Pulled this from a FB feed. Used to be quite a few dolly set ups on vans around when I was a kid.. Most fell by the way side over the years ..
O'l mate here had the chassis buit to his specs the a company did the van body .. Been travelling for many many years without troubles, From what I gather his father had built a similar set up and he is carrying it on, with his build .
Thought these pics would be of interest to some ..
Yeah, I remember 50-60 years ago my uncle had one similar to the one behind the effie.
I also remember my dad saying it was a sh*t of a thing.... ;D ;D
:cheers: :cheers:
Circus caravans were like that from years ago.
seen that first one at the Grampians few years back... hideous lookin thing!
Would be interesting watching one reverse onto a tight site! >:D
I guess truckies have no dramas reversing dog trailers or road trains, Have seen plenty of them put trailers into tight spots over the years .. Like anything learn it keep practiced and its not a problem .
For accuracy, the top two are dog trailers and the last one is a 5th wheel converter dolly. I'm not sure that converters are allowed behind cars over here. They are common enough in the states. I'd think you'd need to run it as an articulated truck rego here and then have a MC license or some equally crazy thing which wouldn't be cheap. It is a great way of getting rid of a turntable from a Ute IMHO.
Quote from: edz on September 27, 2020, 10:36:02 PM
I guess truckies have no dramas reversing dog trailers or road trains, Have seen plenty of them put trailers into tight spots over the years .. Like anything learn it keep practiced and its not a problem .
Yep, and much more manouverable. Watched a truckie reverse out of the work driveway, left into the road, between cars parked both sides, then right into another road so he could turn around. Had inches to spare both sides at different times, and didn't hit anything. I had moved my troopy when I came out for lunch and saw him getting ready to leave, just in case.
But we used to reveres jet aircraft, with nose wheel connected to the tow bar, around corners and into hangers, with at times, only inches to spare. We did have the luxury of wing walkers though, just so we didn't dent a multi million dollar vehicle LOL
Many years ago we had a Ingersoll Rand Compressor with that configuration, We just towed it like any other trailer, no special licence needed those days.
It takes the weight of the draw bar though.
Check this 70s unit out
https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/ (https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/)
That is scary on so many levels. Not just the engineering, but the decor.
Quote from: Pottsy on September 29, 2020, 01:19:33 PM
Check this 70s unit out
https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/ (https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/)
I wonder how something like this would go with the modern day dual cab utes. An engineered frame could be set up on the ute with the receiver hitch mounted just behind the cab.
Could be an interesting exercise.
It just reminded me of the Griswolds in National Lampoons Vacation, can just see Sparky at the wheel.
Back in the early 1970's I bought my first caravan. It was a 28' Millard and I owned a Austin 1800 at the time. No way to tow the van. I had it in a park in Mandurah WA and needed to get it to Manjimup for work. A guy at the park offered to tow it for me and I jumped at the offer.
He was a Victorian guy who was a caravan builder from Ballarat. Name was Bill and he was towing his van around Australia with wife and kids on a working holiday.
His tow vehicle was a V8 Falcon and he was using a two wheel dolly. Told me he never had a problem.
Anyway he towed my van to Manjimup and set me up in the Council CP with the Falcon and the dolly.
So they were still in use almost 50 years ago (bloody hell, is it that long).
I saw one on a van in Emereld Qld on 16 Jan 2014. An Effy was the tow truck
Thats O'l Mate in the pic I put up above ..
Quote from: Bigpickle on September 29, 2020, 06:13:21 PM
I wonder how something like this would go with the modern day dual cab utes.
I was wondering the same thing but with regard to how much force it must be pulling on the roof with ???
Most cars these days only have ~70-80 kg allowance for loading on roof racks, & you'd have to think that there'd be one hell of a lot more than 80kg involved in towing that thing via your roof ???
Quote from: edz on September 29, 2020, 10:54:43 PM
Thats O'l Mate in the pic I put up above ..
Correct, though I never realised when I posted.
The outfit was in the Emerald Caravan and Cabin Village when I got the photo but I never spoke to the owner.
vw beetle and gooseneck trailer setup from the 70's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpwH9WeVEfU
Ah the 70's - before the effects of LSD had completely faded.....