Electric Trailer Dollie

[SlugSlinger]

Anybody build or have one?

I am thinking I need something like this if it will work.

I have a breezeway between my house and shop and due to the covenants I had the garage door put on the backside of the shop. I have a boat I would like to store in the shop. It would be convenient if I could walk it instead of using the tractor or atv.


The issue I foresee is the driveway is on a slope and I’m not sure if something like this would have enough traction to pull the trailer up the grade.

Anybody have experience with one of these or similar?

 

[radarmonkey]

I would think with the tongue weight directly on the drive axle it should have traction. Will it be pulling weight up the hill and then controlling the weight down a hill or will it be working on a horizontal slope? Does it have brakes?

 

[SlugSlinger]

Good questions. I will have to drive it down the slope first, then back up into the shop.

I have seen folks making their own on YouTube. They use atv winches as the motor by attacking a sprocket to the drum. Those atv winches do have an internal drum brake. However I don’t know if then factory built dollies have a brake. I would say that is a mandatory item for my needs.

 

[Perplexed]

I’d definitely look for tires with a more aggressive tread. Kinda like garden tiller tires.

 

[radarmonkey]

Brakes would be essential. A one ton boat and trailer would be hard to stop. I have experience with this delivering filled IBC totes on slopes.

 

[xseler]

There's usually a couple of airplane tugs listed on craigslist. Only one at the moment. Bet it would be pretty easy to mod one of these to do what you needed.

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/avo/d/ada-aircraft-tug/7390069139.html

Good luck!

 

[SlugSlinger]

Thanks for posting this. I didn’t know this was something that was available. It would need some mods, but it’s doable. Is the price on par with the others you’ve seen?

There's usually a couple of airplane tugs listed on craigslist. Only one at the moment. Bet it would be pretty easy to mod one of these to do what you needed.

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/avo/d/ada-aircraft-tug/7390069139.html

Good luck!

 

[xseler]

Thanks for posting this. I didn’t know this was something that was available. It would need some mods, but it’s doable. Is the price on par with the others you’ve seen?

There's a few different kinds, some battery powered. Sometimes you can find 'em listed quite a bit cheaper than this one.


.

 

[xseler]

You could also build an unpowered 'cart' with a ball and rig an attachment to a rear tine tiller to use as the pusher/puller. Can usually find rear tine tillers for around $250 if you don't already have one.

Just an idea.

 

[SiGArmed]

Guy I bought a trailer off of one time used this and it was surprisingly easy to use

https://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-trailer-dolly-60533.html