Still trying to keep all of this staight. I would like to see a picture of it when it's done or at least a drawing here to help me get the big picture. Sounds like a good idea.

 

These things move slow in my world. I work on a poor mans budget so I gather scrap metal to build most of these things from. My 40ft flatbed is built 100% out of scrap metal and 10 times stronger then any trailer you could buy.

 

Just to stick my 2cents in, every tow dolly that I have used has the pivot point. If you look at the dolly and use your foot to push on one of the tire wells the plate should move. I have towed with both low end and top end tow dollies. I will try to get you a picture if I can.

 

Stick your 2 cents worth in every where you can. The point in askin is to get all the idea's I can. Welcome to the site and thanks for any info you throw in here. Kinda put this project on hold after all this pivot stuff so I could find out more about it.

 

I should be around one I can get pics of tonight. I used it the other week and completely forgot

 

How you making out on this? It sounds like a great idea! As far as I know; you want the pivot point on the dolly. It is sort of a carriage design that allows the towed car to pivot independent of the dolly. The pivot point is centered right over the axle.

(I'll try to get you some pics too...... but that is a slow process too . . . LOL)

 

Hey Dan, glad to hear from ya. This got put on hold till I can get a better idea on how to build this pivot into the design. Not to mention that the shops been full of other projects for a while.

I'll still take any pics or info I can get on this though cause I'd still like to build it.

 

Ok my friend! I 'got' you some pics!! These first ones are with OUT the pivot which would allow the dolly or at least the tongue of the dolly to pivot or articulate when turning. I don't know how to describe it except that there needs to be a 'bending' between the tow vehicle and the one being towed when making a corner.
Maybe another way of describing it would be to imagine towing with a tow bar and then locking the steering wheel of the vehicle being towed so it could NOT steer around corners. What would happen in a corner would be that the front wheels of the car being towed would be drug sideways. The pivot or turn table of a tow dolly prevents this.
You can see from these pics that these are built solid so there is no movement between the tongue and the axle of the tow dolly. (Hopefully I'm not beating a dead horse here. Sorry if you already 'got it' and I am!) If this isn't understandable, let me know and I will give you a call. I think I can do a lot better with word pictures than I can here . . .





This one does have a 'tilt deck' to it to aide in loading / unloading!



This one Pivots in the middle of the axle. The 'Deck' that cradles the front tires of the rig being towed pivots on the center bolt / pin in the middle of the axle to allow the tongue of the dolly to pivot around a turn when the tow rig and the one being towed try to 'articulate' in the middle as a turn is made. Notice the blue arrow pointing to the pin or bolt of the pivot point!



Another that has a pin in the middle. The undercarriage is part of the tongue and then the cradle with the tires strapped down to it can pivot on top.



Then I found this: Don't know what to think of this one! I guess you hook what you want to tow, lift it up, and tow it away!



How'd I do!! Hopefully I didn't make a mess out of what you had in mind! I would really recommend making one with a pivot though. They tow so much better! A few years ago I got a 'great deal' on one withOUT the pivot. I don't know what I was thinking. I got rid of it!! I was glad to see it go!

 

Hy uncle
I do understand the dolly and tilted part. and wanted to show you a german page of the best german brand(and most expensive)
They don't offer dollies, but they work with tilted hydraulic platforms which make loading and unloading without ramps possible and very easy. I hope it gives you some thoughts and ideas. Don't worry- this page is also in english.

Car trailer - PKW Anh?ger - Koch-Anh?gerwerke