Towing a B2 on a dolly?

[scotts90ranger]

The detents should be fairly safe in neutral, I might not trust it if you were going down 20 miles of washboard gravel road but otherwise should be fine... if it goes into gear you will know, the drag will increase dramatically

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The detents should be fairly safe in neutral, I might not trust it if you were going down 20 miles of washboard gravel road but otherwise should be fine... if it goes into gear you will know, the drag will increase dramatically

I forgot that on the rangers/b2's you have to slide the lever down and to the side to get into neutral. The last manual shifted 4wd i had was an 89 F250 and IIRC it was straight down with no slide to the left. Im not worried now.

I cant see it sliding up and to the right in the proper sequence from a road bump to get it into gear.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You want the transmission in 4th and the transfer case in neutral.

The output shaft of the transfer case spins the pump and so lubricates the transfer case bearings & gears.​

The transmission in 4th prevents the transfer case input from even turning the transmission output shaft slowly (The viscosity of the oil would natural tend to turn it, 2 hours of slow turning without oil wouldn't be good for the transmission bearings. Tranmission oil is only thrown over bearings when the input and therefore the counter shaft are spinning. 4th gear is best - on the oft chance the transfer case slips into gear it turns the engine no faster than it might spin when driving).​

​

U-haul trailers have surge brakes with no lock out, so you they are very difficult to back up i.e. not recommended (The F250 with 7.5 could force the issue with just a BII loaded).

I don't lock the steering wheel as I don't like all the force on the little pin in the steering column - you can break it reefing on the wheel, so full force of truck.... That said, moving the steering back and forth without engine running with force oil out of the box (fills the pump). With post '98s with all the oil in the rack, it will overflow the pump. But it doesn't hurt anything other than getting it oily. When you start the engine at your destination, turn to full lock a couple times and oil will return to the box.

Dolly puts a lot of weight on the tongue; there is no way to set up load distribution hitch, so tow vehicle will be light on front tires (SuperCab Ranger - minus engine was to the point of being sketchy behind a RC Ranger - I just needed to get the SC Ranger to point where I could get the full size to connect, I wouldn't have wanted to travel any distance. It took a jack to lift the hitch off the Ranger).

Anymore questions?

So not really to call you out, but most of this is flat out wrong…

T-case in neutral, trans in any gear but reverse.

Tow dollys don’t have surge brakes, but because of the pivot, they don’t really back up loaded.

Lock the steering column. The pin will be fine.

There is no real tongue weight. I’ve lifted my old U-haul tow dolly on and off a ball with one hand with my 4.0 powered 35” tires Choptop loaded more than a couple times. I don’t recommend doing that (you need to be nearly flat and make sure the towed vehicle is in gear and won’t try to roll), but the most resistance you’ll encounter is if the two vehicles are pinched together at the ball.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

My 88 Bronco II came 700+ miles home on a tow dolly behind my 2000 Ranger extended cab 2wd 3.0 5-speed. My Choptop came 400-ish miles home the same way. Choptop has rode tow dolly and tow bar (both old U-haul style equipment) for a lot of miles. In fact, when I went to the TRS 20th Anniversary ride at Badlands, I hauled it out there behind my (at the time 4.0, auto, 4x4 green 2000 Ranger) on a tow dolly. It also went for a ride on the tow dolly behind my F-150. FYI, a 300 straight 6 with a ZF5 will drag a tow dolly with a BII in 1st gear at 35 mph. I don’t recommend it. It pulls better in neutral. My donor Explorer came 500-ish miles home on a tow dolly behind my F-150 and I’ve pulled a bunch of other stuff.

Center the towed vehicle as best you can on the dolly. Lock the wheel, put the T-case in neutral and the transmission in any forward gear. No need to pull the driveshaft. 20 miles at relatively low speeds will even be ok if you just put the trans in neutral, but it’s less than ideal. Lock the steering wheel, U-haul style dollys have a pivot. The pin will be fine in the steering wheel, but if you’re really worried you can wrap the seat belt or a strap around it. Don’t forget to wrap the safety chains around the front axle. Unlocking the steering is only needed with a tow bar or tow dolly that lacks a pivot.

