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How we researched this guide
We compared 9 wheel dolly candidates — platform skate sets, self-loading dollies and hydraulic positioning jacks — and kept 5 against 14 manufacturer and retail sources: four Amazon listings read by their listing codes, a Zendex GoJak dealer page and spec block, a Merrick Machine dealer page and the Merrick catalog, the Sunex maker line, and two independent review pages. Four of the five picks carry verified listing codes; the dealer-only pick is flagged and paired with a verified alternative instead of a guessed link. See the wheel dolly archive and the garage and workshop equipment archive for related coverage.
We also reviewed 7 owner sources: two GarageJournal threads (small-garage dollies, dollies on epoxy floors), a Grassroots Motorsports thread, Harbor Freight owner reviews for the two Daytona dollies, Target owner reviews for the GarveeTech 2-piece set, and a garage-storage page on dolly hangers. Where an owner record ran thin, we say so plainly. Research completed October 24, 2026.
The 30-second answer
The VEVOR 6,000-lb set of 4 is the pick for most storage jobs: 1,500 lb per dolly, locking casters and a carry handle, at a working set capacity that covers sedans through most SUVs. The GoJak G6313 pair is the self-loading answer when no floor jack is handy, the TUFFIOM mechanical set is the maintenance-free pick, and the GarveeTech hydraulic set is the low-effort lifter. The Merrick Machine Auto Dolly is the collector-car shop staple, but it sells through dealers only — its card carries a verified fallback instead of a guessed link. (The GoJak code is mirror-sourced — confirm it in a live browser.)
Best overall
VEVOR Car Wheel Dolly, 6,000 lbs, Set of 4
The storage-workhorse platform set: 1,500 lb per dolly for a 6,000-lb set capacity, no-slip diamond tread, 3-inch universal casters with two brakes per dolly, and a carry handle for hanging the set on the garage wall. Covers cars, trucks, trailers and project vehicles in one purchase.
The no-jack dolly: pump the built-in handle and the dolly lifts the tire itself. Rated 1,575 lb per dolly with 13-inch tire capacity, ANSI-certified nylon casters and a 7-year limited warranty. (ASIN from an Amazon-mirror record — confirm in a live browser.)
TUFFIOM Car Wheel Dolly Jack, Set of 4, Mechanical
The ratcheting pick: a mechanical foot-pedal jack with no hydraulics to service, 1,500 lb per dolly, 12-inch tire width and 360-degree ball-bearing casters — plus a 12-month warranty on record. The maintenance-free answer for dollies that live under a stored car all winter.
The low-effort lifter: a hydraulic pump and foot pedal raise the tire with minimal effort, 1,500 lb per dolly and 12-inch tire width. The pick for heavier SUVs and for anyone who wants the lift to do the work.
Merrick Machine Auto Dolly, Standard 12 in, Set of 4
The collector-car staple: the tire-between-rollers original from Merrick Machine Co., sold in 8, 12 and 16-inch widths, with a heavy-duty variant rated 2,500 lb per dolly. Sold through dealers — no Amazon listing surfaced this session, so we print no code.
No verified Amazon link for the Merrick this week. We will not print a code we could not verify — see the dealer pages (Merrick Machine Co., theautodolly.com) before buying. The verified platform-set fallback in this guide is the VEVOR 6,000-lb set:
A wheel dolly turns a parked car into a rolling cart, but only if the capacity, tire fit and floor all agree. Buy these six checks before you buy the dollies — most storage regrets trace to one of them.
Size the capacity to the vehicle, then add margin
Four dollies share the vehicle, so each dolly carries roughly a quarter of the weight — 1,500 lb per dolly is a 6,000-lb set ceiling. A 4,200-lb sedan sits comfortably under that; a 5,800-lb truck leaves almost no margin once fuel, tools and a full tank are counted. The garagejournal threads are full of owners running close to the limit on project cars — do the quarter-weight math with your vehicle loaded, and step up to the heavy-duty class (like the Merrick heavy-duty line at 2,500 lb per dolly) when the margin shrinks below a quarter of the rating.
