Towing BJ42 on Stehl Dolly With Unloaded Distance Limitation? Crazy. (1 Viewer)

[rabino34]

Hey all, hopefully some technorati can answer this question. I am picking up a 40-series with a tow dolly I just got. The dolly is an '05 Stehl with electric brakes. I downloaded the wopping 7-page long Owner's Manual here http://www.stehltow.com/pdfs/stom.PDF, and I'm very disappointed to find out they say on the first page in BIG letters.... "CAUTION!
This Tow Dolly should not be towed more
than 50 miles unloaded." I need to be able to tow it more than 50 miles unloaded....the cruiser is 500 miles away!! What would be the reason for not being able to tow it 51 miles unloaded?? Can I modify it so it can be? What stupid engineering it has!! It's such a common thing to want to go to pick up your vehicle someplace that's a distance away, even if the primary user is someone who has a motorhome. By the way, it also says in the "manual," (it's more like an outline) it's not designed to be able to be used while backing up!!! Is that only because it requires such skill to back up what is effectively a double-articulated trailer (i.e., tandem trailer)?

Anyway, I don't mean to vent, but the main questions I would love for someone to address are:

1) What will happen if it gets towed unloaded 51 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, 300 miles and 1,000 miles?

2) If the predictions from all of you are seriously bad consequences for each of those distances, what then, if anything, can be done to modify/rectify its ability to be towed unloaded for those distances?

I don't want the Cruiser to be destroyed in some horrible accident from towing the unloaded dolly too far before using it. I suppose if it's because it bounces around a lot without weight on it and that would eventually cause welds to loosen/break...OK...I understand that, but why 50 miles and not 75 miles? You should even have some damage after 50 miles, right?

Any help would be hugely appreciated!!!

 

[Copenhagen1]

I would call them and ask them about the 50 mile issue.

Stehl Tow​

1-866-831-2519

I think your bigger issue might be weight. I checked into this once before because I was needing to get a Heep Grand Wagoneer across Texas to a deer lease. It was not registered and I couldn't drive it. When I started checking on these tow dollies, I found that there was a lighter weight model and a heavier weight model but neither one of them was rated to haul that heep. These 40 series trucks are some heavy trucks.

Have you thought about just flat towing it?

By the way, welcome to MUD!

Copenhagen1

 

[dgangle]

UHaul rents these as well as trailers. I think the '50 mile unloaded" deal is their lowlife douchbag attorneys speaking. Like buying a gun that comes with a statement saying do not load with amunition..only to look at and hold in position.

Companies in our little hobby do the same thing with certain components stating "for off road use only" covering their ass knowing damn well the intended purpose.

 

[avgas]

I have a stehl tow dolly and ive use others as well. the reason why the limit is 50 miles unloaded is because they bounce like a motherf*cker when they're empty, but I towed mine about 80 miles home when I bought it no problem. I would just worry about rattling something loose. can you get a couple people or maybe a forklift and throw it in the back of your truck by chance? Also I've never tried this but may strapping something heavy on the dolly would keep it from bouncing so much? like a few hundred pounds. I'd test it speed first though.

Also the reason why they can't be backed up is because there is a swivel point on the dolly between the wheels. that makes it so you can't back it up like other trailers. it would be like backing up one of those triple tractor trailers. It's damn near impossible to get it going in the right direction. There are three places that they can move, at the hitch, at the swivel between the tires on the dolly, and the towed vehicle also can move it's front tires.

 

[45Kevin]

I have towed my 45 twice with a similar dolly for a couple of thousand miles. Check your tires for weight limits.

They do bounce like crazy when empty but my neigbour towed for about 500 miles like that, with no problem.

And they are a bitch to back up. A lot of stress is put on the front tire straps when you back up. It is possible but be sure to re-tighten the straps after you back up. I always tried to find drive-thru parking spots.

I like towing with a dolly because it keeps the 45 lower and therefor less wind resistance, and the dolly is way less weight than a trailer.

I always remove the rear drive shaft before towing.