Car dolly question

[skes]

I have an older master tow dolly. How freely should the the base the tires sit on and the trailer frame pivot? Wouldn't seem like it should be loose but I'm not able to move it with a ratchet strap. Thanks.

 

[LTMrvup]

Show a picture.

 

[be happy]

If your master tow is anything like my roadmaster. Mine has a slide Teflon pad on each side. The pad is attached to the ramp part between that and the tire pan. That pad has to be cleaned and greased ever so often. I will clean and grease about twice a year depending on use.

 

[jimkamery]

I have a Master Tow dolly that is about 3 years old and my center pivot is tight! I can move it by hand but it takes some force to do. As one other poster said, probably cleaning and greasing is going to be your best remedy.

 

[CharlesMoore]

This is an interesting question. Our Easy Tow 2 was used to tow our vechicle from Indiana to Florida and return. In FL it sat near brackish saltwater. After a couple of years it was frozen solid in a position that the car tended to dog leg and scuff the tires off. I took it to a truck dealer and with a couple of long crowbars he pried off the movable section ( the section where the wheels sit). You could not believe the rust and deep pits on the movable section. The Teflon pad was OK. He took an angle grinder to the assembly and ground off all the rust and filled the pits with JB Weld and ground them flat. Then he slathered the teflon pad and the movable section with grease. Everything has worked well for 3 years but now it is getting stiff again. I will pry off the movable section and re-grease again before we leave this Fall for TX. I hope this helps. BTW- The grease zerk does nothing but lube the pin that holds the movable section in place.

 

[CharlesMoore]

My wife and I lifted up the movable section with pry bars and kept it lifted with 2x4's on edge. I put #2 lithium grease (the sticky red stuff) and lowered it back into position. I can now move it manually with my foot. It took 1 hour start to finish. If anyone is interested, I can describe how we did this. Cheers