Platform skates vs self-loading dollies
Platform skates (the VEVOR style) are cradles: you lift the tire with a floor jack and set the wheel down onto the dolly. Self-loading dollies (GoJak, TUFFIOM, GarveeTech) carry their own jack — pump the handle and the dolly raises the tire itself. Skates are simpler and cheaper; self-loaders are faster when you shuffle cars often or have no jack. For winter storage where the car sits for months, either works — the decision is about the ten minutes of loading, not the ten weeks of sitting.
Caster size and your actual floor
Dollies roll on casters, and casters negotiate your floor, not the showroom one. Owners on garagejournal report two real problems: expansion joints that swallow small casters, and epoxy coatings that make 16 unaligned caster wheels fight each other until you point them all the same direction before lifting. Smooth, sealed concrete is the best case; a sloped slab needs the dolly brakes set every time. Bigger, polyurethane casters (like the 3.91-inch wheels on the Daytona self-loaders) roll easier over rough floors than small hard-plastic ones.
Measure your tire width before ordering
Every dolly in this guide names a maximum tire width — 12 inches for the VEVOR, TUFFIOM and GarveeTech, 13 inches for the GoJak pair. A tire wider than the cradle does not sit down into the rollers and can walk off the dolly under load. Most passenger-car and crossover tires fit easily; wide truck and off-road rubber needs a tape measure before checkout. The Merrick line exists partly for this reason — 8, 12 and 16-inch widths for narrow vintage tires up to modern wide rubber.
Brakes and locks are a storage requirement
A dolly that rolls is a dolly that can wander. Every set here either ships locking casters (VEVOR: two brakes per dolly) or a lockable jack position — set them every time the car parks, especially on a sloped slab, where one garagejournal owner watched his car drift with the brake off. For long-term storage, brakes on plus wheel chocks on at least two dollies is the belt-and-suspenders standard.
Plan where the dollies sleep
Four dollies take real garage space when the car is not on them. The VEVOR and TUFFIOM sets ship carry handles that double as wall-hanging points, and one garage owner built simple wall hooks for a moving dolly so it hangs flat instead of eating floor space. Sunex even sells a dedicated wheel dolly rack (part 7709). If your garage is the reason you are buying dollies, do not buy dollies that become the clutter.
Wheel dollies for storage by budget
Tier
What you get
Example pick
Value
Set of 4 platform skates, 1,500 lb per dolly, brakes included
VEVOR 6,000-lb set
Workshop standard
Ratcheting self-loaders, no hydraulics, warranty on record
TUFFIOM mechanical set
Self-loading
No-jack lifting, 13 in tire capacity, 7-year warranty
GoJak G6313 pair
Low-effort hydraulic
Hydraulic pump lift, minimal pedal effort
GarveeTech hydraulic set
Shop staple
The collector-car roller-cradle original, dealer sold
Merrick Machine Auto Dolly
Types of wheel dollies
Type
Pros
Cons
Best for
Platform skate
Simple cradle, no mechanisms to service; cheapest per set
Needs a floor jack to load; tire must fit the platform
Budget storage setups
Self-loading mechanical
No jack needed; ratcheting, maintenance free
More parts than a skate; pedal effort on heavy tires
Tire sits between rollers; any-direction roll; wide width range
Dealer distribution; premium pricing class
Collector cars, restoration shops
Detailed reviews: 5 wheel dollies for storage
Five dollies, one job: making a stored vehicle movable by one person. Each pick below is reviewed against its own spec sheet and what owners actually report — with the gaps stated plainly where the paperwork runs out.
Best overall: VEVOR Car Wheel Dolly, 6,000 lbs, Set of 4
Best overall
Why the VEVOR set is our pick
Four platform skates at 1,500 lb per dolly give a 6,000-lb set ceiling — sedans through most SUVs — and two brakes per dolly plus the diamond-tread platform keep a stored car parked. Straight four-pack, brakes on every unit, verified listing code: the honest default when the job is “slide the car sideways for the winter.”
