Nobody wants to be a mule struggling under the weight and awkwardness of a trailer as you drag it to and from your tow vehicle. Sure, there’s that little wheel under the tongue, but typical tongue wheels on lightweight trailers are small and usually made of steel or polypropylene, a hard plastic that does a better job at standing still than it ever could at rolling. Add to it the weight of the tongue itself and put the whole thing on grass, dirt, or uneven terrain, and it’d be easier to disassemble your trailer and reassemble it where you want it than it would to actually move it anywhere.
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Here is where the Haul Master Trailer Dolly comes in, but let’s get this out of the way in the beginning: Despite its 600-pound capacity, this trailer dolly is not going to budge your 30-foot six-sleeper, and it would be irresponsible to suggest that it could. It was designed for small trailers of the single-axle variety that hold your toys, your junk, or anything else that’s relatively lightweight. It’ll help maneuver your boat, ATV, and snowmobiles to and from your tow vehicle but not your vintage Airstream or your favorite three-axle car hauler.
Out of the box pours the major components: two 12-inch wheels/tires, a 1-7/8-inch ball, and the appropriate hardware needed for assembly. Though the instructions are lacking, assembly makes sense once the parts are laid out.
The 48-inch-long handle, with hard plastic grips, is made of 1 3/4 boxed steel tubing that is powdercoated to prevent rust (but don’t leave it outside). The track is 28 inches wide—a sturdy stance to provide stability under the load—and the 4-inch-wide tires, with their diamond-patterned tread, offer traction on and off the concrete. Though, don’t venture too far off the beaten path, as it gets exponentially difficult to maneuver in softer terrain.
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Though the ball is 1 7/8 with a 3/4-inch shank—which is rated by SAE to be used on a Class I trailer (2,000 pounds or less)—you can change it to whatever size ball you need, but be prepared to drill out the hole to accommodate a larger shank diameter. It rests atop a mildly reinforced A-frame perched above the inch-diameter axle. The base of the ball is only 2 inches above the top of the tires, and lateral maneuverability will be limited if your tongue has any girth to it.
If this trailer dolly has a weakness, it would be in the V-frame rear foot affixed to the handle. It sits 4 inches off of the ground when the ball is at its most vertical, but the angle of the ball is shifted back by 17 degrees once you set the dolly down on the foot, placing the full weight of the tongue to the rear of the axle and onto the 1/8-inch steel pedestal. Though it is ribbed, having something there with a little more substance (similar to the handle) would be reassuring.
Designed for a specific purpose and with clear limitations, Haul Master’s Trailer Dolly is a well-constructed piece of equipment that will have a long service life if used properly.
