Trailer Dolly

[jonewby]

Hello all. I'm new to iboats so please excuse if this is not the correct place for my question. I have a very tight parking area at the end of a long curvy drive so backing in all the way is not an option. To maneuver my boat to it's gravel pad takes many back and forth's and the area is so tight that I end up running up on the lawn anyway (yes I can back a trailer - 20+ years with from 2 to 6 horse trailers). Anyway here's the question. I noticed a trailer dolly in the latest Harbor Freight flyer. My boat with trailer is approx. 2500# with a tongue weight of around 250#. Anyone ever use one of these gems? Is my rig too heavy for just me pushing and pulling on asphalt to gravel?

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Have you considered putting a ball on the front of your truck to manuever the trailer?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Those trailer dollies work fine on level solid surfaces. They aren't so great on hills or in gravel, though. Unless your driveway is level, I'd be leary of them...that's a lot of weight to be pushing around or to be pushing you around on a slope.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer Dolly

I have one of these for moving my trailers around my front yard. They are expensive though.

http://www.powercaster.com/products.html

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer Dolly

And it gets tougher to push if it is a dual axle trailer.

Do you have a lawn tractor/mower?

 

[Bindernut]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Them dollies come in handy. I've got a homemade one that I use for tucking the boat and my sled trailer into the dark corners of the shop for storage. I used the dolly from the Northern Hydraulic catalog as a pattern...it's basically the same one that HF has in their catalog.

If you're wheeling on gravel, get bigger tires for easier rolling. Mine uses 5.30x12 (same size as my boat trailer...I took the old dry-rotted tires off of the boat trailer and used em on the dolly).

Ditto on the pushing around on a slope...these work best for level ground only, especially if there is gravel involved.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailer Dolly

i put a hitch ball on the back of the riding lawn mower. i have had several trucks, with a ball mounted on the front bumper, cost $50 to have one put on. they are worth every cent. as i had a 150 ft narrow driveway and had to manuver to part the boat.

 

[JB]

Re: Trailer Dolly

I am with Brian and Daddy.

Mount a receiver on the front of your tow vehicle. With very little practice you be running that boat onto its pad as....no, more....easily than parking your truck there.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailer Dolly

my welder friend just look a piece of 1/2"X 12" X 10" plate, 90* bend, drilled hole for ball, and 2 holes for bolts to go thru the front tag mount holes. ground off the corners. i moved this thing from truck to truck each time i trade for a new one.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Trailer Dolly

http://www.hitchesonline.com/front_mount_receiver_hitch.htm

 

[jonewby]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Thanks to all for the great advice. Don't know why I didn't think of a front mounted hitch, that will solve my problem. I think I'll still look at that dolly from HF though. The drive and parking area is flat and smooth up to the gravel pad so with both the hitch and dolly I should be in good shape. Thanks again to all.

 

[JAL51974]

Re: Trailer Dolly

tashasdaddy, what size lawn tractor do you use? I have a 19 HP and have been wondering if it would work to move my Bayliner Capri around tight space in the yard. Getting it under my deck in the back is a problem for the winter storage... a real pain maneuvering the truck due to very little turning room.

 

[DaveM]

Re: Trailer Dolly

I am a big fan of the front mounted hitch. I have a lot of experience backing trailers and it took a full hour to back my boat down the 50 foot driveway and into my garage when i first bought the boat. I now push it into position in less than 5 minutes.

Google "front mount trailer hitch" and look for the best price.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Be careful with the front mounted hitch. If your vehicle has airbags, it may interfere with proper deployment, etc.
And if you are to install one on your airbaged vehicle, make sure the airbag system is disabled during installation.
I believe the fine print for the front mount hitches mention some of this to some extent.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer Dolly

tashasdaddy, what size lawn tractor do you use? I have a 19 HP and have been wondering if it would work to move my Bayliner Capri around tight space in the yard. Getting it under my deck in the back is a problem for the winter storage... a real pain maneuvering the truck due to very little turning room.

I move my 4000lb 21' deckboat around with my 1970 12hp Hydro Cub Cadet.
Of course it was made back before sheet metal frames and plastic everything else of modern lawn tractors.

Your 19hp should be able to move it. You might have to fab a better ball mount for strength and to get it up to same height as your truck hitch.

I added a 2" sq. receiver to the Cub Cadet so I could use the same ball mounts as I use on my truck.

 

[JAL51974]

Re: Trailer Dolly

Thanks jeeperman, that might work for me too then. Mine is a troybilt hydrodrive.