Monday, December 6, 2010

DOLLY

Day off today, and we slept in, then, we went to Betty’s OK Country Cooking Café for breakfast. A couple of western omelet’s later, mine with biscuit’s and gravy on the side, then we were ready to hit the road for Somerset Kentucky and the Gator Made Factory. Here is the online link: GATOR MADE INC link

Back in October we had went to the factory and ordered a tow dolly to be made to our specifications, all part of a diabolical redneck plan, you see  .  .  .  .  The dolly was now ready for us to pick up.

One of the first things that we had done last April after getting our Coleman fifth wheel home for the first time, was to have our friend who has a fabrication shop, install a hitch on the back of it. The receiver has lots of gussets and bracing that will allow us to pull our tow dolly behind the fifth wheel.

As with any double pull, length is an issue. This is no different. In most of the state’s that we travel, the maximum length is 70 or 75 feet. In those that are less, Betty will pull the tow dolly behind our Nissan 4X4. We will communicate with each other by mobile business band radios.

It has been snowing here for a couple of days now, with no accumulation, because of warm ground temperatures. Last night the low was 19*, so it started to stick some today.

On the way back home we stopped to check lug nut tightness, ect., here is what it looked like: 

100_2354

Now, what about them 3 foot long icicles !

100_2355

Who would have thought that a tow dolly could have so much paperwork associated with it !

We are looking forward to being able to drive all of those 4x4 trails up to the old mines and ghost towns in Colorado again !

Then there is that other thing, gas mileage. The Nissan gets 24 MPG and the weekly fuel savings will soon pay out the cost of the tow dolly.

Because of the steep grades we encounter out in the Rocky Mountains, we had disc surge brakes with ez lube hubs put on the dolly.

Towing double will be a bit of a hassle, but, the benefits, we think,  out weigh the negatives.

Besides, Betty needs more room to haul “necessary stuff” in the bed of the Nissan ! And, maybe there will be room for a tool box for me ! He, he, yeh, I know, always a scheme n’ ain’t I !

No comments: