How to Move Your Car Without Jacks Using Wheel Dollies

If you’ve ever had a stalled project car sitting in the corner of your garage, you already know the struggle. You nudge it, push it, rock it—and it barely budges.

Maybe the tires are half flat, or maybe the car simply refuses to roll. Trust me, I’ve been there more times than I can count.

That’s exactly why I started using hydraulic wheel dollies, and honestly, it’s one of those tools that make you wonder how you ever managed without them.

Table of Contents

Let’s Talk About the Real Problem First

Anyone who works on cars regularly knows the space problem. You tear down a car to start a restoration or keep a classic stored for the season, and before you know it, you’re playing musical chairs with everything else in your shop.

Now, starting a non-running car just to move it isn’t always smart—especially if it hasn’t been tuned in months or if it’s packed tight against something else. That’s where these little rolling miracles come in.

My First Real Use of Hydraulic Dollies

When I first tried the Eastwood Hydraulic Wheel Dollies, I didn’t know what to expect. To be honest, I thought they’d be another “garage gimmick” that ends up dusty in the corner. But after using them once, I realized they solve a very real problem.

Each dolly slides right around your tire and, with a few easy pumps of the foot pedal, lifts that wheel off the ground. No floor jack, no crawling around, and no back strain. Within a minute or two, the entire vehicle is floating—ready to be rolled in any direction with a gentle push.

The first time I did this, I stood back and actually laughed. My 3,000-pound project car, which I used to wrestle with every time I cleaned the floor, now glided like it was on ice skates. No exaggeration.

How To Use Hydraulic Wheel Dollies (Step‑By‑Step)

One of the biggest advantages of hydraulic dollies is how quickly a single person can get a car off the ground and moving.

Step 1: Prepare the Dollies

Place the dolly beside the wheel you want to lift.
Find the small hydraulic release valve on the dolly.
Turn the valve clockwise to close it so the unit will lift when pumped.

If your dollies came on a storage stand, remove them one at a time and roll them over to each wheel.

Step 2: Open and Position Around the Tire

With the valve slightly opened, pull the arms of the dolly apart to widen the rollers.
Slide the dolly around the tire so the front and rear rollers sit on each side of the sidewall.
Be careful not to slam the metal arms against the rim, especially if your wheels have a lip close to the tire edge.

Make sure the tire is centered between the rollers before you start lifting.

Step 3: Snug the Rollers by Hand

Close the release valve fully so the dolly is ready to lift.
Use the pedal or arm linkage by hand to bring the rollers up until they just touch the tire.
Check that the tire is seated evenly and nothing is contacting the wheel itself.

This quick hand-tight step gives you more control before you start using your foot.

Step 4: Lift the Wheel With the Foot Pedal

Start pumping the foot pedal steadily.
As you pump, the front and rear rollers will squeeze and “walk” under the tire, raising it off the floor.
Keep pumping until you can see and hear that the tire is no longer rubbing or squeaking on the ground.

At this point, the wheel should be fully supported by the dolly.

Step 5: Engage the Safety Lock

Most hydraulic wheel dollies, like the Eastwood units, include a mechanical safety lock or pin.

Look at the back side of the dolly frame for a row of holes.
Pump the pedal a bit more until at least one of those holes is exposed above the lock tab.
Drop the lock pin or bar into place so the weight is supported mechanically, not just by hydraulic pressure.

Now the wheel is safely locked in the raised position.

Step 6: Repeat for All Wheels You Need to Move

For full control and side‑to‑side movement, place a dolly under all four wheels.
If you only need to swing the rear or front around, you can sometimes get by with just two dollies on one axle.

Repeat Steps 1–5 for each wheel until every corner you want to move is off the ground.

Step 7: Move the Car

Stand at one end of the car and gently start pushing.
Take a moment to get all the dolly casters pointing in the same direction; once they’re aligned, the car will roll much more easily.
Guide the vehicle slowly into the position you want—sideways, diagonally, rotated, or straight back and forth.

On smooth concrete or good asphalt, a full‑size car can be moved with one person once it’s up on dollies.

Why These Dollies Make Sense for Every Garage

If you own even one classic, sports car, or project vehicle, a good set of hydraulic dollies is an investment, not an expense. Here’s why I recommend them to just about every car guy I know:

They do the lifting for you. No more jacking up corners one by one. You simply roll the dolly into place and pump. Done.
They’re built strong. Each Eastwood dolly can hold roughly 1,300 pounds, meaning a full set easily supports most cars and even light trucks.
They roll clean. The heavy-duty casters glide smoothly over concrete. Even in my cluttered garage with a few oil stains, they didn’t catch or drag.
They’re easy on your space. Need to turn a car sideways against a wall or spin it around? You can literally do it one-handed once the wheel casters align.
They keep your garage air clean. Forget starting the engine indoors just to move your car a few feet—you won’t miss the fumes.

These small conveniences add up to less effort, fewer headaches, and a cleaner workspace.

Who Should Buy Hydraulic Dollies?

I’d say almost anyone who stores or restores cars will benefit. If you have limited space or work on vehicles that don’t always start, these are worth their weight in gold. You don’t need to be a pro mechanic—just someone who values making life easier.

They’re especially helpful if you:

Store seasonal or collector cars.
Run a small restoration or detailing shop.
Live in a home with a narrow driveway or single-car garage.
Work on cars that are partially assembled.

The Final Word From My Garage

I’ve spent decades wrenching, flipping, and storing vehicles, yet few tools have genuinely simplified my life like these hydraulic dollies. They don’t just move cars—they move frustration out of your garage. Having them means I can clean the floor, reorganize my workspace, or push a project into sunlight for photos—all without calling in extra hands.

If you’re considering adding dollies to your setup after reading my Best Car Dolly Guide, this Eastwood set is absolutely worth checking out. Once you’ve used a hydraulic dolly system, there’s no going back to dragging tires and fighting gravity.

How to Move Your Car Without Jacks

Let’s Talk About the Real Problem First

My First Real Use of Hydraulic Dollies