VEVOR 6,000-lb set key specs
Type: platform skate set, 4 dollies
ASIN: B0C69GSTX2 — verified directly on the Amazon listing
Capacity: 1,500 lb per dolly / 6,000 lb set
Platform: steel, no-slip diamond tread
Casters: 3 in universal ball-bearing, 360-degree swivel
Brakes: 2 locking casters per dolly (foot brake)
Tire width: up to 12 in
Handle: carry handle — doubles as a wall-hanging point
Sedans, coupes, crossovers and most SUVs up to a 6,000-lb set total — winter-storage shuffling, project-car holding, and two-car garages that need to become three-car garages for the season. Loading is skate-style: lift the tire with a floor jack, set it on the dolly, lock the brakes. One owner review reports moving an SUV solo in under ten minutes.
VEVOR set: pros and watch-outs
Listing code verified directly on Amazon
6,000-lb set capacity with real per-dolly margin
Two brakes per dolly — a storage requirement, not a luxury
Carry handle makes the set hangable when not in use
Skate-style: needs a floor jack to load
3 in casters are small for cracked or jointed floors
No published warranty
Tire width tops out at 12 in
VEVOR set: what owners report
An independent review reports one person repositioning an SUV on the set — goods.observer. A second review page notes the alloy-steel build and the 12-inch tire ceiling — ozziechoicereviews.au. garagejournal owners warn that small casters fight expansion joints and sloped slabs need the brakes set — garagejournal.com.
VEVOR set: who should not buy
If your tires are wider than 12 inches, the GoJak G6313 takes 13-inch tires. If you have no floor jack, any self-loader here loads without one. And if your garage is a restoration shop where dollies earn their keep daily, see the Merrick Auto Dolly note.
VEVOR set: pair it with
A floor jack for loading, wheel chocks for the parked position, and a car cover if the stored vehicle sits near the garage door. Trailer owners moving a dead car onto the deck should see our car trailer winch guide.
Point every caster the same direction before you set the tire down — a garagejournal GoJak owner learned that sixteen unaligned wheels fight each other. Storage habits: our winch maintenance checklist.
Best self-loading: Zendex GoJak G6313 Wheel Dolly Pair
Best self-loading
Why the GoJak G6313 is our pick
The GoJak is the original no-jack dolly: roll it under the tire, pump the built-in handle and the dolly lifts the wheel itself. At 1,575 lb per dolly with 13-inch tire capacity, it is the pick for dead project cars in tight spaces, and the 7-year limited warranty is the longest coverage in this guide. The ASIN is mirror-sourced — confirm it in a live browser before checkout.
ASIN: B00M0VPS0E — mirror-sourced, confirm in a live browser
Capacity: 1,575 lb per dolly
Max tire tread: 13 in — widest in this guide
Casters: (2) 4 in + (2) 5 in nylon, ANSI ICWM 2012 certified
Weight: 48 lb per dolly
Dimensions: 25.5 x 26.125 x 8.125 in
Action: built-in pump handle lifts the tire — no floor jack
Warranty: GoJak 7-year limited (factory defects)
Sold as: pair — buy two pairs for a full vehicle
GoJak G6313: fits and best for
Non-running project cars and garages with no floor jack. The 13-inch tire capacity also suits wide truck rubber the 12-inch sets cannot take — the category reference shops buy by the case.
GoJak G6313: pros and watch-outs
No floor jack needed — self-loading by design
13 in tire capacity, widest here
7-year limited warranty, longest on record
ANSI-certified nylon casters
ASIN from a mirror record — needs live confirmation
Sold as a pair, not a set of 4
48 lb per dolly — the heaviest single unit here
Epoxy floors need caster alignment before lifting
GoJak G6313: what owners report
A garagejournal GoJak owner reports they are no picnic on epoxy: with 16 caster wheels, at least half must point the same direction, so align the casters BEFORE jacking the dolly — garagejournal.com. The Harbor Freight Daytona self-loader page shows the category pattern: owners call the no-jack workflow the point and praise larger casters on rough concrete — harborfreight.com. Speedway Motors lists the G6313 pair as a stocked shop item — speedwaymotors.com.
