Anyone have experience with this trailer dolley?

[Chukarhunter]

[SeaDawg]

We own two other power dollies that we've used for our smaller Elite, the ez tug, and a parkit 360. The parkit 360 is more like this, but has its own 12v battery. I can't imagine trying to steer the trailer, and run a drill to operate a dolly at the same time, honestly.

Not crazy about the parkit 360, as attaching to the trailer properly is tricky, and it's very awkward, and doesn't seem steady in turns. Works ok on flat and smooth, very slowly. Just two little wheels under the tongue make me nervous every time we use it. But, it does make it possible to get the trailer into our narrow sideyard.

I like the attachment of the eztug better. But, it's not rated for the weight if even our Elite. It's fine for moving the boat.

I couldn't recommend either one,  honestly. 

 

[ScubaRx]

3 hours ago, Chukarhunter said:

Please explain the circumstances of where you want to move the trailer to. Uphill, downhill, around a curve, backing up, moving forward?

[Chukarhunter]

In my current situation, I would only use it on the level.  The only place I can store the LEII is in the backyard off of a one-way alley.  I have to back the LEII about 200' down a very narrow alley and then cut it through a slightly angled 14' gate and then curve it to achieve a 90 degree turn before I hit the neighbors side-yard fence.  Making the 90 degree turn without my tow vehicle hitting the side of the gate opening is a challenge.  I am reasonably proficient  but it would be much easier if I could just back it in through the gate, unhook, and then move it into the final parking spot using the dolly.  The working surface is gravel and I am concerned the small wheels could be a problem.

[SeaDawg]

They won't work on gravel. Or grass. Imo.

We used to put plywood down on grass. Even then, it was very iffy.

You might be better off with a front hitch on your TV. 

Edited March 19, 2021 by SeaDawg

[Jim_Oker]

I've (somewhat  academically) wondered whether  in  a scenario like  this (flat ground but  gravel etc. and a tight turn  or two) a smaller vehicle not rated for  the trailer weight, but shorter and  with tighter turning radius, would  be an  option  for  the final  stretch  to  the parking  spot. Assuming one owned such a vehicle in  addition to their TV. It would  not seem  to pose anything close to the stresses to either  drive train  or suspension that  must be accounted for in setting  these ratings...

Edited March 19, 2021 by Jim_Oker

[Chukarhunter]

Thanks for sharing your experience on with using a trailer dolly on gravel.  I think I will pass this one by.  I will definitely look to putting on a front hitch when I upgrade my current undersized TV.  My current backing maneuver would probably be impossible to do if my TV was a full size pickup. 

[Jim_Oker]

10 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

You might be better off with a front hitch on your TV. 

As a newbie to towing  I'm intrigued by this  option. Now I'm going to have to ponder the mechanics of this and maybe  even  go look  for a video or two 🙂

I was relieved when I confirmed that I could  make the required backing maneuvers with  our TV and  trailer to get into our parking  w/o making a mess of  the neighbor's lawn or any such shenanigans.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Jim_Oker

[SeaDawg]

9 minutes ago, Chukarhunter said:

My current backing maneuver would probably be impossible to do if my TV was a full size pickup

Totally get that. When we back the trailers into our drive, and close to the side gate, we usually use my 2005 stepside, regular cab silverado. The 4x4 ram is great in many situations,  but the maneuverability of my smaller truck,  in tight spaces,  is so much better. The older truck is much more nimble, smaller, and tighter turn radius.

Our parking space is ridiculously tight. Gates barely wide enough for the trailer. So, final entry is get close, drop the trailer, add the abhorrent 360, and go from there. But the 360 doesn't have the power to go (slightly)  uphill on our paved drive, for long.  So, a truck has to get it close to the flat part of the drive. 

[SeaDawg]

16 minutes ago, Jim_Oker said:

As a newbie to towing  I'm intrigued by this  option. Now I'm going to have to ponder the mechanics of this and maybe  even  go look  for a video or two 🙂

I was relieved when I confirmed that I could  make the required backing maneuvers with  our TV and  trailer to get into our parking  w/o making a mess of  the neighbor's lawn or any such shenanigans.

