Trailer Valet XL Trailer Dolly with Chain Drive - 2" Hitch Ball - 10,000 lbs

I’m 72 and this item is a winner. Tested on 6’ utility trailer. Easy rolling. Wheels only spun trying to turn sharp. Went to the 16’ enclosed trailer. Left the trailer jack wheel close to the ground, just in case? Easier than I had expected.1553364

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by: Tom02/06/2024

When I purchased this product, it had mixed reviews, some liked and some not. After owning it, I can say that both sides of the reviews are accurate, and it just depends on the situation you have. You really need to know what you are getting into with this product.

First off, the unit is very solidly constructed. Nothing is flimsy, and it's a heavy thing to lug around.

The key thing to understand is how it attaches to the trailer. It has a ball, and has wheels mounted below the ball on a fairly narrow base. This is significant, because this means the unit is *NOT* stable by just locking the hitch onto the ball. To think about this, imagine you have just a plain hitch ball not attached to a drawbar. If you put that into your hitch, the hitch grabs the ball and the threaded shaft sticks out. You can grab that shaft and move it around.....like a joystick. The same thing happens when you attach this product, except you have the entire tongue weight of the trailer trying to push the dolly to the side. To stop that, there is a locking collar that pushes a plate up against the bottom of the trailer hitch, preventing this joystick behavior. You must keep that locking collar tight during the entire time when using this product (it tends to loosen if you are changing directions a lot). If it gets loose, the dolly slips to the side, and the hitch can be easily damaged.

My specific use is pushing a 2,500lb tent trailer up a 3% sloped paved driveway, avoiding some poles, into a very exact spot (within inches). It does this job well as long as the collar stays tight.

Know that the crank arm is low to the ground, so after a few minutes your back will not be happy. The tires are firm rubber, so they need to be on a paved surface.....I doubt this would work on dirt. The unit is heavy, so it can be carried but it's not easy. Each turn of the crank does not move the trailer much, so you need time if you are having to go far, like around a house.

The product works great for my use.1721425

by: Fred 10/27/2022

This trailer dolly is great! We use it at the end of every trip. It allows me to position our 3000lb camper in a tight space beside the external garage. The maneuverability and brakes are amazing and safe.1457805

Fred

10/28/2023

Its working well. I found its best to reread the manual each time.

Mike L.

11/14/2023

@Fred We're glad to hear it's still working well. Here's a link to the owner's manual in case you misplace your copy....

Helpful Links

instructions.aspx?pn=tvxl2

I have an awkward parking situation. The narrow alleyway behind my home is a dead end. Barely room to maneuver my 14’ cargo trailer and even more of a challenge with our new 26’ travel trailer. Last year I removed all of the broken concrete and put down crushed rock and compacted really tight so it’s almost like concrete. I read just about every review out there on this unit and was worried with my surface. It’s pretty flat but not perfect so I went ahead and purchased the Trailer Dolly XL. In order for me to fit my trailer it has to be parallel to the alley and fence. I was pretty surprised at just how well this unit worked. I was able to maneuver the trailer into place, not without a challenge but what is a little challenge in life right?! The unit works amazingly well for my situation and yes it can dig holes, it is a challenge but thinking through the process and using wood and maybe even a little helpful push and it will do the job. Definitely a challenge but it works exactly as it is designed and I am happy I purchased this unit. If your on the fence I can recommend this unit and if you have a challenging area like mine it will take some brain power to make it work but it does what it is supposed to do and fairly easy to use with a drill motor which is the only way I have used it so far. Also the coupler needs to be tight as possible with this kind of weight. Others that have listed negatives I can see the complaints and it takes some brain power to overcome the challenges so if your that person I believe it can work for you!651118

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I didn't have high hopes for this (maybe that's more because I've been burned by too many products in the past), but WOW! It works!

About my trailer: it's 20' long, ~3100# but is heavy on the tongue (600#)

My trailer is stored at a storage facility between two much larger RVs and a post that's attracted to trailers. Without a lot of room to maneuver, I've always dreaded the return trip when it's time to tuck the trailer back into its home.

