If you’re ever stuck in a situation where your car has given up on you, and you can no longer drive it, your first backup plan is to use a tow dolly.
At first glance, however, you might assume that it’s easier to use an auto transport service instead. That’s because tow dollies seem like they’d require more effort and time. Plus, calculating a tow dolly weight limit can be tricky.
That’s why we’re here to show you that tow dollies are an easy option to move your car with. We’ll do this by answering your questions, including everything about tow dolly weight and how it functions.
What Is the Average Tow Dolly Weight?
The answer to this question depends on the type of tow dolly. To be more specific, the typical empty weight (the dolly’s weight without a car towed to it) of a semi-trailer is 450 lbs. This kind of tow dolly is used for small to medium-sized automobiles.
On the other hand, a tow dolly that’s made for full-sized four-wheel automobiles, vans, and mid-sized trucks, weighs anywhere from 550 to 750 lbs. Your choice will then depend on the weight and structure of your vehicle.
What’s a Tow Dolly’s Carrying Weight Limit?
Again, a tow dolly’s weight limitation is based on your vehicle’s type, weight, and number of wheels. As a result, it’s essential to factor in all of the above to choose a semi-trailer that would safely transport your car.
For example, a lightweight tow dolly for smaller cars, such as hatchbacks and passenger cars, has a collective weight limit (the dolly’s empty weight plus the vehicle’s weight) between 3,450 and 3,900 lbs.
On the other hand, heavy-duty tow dollies with four tires instead of two can be used to tow bigger vehicles, such as mid-sized trucks and four-wheel vans. As a result, their maximum collective load ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 lbs—depending on the dolly’s model or manufacturer.
What Is a Tow Dolly Good For?
In short, a tow dolly is a simple means of transporting dysfunctional vehicles from one place to another. As a result, the design of this car equipment is minimal.
Because of its main function, a tow dolly is often referred to as a semi-trailer. That’s because semi-trailers are also used to tow vehicles. The main difference between either equipment is that a tow dolly is exclusively used for on-the-road cars only.
What Does a Tow Dolly Look Like?
A tow dolly takes the shape of a standard car’s rear. In other words, it consists of two back wheels and one axle. In addition, some tow dollies come with brake systems and headlights—these features depend on your country’s road rules, however.
Another component that a tow dolly typically has is the landing gear. This part helps you in loading and unloading the car. Plus, because of a tow dolly’s design, it must be connected to another vehicle and pulled. This is the only way it can perform its primary function of transporting your car.
How Does a Tow Dolly Function?
Using a tow dolly is almost intuitive. The golden rule is that the working wheels of your vehicle are towed to the front of the dolly. Meaning, if it’s a front-wheel-drive, you’ll tow the front wheels, and vice versa if it’s a rear-wheel one.
As a result, the dolly’s back wheels support the underparts of your vehicle as they roll on the ground. That being said, the tow dolly comes with deep cages where your tires will be tightly secured.
Why Should I Use a Tow Dolly?
There are many advantages that come with using a tow dolly. That’s due to the equipment’s simple and user-friendly design that doesn’t allow for much trouble.
Having said that, let’s take you through the main benefits to choosing a tow dolly over other transporting trailers:
- Cost-effective and require less time and effort to tow your car
- Its lightweight doesn’t consume much of the pulling vehicle’s fuel
- A secure option for most medium-sized vehicles, both rear-wheel and front-wheel drive ones
- Compact sized so you can easily store it away in your garage
- The minimalist design allows for more freedom on the road, especially around tight corners
- No need to modify your vehicle by removing any of its parts before towing it
- The most efficient and quick option when moving an automobile across a short distance
- You get to remain with your car the whole time
- It puts less strain on your car’s transmission, engine, and drivetrain when en route
Does Using a Tow Dolly Have Its Downsides?
Of course. Nothing is perfect, after all. That being said, probably the main problem with tow dollies is that their usage is limited to specific automobiles. Not just that, but there’s complicated math behind choosing the right dolly for your car.
In addition to that, there are a few other complications when using a tow dolly:
- It can’t be used to transport off-road vehicles like boats, kayaks
- Won’t be able to tow bigger cars, such as SUVs or over-a-ton pickup trucks
- Smaller than standard vehicles; for example, golf carts won’t be compatible with a typical tow dolly
- Unloading the car off the semi-trailer is more complicated than towing it
- Not recommended for long-distance transportations
- Wears out the end of your car that’s rolling on the ground, causing damage to the bumper, tires, and undercarriage parts
Add to this the safety concerns you should be aware of before using a tow dolly. We suggest you also read your car’s manual or contact its manufacturer to check if the vehicle is tow-dolly safe.
Final Thoughts
A tow dolly is equipment used to transport automobiles over short distances. As a result of the limited functionality, a tow dolly weight varies according to the towed vehicle’s type, structure, and weight.
In addition, a tow dolly has multiple advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of beforehand. As long as you know their weight limitation and how to use them, you should be okay.