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Best Boat Trailer Dollies Reviewed
If you’ve been struggling to move your boat around manually, then you are probably considering whether a boat trailer dolly can alleviate the strain on your back and body. After all, why make life hard when it doesn’t have to be?
With a boat trailer dolly, you can enjoy being on the water without any of the dangers and hassles of moving the boat trailer by hand.
Boat trailers are heavy, and it’s a challenge to move them without help. If you try, you could end up damaging your property or even your back, which is where finding the best boat trailer dolly becomes essential.
A boat trailer dolly is a piece of marine equipment that will attach to your trailer, and help you to move the unit wherever you want it to go. It can be a game changer when you need to fit your boat into tighter spaces.
Depending on the design, boat dollies work on a variety of surfaces – including gravel, sand and uneven land. The right boat trailer dolly makes the moving process easy while being a great value for money, and a trustworthy piece of equipment.
The right boat trailer dolly is one that works for your boating needs, and will move your boat the way that you want it to safely and comfortably. There are many benefits to investing in a heavy duty trailer dolly, so let’s discuss some options out there right now.
Top Boat Trailer Dolly Comparison Chart
Best Boat Trailer Dolly
1. Tow Tuff HD Trailer Dolly
Tow Tuff Trailer Dolly
The Tow Tuff HD is similar to their two-wheeled model, but with the addition of a swivel caster that adds a lot of stability and control when moving a heavy trailer.
The Tow Tuff HD Trailer Dolly is designed to be used for utility trailers and larger boats, and it has a capacity of 1000lb. Along with the promise of smoother steering with the 10” swivel caster, the two 16” flat-free tires make a tremendous difference as well, keeping the steering smooth, no matter the angle.
The caster wheel can be used as a kickstand, which gets some weight off your back and arms, and it’s really surprisingly versatile and able to accommodate a range of large and small boat trailers.
The height of this heavy duty trailer dolly is adjustable between 21” and 33”. It can work with 2 couplers or more, and it has the same steel, solid frame with a 30” wheelbase and powder coating to offer better corrosion protection and overall longevity.
The 40” handle provides excellent leverage. Even so, you always have to be careful not to load your trailer dolly beyond your own ability to control the weight. Otherwise the hitch ball on your trailer dolly could try to lurch forward when you work with heavier trailers.
Tow Tuff HD Trailer Dolly Pros:
- A solid steel frame
- Flat-free tires
- Anti-rust coating
- Easy steering
- Excellent loading capacity
Tow Tuff HD Trailer Dolly Cons:
- Heavy loads on uneven surfaces can be a challenge.
The Tow Tuff HD has a warranty that will last for a year, which is a huge plus, but there is no reason that the Tow Tuff trailer dolly wouldn’t last for many, many more years than that.
2. Trailer-Tug Trailer Dolly
Trailer-Tug Trailer Mover
This model comes with rubber grips and a rubber push bumper, making it easier to keep moving your trailer far safer. It’s not uncommon for trailers to bump as they’re being moved, and the bumper prevents any damage.
It’s not a particularly high trailer dolly, and it can be a little challenging to get a feel for initially, but the pros far outweigh the cons.
For one, this trailer dolly can handle 3,500 lbs of tongue weight. Given that amount of weight capacity, stability becomes very important.
Thankfully the Trailer-Tug boat dolly delivers huge stability. Unlike other models, the Trailer-Tug boat dolly locates the ball and hitch in a more centered location which adds a lot of balance and control when you need to move a big and heavy trailer.
Whenever you’re moving a lot of trailer weight, proper setup is important. The urethane caster wheels on this trailer dolly are ideal for hard surfaces, but soft ground should really be avoided or you could end up injuring yourself and damaging your boat.
Trailer-Tug Trailer Dolly Pros:
- Excellent shock absorption with the urethane wheels
- Excellent built-in braking mechanism for sudden stops
- Powder protection to prevent corrosion and rust
- Rubber push bumper
Trailer-Tug Trailer Dolly Cons
- Primarily designed for hard surfaces
Along with big-time carrying capacity, the other big plus of this design is rubber push bumper, which really helps to avoid damage to your boat, trailer, or whatever else you might be moving. Overall, this trailer dolly is just a rock-solid design and we highly recommend it if you need a reliable and sturdy option.
