How to move a trailer without a vehicle

6 Best Dollies to Move a Trailer Without a Vehicle

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As I walked past my RV in my drive after dropping my truck off in the garage, I wondered what I’d do if I had to move my trailer without a vehicle. So I got to work researching the different ways to move a trailer without a vehicle. 

The good news is that you can move a trailer without a vehicle. The easiest and cheapest way to move a trailer by hand is with a dolly. You can use a manual dolly but it will be hard work and the larger the trailer, the harder it will be to move. Especially if you’re moving it on grass or gravel. A motorized dolly would easily move a heavier trailer.

There are lots of different dollies out there for moving a trailer by hand, each have their own differences. I’ve found the best ones out there and detailed them below. 

Dollies That Can Move a Trailer Without a Vehicle

Trailers come in all different sizes and weights and so it’s important that you get a dolly that can handle the weight of your trailer. 

Here are some dollies to choose from to help move your trailer:

Each of the dollies listed above are slightly different, some require manual labor to move and some are electric. They also all have different weight capabilities, but there should be a dolly listed above which is capable of moving your trailer.

I love the Enduro Trailer Mover as it’s really easy to set up and use, and there’s no physical work needed to move the trailer.

We’ll delve into them in a bit more detail below.

Enduro Trailer Mover– Tows 7,800 lbs

Key Takeaways:

  • Tows single axel trailers up to 5,000 pounds and twin axle trailers up to 7,800 pounds
  • Unique three wheel design helps to move trailers more easily
  • Fully remote control – no manual labor
  • Fits any trailer

The Enduro Trailer Mover is probably my favorite one of the options listed, it’s completely different to the other dollies in that it attaches to the wheel of the trailer and moves it by spinning the wheel.

You just need to direct the Enduro with the remote control.

You only need to attach it to the trailer once and it can stay there full time, and when you need to manoeuvre it in the tight spots just whip out your remote control and hey presto – you have a perfectly parked trailer.

It can also move a sizable trailer and works with one or two axle trailers, weighing 5,000 to 7,800 respectively.

The Enduro is great if you’re moving the trailer on your own, because you can walk around and see round the trailer where if you are pulling a dolly you have a lot of blind spots where you could potentially crash.

Trailer Valet 5X – Tows 5,000 lbs

Key Takeaways:

  • Tows up to 5,000 pounds
  • Automatic Safety Brake
  • Patented drive system with high and low drive gears
  • Easy to store as it’s foldable and compact
  • Full installation kit included
  • Drill attachment accessory (not included)
  • Prices range from $550 to $600

The Trailer Valet 5X is a great sturdy dolly that can move a trailer that’s up to 5,000lbs. It really easy to attach and move by turning the crank. If you want to make it even easier then there is an accessory for a drill attachment so you don’t even need to turn the crank by hand.

You can easily move your trailer round tight spaces and into position in your garage or camping site. Or you can move the trailer to your vehicle rather than the other way round.

It can be used on an incline and on multiple surfaces. In these instances, watch out for the wheels spinning, if this happens make sure that you mount the hitch as high and as far forward as possible. Then when the wheels are rotated into position to move the trailer drop the tongue down lower to give you the most traction possible.

Trailer Valet | RVR9 – Tows 9,000lbs

Key Takeaways:

  • Tows up to 9,000 pounds
  • Fully remote control – no manual labor
  • Works on different terrains
  • Battery Powered
  • Comes in different sizes, this is the biggest one
  • 3 minute auto shut off

The Trailer Valet RVR9 is another great remote dolly, it’s self motorized and remote-controlled so you can move your trailer without a vehicle with the press of a button, you can even do it from up to 40 feet away.

The RVR can move single or dual axel trailers with its 2 or 4 planetary gear motors.

It also has heavy duty caterpillar treads allow the RVR to go over different terrains including asphalt, gravel, grass, and dirt. However you’ll need to keep an eye on how soft the ground is and how heavy your trailer is as it could just dig itself into a hole.

