On the fence. To tow or not to tow.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 04:04 PM

I am trying to decide to tow or not. I am concerned about how often I will have to unhook the dolly to get into a campsite. No problem if I will be staying for a few days but seems it would be a pain just to spend the night. Also how often I would get in a situation to have to unhook to get out of it. My Axis is so easy to get around in I hate to spoil that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin

petefoss · 10-26-2019, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

I am trying to decide to tow or not. I am concerned about how often I will have to unhook the dolly to get into a campsite. No problem if I will be staying for a few days but seems it would be a pain just to spend the night. Also how often I would get in a situation to have to unhook to get out of it. My Axis is so easy to get around in I hate to spoil that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin

We either dolly tow our Colorado pick-up or a small cargo trailer (full of RC planes). When we have the trailer we rely on friends, etc. for transportation.

We would always unhook even on an overnight stay. Our first 3 week trip we loaded and unloaded the truck 11 times. Got to be about 10 minutes to load and less to unload. One suggestion if you dolly tow vs flat tow, it is very convenient to be able to move the dolly with the toad. Yes its very light but pulling it uphill, soft sand, etc. by hand is difficult. With the hitch on the pickup it was very easy to move the dolly around.

jbwilli1 · 10-26-2019, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

I am trying to decide to tow or not. I am concerned about how often I will have to unhook the dolly to get into a campsite. No problem if I will be staying for a few days but seems it would be a pain just to spend the night. Also how often I would get in a situation to have to unhook to get out of it. My Axis is so easy to get around in I hate to spoil that. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Kevin

I bought an EZ tow dolly mostly due to price, at $1500 it was near 50% cheaper than other tow dollys. The best part is low profile, I unhook put the dolly in first then back the coach in over it. My ACE rear end slopes upward in the rear which allows more clearance. The last campground, on a beach, they seemed irritated with this setup, even though there was plenty of room. Not sure if it was that and/or my DW political info she had scattered across the dash. So irritated they made me park the toad across the hiway at the rear of the large campground. a hike of maybe 1/4 mile. Said the toad stuck out too far, when others were way worse. After they left I backed the car in the area under my canopy by the picnic table provided. Next morning they said that wasn't allowed, even though others were similar.

So I moved where they wanted. Won't return there because of that & the water quality (ocean). Only went there since Camp Gulf was booked for my time frame & I wanted to visit the cemetery in Sarasota National where my son is buried.

At other campgrounds I always get pull thrus, so I never unhook.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 04:49 PM

Wow. Every night. Was it always necessary or just by choice? I had planed on using the toad to move it around.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 05:14 PM

jbwilli1 That's what I was hoping to be able to do in the pull thrus. Do you have any issues leveling with the toad hooked up? Have you ever had to unhook to get out of a situation?
Thanks to you and petefoss

petefoss · 10-26-2019, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

Wow. Every night. Was it always necessary or just by choice? I had planed on using the toad to move it around.

I was afraid the tongue weight of the dolly would mess up the auto level. Or that we would raise the hitch enough while leveling to bottom out the ramps.

jannnda · 10-26-2019, 05:19 PM

I flat tow but I don’t take the toad all the time. We have found renting a car in some places is easier than dragging the toad. Most of the time I go through Costco for rental cars. Hard to beat their prices. When we first got our MH we didn’t have a toad so we rented all the time.

boblee52 · 10-26-2019, 05:30 PM

I dolly tow. Have not had any problems trying to auto level since you should not have to raise the M?H that much. I always try to find a pull thru for 1 nighters. I usually disconnect anyway and just push the dolly behind the M/H. Only once did I have to move he dolly to an overflow parking lot. No problem since I have a hitch on my SUV so I can move the dolly as Pete said.

I try to avoid Expressways so I travel secondary highways mostly.
I look at the towing a toad either 4 down or dolly as a safety net. Out in the boonies you may not have cell service or some other problem you are not stranded. You can go get help if the need be.