GoJak G6313: who should not buy
If you need four dollies today at the lowest cost, the VEVOR set is the value answer. If you want hydraulic effort instead of pump-handle effort, see the GarveeTech. Wide-tire trucks beyond 13 inches need commercial gear.
GoJak G6313: pair it with
Wheel chocks and a tire-pressure gauge — stored tires lose air over the winter and low tires sit deeper in the cradle. Heavy-truck context: our truck winch roundup.
Before the first pump, kick every caster so it points the way you will push — the epoxy-floor trick from the owner threads. Jack context: our pickup truck winch guide.
Best mechanical: TUFFIOM Car Wheel Dolly Jack, Set of 4
Best mechanical
Why the TUFFIOM set is our pick
Hydraulics are wonderful until they weep over winter. The TUFFIOM set is the ratcheting alternative: a mechanical foot-pedal jack lifts 1,500 lb per dolly with no oil, no seals and nothing to service during the months a stored car sits. The listing names the details that matter — 12-inch tire width, 360-degree ball-bearing casters, twin aluminum rollers — and backs it with a 12-month warranty. The listing code is verified directly.
TUFFIOM mechanical set key specs
Type: self-loading dolly, mechanical ratcheting jack, set of 4
ASIN: B0C9919RVG — verified directly on the Amazon listing
Capacity: 1,500 lb per dolly
Action: foot-pedal ratchet — no hydraulics, maintenance free
Max tire width: 12 in
Casters: 4 in ball-bearing, 360-degree swivel
Rollers: twin aluminum, secure the tire
Handle: carry handle for transport and hanging
Set dimensions: 35 x 24.5 x 9 in
Set weight: 138.5 lb
Warranty: 12 months
TUFFIOM set: fits and best for
Owners who want dollies that need nothing all winter — no hydraulic oil checks, no seals, no weeping. The mechanical ratchet is also the right answer for unheated storage units where cold thickens hydraulic fluid. Assembly is nil: the listing notes the set arrives ready to use.
TUFFIOM set: pros and watch-outs
Listing code verified directly on Amazon
No hydraulics — nothing to service in storage
12-month warranty on record
Ready to use, no assembly
Ratchet needs more pedal effort than a hydraulic pump
12 in tire width — same ceiling as the budget set
138.5 lb set — the heaviest full set here
No direct owner threads this session
TUFFIOM set: what owners report
Dedicated owner threads for the TUFFIOM did not surface this session — the strongest record is the listing itself plus an independent product page carrying the same listing code — bestreviews.guide. We state that plainly rather than inventing consensus. For mechanical-dolly behavior, the grassrootsmotorsports thread shows the category working: one owner spins a Corvair 360 degrees inside a closed garage on non-jacking dollies — grassrootsmotorsports.com.
TUFFIOM set: who should not buy
If low pedal effort matters more than zero maintenance, the GarveeTech hydraulic set lifts easier. If you need 13-inch tire width, the GoJak G6313 is the step up.
TUFFIOM set: pair it with
White lithium grease for the caster swivels once a season — the one maintenance a mechanical dolly does want. Seasonal-vehicle context: our winch maintenance checklist.
Ratchet the pedal in smooth strokes — stabbing it skips the pawl and the tire drops back down. Truck context: our Tacoma winch guide.
Best hydraulic: GarveeTech Hydraulic Car Wheel Dolly, Set of 4
Best hydraulic
Why the GarveeTech set is our pick
The hydraulic answer for heavier rigs: a pump jack and foot pedal lift 1,500-lb-rated dollies with far less effort than a ratchet, and 12-inch tire width covers most SUV and light-truck rubber. Hydraulics trade a little maintenance (occasional oil checks) for a lot of ease — the right trade when the vehicle is heavy, the owner is one person, or both. The listing code is verified directly.