Here is a close look at the Trailer Tug Dolly in action:
3. Trailer Valet 5X Trailer Dolly
Trailer Valet 5X Trailer Dolly
This motorized trailer dolly is powered by a simple cordless drill connection that is super easy to use. This is one of those boat trailer dollies that really save you a tremendous amount of hassle, and can maneuver your boat into positions you could never accomplish with a vehicle.
Hitching your trailer can be a real annoyance at times, and the Trailer Valet 5X can take make it a lot easier to quickly connect and get your boat where you need it. In only a couple of minutes, you’ll be able to hitch the trailer to the boat dolly and maneuver your boat with fine-tuned movements.
Attaching your drill to this boat dolly only takes seconds, and you won’t need any help moving your trailer into tight spaces!
Buyers should know that this trailer dolly does look quite small when you first see it, but don’t be put off by that. This is a heavy duty trailer dolly, and the tongue capacity sits at 1000lb. This allows you to tow a gross trailer weight up to 10,000 lbs.
There is a patented gear mechanism to allow for either high or low speed and effortless movement. The gear can be adjusted lower or higher, and the hand-cranking system that comes with it will enable you to maneuver it into the most exacting spaces.
Trailer Valet 5X Pros:
- It comes with an automatic brake system.
- It has easy storage when you’re not using it.
- The construction allows this trailer dolly to be rust-proof
Trailer Valet 5X Cons:
- Requires installation
- It can’t be used off-road.
If you are looking to use a boat trailer dolly for effortless and precise movements over short distances, this is the perfect trailer dolly for you. You can use it for more than boats as well, with a cross-over application for campers, and utility trailers too.
Here is a helpful overview of the Trailer Valet 5X:
4. MAXXHAUL 70225 Trailer Dolly
Epiphone Hummingbird PRO Acoustic Electric
You will find this boat dolly a simple model to use if you are moving a boat or a jet-ski. With 600lb of tongue capacity, you can ensure that you are using a trailer dolly that can handle your mid-sized boat trailer or pop-up camper and perform excellently.
Pneumatic tires will require a bit of attention compared to the flat-free tires we saw in our top pick. However, you can regulate the tire pressure as you see fit depending on the load weight, which allows you the best performance of your trailer dolly.
Whether you are on grass or gravel, the MAXXHAUL will perform well. There is the option of installing aftermarket hitch balls, as this unit comes stock with a 1-⅞ ball receiver.
MAXXHAUL 70225 Trailer Dolly Pros:
- Compatible with almost all trailer brands
- Easy to handle no matter space
- Coated with anti-corrosion powder to prevent rust
MAXXHAUL 70225 Trailer Dolly Cons:
- Some reports of loose rubber handles
- The hitch ball does not adjust.
- It takes a little time to assemble
With 12” tires and a 40” handle, you get far more space to maneuver and move, and the ¾ shank with rubber handles will ensure that you prevent blisters. It’s a reliant and straightforward piece of equipment, and it’s affordable, too.
5. Giantex 600lb Heavy Duty Utility Trailer Dolly
Giantex 600lb Trailer Dolly
Giantex promotes this trailer as having a 660lb weight capacity, but we we’re somewhat skeptical of this claim. Given the thin “iron” construction and smaller 10” pneumatic tires, we wouldn’t push this trailer dolly past a tongue weight of about 300 lbs.
With that said, this trailer dolly could easily withstand the pressure of a jet ski, or a smaller camper, allowing you to move your trailer with a lot less effort than muscling your trailer around your property.
The reason it’s not so sturdy comes down to construction. With the Giantex being made with somewhat thin steel, it seems like anything near the 600 lb tongue weight would all but destroy this trailer dolly, but we didn’t find out the hard way.
Initially we had concerns about the product description of some wooden parts on this unit, which would make it far less durable than other trailer dollies on the market. Thankfully that must be a typo.