You can back up an empty tow dolly. A loaded one, not so much. I’ve done it, but it’s a lot of monkey work because it wants to jack-knife at the pivot on the tow dolly. If you try to force it once it starts to knife, you can wipe out a tow dolly fender. Ask me how I know. U-haul and most other tow dollys have no brakes. I’ve been looking into refitting my tow dolly with electric brakes. Besides, most surge brakes have a catch or pin to set that disables it so you can back up, but tow dollys don’t back up loaded well.

Driveshaft is 12mm 12point. Box end wrench works on all styles, but I have bent a wrench into a horseshoe before trying to free them. Regular sized socket with a 3” wobble extension and breaker bar works better, but not always possible. Really no need to drop the driveshaft for 20 miles though, especially with a manual T-case.

I did my homework on all of this years ago. It will be fine, don’t worry. If anything feels wonky all of a sudden, stop and check things. On my longer trips I usually stop every 1-200 miles to make sure everything is still good even if it’s not acting strange, but usually the most that is required is a check and no adjustments. 20 miles is nothing. My 92 Ranger came home on a tow dolly once, auto transmission in neutral roughly 20 miles without dropping the driveshaft with no ill effects.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

My 88 Bronco II came 700+ miles home on a tow dolly behind my 2000 Ranger extended cab 2wd 3.0 5-speed. My Choptop came 400-ish miles home the same way. Choptop has rode tow dolly and tow bar (both old U-haul style equipment) for a lot of miles. In fact, when I went to the TRS 20th Anniversary ride at Badlands, I hauled it out there behind my (at the time 4.0, auto, 4x4 green 2000 Ranger) on a tow dolly. It also went for a ride on the tow dolly behind my F-150. FYI, a 300 straight 6 with a ZF5 will drag a tow dolly with a BII in 1st gear at 35 mph. I don’t recommend it. It pulls better in neutral. My donor Explorer came 500-ish miles home on a tow dolly behind my F-150 and I’ve pulled a bunch of other stuff.

Center the towed vehicle as best you can on the dolly. Lock the wheel, put the T-case in neutral and the transmission in any forward gear. No need to pull the driveshaft. 20 miles at relatively low speeds will even be ok if you just put the trans in neutral, but it’s less than ideal. Lock the steering wheel, U-haul style dollys have a pivot. The pin will be fine in the steering wheel, but if you’re really worried you can wrap the seat belt or a strap around it. Don’t forget to wrap the safety chains around the front axle. Unlocking the steering is only needed with a tow bar or tow dolly that lacks a pivot.

You can back up an empty tow dolly. A loaded one, not so much. I’ve done it, but it’s a lot of monkey work because it wants to jack-knife at the pivot on the tow dolly. If you try to force it once it starts to knife, you can wipe out a tow dolly fender. Ask me how I know. U-haul and most other tow dollys have no brakes. I’ve been looking into refitting my tow dolly with electric brakes. Besides, most surge brakes have a catch or pin to set that disables it so you can back up, but tow dollys don’t back up loaded well.

Driveshaft is 12mm 12point. Box end wrench works on all styles, but I have bent a wrench into a horseshoe before trying to free them. Regular sized socket with a 3” wobble extension and breaker bar works better, but not always possible. Really no need to drop the driveshaft for 20 miles though, especially with a manual T-case.

I did my homework on all of this years ago. It will be fine, don’t worry. If anything feels wonky all of a sudden, stop and check things. On my longer trips I usually stop every 1-200 miles to make sure everything is still good even if it’s not acting strange, but usually the most that is required is a check and no adjustments. 20 miles is nothing. My 92 Ranger came home on a tow dolly once, auto transmission in neutral roughly 20 miles without dropping the driveshaft with no ill effects.

Im going like 120 miles though...lol

But all good information.

Oh and wrap the safety chain around the axles? I was gonna try to loop it over the frame

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Im going like 120 miles though...lol

But all good information.

Oh and wrap the safety chain around the axles? I was gonna try to loop it over the frame

For some reason I thought you said 20 miles not 120, but it still shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve easily pulled my Choptop over twice that distance with the t-case in neutral and the driveshaft in.

