The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Tow Dolly experts

I just bought a used tow dolly that seems to be in good shape, but tends to waddle down the road. I haven't had a car on it yet. I haven't had it over 45mph the two times I've moved it. I can see it moving/waddling side to side in the mirror. I have rented them in the past and don't recall seeing this.
It has 20 psi in the tires. I read on a trailer web site that you should tow empty with 10 psi. A local trailer place said run at max tire rating and no car radials.
It has 15" trailer rated 6 ply radials.
I measured from the center of the hitch to both spindles and got the same measurement. The pin for the tilt mechanism was a little worn. I replaced it and it's tight, but no change in the waddle.
So, my questions are.
Is this normal for some dollies?
Will it get worse empty at 55-60?
Will it get worse or go away with a car on it?
I have read that a towed vehicle has to have the heaviest end in front, on the dolly. I also know that I towed a Corvair(rear engine) forward at 55 on a rented dolly with no wiggle.
I paid $550 for this thing and it has elec brakes. That is a pretty good deal, as long as it tows good.

I don't know what kind you have, but i've used a few old ones, and they would just a sway left and right like a dogs tail fixin' to get a treat at anything much past 50MPH.

They seemed to settle down once you put some weight on 'em.. but I don't think the older ones are supposed to be pulled much faster than 55MPH anyway.

Not sure if that's the way the old ones are supposed to pull, or perhaps the few i've used have the same problem yours does.

>shrug<

Is it the self-steering type, or does it have a pivoting plate for making turns so the whole axle assembly turns underneath the towed vehicle? My family shares a Demco Car Caddy that uses the caster of the dolly wheels to track in turns, then self-center on straight pulls. There's a lock pin that centers the steering for towing bobtailed. This rig has a tie rod and a toe adjustment. A VERY slight amount of toe-in works best on it, less than 1/8". If yours is a rigid-axle model without caster steer, the wheels should be adjusted straight ahead, zero toe. Also, take a measurement from the rim just above the tire bead on both sides, to the tongue. Both wheels should measure the same distance from the tongue assembly, even if the toe checks out. You don't want the wheels pointing in a different direction than the centerline of the tongue.
Jerry

Richard,

No expert or answers...but, I rented a similar dolly from a local rental outfit, towed it empty 200 miles and it tracked smooth and dead true. Towed it back loaded with a little Suzuki Samurai and it again towed smooth and perfectly straight...nary a waddle, so they will track properly unless some geometry is wrong.

Stuart

I've used these a few times and never had a wiggle, loaded or not. I used one to tow a car from Iowa to Virginia Beach and it was smooth all the way.

Check the adjustment where the hitch grabs the ball. If it's not connected firmly to the ball the resulting wiggle in the hitch could cause your condition. A worn receiver would allow some wiggle too.

My tow dolly tows straight all the time. Empty or loaded. I keep the tires at max pressure. It will bounce a bit when empty, but always trails true.

Most of the time whenever there is a waddle (fish tail), when towing a trailer, it is because there is not enough weight on the tongue. If it's unbalanced to the rear it'll be too light on the hitch and cause it to 'waddle'. Just try putting some weight towards the front of the dolly and give it a try!
Geo.

I built mine a couple of years ago and other than bounce when empty, it pulls like a dream. I strapped some tires to it and pulled it 1100 miles from Upper Mich to Tulsa. I then hauled back a '51 GMC. It pulled better than I could ever expect. Mine has the turn table on it. It also has 14 inch radials only because that is what I had.

better check to see if its bent because my buddy has one and the fools that borrowed it bent the tongue and now it does what yours does. what it is doing is constantly trying to correct it's track and it can't because of the bend in tongue. it is now the "backup dolly" get the tape out and check it. they get bent by someone trying to back up with car on dolly and most are not made to do that. after you get it fixed my advice is don't lend it out!