Giantex HD Trailer Dolly Pros:
- Long handle for good leverage
- Suitable for all-terrain types
- Very light
- Easy to store
Giantex HD Trailer Dolly Cons:
- Best for light use
- A lot of play in wheels
- Low design for taller users
This Giantex trailer mover is easy to assemble and put together, and the Giantex is extremely low maintenance.
Top Boat Trailer Dolly Features To Consider – A Buyers Guide
You want a safe and straightforward way to move your boat trailer, and boat trailer dollies provide that option. You need to find one that is reliable, easy to use and safe, and the benefits of boat trailer dollies are easy to see. Below, we’ve got some of the benefits of using boat trailer dollies that you may not have considered:
- Reduce The Pressure On Your Back – When you add your boat weight to the weight of a regular boat trailer, the weight becomes too much. Boat trailers are heavy units, so both together are extremely heavy to move. You can’t move them both together by hand, and you don’t need to with a boat trailer dolly. With a boat trailer dolly, especially a motorized trailer dolly, you can prevent pressure on your back and damage to your wrist, too. Most trailer dollies come with handles that make pulling such a weight much more manageable.
- Easy To Maneuver – The biggest draw of a boat trailer dolly is in the fact that it’s hard to move your boat and trailer in tight spaces. The dolly will help you to move it into any space you want, which gives you the perfect angle.
Make Life Easy. A boat trailer dolly makes your life much easier, and when you find a sturdy unit to move your boat with, you can do it yourself.
- Easy Storage Option – Some dollies can help you to save space in your home or vessel. A motorized trailer dolly means that you no longer have to worry about storage, and the choice you make will determine whether you see a difference with a dolly.
- Weight Capacity – Every single dolly offers a different weight capacity, and you need to make sure that it will support the weight on your trailer tongue. The lightest boats may look easy to move without help, but they’re not. It’s why you need a dolly that you can attach your trailer to your boat easily.
- Ball Size – It’s essential to make this whole process an easy one, and that’s why you should be checking the ball size. You need to find a unit with an adjustable hitch ball and one that will accommodate different ball sizes, too. You need to make sure that your dolly works for a wide range of applications, and for your camper as well as your boat.
- Adjustability – The height of your trailer dolly is so essential, especially if you are on the tall side. You need to find the best trailer dolly that will let you set it lower or higher in regard to the trailer. If you adjust the hitch height correctly, you can move it into a better, more natural position. You make the moving process far more comfortable when your boat trailer dolly is in the right place. The boat trailer dollies that come with a non-adjustable hitch height could be too low, which won’t make maneuverability easier. The whole idea of a boat trailer dolly is to make life easy, not harder!
- Assembly – No one wants to spend all their time putting things together. Remember, this is about an easy life, and that means that you need to find a boat trailer dolly that will be easy to assemble. Some boat trailers have removable wheels, and these are easily foldable and easy to store. Those that don’t fold take far more time to put together, and you must check the instructions from the manufacturer before you buy. This eliminates the chance of any issues!
- The Right Type – There are motorized trailer dolly choices out there and hand-operated ones, so you need to choose the right type of trailer dolly for you. A manual unit will do for a lighter trailer, but if you don’t want to risk injury, then a motorized trailer dolly would be the best option.
- Tires – Boat trailer dollies have either solid rubber or inflatable tires. These can come in a variety of sizes, and they are as important as the trailer dolly itself. The pattern and the size of the tires will impact where you move them – and allow them to move on gravel and grass far easier. You will likely have to move your trailer on gritty or hard surfaces, which is why it’s so important that you choose a trailer dolly that can do the same. The width of the tires is equally important as they have to be wide enough to support the size of the boat. The last thing you need is the tires to explode because they’re overloaded!
Before you can enjoy any benefits of using a boat trailer dolly with your boat and trailer, you need to go through some of these essential checks before you make your purchase. Hopefully our trailer dolly reviews have helped to point out some of the things that you should check before you buy a boat trailer dolly. The right boat trailer dolly will make a big difference and bring even more enjoyment to your boating experience, and give you even more time on the water!