GarveeTech hydraulic set key specs
Type: self-loading dolly, hydraulic pump jack, set of 4
ASIN: B0G1BZHLXY — verified directly on the Amazon listing
Capacity: 1,500 lb per dolly
Action: hydraulic pump handle + foot pedal
Max tire width: 12 in
Rollers: heavy-duty, with twin-roller tire support
Also sold as: set of 2 (same family)
Lifting effort: minimal — hydraulics do the work
Maintenance: occasional hydraulic oil checks
Build: heavier and bulkier than mechanical sets
Warranty: not published
GarveeTech set: fits and best for
Heavier SUVs, light trucks and anyone who wants the lift to do the work — one-person storage shuffling where a ratcheting pedal would be a workout. Owner reviews of the 2-piece version in the same family describe moving an RV into tight storage and repositioning a pickup in a tight garage, with the hydraulic jack working smoothly in both cases.
GarveeTech set: pros and watch-outs
Listing code verified directly on Amazon
Least pedal effort of any pick here
Owner reviews praise the smooth hydraulic action
Set of 2 also exists for two-wheel jobs
Hydraulics want occasional oil checks
Heavier and bulkier than mechanical sets
No published warranty
12 in tire width — wide rubber needs measuring
GarveeTech set: what owners report
Target carries the same-family 2-piece set with owner reviews: buyers moved an RV into tight storage spaces, repositioned a pickup in a tight garage (“handled the weight like a champ”), and called the hydraulic jack smooth and strong — target.com. One reviewer calls it a “game-changer for storing and organizing multiple vehicles.” The garagejournal epoxy-floor thread adds the category caution: align casters before lifting on slick floors — garagejournal.com.
GarveeTech set: who should not buy
If zero maintenance beats low effort, the TUFFIOM mechanical set needs nothing all winter. If you need no-jack loading at the widest tires, the GoJak G6313 takes 13-inch rubber.
GarveeTech set: pair it with
A bottle of hydraulic jack oil and a drip tray — check the oil level each season before the first lift. Accessory coverage: our essential winching accessories guide.
Pump the handle with the release valve fully closed — a quarter-turn open bleeds the lift under load. F-150 context: our F-150 winch guide.
Best shop staple: Merrick Machine Auto Dolly, Standard 12 in, Set of 4
Best shop staple
Why the Merrick Auto Dolly is our pick
The category original: Merrick Machine Co. has built the Auto Dolly in Nebraska for decades, and restoration shops still buy it by the set: the tire drops between two rollers and the car rolls any direction. Widths run 8, 12 and 16 inches to match narrow vintage tires up to wide modern rubber, and the dealer page rates the heavy-duty variant at 2,500 lb per dolly. No Amazon listing surfaced this session: gate-treated, with the verified VEVOR button below, no printed code.
Merrick Auto Dolly key specs
Type: roller-cradle dolly, set of 4
Maker: Merrick Machine Co. (Nebraska, USA)
ASIN: not verified this session — no code printed
Design: tire sits between two rollers; rolls any direction
Widths: 8, 12 and 16 in (12 in suits most collector cars)
Heavy-duty variant: 2,500 lb per dolly (per the dealer page)
Action: none — no jack, pump or hydraulics
Availability: dealer network, not Amazon
Catalog: Merrick Auto Dolly catalog (PDF)
Warranty: not published
Merrick Auto Dolly: fits and best for
Collector cars and restoration shops: dollies that never need a pump, seal or battery, sized by tire width. For a vintage car stored all winter, the 12-inch standard set is the width most owners land on.
Merrick Auto Dolly: pros and watch-outs
The category reference design — decades of shop use
Three widths: 8, 12 and 16 in
No jack, pump or hydraulics — nothing to service
Heavy-duty variant rated 2,500 lb per dolly
No verified Amazon link this week
Dealer pricing and shipping — no one-click checkout
No published warranty
Roller cradles need the tire centered to roll true
Merrick Auto Dolly: what owners report
One buyer reports ordering a second set of the 12-inch dollies after the first — asedeals.com (Merrick dealer page). The maker catalog documents the full line — Merrick Auto Dolly catalog (PDF). Treat the standard-line rating as dealer-listed; the 2,500-lb figure on record belongs to the heavy-duty variant.
