You tie down a car on a tow dolly with two over-the-wheel basket straps, one on each front tire. Autofonder's 2 in basket straps are rated 3,333 lb working load limit and 10,000 lb break strength, which covers the 3,300 to 4,250 lb range most tow dollies are rated to carry.
Key Takeaways
- A tow dolly carries the front wheels; the rear tires stay on the pavement.
- Two over-the-wheel basket straps are the minimum, one per front tire.
- 49 CFR 393.128 requires restraint at both the front and the rear.
- Basket straps rated 3,333 lb WLL out-rate any dolly's own axle limit.
- Most dollies are speed-limited to 55 mph and cannot be backed up.
What Does a Tow Dolly Strap Actually Have to Hold?
A tow dolly is not a trailer. The car's front tires sit in two steel pans, the rear tires stay on the pavement, and the dolly axle carries the front-end weight of the car. On a front-wheel-drive sedan that is roughly 55 to 65 percent of the vehicle, which is why a 3,500 lb car loads a dolly axle with about 2,000 to 2,300 lb.
The strap's job is narrower than most people assume. It does not carry the car. It holds each front tire down inside its pan and stops it walking out under braking, cornering, and bumps. Federal performance criteria at 49 CFR 393.102 expect a securement system to resist 0.8 g of deceleration forward and 0.5 g laterally, so the strap works against forces larger than the tire's own weight.
A strap that sits over the tire without tension is worse than no strap, because a loose basket lets the tire bounce and climb the pan lip.
Which Straps Work on a Tow Dolly?
The right tool is an over-the-wheel basket strap, sometimes called a bonnet or tire net. It wraps the tread, cradles the top of the tire, and hooks to the dolly frame on both sides. Autofonder's 2 pack tow dolly basket straps with flat hooks use 2 in webbing rated above 10,000 lb assembly break strength and 3,333 lb working load limit, and they fit 14 in to 17 in wheels.
| Strap type | What it does on a dolly | Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in over-the-wheel basket strap | Wraps the tire and cradles the tread | 10,000 lb break / 3,333 lb WLL | Right tool |
| 2 in x 10 ft ratchet strap, J hooks | Hooks the rim or spindle, risks wheel damage | 10,000 lb / 3,333 lb WLL | Backup only |
| 2 in x 36 in axle strap with D-rings | Wraps an axle or control arm | 10,000 lb / 3,333 lb WLL | Trailer use |
| 1 in ratchet strap | Too narrow for a car tire | 1,500 lb / 500 lb WLL | Not for cars |
A plain ratchet strap hooked to a spoke or rim lip concentrates the load on a few ounces of aluminum, and aluminum loses. If you must improvise, pair a 2 in x 10 ft car tie down strap with safety clips with an axle strap with D-rings so the webbing wraps steel instead of the wheel.
How Many Straps Do You Need to Tie Down a Car on a Tow Dolly?
Two basket straps, one per front tire, is the working minimum. Regulation 49 CFR 393.128 requires automobiles and light trucks under 10,000 lb to be restrained at both the front and the rear with at least two tiedowns, and over-the-wheel tiedowns must restrain the vehicle laterally, longitudinally, and vertically.
The strength test under 49 CFR 393.106(d) needs an aggregate working load limit of at least half the weight being restrained. Two Autofonder basket straps carry 6,666 lb of marked WLL between them. How much of that counts depends on routing: a strap that crosses the tire and hooks back to the same side of the dolly frame counts at half its rating, giving 3,333 lb of aggregate capacity and covering a 6,666 lb vehicle. A strap that crosses to the opposite frame rail counts at full value, giving 6,666 lb. Roadside inspectors judge the same routing rules against the CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria.
Either number clears the requirement, because the dolly is the real limit. Most consumer and rental dollies are rated 3,300 lb to 4,250 lb for the towed vehicle, so a 3,333 lb basket strap set is never the weak link. If you want the full trailer version of this arithmetic, it is in how many tie down straps a vehicle actually needs.
How Do You Install Basket Straps to Tie Down a Car on a Tow Dolly?
Work in this order, and do not skip the last step.
