook the chains it would tow it!!!
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From: Canyon Lake, Tx. 78133
I have a tow dolly I used to tow an Escape behind my motorhome, before I got my '02 Screw. I used it recently to tow my sons '01 Dodge Quad cab home. We had to push it up on the dolly "tail first", as his transmission was shot. That is not the way to tow, but "you got to do what you got to do". Had it been on front first, it would not have been any trouble to tow. I don't have brakes on the dolly and it was not a problem, but I would imagine that the U-hauls would have (laibility issues). A full size truck is just about as wide as I could go, but it towed OK at 35mph (steering wheel was not easy to secure. As stated above, it is a lot easier to disconnect the drive shaft than to tow "backwards" or mess up the tranny. Good luck!
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I was just concerned with the brakes because the 70 fe auto is gonna outweigh my 95 5.0 shortbed that I'm towing her with. I know to use common sense and caution. With towing experience and being a "motorcyclist" I know that "the other guy" is pretty much out to get me!!!
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: NY and VA
ditto 4CAMMER72, Uhaul in Columbus,OH would not rent us a dolly to tow my son's 70 F100 to NY, Went to another Uhaul dealer and told them it was for a 81 LTD....had to put on smaller wheels to load but was no problem. if the truck had an engine in it I would have used my tow bar, the lack of weight might not have allowed the front wheels to track properly.
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From: "Islander"
add some weight
71 Sport, to be safe i would add app 500-600 pounds of weight over the rear axle in that tow vehicle (small truck). You see it all the time, people with small cars/trucks towing a 8,000# plus boat on the highway at 65 +mph. Tail wags the dog? Never, never use a chebby to tow a Ford, a bad image thing. Go slow. Carl........o&o>.........
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I should have a fair amount of supply's in the back. Jack, tools, spares for everything. I may get stuck using a trailer as uhaul shows Like a 70" width and my 71 I have measures 76. I've seen people with fullsize trucks on these before though. Have to investigate further. I haven't heard from anyone that used the actual uhaul dolly yet.