Yesterday I returned and one of the RVs was gone, but rather than celebrate - I decided to try the Trailer Valet to see how it works. I thought if something went haywire, at least i would only damage one other RV.

My concern with the Trailer Valet XL vs the other systems I looked at was its braking ability. I have to climb a small hill (1 - 2 degrees) into my slot, and my worst fear was a run-away trailer - so I placed my wife on 'Full Chock Alert' and hooked it up.

I turned the crank, it moved. I turned the crank and moved the handle and it shifted directions. Over the course of about 10 minutes I moved it about 40 feet; up a hill and between the lines. My wife was so impressed that I rolled the trailer into it's spot using just my arms she brought me some water and offered to take me to lunch. I'm not going to tell her she could probably do it too. :)

The secret is making sure it is TIGHT to the coupler. Use the wrench to tighten it, tighten it some more, and then one more time. When you hit your knuckles you're getting there.

Highly recommended and I'm just sorry I didn't know about this years ago.420192

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by: Dan07/17/2023

When using on a ball hitch it is terrible. I have a 18’ fiberglass boat that is heavy and the unit does not move it well, tire slips on one side, even with the unit properly tightened to the hitch it will have a tendency to bend the lip of the trailer receiver. I’ve gone through 2 receivers now and each one eventually bends due to the inadequate design of the mounting plate. The unit is a waste of $$ for a ball hitch. I wish I had ordered the design that mounts to the tongue frame of the trailer, it appears to be more stable.1625028

Katrina D.

8/4/2023

It seems that we do not carry any dolly's with this weight capacity and ball size that you can mount to your trailer tongue.

by: Tyler12/17/2022

etrailer had a great price and fast shipping

I had high hopes for this product and honestly this is the biggest waste of money I have ever encountered. I find it difficult to use and even with help and videos it took me too long to figure out how to use it. The hardest part is how unstable it is while you have to hold it up at the right angle while you lower the trailer onto it. Its far to heavy to lift into the ball and latch, tried and failed at that. I bought this to try and prevent back injuries instead of just using a dolly with the ball. Using it you are hunched over cranking 100,000,000 times to move it, or if you use a drill, be careful you dont lower the brake handle just slightly so it locks up and the drill nearly breaks your wrist with all the torque suddenly stopping. Honestly it moved my 3,000lb boat easier than a 900lb trailer, unless you need to turn at all, good luck with that. I have rarely seen a product that seemed so well engineered be so cumbersome to use and disappoint. Im not sure if I should sell it and have someone else mad they spent money on this or give it away so it sits gathering dust in the corner of shame.1486238

Katrina B.

12/27/2022

I am sorry to hear that this is not working for your application. Our customer service department will be getting in touch with you about a return label.

Within 5 minutes of unboxing my new Trailer Valet XL, I moved my Aliner Camper from out of a very narrow carport, 30 feet down a slight sloped driveway and then back in the carport. There was no installation and the instructions were very easy to follow. I had no problems moving and maneuvering the trailer with the hand crank, much easier than I had thought it would be. We will be camping this week end and would hope to update this review after our trip. The XL is a great product and very well made.562244

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The Trailer Valet worked great! I needed the Trailer Valet to move my boat into the corner of the garage...worked like a charm!1686273

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by: William01/10/2023

Tried everything to try and make the trailer valet xl work. I tried communicating with the company representative but ran into dead ends. etrailer tried to help but they didn’t manufacture the unit. This was supposed to move up to 10k pounds but not even close. Every time a boat and trailer was tried to be moved on flat concrete the torque would just pull the unit up under the trailer or just pull out of the trailer tongue. I was able to move one boat , it weighed 1500, far from the advertised weight. I now just takes up space1497118

Jenny N.

1/18/2023

I am sorry to hear that the Valet is not working for your needs. I see from the notes that Trailer Valet was supposed to reach out to you and I wanted to see if they did.

by: Larry08/08/2022

I often times try to economize, figured I paid quite a bit for the trailer valet. OMG, one of my best purchases ever. This thing lets me safely and relatively easily put my rather large RV trailer into the garage single handedly. Way better than with a spotter and pushing with the tow vehicle. Wish I had purchased one sooner. I really love how well it works and the quality of the unit is superb.1359192

Larry

8/8/2023

I can slip my camper into its’s garage bay with 3 inches on each side. It is relatively easy, and I am near 70 years old I really like my trailer valet

Works great. Small easy and mechanical so Less to break. Does everything I need.1536158

Kevin M.

