2. Tow Dolly
A short, two-wheeled trailer that transports the towed vehicle with two of its wheels off the ground. The dolly is first coupled to a motor home, truck or car. Then the towed vehicle is driven up the ramps so that the two drive wheels rest on the dolly and the other two wheels are on the ground. The vehicle is then secured to the dolly with straps and/or chains. Tow dollies are not suggested for rear-wheel-drive vehicles, because vehicles should not be towed backward.

The advantages of the Tow Dolly system are its universality (the same dolly can be used to tow a variety of vehicles with no modifications to the Tow Dolly, or the vehicle being towed) and the fact that it can be used to tow many vehicles that cannot be towed four wheels down by way of a Tow Bar.  One of the past disadvantages of a Tow Dolly was the space it took up during non use. You had this single use trailer sitting in your yard  or garage taking up space until your next tow was needed.  Now with the option of the Tow-Mate, that problem is less of an issue, as it can easily be converted to a useful Utility Trailer when not being used to tow a vehicle. The Tow Dolly also comes with it's own lighting and breaking system built into the trailer system so no additional wiring or lighting requirements are needed. 

Disadvantages: Tow Dollies are straight axle and come with no leaf springs, so when traveling with no weight, it can be a bit noisy as the Tow Dolly on bumpy roads can bounce around, but with just a bit of added weight  or deflating the tires just a bit this issue diminishes.  The Tow Dolly can be a bit more expensive to purchase compared to a standard tow bar, unless the tow bar needs custom fitting along with additional lighting and breaking systems. In addition, Tow Dollies cannot be backed up easily when a vehicle is attached, but can be easily backed up when being used as a utility trailer (Tow-Mate option) or when empty.

1. Tow Bar
The tow bar assembly transports vehicles -- standard or automatic transmission -- with all four wheels touching the ground. In general, tow bars are the easiest to use and the least expensive of the towing systems, but by just a little. Most tow bars are rated in classes from 3,500 pounds to 5,000 pounds, sufficient to handle most any towed vehicle.

Many manufacturers offer motorhome-mounted tow bars that remain attached to the motorhome and connect to the towed vehicle only when the car is being pulled. Folding models that can be flipped and stowed horizontally or vertically on the base plate of the towed vehicle are also available.

There are five main components to Tow Bar towing. The Tow Bar itself,
Base plate kit, Safety cable set,Tow Bar wiring and Supplemental braking system. You will need all these to tow a vehicle and if you are not handy the cost to have a Tow Bar installed can get costly. It is also recommended to verify your towed vehicle can be towed 4 wheels down as not all vehicles can be towed that way.

Advantages: The Tow Bar solution is more often a better solution for those with physical impairments or limited mobility, as it is the easiest to hook up to the vehicle designated to be towed.The Tow Bar also stores easily, taking up limited room when not in use.

Disadvantages: Tow bar assemblies, at least the base plate portion, tend to be unique to a particular vehicle. If a base plate does not already exist for your vehicle, custom installations can be expensive. Mileage accumulates on vehicles when they are being towed four wheels down, unless they are equipped with an electronic speedometer or a speedometer disconnect, which again is at a added cost. Some vehicles cannot be towed in this manner without drive train modifications. Many transmissions in vehicles can not support Tow Bar towing. With most tow bar systems, the towing vehicle cannot be backed up when the towed vehicle is attached. While tow dollies and trailers come with lights, those who use a tow bar must use a tow light kit or wire into the towed vehicle's lighting system.not to mention added breaking systems. Also you can only tow the vehicle you have the base plate on, so you are limited to what vehicle can be towed.This may not be a problem but note if the vehicle you tow breaks down or needs repair it would need to be fixed before you tow it as you will not have another vehicle option. Also each time you get a new towed vehicle you will have to take off all the components from the one vehicle and have it all reinstalled onto the new vehicle, again added costs.

At Tow-Mate USA our mission is to provide you with an affordable and durable quality built product that you will be proud to own. We strive to provide a product and solution that meets or exceeds not only our customer needs but also those of safety departments. Our company and employees are passionate about our products, making what we do not only a business but a way of life.

tow-mate... makes the tow dolly a better solution!

our missioN

The Tow-Mate USA Tow Dolly Flatbed Attachment

Edgar WI 54426 US

3. Trailer
A Utility Trailer makes it possible to haul recreational vehicles, lawn mowers, or building materials easily. Most Utility Trailers do come with leaf springs which offer a smoother ride than a straight axle with no springs like a Tow Dolly.  It offers backing up capability, and many trailers (and tow dollies) come equipped with brakes and built in loading ramps.

Disadvantages: Loading and unloading the trailer can be cumbersome and time-consuming. A Utility Trailer can not be used to tow a vehicle so if towing is needed you would have to buy a separate Tow Dolly or Tow Bar system, meaning you will have to find a place to store both trailers and be able to afford both trailer options.