Tow dolly or trailer

OK I can get a brand new heavy duty tow dolly no brakes for 1100 and change. It can handle up to a f150 etc.

Or I could find a used 16 fter trailer for like a grand if im lucky. Opinions?

Im only planning on moving one or two cars a month. Strip them, part them out, turn and burn. Rinse and repeat. I do haver a winch on front of the truck to drag them where I need them. And a come along to winch them up on the dolly. What do you think?

Personal opinion, the dolly will move vehicles, the trailer provides more versatility. IMHO I would move the winch to the trailer and proceed. Better yet build a receiver hitch on the front and back of your truck as well as the trailer will allow you the maximum versatility.

Using a cable pulley is dangerous to move vehicles, especially with flat tires. Using a cable pulley to move machinery is not a good move, many life and limb have been lost using this system. Using a cable instead of a chain pulley is a disaster waiting to happen.

With this being said, a little history is in order. My arsenal of (come-a-longs) exceeds one dozen of which the smallest is 4 tons. These have snapped, broken, or failed with much less weight. These are only used to secure loads, not load them. Using a chain hoist in the same manner is much safer and only costs about three times more. You can buy chain hoists at Harbor Freight that will serve the purpose. Please let us know your decision and how it works out. Hope this helps and good luck in your decision.

trailer

Trailer. And definitely heed P76's warning about cables.

Originally Posted by KzScrapper

I considered a dolly but this came along a couple of years ago. 18 ft (2ft dovetail on the back), 3500 # axles, 12K HF winch in the tool box.

I found out quickly that it is so much more versatile then just having a dolly.

Trailer, winch, box, straps and J Hooks, I'm into it about 1800.

Nice kz.
Planning to get another trailer myself that looks about the size I want.
Wife says I should wait and get truck with dump capabilities. God I love that woman. She knows what makes this old dog happy!

A trailer would have so many other uses over the dolly. You could haul off your scrap/car parts, lawnmower etc. with the trailer but the dolly serves only one purpose. You'd be able to collect and deliver various scrap. If the time came, it would be easier to sell or trade the trailer. 3500 lb axles are considered utility. You might be able to get 7000 lb axles for near the same price....used. I started out with 3500 lb and the tires burned through the fenders on the first load (cedar posts). It was brand new so I told the manufacturer that I needed to raise the fenders. He said "No you don't, YOU need a heavier trailer". LOL He outfitted me with 5200 lb axles which are now obsolete. I still have it but went with a 20ft bumperhitch with two 7000 lb axles. They both serve the purpose of iron hauling and around the farm.

A flatbed trailer is more expensive if you want quality. A car dolly takes up way less space, but cannot hold as much different items as a flatbed trailer. Consider what your wife said, you could by a hydraulic flatbed truck if you saved up and haul cars on it, put sides for other material. Im neutral with this one but I would get what you can get more use out of.

If you have a large enough truck, I'd skip on a rollback truck. I used to own a box truck, and I now run truck and trailer combos. The trailers are much nicer to work with, and when the box truck broke down, it was more inconvenient than losing a truck.

I'd go with a flatbed trailer. A car dolly will only do one thing. If you want to tow a 4x4 F150, you're disconnecting driveshafts. If you ever want to move an Audi with quattro, or a Subaru, you can't. With a flatbed trailer, just use some chains and binders, and you're off.

The flatbed will also work with other things, too. A good flatbed may cost a little more, but it's well worth it in my mind.

Check your State laws
In the Great Commonwealth of MA if the car is touching the ground >> Car needs valid registration

Trailer you can haul cars with locked up wheels, No wheels, Flat Tires and on and on and on

Just an idea but my car hauler is an old camper started life as a 1976 coachman I stripped it down ran 3x2 tubes to get a more ridged frame and 2x12s for the deck they have 3500 lb axles and already are run for electronic breaks
heres the break down
250 used camper
150 2x12s at menards 20 feet long
100 for 6 67 inch long 3x2 tubes
30 tail lights
10 wiring
50 break away kit
7 new 7 prong plug
75 ish dmv plus pictures for the state of mn with a 10,000 l
Pound tag

Profit from scrapping trailer 300 lbs clean aluminim sheet small ss sink and a bucket full of wiring so it was a wash almost to build it
Cost is 17$ a year to tag it

You need a trailer it is a get piece of equipment to have with junking cars.Alot more you can do and haul with it.