I have over 40,000 miles covered using my tow dolly. Haven't used my open trailer in over 5 years. Last week I towed my Studebaker Lark to South Bend IN for the national meet and back, about 1300 miles total.
Tow dolly is infinitely safer- no tongue weight, no load balance problems, less overall weight. Any trailer behind a stock 1/2 ton truck is asking for trouble because of tongue weight.
If you are inexperienced at towing, a trailer can be dangerous, due to above reasons, plus higher center of gravity. The car is much lower on a dolly, thus much more stable, especialy in wind.
Tow dolly is much easier to load and tie down, and simpler, thus almost idiot-proof. You load the front tires, put on the straps and tighten, and go. Go 5 miles or a couple turns, recheck straps, and you're done.
I've been as far as FL, 3000 miles round trip. Never had problems, ever. Trailers, lots of issues.
Downsides- the rolling end of your load must be in reasonable condition: decent tires, gear oil, brakes not stuck. You cannot back up a dolly; make sure any stops have a way to drive in and back out; not hard, just need to pay attention. Some auto trans. need the drive shaft pulled; never seen a manual that did. If you will feel better, unbolt it from the rear, swing it to the side out of the way, and tie it up securely. Some trans. will leak if you pull it out. Never tow with front wheels down unless you have to; even tied securely the front will want to sway and you'll be doing 40-50 mph on your trip, not fun over that distance.
If you have a flat or any other problem you will know it like in any other case, you'll feel it. If something happens you will be a lot better off in an emergency situation than a trailer. Just pay attention and keep an eye on it. Each time you stop, recheck the straps.
On long trips I like to put a chain loosely around the crossmember and the dolly frame and bolt it together, just for added peace of mind. Make sure it won't interfere with movement or turning.
Always make sure your tow vehicle is heavier than the towed vehicle. Obviously in your case it is. When climbing a grade, get in the right lane and let the truck decide how fast it wants to climb, downshifting as appropriate. Much easier on the truck.
I understand some will have negatives to say about tow dollies, but usually they're based on opinions, not experience. I'm on my second dolly in 20 years of towing, just upgraded to an easier to load style.
Use common sense, check your straps carefully, allow a littlelonger stopping distance, and you will have a safe, low-stress trip. It's as simple as you can get.
Good luck on your purchase!
