Tow Dolly Refresh

I've been looking for a tow dolly to haul my Miata to events but hadn't found much in my budget. Today I picked up a 99 Kar Kaddy for $250. It is a bit rough but I am going to attempt to refresh it on a budget.

Pic from the ad.

I got it home after adding some fix-a-flat to one of the tires with a leak. It was flat again by the time I got home but it made it alright.

I had some wheels in the garage that came with some rally tires I purchased. I am going to take the rally tires off since the wheels won't fit my car but I mounted one up to test if it would fit.

The steering stabilizer has a rusty shaft and a dent in the body. I am going to find one with the same dimensions for cheaper than the $65 stock part.

The wheel bearings are worn. I was hoping to get a cheap set of bearings to press in but the hubs are sealed. The cheapest stock hub I found online was $69 but I didn't really want to spend that. After some searching it seems that the hubs are the same as an early 90s Chevy Celebrity rear hub. The picture of the Celebrity hub looks exactly like what I have so I ordered a pair from RockAuto at $32 each.

The bed release cable is rusted out. I have a spool of similarly sized aircraft cable in the garage so I just need to get a couple clips to replace it.

After that I will clean it up a bit, paint with rust converter and maybe a top coat. Find some tires to fit the wheels I have and get some fenders to throw on.

Eventually I will add lights and wire it up but I have some magnetic lights to stick on the trunk until then.

Nice. I can't remember the last time I saw a steerable dolly (or whatever these type where the wheels turn are called). I wonder what the advantages/disadvantages are vs. the fixed-wheel type.

The rally tires are a nice touch

Curious, I thought just last year you bought a tire trailer for the Miata? What made you decided to start towing instead?

I bought the tire trailer a few years ago. the stripped interior and no hvac in the miata make me want to tow.

I hated driving to the track and then having to change tires. I'd be tired and sweaty by the time the driver's meeting started. Not to mention the fact that you have to swap them back when everyone else is sitting down and enjoying an adult beverage.

I was just wondering. I've taken to towing to any 2-day events myself so I can bring more gear and don't have to deal with tire changes, etc. But with our venue 3 hours into the mountains, I drop $100+ in gas there and back towing with the Sequoia at 10mpg, while the car itself will get 30 towing the little trailer. So for the single-day events, I just suck it up and trust in AAA to get me home if I break, lol...mostly because I"m cheap. I guess it would suck driving a Miata when you can't put the top down :) I'm already regretting deleting my rear roll-down windows this summer....

I'd love to have a full trailer so I don't have to change any tires. Unfortunately I currently don't have the space to store one or the vehicle to tow it. At least this way I only have to swap two tires rather than 4. And I can drive to and from the race in comfort.

The Volvo gets 18-20 towing on regular gas. The Miata gets about the same on 93.

Yep, if it was just for rallycross I'd rock a dolly as well. I got the trailer because we didn't want to dolly the chumpcar all the way to the Glen, or VIR, or other long-haul destinations. Dolly is definitely more efficient in almost every respect, especially not needing a big fuel-sucker tow rig.

irish44j wrote: Nice. I can't remember the last time I saw a steerable dolly (or whatever these type where the wheels turn are called). I wonder what the advantages/disadvantages are vs. the fixed-wheel type.

I've never actually seen one like this, the steerable type I've seen have the whole wheel deck pivoting on a big bolt with the trailer wheels on a fixed drop axle welded to the tongue.

I was just given one of these (SCORE!) I have to go get it, what bolt pattern was yours?

Based on the info from the hubs it has it is 5x115. My 5x114.3 wheels bolted up.

Cool, I want to take some spares with me just in case

Nice score by the way, wish mine was that cheap.

I've been looking but being a cheapskate doesn't help me any...

Til now!

Get anything else done on it?

Yea, I'll have to post some pictures when I load it up Wednesday.

needs a big wing for downforce.

I put the new hubs on and got some used tires on the only wheels I have that fit. Today I hacked up some fenders from my tire trailer to put on and hopefully deflect a bit of the spray if it rains.

Have you taken it on a trial-run yet?

(looking much better too!)

I towed to a rallycross a month ago about 30 miles from home and it did fine. Today I am loading up to head to Nebraska for the national championship.

Throw some GRM and Cornhusker stickers on and be safe!

Good luck!