And, I'm proud of you for managing that! As is, I'm sure, your neighbor. 

[Jim_Oker]

19 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

As is, I'm sure, your neighbor. 

Yeah probably though  he's  a sport and  his daughter lives next door to him and they often park  their big 4x4 on the patch  of lawn across  out narrow dirt lane from  our driveway area. And the psycho delivery truck drivers (there are mostly fine drivers but some clearly don't know how to  drive  those Prime vans and such...) often leave muddy tracks  through that bit  of lawn too. But  still,  it's nice not to  have  to  join the  party.

[ScubaRx]

6 hours ago, Chukarhunter said:

...

My father used to raise Chukar's.

[John E Davies]

If you get a front hitch that you plan to use just for trailer moving, have a custom one fabricated  that is offset to the right by about 18”. That way you can see straight down the side of the Ollie when going straight or to the drivers left. Going right still would need a good camera or at least a human spotter. Here is a UK video showing this setup, obviously you would want the ball mount on the other side of the vehicle.....

Watling Front Tow Bar Demonstration (UK)

If you also wanted to use the receiver for a bike rack of cargo tray, you could have  a second central opening installed. Depending on what TV you have, an “off the shelf” front hitch could be modified by adding the extra offset hole. I am unaware of any USA made units that come that way. Also, adding about 650 pounds of tongue weight to the front suspension of a light duty truck is going to be an issue, even for very short distances. A HD truck would be no problem.

John Davies

Spokane WA

Edited March 19, 2021 by John E Davies

[JRK]

I need a dolly for my E1, on a slight concrete hill to get into my side yard, which is also concrete. It is a bit angled, slightly, and I need to manevuer around my roof overhand - may just cut off the overhang. Is there one that will work, and might be recommended?

[Mattnan]

Not sure if a tractor might work for you?  I know Mainiac on this forum occasionally uses his John Deere with a hitch set up.  A lot of boat yards also use a tractor with a ball on a front fork.   You might be able to rent a tractor.  I know they are easy to rent up here!  Good luck!!!

[LongStride]

We will be picking up our Elite l the first week of June and I am preparing a home for it.  We live in the city, and like Chukarhunter I need to access my yard through a narrow alley.  I need to get the Ollie up a 4% slope of grass to the concrete pad where it will live.

I have done extensive research on powered dollies.  I even looked into aircraft tugs.  I am about to pull the trigger on a Trax TX6000 Power Dolly.  The manufacturer says that it behaves very well with Bulldog hitches, unlike some of the other dollies.  I actually saw someone successfully using it with a Bulldog in a video, evidence that the factory rep was not just "telling me what I wanted to hear".  There are several vids out there.  Looks like it does well on level grass.  Real well on concrete.  Watched a guy push his big ole silver SOB up a moderately sloped driveway with no issues at all.  The TX6000 also has an integrated brake system with a 7-pin connector so it will activate your trailer brakes when you stop it.  This is a important feature to anyone who is dealing with an incline.  What a horror it would be to have your Ollie get away from you and smash into something.  

https://traxdolly.com/product/tx6000-power-dolly/

The Parkit360 was in the running until I contacted the manufacturer and they told me that their unit does not play well with the Bulldog hitch.

For the grass incline up to the concrete pad (about 10'-0") I am going to use permeable pavers to provide increased traction for the power dolly.  Not sure if I will use gravel or grass with the permeable pavers.  I am thinking that grass would look nicer but may be harder to maintain.  Sure, I could mow over it, but when the power dolly tires dig through it to get traction on the pavers it will leave unsightly tracks.  IDK... gravel, wood chips, I'll figure out something.

https://www.truegridpaver.com/

I found one other solution.  It is the one that I really wanted, but they are currently out of production.  Check out the Trax X2.  It is a 350 lb. radio controlled tank with a hitch connection.  You could take the hitch post off and mount a chair on it.  What fun!  The manufacturer was not forthcoming about why they quit making them.  I suspect that they only made a few and discovered that they were cost prohibitive for most.  Too much investment up front to have them sitting in stock.

https://youtu.be/urDkzQKwAhE

 

[SeaDawg]

Longstreet, that trax dolly looks like a great, stable solution. And much more power than the parkit 360. Love that it actuates the brakes. We use chocks every time we stop to make adjustments. And I  would second the opinion that the parkit 360 doesn't like the bulldog hitch. The third wheel should give it more stability.

