Uhaul advice?

[CatmanJJ]

Anybody have experience with them. From my other Mach 1 progress thread my car needs a motor rebuild and the closest best shop is about an hour away, way too far to drive on a sick motor, so I thought a good way to take it there would be to use Uhaul.

This is the trailer set up

U-Haul: Moving equipment guide: Moving trucks, cargo trailers, utility trailers, vehicle trailers

Just wondering if anybody here had experience with this towing trailer or any input.

Father-in-law offered to help with his F150 5.4 L V8 Supercab, truck is pretty beast.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Make sure you've got a good heavy tow vehicle. I don't know how many times I've seen guys try to haul race cars with S10's and Rangers only to see the vehicle in tow and the trailer have their way with them on the highway.

Triple check all of your tie down straps. Inspect the condition of the trailer and make sure all of your lights are working.....make sure ahead of time that the tow vehicle has the proper wiring for trailer lights. Don’t forget to hook up the safety chains.

Make sure all the tires are to their maximum inflation pressure when hauling. It will make the trailer that much easier to pull when you decrease the rolling resistance by hardening up the tires. On the opposite end…you may drop the inflation pressure slightly lower when the trailer is empty. It will prevent it from bouncing all over the road.

When backing up, remember you need to turn your wheels in the opposite direction you would normally turn them, in order to steer the trailer. Ex.....you want to back up left in a car, you turn the wheels left, but if you want to back up left with a car and trailer, you need to but the wheels to the right. Small wheel increments will be sufficient if you plan on backing it up strait. It will probably take you a few practice tries to avoid jackknifing the trailer, so don’t get discouraged.

 

[squeak93]

Strap it down tight and make sure u know how to back it up......


I've hauled my car on a trl with my 04 5.4 f150. They pull quite well. The brakes are terrible w/o a controller for the trl....

 

[CatmanJJ]

Strap it down tight and make sure u know how to back it up......


I've hauled my car on a trl with my 04 5.4 f150. They pull quite well. The brakes are terrible w/o a controller for the trl....

That's good to know, his is an '06 I believe (not that it matters that much) this trailer supposedly has...

Features

* Easy-access loading ramp
* Tilt-out fender allows vehicle door access
* Ratchet-operated tire straps
* Vehicle security chains
* Automatic hydraulic surge brake

 

[LaserSVT]

My best friends shop 20' away also rents Uhauls. The trailers are quite nice and easy to use. They are the standard 4 wire harness and have some kind of electronic brake on them. The wheel shroud comes off on the drivers side too so you can load the car and still open the door. As was suggested, make sure and use a full size truck for the tow rig. That trailer is a bit much for a small truck and would be hard to controll.

So what exactly is the question? If you need any pics of the trailer or harness let me know. I can walk next door and snap pics easy enough

 

[CatmanJJ]

My best friends shop 20' away also rents Uhauls. The trailers are quite nice and easy to use. They are the standard 4 wire harness and have some kind of electronic brake on them. The wheel shroud comes off on the drivers side too so you can load the car and still open the door. As was suggested, make sure and use a full size truck for the tow rig. That trailer is a bit much for a small truck and would be hard to controll.

So what exactly is the question? If you need any pics of the trailer or harness let me know. I can walk next door and snap pics easy enough

Oh no real question ha, but just wondering how they were or if others had experience. I'll be the guinea pig I guess for SN.

I was thinking about using my '95 V6 Ranger, lol not, the tow vehicle as I said will be a newer F150 with the 5.4 and class 3 hitch. My father-in-law will drive, he's a construction guy and is used to big ****.

 

[CatmanJJ]

So what exactly is the question? If you need any pics of the trailer or harness let me know. I can walk next door and snap pics easy enough

I have a question, where do I hook up the safety chain on a Mustang since they have no hooks on our years?

 

[squeak93]

Safety chain? I'm assuming ur talking about the ones on the tongue of the trl.... Those also go to the receiver hitch.

Otherwise, I personally use a strap for each corner of the car. Better safe than sorry. Matter of fact I had a 1500lb strap holding my new motor in the back of my trk last night and it broke. Brand new strap and I was dumb enough to only use one. I restraped it back with two and didn't have any more problems.

Be carefull. And your dads trk will use a 10 pin rv connector. I imagine the brakes will drag a bit as most u haul trls do to keep ammatures from jack knifing them.

 

[LaserSVT]

I have a question, where do I hook up the safety chain on a Mustang since they have no hooks on our years?

IDK, but dont do what Tim did and wrap it around the front sway bar.

 

[CatmanJJ]

IDK, but dont do what Tim did and wrap it around the front sway bar.

Good point.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Oh no real question ha, but just wondering how they were or if others had experience. I'll be the guinea pig I guess for SN.

Been down that road many a time my friend. No worries, you're not the guinea pig on this one.

I have a question, where do I hook up the safety chain on a Mustang since they have no hooks on our years?

As squeaks stated, the chains hook from the trailer to the reciever. They're there in the unlikely event that the ball mount on the trailer tongue disconnects from the tow ball on the reciever.

The straps should be designed to fit over top of each front wheel, at which point you ratchet them to the trailer from the front.

There should also be a secondary set of chains or safety straps at the front/middle section of the trailer, just underneath the car. Your best place to attach them are around the lower control arms. The sway bar is "not" a great attachment point, as it won't hold the weight of the car should a mishap occur. That and you stand a chance of damaging it as made evident by Tim’s thread earlier this year.

 

[CatmanJJ]

Been down that road many a time my friend. No worries, you're not the guinea pig on this one.

As squeaks stated, the chains hook from the trailer to the reciever. They're there in the unlikely event that the ball mount on the trailer tongue disconnects from the tow ball on the reciever.

The straps should be designed to fit over top of each front wheel, at which point you ratchet them to the trailer from the front.

There should also be a secondary set of chains or safety straps at the front/middle section of the trailer, just underneath the car. Your best place to attach them are around the lower control arms. The sway bar is "not" a great attachment point, as it won't hold the weight of the car should a mishap occur. That and you stand a chance of damaging it as made evident by Tim’s thread earlier this year.

All great info, this is real informative, thank you.