Merrick Auto Dolly: who should not buy
If you need a verified buy-it-now link today, the VEVOR set is the verified platform set here; for self-loading without a dealer order, the GoJak G6313 ships as a pair.
Merrick Auto Dolly: pair it with
Wheel chocks, a tire-pressure gauge and a breathable car cover. Browse the accessories hub and the info guides for related gear coverage.
No verified Amazon link for the Merrick this week. We will not print a code we could not verify — buy through the Merrick dealer network; the verified fallback is the VEVOR set:
Load one corner at a time: chock the opposite wheels, lift with a floor jack (platform skates) or pump the dolly itself (self-loaders), and set the tire squarely into the cradle or between the rollers. Before the tire touches down, point every caster the direction you intend to push — the garagejournal epoxy-floor thread: sixteen unaligned casters refuse to agree. Lower slowly, then lock every brake before you walk away; a sloped slab will move a brakeless car by itself, as one small-garage owner discovered.
For long-term storage, park on the dollies with brakes set, add chocks on two dollies, and check tire pressure monthly — a soft tire sits deeper and can walk in the cradle. See our hand winch how-to for moving a truly dead vehicle onto a trailer, the car trailer winch guide for the pulling half of that job, and the wheel dolly archive for the rest of this category. Moving a stored car onto a trailer pairs with a truck-mounted winch and our trailer winch guide.
Safety essentials
1. Chock first, lift second. Chock the wheels staying on the ground before the jack touches the car.
2. Respect the rating. Each dolly carries about a quarter of the vehicle — stay under the per-dolly figure with the car loaded, not empty.
3. Brakes on every park. Set every locking caster before you step away; sloped slabs move brakeless cars on their own.
4. Flat, hard floors only. Dollies belong on concrete — gravel, dirt and soft asphalt let casters dig in and tip.
5. Keep hands clear of the cradle. Fingers do not go between the tire and the rollers during loading or unloading.
6. Re-check monthly in storage. Tire pressure, brake engagement and caster alignment drift over a winter — verify before the spring shuffle.
Three accessories worth owning alongside any dolly set: a floor jack plus jack stands for skate-style loading, wheel chocks for the parked position, and a breathable car cover for stored vehicles near the garage door. Browse the accessories hub and the essential winching accessories guide and the electric winch category for related gear coverage.
Troubleshooting
Symptom
Likely cause
Fix
Car will not budge when pushed
Casters point in different directions
Point every caster the push direction before loading the tire
Dolly jams at an expansion joint
Casters too small for the gap
Roll at an angle; larger casters cross joints better
Car drifts while parked
Brakes not set, or a sloped slab
Set every brake; add chocks on two dollies
Tire will not sit in the cradle
Tire wider than the dolly rating
Measure the tire; step up to a wider dolly (GoJak 13 in, Merrick 16 in)
Hydraulic dolly sinks under load
Release valve cracked, or low oil
Close the valve fully; check hydraulic oil level
Ratchet pedal slips on the lift
Stabbed pedal skips the pawl
Pump in smooth full strokes; inspect the pawl for wear
Who should NOT buy these
Your vehicle exceeds the set rating. Four 1,500-lb dollies top out at a 6,000-lb set total — a loaded 3/4-ton truck with tools and a full tank can sail past that. Dollies are not the tool for overweight vehicles; buy commercial equipment or park it where it sits.
Your floor is gravel, dirt or soft asphalt. Small hard casters dig in and tip on anything softer than concrete. Dollies are a concrete-floor tool — on gravel you need a tow, not a dolly, and our recovery kit guide covers the getting-unstuck half.
Your tires are wider than 13 inches. Nothing in this guide takes them except the Merrick 16-inch width — and that sells through dealers. Buying a 12-inch set for 14-inch rubber is the most common fitment mistake in this category.
