Flat Tow vs Tow Dolly vs Car Trailer

US & Canada

Four wheels down, two wheels up, or all four on a trailer. The car's maker decides which ones you may use; the weights decide which one your rig can pull.

What each way of towing the car weighs

1. The car you are towing

lb

From the owner's manual, or better, a scale.

lb

It all counts. U-Haul forbids cargo in a car on its dolly or car trailer.

2. What is towing it

lb

The motorhome's or tow vehicle's rating, or the hitch receiver's label if that is lower. Set 0 if you do not know it.

3. The equipment

lb

Base plate, brake unit and wiring that ride on the car, from their spec sheets.

lb

740 lb is U-Haul's rental tow dolly. Use your own dolly's figure if it differs.

lb

U-Haul's figure. 0 skips this check.

lb

2,210 lb is U-Haul's auto transport.

lb

U-Haul's figure. 0 skips this check.

Result

0

All three, side by side

Towed weight is the car, what is in it and the gear behind your hitch. Whether the car may be flat towed or dollied at all is the car maker's call, not arithmetic.

Flat towing vs tow dolly vs car trailer

Three ways to tow a car, compared
Flat tow (dinghy, four down) Tow dolly Car trailer
Wheels on the road All four Rear two; the front wheels ride on the dolly None
Which cars Only models the maker approves, often 4x4s with a 2-speed transfer case or certain hybrids Mainly front-wheel drive; a rear-drive car needs its driveshaft disconnected; makers bar AWD and 4WD Anything that fits the deck and the weight limit
Weight added behind the hitch The car plus its base plate and brake unit The car plus the dolly: 740 lb (336 kg) for U-Haul's The car plus the trailer: 2,210 lb (1,002 kg) for U-Haul's auto transport
Brakes A supplemental braking system in the car, recommended by the makers U-Haul's has a surge brake on the dolly U-Haul's has a surge brake on the trailer
Car's own wear Tires and drivetrain turn; follow the maker's procedure and limits Rear tires turn None while towing
Speed The car maker's limit, for example 70 mph for Ford's hybrids 55 mph for U-Haul's 55 mph for U-Haul's
Reversing Check the tow bar maker's instructions U-Haul: do not back up Like any trailer

With the worked numbers in the calculator, a 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) car behind a 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) tow rating comes to 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) flat towed, 4,240 lb (1,923 kg) on U-Haul's dolly, and 5,710 lb (2,590 kg) on its auto transport, which is 710 lb (322 kg) over. Same car, three different answers.

Tow dolly weight and capacity

U-Haul's rental tow dolly weighs 740 lb (336 kg) empty and has a max load of 4,080 lb (1,851 kg). Its auto transport car trailer weighs 2,210 lb (1,002 kg) empty, with a max load of 5,290 lb (2,400 kg) and a gross vehicle weight of 7,500 lb (3,402 kg). Other dollies and trailers have their own figures on their labels.

  • The rating you check is the whole thing. U-Haul's instructions say the hitch must be able to tow the weight of the dolly and the vehicle in tow together.
  • U-Haul's own pairing rules. "Your tow vehicle must be at least 750 pounds heavier than the vehicle-in-tow." For the auto transport, the rental page asks that the tow vehicle's curb weight exceed the loaded trailer.
  • Tongue weight comes out of payload. U-Haul allows 200 lb for the dolly's tongue and 750 lb for the auto transport's when it works out how much you can carry in the tow vehicle.
  • No cargo in the towed car. U-Haul forbids it on both: it can cause sway. On a flat-towed car, anything inside still adds to the towed weight.

Which vehicles can be flat towed: the dinghy towing guide

Only the car maker can approve a vehicle for flat towing, and approval changes by model year, drivetrain and even transmission. Below is what each maker says in its own current guide or manual. "Yes" usually comes with a procedure, a speed limit or an engine-run interval, so read the manual's recreational towing section before every first tow.

Ford (2026): flat tow and dolly, as the maker states
Model Flat tow Tow dolly
Bronco Yes, automatic or manual No
Bronco Sport No No
Escape (gas) No Yes, FWD
Escape Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Yes, Neutral Tow mode, 70 mph max Yes, FWD
Maverick (gas) No Yes, FWD
Maverick Hybrid, FWD or 4x4 Yes, Neutral Tow mode, 70 mph max Yes, FWD
Ranger 4x4 yes (2-speed transfer case); 4x2 no No
F-150 and F-150 Raptor 4x4 yes (2-speed transfer case); 4x2 no No
Super Duty F-250 to F-600 4x4 yes (2-speed transfer case); 4x2 no No
Expedition and Expedition MAX 4x4 yes (2-speed transfer case); 4x2 no No
Explorer, Mustang, Transit No No