We also used turf blocks in the sideyard. Ours are filled with sand and shell.

I'll look forward to your comments after you get it.

FWIW,  when we first got our Elite, we pushed it over plywood on grass, with a manual dolly and three people. We moved the plywood half sheets as we pushed it back. It's possible,  but not fun. And that was level ground, at our old house.

[T-Oliver]

Parkit360 doesn't recomend using the ball in a bulldog hitch (I called 1-855-996-9391)

Personally, my first experience using the Park it 360 7K with ball was not fun.

Remove the foot from the front jack and lower the leg into the socket. This is a much nicer experience.

to eliminate the need to block up the tongue while removing the foot I am going to purchase the over priced attachment that mounts a tube on the tongue.

[SeaDawg]

@T-Oliver  that's the first I've looked at the parkit 360 site in years. They've changed a lot of things.

The telescoping leg looks like a much safer way to attach the trailer. That was not available years ago. Much more like the eztug attachment point. 

Thanks for the info. Btw, I  see they now offer a 7 pin connector to use the trailer brakes with some models. That's extremely useful. Does yours have the 7pin?

[SeaDawg]

@LongStride, I  wonder if they sold out to trailer valet?

[LongStride]

I looked at the RVR9 as well.  The Trax X2 looked much more stable to me.  Wider base and bigger tracks.  

I had never considered that they might have sold their design to Trailer Valet, but I did ponder the possibility of a patent quarrel.

[T-Oliver]

Parkit360 doesn't recomend using the ball in a bulldog hitch (I called 1-855-996-9391)

Personally, my first experience using the Park it 360 7K with ball was not fun.

Remove the foot from the front jack and lower the leg into the socket. This is a much nicer experience.

to eliminate the need to block up the tongue while removing the foot I am going to purchase the over priced attachment that mounts a tube on the tongue.

Edited March 22, 2021 by T-Oliver
duplicate

[T-Oliver]

yes it has the brake plug, when you stop moving it applies the brakes hard

[JRK]

Just received the TX6000 trailer dolly. It seems to be what it says it is. Worked well for the first time. I bought the batteries through walmart - free shipping and $45 each less. Need 3. Standard power chair batteries - UB12350. Couldn't find the dolly anyplace else that had free shipping - $220 for shipping, but it is heavy. Fun toy. I need to go places, and come home, so I can play with it. I have an all concrete driveway/pad that has an 8' wide gate, but the first 20' is on a slight slope. The eave overhangs enough to rub the awning if not angled just right when at the same time the left rear corner finds the edge of the gate. With a block fence on the opposite side of the driveway, it is close to impossible to get the right angle with the truck, without rubbing against the wall. This dolly made it easy, although there is a bit of manhandling it to get it to turn. No power steering. . Handled it well. No bumps or humps to get over.

[Landrover]

On 3/19/2021 at 12:16 PM, Chukarhunter said:

 Where to begin.  The ball doesn’t lock under the coupler well enough, which makes the unit flop around making it un stable.  The grab handle flips down when your trying to turn putting on the brake. The wheels require air like a wheel barrel they always go flat the tires are so small difficult to fill and they require 70 psi for a small tire.  Just forget the hand crank unless you have hours of time. Slow and exhausting  You need at least a18v elec drill  to get it to move hold on tight or it will give you a wrist snap.  Also the whole unit is low to the ground  you have to bend over while  trying to maneuver, very uncomfortable hard on the back. So if your still not convinced, I have one for sale cheep,  used once.