You need the car to stay put on a hill. Dollies roll; that is the point. On a meaningful slope even locked casters are a gamble — chock aggressively, or do not dolly it at all. Our snatch block guide covers controlled movement when gravity is the problem.
Best shop staple — Merrick Auto Dolly: see the Merrick dealer page (no verified Amazon link this week; verified fallback in this guide is the VEVOR set).
FAQ
What size wheel dolly do I need for my car?
Divide your loaded vehicle weight by four — that is what each dolly must carry. A 4,200-lb sedan needs 1,050 lb per dolly, so any 1,500-lb pick here works with margin. A 5,800-lb truck needs 1,450 lb per dolly, which sits uncomfortably close to the 1,500-lb rating once fuel and cargo are counted — that is when you step up to a heavy-duty class like the Merrick heavy-duty line at 2,500 lb per dolly.
How many wheel dollies do I need — two or four?
Four for full any-direction movement: two dollies only let the lifted end swing, which helps for angling a car into a spot but will not spin it. For winter storage where the car shuffles sideways or rotates, buy the set of four. Two-dolly jobs (like the GarveeTech 2-piece) suit angling a nose into a tight corner, not full repositioning.
Can wheel dollies damage my tires during months of storage?
A properly sized dolly cradles the tire without pinching it, and owners store cars on dollies all winter without issue. The real tire enemy in storage is pressure loss — a soft tire sits deeper and can walk in the cradle. Check pressure monthly, keep the brakes set, and match the tire width to the dolly rating (12 inches for most sets here, 13 for the GoJak).
Do I need a floor jack to use wheel dollies?
Only for platform skates like the VEVOR set: you lift the tire with a jack and set it onto the dolly. Self-loading dollies carry their own jack — the GoJak G6313, the TUFFIOM and the GarveeTech all lift the tire with a pump or ratchet handle, no floor jack required. If your garage owns no jack, buy a self-loader.
Will wheel dollies work on an epoxy-coated garage floor?
Yes, with one trick: epoxy is slick enough that sixteen unaligned caster wheels fight each other, so a garagejournal GoJak owner recommends pointing every caster the direction you want to push BEFORE lifting the tire onto the dolly. Tedious but effective. On bare concrete the same alignment habit still helps, and it costs nothing.
How do I store the dollies themselves when the car is not on them?
Hang them. The VEVOR and TUFFIOM sets ship carry handles that double as wall-hanging points, and one garage owner built simple wall hooks so a moving dolly hangs flat instead of eating floor space. Sunex even sells a dedicated wheel dolly rack (part 7709). Never stack loaded dollies, and keep hydraulic units upright so seals stay wet.
Mechanical or hydraulic wheel dollies — which is better?
Mechanical (ratcheting) dollies like the TUFFIOM need no servicing — nothing to weep over winter — but demand more pedal effort. Hydraulic dollies like the GarveeTech lift with minimal effort but want occasional oil checks and weigh more. For unheated storage where cold thickens hydraulic fluid, mechanical wins; for heavy SUVs moved by one person, hydraulic wins.
Can I use wheel dollies on gravel or uneven floors?
No — this is a concrete-floor tool. Small hard casters dig into gravel, dirt and soft asphalt, and a loaded dolly can tip when a caster sinks. Owners on garagejournal also report expansion joints and floor cracks swallowing small casters; larger polyurethane casters cross them better. If your parking surface is not hard and flat, dollies are the wrong purchase.
What is the difference between car dollies and GoJak-style self-loading dollies?
Car dollies (platform skates) are passive cradles: the tire rests on a diamond-tread platform and you need a floor jack to load them. GoJak-style self-loaders carry a built-in jack — pump the handle and the dolly raises the tire itself. Roller-cradle dollies (Merrick) are a third style: the tire sits between two rollers with no lift mechanism at all. All three roll the car any direction once loaded.
Changelog — October 24, 2026: guide first published.
By Leo, Founder, WinchInsider
Leo runs WinchInsider’s research desk, comparing tools and truck gear against spec sheets and owner reports so you buy once. More about the site: about WinchInsider. Affiliate disclosure: how we monetize.
