Wiring for towing the leaf on a dolly?

[stevempotter]

I have looked at the posts on towing the leaf on a dolly, and did not see any details about how to rig up the wiring so the brake lights and turn indicators can be used to signal what the towing truck is doing. Is this possible? :?: I have never towed any car before and am about to take my 2012 Leaf from Atlanta to Seattle behind a U-Haul. I would prefer not to have to keep taking on and off magnet-attached tail lights, if I can use the Leaf's own lights with just plugging in and out a wire.

Also, if you have done any long-distance towing of a leaf on a dolly, I would love to hear your experiences and especially warnings.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[RonDawg]

Are you using a dolly for FWD (lifts up the front end only) or a true flatbed trailer? If it's the latter, the trailer itself is larger than the car so no need for additional lights.

If you are using a dolly, I've never seen them used with temporary, magnetic-base lighting that tow trucks use. Like any other trailer, they have their own lighting hooked into the tow vehicle's lighting. I towed a friend's car behind a rented moving truck using just the dolly, with no additional lighting, from LA to Seattle and didn't have an issue. If you want additional lighting, perhaps turn on the parking lights only (headlights will drain the battery faster and will be annoying to you the driver of the UHaul).

If you insist on having full lighting with brake lights and turn signals, perhaps check with Camping World or a similar company as they might sell a wiring kit for people who like to flat-tow (all 4 wheels on the ground) cars and Jeeps behind their motorhomes.

EDIT: one issue I just realized is how are you going to connect both the dolly's lighting and the car's lighting to the tow vehicle's harness? You'd need some sort of Y-adapter.

 

[GerryAZ]

I towed my Leaf across town with a U Haul tow dolly behind my SUV (to the Phoenix range test in September 2012). I think the built-in lights on the tow dolly are adequate. The Leaf is wider than typical front wheel drive cars so you need to be careful not to turn too sharp (the fenders of the dolly could bump the body behind the front wheels). Even though the Leaf is heavy, it is easy to tow because the rolling resistance is low. Good luck on your cross country trip.

Gerry

 

[stevempotter]

Great, I did not know that the dolly (for just lifting the front wheels) has its own lighting.
Using just that would certainly be the simplest, assuming it is full-function (brakes, turns, and taillights at night).

Do any more of you have experience with a U-Haul tow dolly pulling a Leaf?
I welcome any advice or comments.

-Steve

 

[RonDawg]

Yes the tow dolly's lights are full function. The only things they don't have are headlights (obviously) and backup lights, no different than any other trailer for the US/Canadian market.

As far as tips, while it's been nearly 25 years since that trip to Seattle, one of things I can remember is to give LOTS of room when passing. If you're not used to driving a vehicle with a trailer, it's easy to forget about your added length. Also, check on the car frequently in your mirrors, to make sure something horrible hasn't happened, like the trailer detaching from the truck Do check both the trailer and the car every time you stop, whether for fuel, food, or bathroom break.

Also, keep your speed down. Many states have lowered maximum speed limits for vehicles towing trailers. For example, WA limits such vehicles to 60 MPH even if the limit is 70. If you will be passing through California, the limit is even lower (55) and quite strictly enforced by the CHP. If you are not experienced with towing a trailer, keeping your speed down can mean the difference between crashing or not.

Many states (including WA) also have limitations/prohibitions on such vehicles using the left lane(s) as well. You may also have to use the truck scales just like the big boys with their 18 wheels.

 

[stevempotter]

Great, thanks RonDawg for that helpful information. I got a wireless camera already to keep an eye on the trailer and surrounding cars while driving. We will take our time and drive the speed limit.

-Steve