Tow Dolly Rental with a 60-Second Hookup Demo

A tow dolly is a short trailer with two ramps, a pair of tire stops and tire straps. Your car's front wheels drive up onto the dolly and get strapped down. The rear wheels stay on the road and roll behind. Because the front wheels are lifted, a front-wheel-drive car's drivetrain is not turning during the tow.

A dolly is lighter than an auto transport, which means it asks less of your tow vehicle. The trade-off is that it only suits certain cars, and it is harder to back up.

Many front-wheel-drive cars can. All-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles usually cannot, because the rolling rear wheels are connected to the drivetrain. Many rear-wheel-drive cars also belong on an auto transport.

Also consider:

• Owner's manual: some cars, including many hybrids and electric vehicles, list towing limits. Follow them.
• Width and clearance: very wide tires or low front bumpers may not fit the ramps well.
• Weight: the towed car has to be within the dolly's limits.

Tell us the year, make, model and drive type when you call. We confirm whether your car qualifies before you reserve.

The demo is quick, practical and done at the dolly, not on paper. It covers the steps people most often get wrong on their own.

1. Ramps: how to pull them out and set them.
2. Line-up: how to center the car so both front tires hit the ramps straight.
3. Tire stops: where the tires should stop, and why you do not push past them.
4. Straps: how the straps go over the tread, how to feed them into the ratchets and how tight is tight.
5. Towed car setup: the gear position, parking brake off, and steering setup the dolly instructions call for.
6. First stop: why you pull over after a few miles to retighten.

Ask questions during the demo. It is much easier to fix a strap in our lot than on the shoulder of the I-10.

Keep the dolly hitched, the tow vehicle in park and a spotter in front of you. Then go slowly.

1. Park the tow vehicle and dolly in a straight line on level ground.
2. Set out the ramps.
3. Drive the car forward slowly until the front tires reach the stops.
4. Put the car in park and turn it off.
5. Place the tire straps over the front tires and tighten them with the ratchets.
6. Attach the safety chains the dolly instructions call for.
7. Release the towed car's parking brake so the rear wheels can roll.
8. Stow the ramps.

The parking brake step is easy to forget and important. Towing with the rear brake on can damage the car and overheat the brakes.

The biggest rule: avoid backing up. A tow dolly pivots in a way that makes reversing very hard, and it can jackknife and damage the dolly or your car. Plan your stops so you can pull through.

Other tips:

• Take turns wide so the towed car's rear wheels clear the curb.
• Leave more stopping distance than usual.
• Keep speeds moderate.
• Retighten straps within the first few miles and at every stop.
• Watch the towed car in your mirrors for any drift or wobble.

If you must reverse, unload the car first.

Every dolly rental gets our free towing inspection. We check the receiver, pin and clip, ball size against the coupler, coupler latch, safety chains and the light connection.

If you want, we also check your tow vehicle's tires and brakes in the same visit. A dolly and car add real weight, and worn rear tires or thin pads matter more under load. You get a written estimate split into need and want before any work. See our brake service page.

A tow dolly is typically the lightest way to take a car along on a move, which is why it pairs well with a moving truck or a midsize SUV. The details below are general. We confirm the current specs and whether your car qualifies when you call.

The swiveling deck is what makes a dolly track well going forward and hard to control in reverse.

Run through this list at the lot and again at your first stop. It takes about as long as buckling up, and it catches the common mistakes.

Before you pull out

1. Coupler latched and locked, with the tongue lifted to test it.
2. Safety chains crossed under the tongue, with enough slack to turn but not drag.
3. Light plug seated, and brake, turn and running lights tested with a helper.
4. Both tire straps tight and centered over the tread.
5. Towed car in the gear the dolly instructions call for, with its parking brake released.
6. Towed car's steering set as the instructions describe.
7. Loose items inside the towed car moved to the floor or into the truck.
8. Ramps stowed and pinned.

At the first stop

Retighten both straps, look at the towed car's rear tires, and feel the dolly hub area with the back of your hand. Unusual heat is worth a call. Tire pressure on the towed car matters too, so check it against the placard before the trip. Our tire pressure and care guide shows where to look.