If you've spent any time behind the wheel of a wrecker, you know that having your collins dolly mounts dialed in can be the difference between a smooth hook-up and a total headache on the side of a busy highway. It's one of those things you don't really think about until you're fumbling with a heavy dolly in the pouring rain, wishing your setup was just a little more intuitive.
Collins dollies are the industry standard for a reason—they're tough, they're reliable, and they save your bacon when you're dealing with AWD vehicles or cars with locked transmissions. But those dollies are heavy pieces of equipment. You can't just toss them in the back of the truck and hope for the best. That's where the mounts come in. If they aren't solid, you're risking damage to your gear or, worse, losing a dolly on a bumpy backroad.
Finding the Sweet Spot on Your Truck
Deciding where to bolt down your collins dolly mounts is a bigger decision than most people realize. You've got a few options, and each has its pros and cons depending on how you like to work. Most guys go for the side-mount approach on the body of the truck. It keeps the dollies at waist height, which is a lifesaver for your lower back. When you're tired at 3:00 AM, the last thing you want to do is lift those things higher than you absolutely have to.
Some towers prefer deck mounts, especially if they're running a flatbed. It keeps the profile of the truck slim, which is great for tight city streets. But you have to be careful about deck space. If your mounts are in the way of your winch line or prevent you from getting a wide vehicle centered, you're going to regret that placement pretty quickly. It's all about balance—making sure the dollies are accessible but not an obstacle.
Installation Tips That Actually Work
When you finally get your hands on a new set of collins dolly mounts, the temptation is to just grab a drill and get them on the truck as fast as possible. Resist that urge for a second. You want to mock everything up first. Hold the mount against the truck, slide the dolly in, and see how much clearance you actually have. There's nothing worse than finishing an install only to realize the dolly hits the toolbox door every time you try to slide it out.
Use the right hardware. This seems like a no-brainer, but I've seen guys try to use whatever random bolts they found in the bottom of a coffee can. You want Grade 8 hardware here. These mounts are holding a lot of weight, and they're subject to constant vibration from the road. If those bolts shear off, you're going to have a very bad day. Also, use some loctite or nylon locking nuts. A little bit of prevention goes a long way when you're vibrating down the interstate for ten hours a day.
Checking for Structural Integrity
Before you drill, take a look at what's behind the paneling. You don't want to accidentally puncture a wiring loom or a hydraulic line. If the metal you're mounting to feels a bit thin, it's a good idea to use a backing plate. A simple piece of steel on the inside of the body will help distribute the weight and prevent the bolts from pulling through the aluminum or thin-gauge steel over time. It makes the whole setup feel much more "factory" and sturdy.
Why Quality Mounts Save You Money
You might look at a set of dedicated collins dolly mounts and think, "I could probably just weld something together myself." And sure, maybe you could. But there's a reason people pay for the real deal. The engineering that goes into the locking mechanisms and the way the dolly sits in the cradle is designed to prevent "rattle-wear."
If a dolly is bouncing around in a homemade bracket, it's slowly chewing through the finish and the metal of the dolly itself. Over a few years, that vibration can cause cracks or weaken the frame of the dolly. Professional mounts keep everything snug. No rattling, no bouncing, and no unnecessary wear and tear. It keeps your gear looking professional, too. When a customer sees a clean, organized truck where everything has a specific home, they trust you a lot more than if your equipment is just piled up in a heap.
Dealing With the Elements
The biggest enemy of any mounting system is rust and road salt. If you live in a place where they salt the roads in the winter, your collins dolly mounts are going to take a beating. Salt gets trapped behind the mounting plates and starts eating away at the truck body.
A good trick is to apply a bit of anti-seize or a thin layer of grease to the mounting surface before you bolt it down. It creates a bit of a barrier. Also, make sure you're spraying out the mounts when you wash the truck. Don't just hit the shiny parts; get the pressure washer wand right into the crevices where the dollies sit. Keeping that grit out will make the locking pins slide much easier when you're in a hurry.
Keeping the Pins Moving
Speaking of locking pins, they need a little love too. Most collins dolly mounts use some sort of spring-loaded pin or a latch to keep the dolly secure. Once a month, hit those with a little bit of dry graphite spray or a light oil. Avoid heavy grease if you work in a dusty environment, because the grease will just turn into a grinding paste once it picks up road dirt. A dry lubricant keeps things clicking into place without the mess.
Speed and Safety on the Job
The whole point of having good collins dolly mounts is speed. In the towing world, time is literally money, and often it's also safety. The less time you spend hovering around the side of a vehicle on the shoulder of a highway, the better.
When your mounts are positioned correctly and working smoothly, you can grab a dolly, pop it out, and have it under the car in seconds. You aren't fighting a stuck latch or trying to untangle it from a pile of chains. It's about creating a repeatable workflow. You want your hands to know exactly where the release is without you even having to look. That kind of muscle memory only happens when your equipment is mounted in a logical, consistent way.
A Few Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the biggest mistakes I see is mounting the dollies too high. It looks cool on some trucks, but after the tenth call of the day, lifting that weight up to chest height is going to wear you out. Keep them low, but high enough that they won't bottom out if you're pulling into a steep driveway.
Another mistake is not account for "swing." When you're pulling the dolly out of the mount, you need enough room to maneuver it. If you've got another piece of equipment mounted right next to it, you might find yourself doing a weird gymnastic move just to get the dolly clear of the truck. Give yourself some breathing room around the collins dolly mounts so you can work fast without banging your knuckles.
Making the Investment Count
At the end of the day, your truck is your office. You wouldn't work at a desk that was falling apart, so don't work with a truck that isn't set up right. Investing in a solid set of collins dolly mounts and taking the time to install them properly is just good business. It protects your expensive dollies, makes your life easier, and keeps you safe on the road.
It's one of those upgrades that pays for itself in the frustration it prevents. Once you have a clean setup where everything clicks into place and stays put, you'll wonder how you ever got by without it. It's the little things that make the long shifts bearable, and a solid, reliable way to carry your dollies is definitely near the top of that list. Keep the shiny side up and your gear locked down tight.