3/16/2024

Perfect. No issues. Makes putting my Boat in my small garage easy.

by: William11/25/2023

I have to say I'm a little dissatisfied. Seems the more I tighten the thing that hooks over the ball, the worse it attaches and continually becomes unhooked. Then the boat trailer crashes to the ground, need to keep feet away. Sort of frustrating.1695908

I was torn on wether or not to give this item a 5 star or 3 star review...So I opted for 4.
One point to make to prospective buyers- watch the ETRAILER video in it's entirety- the last 2 minutes go in depth on the proper procedure for attaching the dolly to your trailer. For additional reference, I'm moving a 6x10 enclosed trailer with 1000lbs of equipment always on board (2300lbs total...ish)
The best way for me to go about this is a PROS/CONS list.

PROS:
-works exactly as described
-best option for its price point
-entire unit is serviceable
-makes VERY quick work of maneuvering on pavement.
-very well built.

CONS:
-unit is very heavy (50 lbs)
-gravel performance is...ok (this may be because I don't have enough weight on the tongue, wheels break free often...chewing up my 3/8 gravel driveway)
-price seems high for what the unit is
-braking mechanism is a bit grabby, often grinds gears if not careful to pull up constantly on the tiller. Makes operation a little awkward.
-attachment to trailer is a little awkward, disconnect is even more awkward.
-unit should be at least 4" taller overall. I'm only 5'9" and it's a bit uncomfortable bending over while operating, with or without a drill. I don't see how this addition in height could really hurt their bottom line, and it wouldn't make storage an issue. It would be MUCH more comfortable to use. The Pro-XL model is a VERY comfortable height.

I'd venture to guess they could shave a bunch of money off their production cost by creating a mechanism to accept off the shelf balls, rather than use their beautifully machined ball. I recognize it's part of their system, but they really need to knock down the cost. $800 feels like a lot for a tool I use once a week, and I spend more time setting it up and taking it down than I do using it for maneuvering. I'd be very pleased if it was $500.
All that said, I still recommend this tool. It is a game changer. Just needs a little more tweaking, but it's still very good.619268

Adam

4/9/2020

This product is a real back saver, even with the bent over user position. I dont regret buying it. If I had more weight on the tongue, I think traction would improve its practically useless with my 16ft boat but I used it on my dump trailer, and the added weight only seemed to improve its performance. This is a great tool.

by: Paul06/01/2022

I am disappointed by the trailer valet XL dolly. It probably works on a very smooth surface, but on my concrete driveway it simply doesn't. Even though my driveway is level, the dolly keeps sliding and I cannot move my boat, even though it is "only" around 6,000 pounds. Unfortunately, the dolly has no use for me.1307445

Sierra K.

6/6/2022

Adding some weight to your tongue weight is recommended. If your trailer is too light, the trailer dolly wont work properly. Does your drive way have an incline?

Paolo

6/7/2022

Thanks for the follow up and for reading my review. You guys sure do have good customer service. My driveway is completely level, yes, and the surface is concrete and should be very “grippy”. My sense actually was that the trailer may be too heavy rather than the tongue weight being too light. Maybe I was wrong. It’s a boat trailer and the weight distribution is not something I can manipulate a lot, unfortunately. Next time I will try adding some weight to the tongue somehow and then see what it does.

by: Angelo10/04/2022

It works, but not without a lot of effort. Our trailer is light (1,500 lbs) and is on a very slight grade. It takes two people to move it safely. Surface is pavers. Wheels don't grip well at all. Softer, better gripping tires would be better. Would not recommend for use on any grade.1437265

by: Dwight08/23/2022

This thing is a joke!! I have a lot of different trailers small to large and this only worked on a 2500 lb or lighter trailer and struggled if it was dual axle. Absolute Trash and will never buy another again. E trailer is a great site , the trailer Valet is garbage. IF you want to try one just search online for someone mad selling it for nothing1371366

by: Andrew06/24/2023

I bought this to move a boat around that is roughly 3000 lbs. This did not work on any surface, from concrete to gravel. Because I tried it I could not return it when it didn't work. Overall a bad product and terrible customer service from etrailer.1608252