Source: Ford, 2026 RV & Trailer Towing Guide, Towing a Ford Vehicle: Four-Wheel-Down Towing, PDF p. 48; Ford, 2026 RV & Trailer Towing Guide, Tow-Dolly Flexibility, PDF p. 49

Chevrolet (2026): flat tow and dolly, as the maker states
Model Flat tow Tow dolly
Blazer Yes, 2WD and AWD Not in the chart
Trax Yes Not in the chart
Trailblazer Yes, AWD Not in the chart
Colorado, Silverado 1500, Silverado HD, Tahoe, Suburban 4WD yes (2-speed transfer case); 2WD no Not in the chart
Equinox, Traverse, Malibu, Express, Camaro, Corvette No Not in the chart
Blazer EV, Equinox EV, Silverado EV No Not in the chart

Source: Chevrolet, 2026 Trailering Guide, Dinghy towing, p. 47

Jeep, Ram, Honda: flat tow and dolly, as the maker states
Model Flat tow Tow dolly
2024 Jeep Wrangler 4WD Yes, transfer case in N Not allowed
2025 Ram 1500 4WD Yes, transfer case in N Not allowed
2025 Ram 1500 2WD No Rear wheels up only
2025 Honda CR-V No, not designed to be towed behind a motorhome Not covered here

Source: Jeep, 2024 Wrangler Owner's Manual, Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome), pp. 193 to 194; Ram, 2025 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual, Recreational Towing (Behind Motorhome), pp. 198 to 199; Honda, 2025 CR-V Owner's Manual, Towing Behind a Motorhome

Ford's footnotes add the conditions: hybrids use Neutral Tow mode with a 70 mph maximum, some models need the engine run for a few minutes at the start of each day and every six hours or fewer, and 4x4s need the transfer case in neutral. Chevrolet says rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive trucks should not be dinghy towed, and its 4WD approvals need the 2-speed transfer case.

The wider list, and where the annual guides went

RV LIFE's 2026 Dinghy Towing Guide compiles maker-approved 2026 vehicles across brands, including the Buick Encore GX AWD and Envista, the Cadillac Escalade 4WD, the Dodge Durango AWD, GMC's Canyon, Sierra and Yukon 4WD, the Jeep Gladiator, Grand Cherokee 4WD and Wagoneer 4WD, the Lincoln Nautilus hybrid and Navigator 4WD, the Nissan Z with the manual transmission only, and the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 4WD. It is a magazine's compilation, and it tells readers to confirm every entry in the owner's manual.

The long-running MotorHome magazine guides ended with the 2023 edition; Roadmaster hosts the 2012 to 2023 PDFs. RV LIFE has published the guide since 2024. Roadmaster's advice is the right one: whatever list you use, look in the owner's manual for a section on "recreational," "four-down" or "flat" towing.

Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500 and Honda CR-V

  • Jeep Wrangler 4WD: flat tow yes, dolly not allowed, trailer OK. The 2024 manual's procedure puts the transfer case in neutral, an automatic in PARK and a manual in gear, and warns against a bumper-mounted clamp-on tow bar.
  • Ram 1500: 4WD flat tow yes with the transfer case in N and the transmission in PARK. For 2WD the manual says: "DO NOT flat tow this vehicle. Damage to the drivetrain will result." A 2WD Ram may go on a dolly only with its rear wheels up.
  • Honda CR-V (2025): "Your vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motor home." If you own an older CR-V, its own manual for that year is the one to check.

Which cars can go on a tow dolly

A dolly lifts the front wheels, so it suits front-wheel-drive cars. Ford's 2026 dolly chart approves only its front-wheel-drive Escape and Maverick models, and notes: "AWD/4WD vehicles cannot be towed with 2 wheels lifted off the ground." Jeep and Ram say the same in their manuals: no 4WD on a dolly. For a rear-drive car, U-Haul requires the driveshaft disconnected, because putting the transmission in neutral does not prevent damage. AWD and 4WD vehicles that cannot be flat towed go on a trailer.

Flat towing equipment

RV LIFE's guide lists the parts of a flat-tow setup:

  • Base plate on the towed car, specific to the model.
  • Tow bar rated for the car's weight.
  • Safety cables or chains as a backup connection.
  • Supplemental (auxiliary) braking system in the car.
  • Breakaway switch to apply the car's brakes if it separates.
  • Lights: a wiring harness or wireless tail lights.

Anything that stays on the car, such as the base plate and brake unit, is part of the towed weight; put its weight in the calculator.

Brakes for a towed car, a dolly and a car trailer

The law. Trailer brake rules are set by each state and province, by weight, and the answer for your place is on the do I need trailer brakes page. A dolly or car trailer is a trailer, and the weight that counts is the equipment plus the car. How a car towed on its own four wheels is treated varies by jurisdiction, so read your state or province's rule rather than assuming the trailer line applies.