Axle for the safety chain, as close to snug as you can get it. With the front tires strapped down, the BII will ride on its suspension. Chaining to the frame allows too much movement if the straps fail and if you try to cinch down and compress the suspension it won’t ride freely. Chains around the axle will keep it from coming off the dolly if a strap fails. Besides, on my Choptop I can barely get the chains around the axle and the frame is way out of reach. Axles or tires are always the better way to tie a vehicle securely on a dolly or trailer, unless what you’re securing essentially has no suspension like equipment. Trying to properly secure something by pulling down the suspension doesn’t work, when you hit bumps, it will slack the chains/straps and then bang tight again. Bad move, that’s how things come loose and/or get broken.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

For some reason I thought you said 20 miles not 120, but it still shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve easily pulled my Choptop over twice that distance with the t-case in neutral and the driveshaft in.

Axle for the safety chain, as close to snug as you can get it. With the front tires strapped down, the BII will ride on its suspension. Chaining to the frame allows too much movement if the straps fail and if you try to cinch down and compress the suspension it won’t ride freely. Chains around the axle will keep it from coming off the dolly if a strap fails. Besides, on my Choptop I can barely get the chains around the axle and the frame is way out of reach. Axles or tires are always the better way to tie a vehicle securely on a dolly or trailer, unless what you’re securing essentially has no suspension like equipment. Trying to properly secure something by pulling down the suspension doesn’t work, when you hit bumps, it will slack the chains/straps and then bang tight again. Bad move, that’s how things come loose and/or get broken.

Yeah on my trailer i dont run straps to the frame. Usually run around an axle but i figured since they were for if it came off the frame was a better option but what you said makes good sense

 

[don4331]

So not really to call you out, but most of this is flat out wrong…

T-case in neutral, trans in any gear but reverse.

Tow dollys don’t have surge brakes, but because of the pivot, they don’t really back up loaded.

Lock the steering column. The pin will be fine.

There is no real tongue weight. I’ve lifted my old U-haul tow dolly on and off a ball with one hand with my 4.0 powered 35” tires Choptop loaded more than a couple times. I don’t recommend doing that (you need to be nearly flat and make sure the towed vehicle is in gear and won’t try to roll), but the most resistance you’ll encounter is if the two vehicles are pinched together at the ball.

I don't think you're calling me out but perhaps pointing out differences between the American and Canadian U-Haul tow dollies.

I think we might both be correct for our respective locations:​

Pennsylvania doesn't require brakes until trailer GVW exceeds 3k lbs.​

Michigan is also 3k lbs.​

Alberta needs them at 910 kg (2k lbs).​

I was out and about today, so stopped at the local U-Haul and looked at the local dolly.

It absolutely has surge brakes; it's got a break away cable that goes with them too.​

Given U-Haul's restrictions on how much vehicle you can put on a dolly, you probably can't get dolly GVWR over 3k lbs; but you can definitely exceed 2k. Surge brakes is probably why they lose the pivot - can't have the trailer jack knifing while its trying to apply brakes​

The pads for the wheels are about a 1 foot ahead of the trailer axle (wheel size dependent); the coupler center is approximately 7' ahead of the axle. Close enough to 15% for girl I go with. Hitch wasn't exactly light - over 100 lbs, add 15% of front axle of whatever you're towing and it'd be heavy.​

I'm going to call it, we both learned something.

@rusty ol ranger : Apologies if I added confusion - wasn't aware of the differences.​

I agree with you, chain to the axle, not the frame. If the axle comes off the frame, you've bigger issues.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I don't think you're calling me out but perhaps pointing out differences between the American and Canadian U-Haul tow dollies.

I think we might both be correct for our respective locations:​

Pennsylvania doesn't require brakes until trailer GVW exceeds 3k lbs.​

Michigan is also 3k lbs.​

Alberta needs them at 910 kg (2k lbs).​

I was out and about today, so stopped at the local U-Haul and looked at the local dolly.