In Mississippi I did wind up on a dead end road. GPS said good to go but the dead end sign 200 yds down the road said otherwise. I disconnected the car, and dolly turned the M/H around and hooked everything back up. 30 minutes later good to go. Yes, towing 4 down would have been easier however I'm retired and the extra time/work doesn't bother me right now --5 yrs down the road who knows.

Laco · 10-26-2019, 05:33 PM

We used to have a 41 foot bus and for years flat towed our car. I really never had a bad experience, its just a PITA to deal with. Now with the little motorhome, though its set up to tow, I am not comfortable towing, so we rent whenever we need a car at our destination. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but for us now, renting works best.

JamieGeek · 10-26-2019, 05:48 PM

We dolly tow with the EZ tow dolly, have done so for the past 4 years. Our first year with the Axis we rented cars--picked up the dolly for how much rentals cost the first year.

So far haven't got into a situation where I've had to back up. Just have to be aware and look for larger truck stop type gas stations.

I leave it hooked up overnight: Just sign up for pull-through campsites, park, plugin and go to bed. In the morning we unplug and go.

When we're at the destination I'll unhook and slide the dolly under the rear of the Axis.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 05:49 PM

I think I will try it and see how it goes. I am looking at the Acme EZ tow They are on sale right now for 1,299.99 which we all know means 1,300.00.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 06:29 PM

Well I guess I am off the fence. I just ordered the new 2020 EZ Tow.

Thanks for all the help

jbwilli1 · 10-26-2019, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

jbwilli1 That's what I was hoping to be able to do in the pull thrus. Do you have any issues leveling with the toad hooked up? Have you ever had to unhook to get out of a situation?
Thanks to you and petefoss

No problem at all leveling, but to be safe I always start at the rear. The EZ tow can be backed up if you put a key like thing in the tongue. I put a hitch on my PT Cruiser to move the dolly if needed. You also must let the tire pressure waaaay down or the thing bounces all over.

Never got stuck where I needed to unhook, except one time I had to wait on 2 cars to move b4 I could get out, at a 7-11 type place. Manual says you can't make U turns, I found you can but the can't be tight, gotta swing out best you can.

Some where after a gas stop ( I check the straps at every stop) one of the straps let go, how I don't know, I'm guessing it broke somewhere in the middle. For 150 miles or so a strap was dangling & flapping & no one noticed or tried to warn me. Safety chain kept it on the dolly, but it was close to coming off.

jbwilli1 · 10-26-2019, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

Well I guess I am off the fence. I just ordered the new 2020 EZ Tow.

Thanks for all the help

That's a good price, I bought mine in January at that price, noticed this summer they went up about $500 or it coulda been a knock off copy.

Their straps look indestructible, they're not as I found out. I went with CW & Amazon straps with cross straps that are sewn. They look cheap but worked well. I was stuck with CW to replace the broken one, once I got to destination Amazon sent another set as a backup & at half the price.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 08:41 PM

Thanks a lot jb thats the kinda stuff I was looking for. One more question. About how long does it take for you to load up?

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 08:41 PM

Thanks to everyone for your help.

petefoss · 10-26-2019, 08:51 PM

10 min with practice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

Thanks a lot jb thats the kinda stuff I was looking for. One more question. About how long does it take for you to load up?

jbwilli1 · 10-26-2019, 09:03 PM

EZ tow takes a little longer since the ramps aren't fixed like others. I marked where they need to be each time. 15 minutes maybe.

My biggest problem is getting the winch part & center of tire matched up. I'm too picky, trying to figure a way to move the winch without undoing bolts.

It's the wife, she guides me on.

sandrooney · 10-26-2019, 09:12 PM

Thanks I will practice several times before we head out for a trip.

I was thinking getting a solo hitch alignment system from Home Depot.
Thanks a lot

Bob Denman · 10-26-2019, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandrooney

Well I guess I am off the fence. I just ordered the new 2020 EZ Tow.

Thanks for all the help

Congratulations! Think of how much easier it will be to get around now...

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