Trailer Dolly - Your Experience?

[KChookem]

Hello All Stations ...

What is your experience using a Trailer Dolly to push a boat and trailer into a garage, or other tight fitting area?

I have a 2900-pound boat and trailer that fits through the garage door with an inch to spare on each side. With some muscle and momentum, I can push the boat, but when I must turn the tongue a few inches, the Trailer Jack wheel does not pivot easily because of a rough concrete driveway. Basically, I can either push the boat, or I can "kick" the wheel on the jack to make it turn, but not both at the same time.

If I used a Trailer Dolly, can I get enough "muscle" on the handle to push a boat?

If yes, would I be able to push and turn at the same time?

Thanks!

[de291]

Hello All Stations ...

What is your experience using a Trailer Dolly to push a boat and trailer into a garage, or other tight fitting area?

I have a 2900-pound boat and trailer that fits through the garage door with an inch to spare on each side. With some muscle and momentum, I can push the boat, but when I must turn the tongue a few inches, the Trailer Jack wheel does not pivot easily because of a rough concrete driveway. Basically, I can either push the boat, or I can "kick" the wheel on the jack to make it turn, but not both at the same time.

If I used a Trailer Dolly, can I get enough "muscle" on the handle to push a boat?

If yes, would I be able to push and turn at the same time?

Thanks!

I have used a trailer dolly on heavy aluminum drift boats and it works well. It seems to me that if you can push the boat with the trailer jack wheel then you will be able to push it with the dolly and direct it easier.
Hope this helps.

[KChookem]

It does, Thank you "de291"

[24 on/ 48 off]

I have a powered dolly for the exact same reasons you listed. I lower the tongue onto the dolly, back it into the garage, then jack it back off the dolly.

20' Alumaweld Intruder and trailer.

--spud--:)

[tomictime]

one of the guys here had one for sale last year, not sure IF it ever sold..try a search on powermover

[No Bail]

I bought a used power caster here for a new to me 26' Striper. It is the slickest thing I have bought. I can put the boat and trailer within an inch of my fence and have no worries. If you have any inclines, consider an electric power caster.

[BARCHASER]

I have somewhat the same problem except I use a swing away tongue, so I cant use a trlr dolly. After I swing the tongue, I have to push the bow and tongue over to the side of my garage is get enuff room to walk behind the boat to my side door. Guess I'm stuck kicking the jack wheel to get it pointed the right way. Wish they had some sort of directional jack wheel, maybe a bar attached to the wheel hub that you could grab to point the wheel the right way instead of kicking the thing.

I had to laugh last summer. I was at Ucluelet BC, moored my boat and there were three rigs at the same time storing our trailers in their storage yard. Here were three old guys all kicking the hell out of their jack wheels trying to get things pointed the right way on gravel to get the trlr stored.

[SouthCoastStu]

I have a tight (inches on either side) spot to store my ~3,000# alumimum boat also. I picked up a double wheel tongue jack. Twice the surface area = half the pressure. Makes the job much easier. Also, radial tires surprisingly make a huge difference :twocents:

[BARCHASER]

Cabelas has this guy which is supposed to swivel much easier and I wont need to kick the thing. Think I'll put it on my birthday list.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0017223016596a&navCount=2&podId=0017223&parentId=cat21384&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat21276-cat21384&catalogCode=IJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21384&hasJS=true

[SouthCoastStu]

Check out the reviews on this one: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0017223012739a&navCount=4&podId=0017223&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat21276-cat21384&catalogCode=IJ&rid=&parentType=&indexId=cat21384&hasJS=true

Only wish I would have got one sooner :D

[Marinero]

If you buy a trailer dolly (unpowered) you will find two types, one light duty (ave $100) and one "heavy duty" (ave $155)...the main difference is that the heavy duty one comes with taller, pnuematic (sp) tires vs solid tires and can carry a heavier load - 600 lbs. I found a heavy duty version sold by Northern Tool for $49 - seems to be the same as the other more costly versions. When I got it I found that the ball was too low (same as others) and did not transfer the weight of the boat and to the rear wheels. The ball height of my boat and trailer level is 19", the dolly was somewhere around 14" which meant there was a good deal of tongue weight and it made it difficult to move the trailer...it was easier than the tongue jack but could be improved. I had a welding shop raise the ball to 22" by adding an additional mount and it works like a charm. I have an incline in my driveway so I use an 12 volt electric winch (Harbor Freight special) and my trailer dolly to pull the boat into the garage. Works great!