The makers' guidance. Ford, 2026 RV & Trailer Towing Guide, Know Before You Tow: Brakes, PDF p. 3: "Ford Motor Company recommends that a separate functional brake system be used on any towed vehicle, including those dolly-towed or towbar-towed." And Chevrolet, 2026 Trailering Guide, Dinghy towing, p. 47: "Towed vehicles (or dollies or trailers carrying them) should have a separate functional braking system." Ford also points out that a tow vehicle's brakes are rated for its GVWR, not its GCWR, which is the reason a towed car should brake itself. U-Haul's dolly and auto transport both carry surge brakes.

Motorhome tow rating and GCWR

The towed car counts against the motorhome's tow rating and its GCWR, with whatever is inside it and whatever equipment it carries. Chevrolet warns not to exceed the towing vehicle's ratings such as GCWR by adding the weight of the dinghy-towed vehicle. The hitch receiver has its own rating on its label, and the lowest of the three is your limit.

Sources

Checked against each source on 2026-10-24. Maker approvals change between model years and sometimes within one; the owner's manual for your exact vehicle is the authority.

Common questions

Is it better to flat tow or use a tow dolly?
Flat towing adds the least weight and is quickest to hook up, but only works with a car its maker approves for it. A dolly takes many front-wheel-drive cars that cannot be flat towed, and adds 740 lb (336 kg) for U-Haul's rental dolly. A car trailer takes almost anything that fits but adds the most, 2,210 lb (1,002 kg) for U-Haul's auto transport.
Can any car be flat towed?
No. Only vehicles the maker approves, and often only some versions. Ford's 2026 chart allows the F-150 4x4 but not the 4x2, and the Maverick Hybrid but not the gas Maverick. Honda's 2025 CR-V manual says: "Your vehicle is not designed to be towed behind a motor home." Check the recreational towing section of the owner's manual for your exact model year.
How much does a tow dolly weigh?
U-Haul lists its rental tow dolly at 740 lb (336 kg) empty. Other dollies differ; the empty weight is on the maker's spec sheet or the dolly's label.
What is the weight limit of a U-Haul tow dolly?
U-Haul's rental page lists a max load of 4,080 lb (1,851 kg). Its instructions add that "Your tow vehicle must be at least 750 pounds heavier than the vehicle-in-tow." and U-Haul confirms the exact pair of vehicles when you rent.
How much tongue weight does a car dolly put on the hitch?
U-Haul's instructions have you allow 200 lb (91 kg) of your tow vehicle's payload for its dolly's tongue weight, and 750 lb (340 kg) for its auto transport trailer. Those are U-Haul's figures for its own equipment.
Do I need brakes to tow a car?
It depends on the weight and where you drive, because brake rules are set by each state and province. A dolly or car trailer is a trailer, so the towed weight it adds counts toward the brake line. For a car towed on four wheels, the makers recommend a supplemental brake whether or not the law asks: Ford, 2026 RV & Trailer Towing Guide, Know Before You Tow: Brakes, PDF p. 3 says "Ford Motor Company recommends that a separate functional brake system be used on any towed vehicle, including those dolly-towed or towbar-towed." The do I need trailer brakes page has the line for each place.
Can a Jeep Wrangler be flat towed?
Yes, the 4WD Wrangler is built for it, following the manual's procedure: transfer case in neutral, automatic in PARK, manual in gear. It must not go on a dolly: the 2024 manual says "DO NOT dolly tow any 4WD vehicle." A car trailer with all four wheels off the ground is fine.
Can you flat tow a Ford Bronco or Maverick?
The 2026 Bronco, yes, automatic or manual. The 2026 Maverick, only the Hybrid (FWD or 4x4), using Neutral Tow mode with a 70 mph maximum; the gas Maverick is No. A FWD Maverick, gas or hybrid, may go on a dolly.
Can I back up with a tow dolly or a flat-towed car?
U-Haul's dolly instructions say do not back up. For a flat-tow setup, follow the tow bar maker's instructions.
Is there a dinghy towing guide for 2026, and a PDF?
MotorHome magazine published the annual dinghy towing guide until 2023; Roadmaster hosts those PDFs from 2012 to 2023. Since 2024 RV LIFE has published the guide as a web page, including a 2026 edition. Ford and Chevrolet also print their own flat-tow charts in their towing guides, which this page quotes.
Do I need a weight distribution hitch for a tow dolly?
No. U-Haul says weight distributing and sway control devices are not used with its tow dolly and can affect handling and braking.
What hitch ball does a tow dolly need?
U-Haul's rental page asks for a 2 inch ball rated at least 3,500 lb for its dolly, and its instructions say 1-7/8 and 2 inch balls both fit the coupler. Its auto transport needs a 2 inch ball rated at least 2,000 lb. The hitch itself must be rated for the dolly or trailer plus the car.