Trailer dollies are incredibly useful tools no matter what kind of trailer you have, but you want to make sure that you choose the right trailer dolly for your needs. Hand trailer dollies to remote-control dollies are fantastic for maneuvering your trailer or moving short distances without all the hassle of rigging the trailer up to your truck. To help you select the best option for your trailer, here’s the ultimate guide to choosing the right trailer dolly.
Types of Trailer Dollies
As we mentioned, there are two different types of trailer dollies for you to choose from, depending on your needs, wants, and budget.
Hand Trailer Dolly
Hand trailer dollies are the simplest and typically need to be constructed after they’ve been delivered to your home and include a steel frame, wheels, a handle, and a hitch ball for towing. Hand trailer dollies can only handle a fraction of the weight that their motorized counterparts can, and it’s important you don’t surpass the indicated weight capacity on your chosen dolly. As such, hand trailer dollies are typically best suited for lighter, smaller loads. This type of trailer dolly comes in two- and three-wheel configurations, with the three-wheel being considered more user-friendly for its greater stability.
Electric Trailer Dolly
Battery-powered electric trailer dollies remove all the need for physical labor and are ideal for handling large trailers that would be too heavy to move by hand. These dollies are also incredibly convenient for precision maneuvering or moving short distances because you don’t have to hook the trailer up to your truck or try to finesse the trailer and truck into position. Electric dollies are simple to use and typically controlled via remote control.
Factors To Consider
Materials
A trailer dolly needs to be a sturdy and reliable piece of equipment, which is why you’ll often find all-steel dollies to be the most durable and readily available. To make the dollies more resistant to issues like corrosion and rust, a protective coating of powder is added to prevent processes like oxidization from occurring. Keep this in mind when picking out your trailer, as you’ll want to be certain the dolly has this protective coating before you buy it.
Adjustability
Because trailers are big, bulky, and encumbering, your trailer dolly should be able to adjust its height and maintain enough flexibility to ensure it can effectively move your trailer. A good feature to look for in a dolly is the ability to adjust the hitch’s height without fully depressing the handle. This feature allows the hitch to be readjusted with only a minimum amount of force, which is especially advantageous when moving your trailer over uneven ground.
Weight Capacity
Before buying your dolly, consider how much weight you need to move. If the weight of your trailer exceeds the weight capacity of your selected dolly, you’ll soon find the trailer dolly breaking down from stress and strain. Your dolly also needs the correct tongue weight to effectively move your trailer.
Handle
If you choose a hand trailer dolly, make sure the handle is long and sturdy. This is fundamental because it will provide you with the leverage you need to move a trailer hundreds of pounds heavier than you. The longer the handle, the more leverage you’ll have, and the simpler it’ll be to move your trailer. Furthermore, a quality trailer dolly will have a good rubber grip to ensure your hands stay firmly planted on the handle.
Ball and Wheels
The quality and characteristics of a trailer’s ball and wheels vary between brands and models. For instance, one trailer may have inflatable tires while another uses flat-free tires. You’ll also need to make sure the dolly is compatible with your trailer, as some may only accept couplers two inches or bigger while others have more specific hitch ball sizes, like 1 7/8 inches, to join with a coupler of the same or larger size.
Benefits of Trailer Dollies
If the ultimate guide to choosing the right trailer dolly still hasn’t quite won you over, allow us to also share with you some of the benefits you’ll gain by making this investment.
Improved Maneuverability
As mentioned, trailer dollies are fantastic for fine maneuvering, allowing you to position a trailer exactly where you want it without the hassle or guesswork of doing it with a truck. Steering a trailer in a tight spot is especially difficult, and a trailer dolly will save you a lot of stress and worry that you may damage your trailer or another person’s vehicle.
Save Time
Because you don’t have to hitch your trailer to your truck every time it needs to be moved or adjusted, a trailer dolly will save you a lot of time by being quickly attached and moved in a matter of minutes. Simply wheel the dolly to the trailer, lift it up, and move the trailer instantly and with greater precision.
Protect Your Health
Choosing the wrong trailer dolly doesn’t just make it more difficult to move your trailer; it also increases the likelihood that you will over-exert yourself. With a proper trailer dolly, you’ll prevent yourself from harming your back by trying to move a great deal of weight. If you’re older, an electric dolly will also completely remove the stress and strain of moving a dolly by hand.
Affordability
Lastly, consider that trailer dollies are quite affordable. Dollies have simple designs, and the parts are cheap and easy to manufacture. As such, you won’t be making a massive investment, and the cost will quickly pay for itself with how much time and effort you save after the first few uses of your new dolly.
Trax Power Dolly Systems is the preeminent supplier of electric dollies, and we highly encourage you to get in touch with us today if you’re in the market for your own trailer dolly. Our experts will be happy to help you learn more about how a trailer dolly can benefit you, and we will aid you in selecting the right one for your trailer.