It absolutely has surge brakes; it's got a break away cable that goes with them too.​

Given U-Haul's restrictions on how much vehicle you can put on a dolly, you probably can't get dolly GVWR over 3k lbs; but you can definitely exceed 2k. Surge brakes is probably why they lose the pivot - can't have the trailer jack knifing while its trying to apply brakes​

The pads for the wheels are about a 1 foot ahead of the trailer axle (wheel size dependent); the coupler center is approximately 7' ahead of the axle. Close enough to 15% for girl I go with. Hitch wasn't exactly light - over 100 lbs, add 15% of front axle of whatever you're towing and it'd be heavy.​

I'm going to call it, we both learned something.

@rusty ol ranger : Apologies if I added confusion - wasn't aware of the differences.​

I agree with you, chain to the axle, not the frame. If the axle comes off the frame, you've bigger issues.

Yup, that would explain it. Major differences. All the U-haul dollys I’ve seen in the states had the pads for the wheels roughly in line with the tow dolly wheels and no surge brakes. All have a pivoting deck for the wheel pads. The U-haul car hauler trailers have surge brakes here and they have a thing to disable the surge brake so you can back up.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I don't think you're calling me out but perhaps pointing out differences between the American and Canadian U-Haul tow dollies.

I think we might both be correct for our respective locations:​

Pennsylvania doesn't require brakes until trailer GVW exceeds 3k lbs.​

Michigan is also 3k lbs.​

Alberta needs them at 910 kg (2k lbs).​

I was out and about today, so stopped at the local U-Haul and looked at the local dolly.

It absolutely has surge brakes; it's got a break away cable that goes with them too.​

Given U-Haul's restrictions on how much vehicle you can put on a dolly, you probably can't get dolly GVWR over 3k lbs; but you can definitely exceed 2k. Surge brakes is probably why they lose the pivot - can't have the trailer jack knifing while its trying to apply brakes​

The pads for the wheels are about a 1 foot ahead of the trailer axle (wheel size dependent); the coupler center is approximately 7' ahead of the axle. Close enough to 15% for girl I go with. Hitch wasn't exactly light - over 100 lbs, add 15% of front axle of whatever you're towing and it'd be heavy.​

I'm going to call it, we both learned something.

@rusty ol ranger : Apologies if I added confusion - wasn't aware of the differences.​

I agree with you, chain to the axle, not the frame. If the axle comes off the frame, you've bigger issues.

Hey no problem man.

On the plus side....kid said he got it started last night after he charged the battery...so that should seriously decomplicate the postioning and loading process (assuming it moves )

 

[racsan]

Ive loaded a non-runner onto a tow dolly before, the ‘97 ranger I bought years ago I used a cable style come along to pull the dead ranger onto the dolly, had the other end of the come along hooked to chain that was around the hitch receiver frame of the tow vehicle (another ranger) Only went about 15 miles at the most, less than 40 mph. the tow ranger was a 92 2.3 manual and ranger being towed was a 3.0/auto. both reg cab longbeds. I didnt bother pulling a driveshaft, figured the short distance & low ground speed wouldn’t hurt anything. Once the ‘97 was running I discovered it had no 1st gear, I doubt it was. related, could still start in 2nd then shift to D above 30 mph.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ive loaded a non-runner onto a tow dolly before, the ‘97 ranger I bought years ago I used a cable style come along to pull the dead ranger onto the dolly, had the other end of the come along hooked to chain that was around the hitch receiver frame of the tow vehicle (another ranger) Only went about 15 miles at the most, less than 40 mph. the tow ranger was a 92 2.3 manual and ranger being towed was a 3.0/auto. both reg cab longbeds. I didnt bother pulling a driveshaft, figured the short distance & low ground speed wouldn’t hurt anything. Once the ‘97 was running I discovered it had no 1st gear, I doubt it was. related, could still start in 2nd then shift to D above 30 mph.

Im taking a come along, but the kid texted last night said he got it fired up. So thats a plus.

I burned the trans out of my 97 Expedition flat towing it for about 4 miles at 15mph. I hit a deer and punctured the oil filter (because ford thought it was a good idea to put it right behind the front bumper on the drivers side). I hit it and seen my lights were all still on, and i was close to home...drove not even a mile the oil pressure/level light came on.

Changed the filter pulled out the bumper and had almost zero movement in any forward gear

As a side note....maybe i could of pulled it behind the jeep on my trailer....