There’s no need for a second pair of hands to keep an eye out for blind spots as you can freely walk around whilst moving the trailer.

This is also the most expensive dolly on the list by far, so it’s worth researching thoroughly before you take the plunge.

SuperHandy Trailer Dolly – Tows 3,600 lbs

Key Takeaways:

  • Tows up to 3,600 pounds
  • Easy to Install and is collapsible 
  • Heavy Duty
  • Easy to operate
  • Can not be used on slopes more than 4 degrees

The SuperHandy Trailer Dolly makes light weight of moving trailers weighing up to 3,600 lbs. It’s really easy to attach as ball hitch can move up and down up to 2 inches.

It also has an adjustable ball attachment mechanism so it’s perfect if you have a few different trailers as this will fit them all.

This dolly is powered by a 12V battery that you control from the handles whilst maneuvering it.just make sure that you go slow and turn it gently as there are no brakes.

Tow Tuff HD Dolly – Tows 1,000 lbs

Key Takeaways:

  • Tows up to 1,000 pounds
  • Unique three wheel design helps to move trailers more easily
  • Adjustable ball height from 21” to 33”
  • Heavy duty

The Tow Tuff HD Dolly is the cheapest dolly on the list, but it can only handle trailers up to 1,000 lbs.

It’s probably a good job that it can only handle up to 1,000lbs as this dolly is fully manual, meaning that you will have to put the energy in to move the trailer.

Unlike some of the others though it will work on different surfaces like grass and gravel. It’s also daily easy to hitch your trailer to as the ball height is adjustable and it’s easy to move.

The three wheels make moving the trailer easier but you will need to have quite a bit of muscle to turn and go uphill. 

ELITEWILL Lawn Towing Hitch

If you happen to have a ride on a lawnmower you could try attaching a hitch to it and moving your trailer this way. 

It’s by far the cheapest option and might just save you hundreds of dollars, not to mention back ache and sweat.

How to Move a Trailer Without a Truck FAQ’s

Some other questions related to moving trailers without a vehicle:

How do you move a trailer without wheels?

If your trailer has no wheels then it will be harder to move, but there is a way. The Auto Dolly has a lifting capacity 10, 000 lb, and is used to move and position trailers, cars and planes without wheels. Or you can put the trailer on another trailer or lorry, this will require lifting gear to get the trailer up and onto the back of a lorry.

You will need a crane or a very heavy duty block and tackle to do the lifting.

Can I hire someone to drive my RV?

Yes, there are a growing number of services in the USA that will drive your RV or trailer for you. The prices will vary depending on the distance and service.

Long distance driving is usually a time-based service, with the itinerary adapted to your needs and budget.

This could be a great solution if like me you are not so confident towing a trailer when you have to get gas or park etc. Or, if you’re moving house and want to hire truck or trailer but are not confident driving it.

A google search of driver for hire “your location”, should give you a few companies to get some quotes from. Remember to shop around to get the best price.

How do you move a loaded trailer?

You move a loaded trailer in the same way that you move an unloaded trailer, by hitching it to a suitable vehicle. However, you will need to account for the extra weight:

RV Dry Weight + Cargo + Liquids = Total Weight

You will also need to make sure that the cargo is secured sufficiently and will not move around whilst on the road. 

The loaded trailer’s weight should not exceed the maximum weight capacity of the towing vehicle. The maximum weight capacity is there for a reason – the vehicle’s brakes have only been designed for a maximum weight. Overloading the weight is extremely dangerous and should never be done.

Dollies That Can Move a Trailer Without a Truck Recap

Final Thoughts

I hope you found this article helpful, our favorite dolly for moving a trailer without a vehicle has to be the Enduro Trailer Mover. I love the fact that it just needs to be set up once and that’s it, you can move it wherever you want with just a remote.

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