- Drive the car forward until both front tires seat fully in the pans, then chock the rear tires.
- Drape the basket strap over the tire so the webbing crosses the top of the tread, not the sidewall.
- Hook both flat hooks to the dolly frame on opposite sides of the tire, seating each hook fully in its slot.
- Thread the free end through the ratchet and pump until the tire stops rocking. The webbing should compress the sidewall slightly, not crush it.
- Recheck at 5 miles, then every 50 miles. New tires settle, and a hot highway run stretches fresh webbing.
Never hook a flat hook over a rounded bar. A hook resting on a curve can lift off under load, which is the single most common tow dolly strap failure.
Can You Tow a Rear-Wheel-Drive Car on a Tow Dolly?
Usually not without modification. On a rear-wheel-drive car the driven wheels are the ones left on the ground, and the driveshaft stays connected, so the transmission keeps turning with no engine load. Extended towing in that state cooks an automatic transmission.
If you must dolly-tow a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the driveshaft has to be removed or disconnected, which is a shop job. All-wheel-drive vehicles carry the same problem on both axles, and most manufacturers do not approve dolly towing for them at all. Full-wheel lifts and flatbed trailers exist for exactly this case.
Front-wheel-drive cars are the natural fit, because the driven wheels ride on the dolly and the free-rolling rear wheels follow on the pavement.
What Speed Can You Tow With a Tow Dolly?
Plan on 55 mph or less. Rental dolly documentation caps recommended towing speed at 55 mph, and the same figure appears in most manufacturer manuals regardless of who owns the dolly. Above that, trailer sway builds faster than a dolly's small tires can dampen.
Three more limits matter as much as speed. The tow vehicle should weigh at least 750 lb more than the car on the dolly, the hitch needs a 2 in ball on a receiver rated for at least 3,500 lb of weight-carrying load, and a dolly pivots at both the coupler and the car platform, so it cannot be backed up once loaded.
Bottom Line: How Do You Tie Down a Car on a Tow Dolly?
Use two 2 in over-the-wheel basket straps, one per front tire, each rated at least 3,333 lb working load limit and 10,000 lb break strength under the WSTDA T-1 3:1 design factor. Seat the tires, cross the webbing over the tread, hook both flat hooks to the frame, and pump the ratchets until the tires stop rocking. Then recheck at 5 miles and every 50. For a full trailer or a flatbed, the same WLL math applies with wheel tie down straps from the ratchet tie downs range, and if you also launch a boat, the self-storing versions are covered in which retractable tie down straps fit a boat trailer transom.
FAQ
How tight should tow dolly straps be?
Tight enough that the tire cannot rock when you push on the fender, and no tighter. Pump the ratchet until the webbing stops feeding, then stop. Over-tightening compresses the sidewall, distorts the tire's contact patch, and can damage a low-profile tire or an aluminum wheel on a long run.
Do you need straps on the rear tires of a tow dolly?
No. The rear tires stay on the pavement and steer with the tow vehicle, so there is nothing to strap them to. Federal guidance at 49 CFR 393.128 still expects restraint at both the front and the rear of the vehicle, and on a dolly the rear restraint comes from the tow bar connection, not from webbing.
Can you use regular ratchet straps on a tow dolly?
Only as an emergency substitute, and never directly to a wheel. A 2 in ratchet strap has the right rating at 3,333 lb working load limit, but a J hook on a rim lip concentrates load on soft aluminum. Pair the ratchet strap with an axle strap wrapped around a suspension member instead.
How often should you check tow dolly straps on a long trip?
At 5 miles, then every 50 miles, which matches the inspection interval printed in rental dolly manuals. Fresh webbing stretches the most in the first hour, and a strap that was correct at the ramp can lose half its tension by the first fuel stop. Re-tension, then check the hooks are still seated.
What size tires do tow dolly basket straps fit?
Autofonder's basket straps fit 14 in to 17 in wheels, which covers most sedans, hatchbacks, and small crossovers. Measure the tire's outside diameter before you buy, because a basket sized for a 26 in tire cannot close properly around a 30 in all-terrain tire, and an oversized basket lets the tire walk.