car dolly vs towbar

[450 ktm]

For towing with a 27ft class C RV and 3500 -4000# vehicle in tow do you prefer a towbar/brakebuddy setup or a QUALITY car dolly and why?
I am interested in towing AK to Mt and back.
I would like thoughts for ease of resale, ease of use, towed vehicle wear and tear, storage issues, costs, etc as well as the brake and tail light setups between the two.
Any Canadian laws to inform me about with these setups?
I have towed a lot of trailers from light to heavy in the icey mountains as well as long gravell roads so I am experienced with trailers but not dollys or towbars. Also it seems the towbars and brakebuddy systems seem flimsy for the price but maybe the convenience is worth it.
Let me have it and thanks for any suggestions.

[.338WM]

What is the vehicle you wish to tow? Automatic, or manual transmission, 4WD, AWD, 2WD, if A/4WD does it have a selectable transfer case?

[450 ktm]

Could change, but most likely a 2000 Tacoma 4x4,manual and manual t-case with neutral, no hubs. The dolly also seems to give more options if you want to tow a different vehicle without buying more specific mounting brackets.

[.338WM]

"No hubs", you mean it has the full time hubs with locking front axle, yes? Not an issue, really, only asking to clarify. The only difference would be maintenance on the dolly bearings, also not a big deal. I agree that the dolly allows for more versatility and are a more robust option, as well as would be my choice.

Sorry I cannot help as far as actually towing a vehicle behind a RV up the AKHWY, my angle is that of a mechanic. I have towed a camp trailer behind a pickup truck from Minnesota to Alaska, suffered a broken spring on the trailer and ended up making a repair on the roadside.

As far as Canada goes, speaking from observation of the many RVs that visit AK, I see both combinations.

Anyhow, have a safe trip!

[theultrarider]

Like you already know, the dolly allows for different tow vehicles without buying and fabricating new mounts ect. The dolly also helps to keep miles off of the odometer of front wheel drive vehicles being towed helping in the resale of them. Also just plain easier to tow and connect/disconnect. That would be my choice.

[450 ktm]

Yes .338WM they are the full time hub version. I hear some vehicles are to be avoided because of PITA mechanical drive systems not designed for towing.
I will consider a gravel guard possibly as well.
Also I will get a spare wheel bearing kit, a spare tire, tire repair kit and small compressor, and set up a break away brake system.
Any cheapo tires will be changed to heavy duty rubber.
I have not yet checked the resale trends of either system. Anyone know?
Thanks and keep it coming.

[akcampr]

We tow our manual subaru with a tow bar. the Ready Brute tow bar has a surge brake built into the tow bar. It is really easy to use and connect. You have to install a base plate on the towed vehicle though. If you want versatility, a flatbed trailer gives you the most options. Many late model all wheel drive vehicles cannot be towed on a dolly. Subarus with auto tranny for instance. biggest drawback of the trailer is needing more room to park it while camped, now you have RV, Car and trailer. In Canada, the only requirement is whatever you use has to have brakes, or the towed car have a supplemental brake system.

[AK Bearcat]

When we had a Class 'C' motor home, we used to tow a CJ5 all of the time. It was set up with it own tow bar and we did not have any issues with it. We now have a Class 'A' and have pulled our Durango several thousand miles with it. We use the tow bar with additional braking system in the vehicle. As with anything else, it is up to the user to decide what they want. While it does cost a little more for the flat tow set up, I feel more comfortable with it. A tow dolly, is not much different then a single axle trailer being towed. No matter what system you decide on, there is always a chance that either one of the could fail when you least expect it.

[OHTroy]

I drove a 29' Class C with a Honda Accord on a tow dolly down the ALCAN and from coast to coast across the states and then back to Alaska the next year, about 14,000 miles. I had a gravel guard on the dolly, no issues with the car at all. You learn to keep your eyes open to avoid backing. I got caught in one gas station in Florida and had to drive the car off the dolly. Then I was able to back the motorhome and dolly out of the filling area and load the car back on the dolly, about a 15 minute ordeal. I got the dolly because I wasn't sure which vehicle we were going to tow behind the motor home. The dolly gives you options but there are weight limits on the dolly. I think our minivan at the time was going to be pushing the limit. We chose the honda accord but by the time we got it loaded up with gear it probably weighed as much as the van would have. When I got back to AK and no longer needed the dolly I was able to sell it for what I bought it for.

[jrogers]

What motors do you guys have that have been towing with class C's? I am curious what the wear and tear is as well as what the mileage does if towing with a V10 Class C. I have typically seen this done with the big class A diesel pushers and wonder if this is possible with a smaller setup.

[OHTroy]

My RV had a V10. It had plenty of power and no issues however, the mileage on my trip averaged between 7.5 mpg to 10 depending on the terrain. I am not sure of wear and tear on the vehicle, I sold mine a couple years after making the trip.