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Tow Dolly question

Yahoo Message Number: 68216
I plan to purchase/use a tow dolly to tow a Honda Civic behind my Intrigue. Looking at the dollies, I see units with and without brakes. At what point are brakes required either on the dolly or a unit added inside the towed vehicle?

Thanks,
Rich

'95 36' Intrigue 10114

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68218
From my towing experience, go with the brakes, no question. The dolly brakes are in place of your towed vehicle brakes being used. Our coaches do not have lots of room for stopping anything but themselves. The bigger the brakes on the dolly the better.

What kind of brakes are offered on the dollies? Hyd, electric?

Leonard

97 Magan 5418

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68219
Most i've seen are electric brakes, if they're mentioned at all (Craigslist).

Rich

'95 36' Intrigue 10114

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68221
Electric would be the way to go. Years past I saw an RV towing a Dodge Mini Van with a dolly. The dolly tongue broke, suspect the vehicle was to much weight for the dolly design. Made a mess on the freeway. No body hurt.

At the local Camping World yesterday, they had two new dollies setting outside.

Leonard

97' Magna 5418

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68223
Thanks Leonard. Losing a vehicle or taking too long to stop don't fit in with my plans, so brakes it is.

Appreciate the response.
Rich

'95 36' Intrigue 10114

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68229
I do have a dolly with electric brakes, but I am afraid to use them.
They are wired to the brake lights.
This means when I use the PAC brake and the brake lights come on, so do the brakes on the dolly. Shortly after I got the dolly I checked the temp on the dolly brakes and they were HOT, almost 300. I decided that they could not keep pace with the pak bake, and turned them off. About 15,000 miles later I am still doing just fine.
If there was a way to control the dolly brakes to work with the coach brakes, instead of the brake lights, that might work.

Bob Wexler
SOB

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68230
Who every wired the brakes to the brake lights needs a good shot of electricity in hopes of jump starting his brain. Really beyond dump, now please do not tell me you did that are I will really be in trouble. grin This is what you need:

http://www.brakecontroller.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=29
Connects to brake air line and is proportional, once it is adjusted for weight it gives brake force the same as the coach brake force. This is the ONLY way to set up trailer brakes, with a trailer brake control. Lots of controls on market. Most designed for pickups. This one works best in my coach. Pay more up front but cheaper in long run because it works the first time.

Wiring is simple. One hot wire when engine is running. One wire to brake lights system, activates the system but does not send juice to brakes, under the dash and one wire back to trailer plug in, to brakes on dolly. Air line tee in air line in front drivers bay. If not comfortable turning wrenches find a shop who knows what they are doing. They did everything but install a control unit it seems on yours. Be a simple install with the air line work needing done and correct wiring to control since they are already in place.

Leonard

97' Magna 5418

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68231
I think the question asked earlier was about the requirement of brakes on the Tow Dolly. If you look at the January issue of FMCA you will see the section , and without actually checking, I believe most states ( and provinces ) require brakes if you are towing more than 1500 Lbs. If you are towing without brakes ( a car or trailer ), and if you had an accident, I am sure you would be charged. I have been told that in BC and California , they are especially aware of this, to the point that the police will check if you have a breakaway strap. I personally feel it highly irresponsible, to tow a car or trailer , without brakes. What if the hitch lets go. You are endangering others. There is more than one story out there about being passed by a car or trailer( yours-while driving down the road ) I cannot see how you would undo the brakes on the dolly , rather than correcting the situation--IMHO

Ron Baran 09 Magna 7025

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68232
Think I need to edit this just a bit. This unit does not have a connection to the brake lights as air pressure activates it. With that in mind the PAC system has no influence on it working. May have mis-read and assumed you have no brake control. Now think you do but it is activated by the brake lights and this is causing your problem.

Leonard

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68234
Leonard

That looks like an interesting solution, which I had not seen before (why we belong to this group).
The dolly manufacturer included the electric brake set up, his design, not mine.
I have a Spartan chassis, and they recommend that any air brake controller be connected to an adapter they sell, to maintain brake system integrity. Their adapter installs near the back of the coach. that would require running a metal air line from the back of the coach to the dash along with any required wiring.

Bob Wexler
SOB

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68235
Actually you place the fitting in the front brake air line. No need to go to the back. Look at the manuel. All the wires are already in place it seems. The unit comes with the correct air line fitting. Installed it myself.

Leonard

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68236
I have the Demco fold-up tow dolly. It has hydraulic surge brakes and a breakaway cable that locks up the brakes if it is pulled. I towed a Saturn 4-down for 8 years without an additional brake system. I can definitely tell that the coach and tow dolly/car combo stops easier with the car on the tow dolly so the surge brakes are definitely working (went from towing a 3000 lb. Saturn to towing a 4500 lb. Cadillac - stops with the Caddy on the tow dolly are easier than stops were with the Saturn).

John and Linda

'06 Inspire DaVinci

Re: Tow Dolly question

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 68246
Good discussion; I appreciate everyone's input.

To summarize:

A car dolly with a braking system is highly recommended, if not required to assist the coach with braking distance.
Electric or surge brakes work, however, Leonard and Bob raised good points about syncing the Electric with the coach brakes, not the brake lights. "Rollingghetto" recommends the surge brakes.
Jim "Been There Done That" suggested the Civic could be towed 4 down; the cost of brakes might be a wash with the dolly. Certainly makes pulling the Civic off to run errands much easier as well as eliminating the need to move and store the dolly. "Rollingghetto" suggested adding a hitch to the Civic to assist with moving the dolly. Good suggestion Jim!
Thanks to all again for the excellent discussion. Let the shopping begin!

Regards,
Rich

'95 36' Intrigue 10114