Another Trailer vs Dolly towing question, again Options

[chris914]

Once everything is moving dowm the highway, is there any differance in how the whole outfit handles driving wise, between a trialier and a dolly?

Is one safer then the other?

[GWN7]

Once everything is moving dowm the highway, is there any differance in how the whole outfit handles driving wise, between a trialier and a dolly?

Is one safer then the other?

What determines your towing abilitys is what your towing with and it's hitch size. Read the capacity ratings plate on your van and on the hitch.

When towing you add mass and weight and while a 914 only adds 2000 lbs to your mass it can effect your stopping capabilites.

Flat towing - once rolling adds little weight to the van, but adds 2000 lbs to it's braking capacity. Backing it up is very hard so make sure you can drive forward at all times. No extra brakes.

Tow Dolly- adds some weight to the van along with the cars weight. They come with and without electric brakes. The electric brakes reduces the addition on to the van's system. Backing up small distances is possible, but you should always plan on just pulling straight ahead with it on back. Most home built or older styles have no brakes.

Trailer- single axle - can be used to trailer a light car, but without electric brakes it adds little over a dollys usage and is better used to bring stuff home from Lowes instead.

All three of the above (without electric brakes) rely on the driver never haveing to do a emergancy/panic stop.

- Double axle - comes with electric brakes on one or both axels. Really cheap ones have no brakes. They are illegal to tow in some areas with anything on them without brakes on the trailer. Best of these is electric brakes on both axels and a breakaway system. A breakaway system stops the trailer if it becomes detached from the tow van. A properly designed trailer will have sufficent braking capacity to stop itself and a load up to the trailers rating plate.

I had a tow dolly for a number of years and towed 914's many a mile with it. Tryed to tow a full size truck with not so good results (rolled forward trapping the dolly underneath). When it was stolen and my 3000 lbs utility trailer was stolen 3 months later, I replaced them with a 9000 lbs capacity double axle trailer with brakes on both axles, breakaway system. I added tie down rings and a 3000 lb winch. Now I can load & haul just about anything.