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

[rocco16v at netzero.net (L F)]

Mark,
  The dolly will lock the front wheels together!!!!!!!!  No stress on the steering because equal stress is being applied to both front wheels silmultaneously BY THE RIGID DOLLY.  
Think about it....

Larry
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark 
  To: 'L F' ; 'Scirocco.Org' 
  Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 12:17 AM
  Subject: RE: Homemade VW car dolly - What is a good tongue weight?


  -----Original Message-----
  From: L F [mailto:rocco16v@netzero.net] 
  Sent: January 15, 2004 8:34 PM
  To: Mark; 'Scirocco.Org'
  Subject: Re: 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!)
  --------------------------


  Here's where I still think there might be a problem:

  In normal driving when you turn the steering wheel, the inside wheel
  turns more than the outside, right?  Now lock both wheels in a straight
  ahead position and "turn" the car behind them (as on a dolly, turning a
  corner).  In this scenario the car is technically "turning" (if you
  ignore the dolly beneath the car), but both wheels are locked to the
  same angle.  My worry is that locking the wheels in a fixed position
  could break something in the steering system since the inside wheel will
  be prevented from turning more than the outside.

  Thanks for the info on the tongue weight - I never thought about it that
  way.  I think a bit of weight on the hitch would be good though...

  Thanks!

  Mark.
  80 S
  81 S  2.0 ABA/JH/4K
  75    soon!


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