Works as advertised. Without this product trying to get my boat in a very specific place in my garage was very difficult and physically too much. I bought a 3/8 right angle drill attachment to utilize the drill adapter but the crank handle was so easy I just used the handle. I am on pavement and not much downward slope in driveway. Very cool.782852

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by: Gary02/15/2022

It just didn't work right for me. The wheel would spin but not move the trailer much. I also couldn't seem to get the valet to stay upright as it simply wanted to wander out from under the trailer rather than move it. It was a waste of money for me. My trailer is only 3200 lbs.1262884

Jenny N.

2/23/2022

I wanted to reach out to you in regards to your review on the trailer valet. When you were moving the trailer were you on a flat surface like pavement or was it on gravel or dirt? Was there an incline or a decline at all? I know that this may seem like a basic question however what size ball does your trailer coupler use?

Gary

2/23/2022

I used it a couple times. Once it was wet concrete and the other on dirtgrass. Terrain was flat. The hitch is 2”. It seemed like there wasn’t enough weight on the tongue. The wheel just spun and the device was running out from underneath the hitch. I had tightened it up as far as I could.

Jenny N.

2/23/2022

I did hear back from the manufacturer about the Valet. The tongue weight of the trailer does factor into the use of it. The typical load that this Valet handles is 1000 pounds and to allow it to work better for you, you would need to add weight to the tongue weight of the trailer. A Valet option that would be more suited for your trailer would be part # STC-V211 which has a capacity of 5000 lbs and 500 lbs of tongue weight.

by: Sean11/25/2023

used it a few months and could not believe how bad it was. Doubt I will ever use it again1695937

by: William06/23/2021

I read and even called a local vendor, i got the heavy duty one, it just does not work on grass or dirt at all it twists around and even did not work well with my light cement mixer, i should have gotten a better 4 wheel mover. used 2 different heavy duty 1/2 inch drills.1072976

Heather A.

6/27/2021

Thank you for your review. The trailer dolly works best of even pavement. It will work on grass if the ground is even and not wet at all.

by: Robert10/10/2022

The Trailer Valet Trailer Valet XL Trailer Dolly works well but has a couple of drawbacks.

Pros:
• Moves a 2500 lb. trailer with ease on a level surface or gentle incline.
• A power drill moves the trailer, using the low gear, at a low walking speed. It would be impossible for a reasonably strong man to move this trailer at all.

Cons:
• When using an electric drill to move the trailer, you must make sure that the brake lever is kept fully raised. If you let the lever drop, the brake will engage and the drill will spin out of your hand, twisting your wrist.
• Even with the collar fully tightened with the supplied wrench, if the trailer speeds up(coming off a bump) or slows down suddenly (applying the brake), the ball tries to cam itself out of the hitch. It hasn’t done any apparent damage, but it makes me nervous.
• If you try to power the trailer up a moderate grade, like the apron of a garage entrance, the drive wheels will slip. I defeat this problem by approaching the apron at an angle so only one wheel goes over the rise at a time.

Despite the cons, this is the only way for me to get my trailer into the shed, so I am glad to have it. I wish Trailer Valet would make their drive wheels more “grippy” somehow and use a larger locking plate over the locking collar.1445964

by: Randall01/11/2023

If a buyer will be using this exclusively on a paved/concrete surface, there is minimal slope to that surface, and the user is not tall, this would likely be a very functional trailer mover. For a tall user to move a trailer or trailers often or far, usage is a serious pain in the back. Also, much actual maneuvering of trailers with this device is tricky at best.1497613

by: Matthew04/04/2022

Works great to move a 18 foot ice castle and 20 foot fiberglass boat!1281902

Matthew

4/5/2023

Still working great one year later!