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Homemade VW car dolly - What is a good tongue weight?

Coupla' things;
 
Since a dolly is really a four-wheeled trailer (with the car on it), tongue weight would be inconsequential.  Don't worry about it.  (Look at the big rigs with two trailers; the second trailer is a four-wheel and it has zero tongue weight)

Second, if you bolt the wheels to the dolly (and don't lock down the steering wheel), the WHEELS will take all the strain, not the steering gear.    
(sounds like your problems are really non-existent!)

Rock on.

Larry
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark 
  To: 'Scirocco.Org' 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:33 PM
  Subject: Homemade VW car dolly - What is a good tongue weight?


  No, this isn't a question directed at the ladies on the list.  :-O
  <ahem>...

  Looking at typical Class 1 hitches - they're rated at 1000-2500 lbs
  towing weight, 100-200 lbs tongue weight.

  So anywhere from 100-200 lbs should be what I'm shooting for, right?

  Also, I think there's a problem with my idea of rigidly mounting
  'special' wheels to the dolly instead of using a belt harness.  IIRC the
  steering lock has to be disengaged to allow the wheel to spin while
  going around corners.  Since the wheels turn to different degrees
  (inside vs. outside) wouldn't rigidly mounting the wheels in a straight
  ahead position cause some pretty serious strain on the steering
  components when the car "turns" behind the raised front wheels when
  going around a corner?  I believe the belts allow enough movement to
  avoid this problem.  Am I thinking right here or not?

  Thanks!

  Mark.
  80 S
  81 S  2.0 ABA/JH/4K
  75 - Orange as orange can be...


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