Advice for towing Ford Truck on uHaul Auto Transport Trailer

[bph]

Greetings,

I'm wondering if anyboy here has wisdom to share regarding experience with towing vechicles on auto transport trailers. Tips, tricks, things to watch out for, etc.... Should I use wheel chocks, have the vehicle's emergency brake set???

I'm going to be towing my 1970 Ford F250 Camper Special from Texas to Oregon this October. I'll have a uHaul Auto Transport Trailer as seen here: . The trailer will be hitched to a uHaul Moving Truck. I will have two motorcycles in the bed of the truck. I've checked the GVW of the vehicles to be towed to be sure that it falls within the max load specifications for the truck and the trailer.

Does anybody have any advice on using these sort of auto transport trailers?

Thanks!
Brian Hummel
Austin, TX

[Ranchero50]

U haul is very conservative about what they'll let you put on one of their trailers regardless of what their web site says. A full size pick up probably won't go. One with bikes in the back definitely won't go. You can tell them you're hauling a '86 ranger with some bikes in the bed and they may allow you off the lot with the truck and trailer.

[bph]

U haul is very conservative about what they'll let you put on one of their trailers regardless of what their web site says. A full size pick up probably won't go. One with bikes in the back definitely won't go. You can tell them you're hauling a '86 ranger with some bikes in the bed and they may allow you off the lot with the truck and trailer.

I have definitely heard others warn of the same thing. Do you think it's mostly about what you tell them you're going to tow ahead of time or do they require you to load the vehicle and return to the uHaul center for verification?

Thanks!

[eggman918]

U haul is very conservative about what they'll let you put on one of their trailers regardless of what their web site says. A full size pick up probably won't go. One with bikes in the back definitely won't go. You can tell them you're hauling a '86 ranger with some bikes in the bed and they may allow you off the lot with the truck and trailer.

I have definitely heard others warn of the same thing. Do you think it's mostly about what you tell them you're going to tow ahead of time or do they require you to load the vehicle and return to the uHaul center for verification?

Thanks!

I have never had them require returning for them to verify the load............but should you have any issues on the trip could well be a problem .
I have given up on U-haul after the last time that they would not rent me a car trailer to go behind my '68 HighBoy CrewCab that weighs 8K telling me the truck would not safely tow it we have had better luck with Ryder and Penske

[idaho_cowboy]

U-Hauls biggest trailer, like the one in your photo, would barely handle a 131" wheelbase F-250. And the rear tires are going to be right on the edge, AND over their weight limit. They won't rent it to you if you tell them what you're hauling.

That's a long trip.

Do you have any other rental options in your area?

It would be safer for you to hire a car-hauler to come get your truck, and take it to Oregon. Would probably take $600-$800 to do it, but it would be insured door-to-door.

Another option, fly a competent person to Austin, and have the truck drove home. (Assuming it's roadworthy?)

I'm in Boise. About 8 hours shy of Portland. If that's of any help. I do travel into Oregon almost monthly with an empty trailer..


- Joseph

[Bill Ramsey]

The truck will fit on the trailer. I've hauled bumpsides with large slide in campers on them forwards and backwards. the trailers usually are in poor condition and tow like crap (maybe because of truck with camper on it?). I tell them I'm hauling a mustang. Uhaul trailers are great for one thing. When you need a car hauler right away for local tows.

[bph]

The truck will fit on the trailer. I've hauled bumpsides with large slide in campers on them forwards and backwards. the trailers usually are in poor condition and tow like crap (maybe because of truck with camper on it?). I tell them I'm hauling a mustang. Uhaul trailers are great for one thing. When you need a car hauler right away for local tows.

Good to hear! I drove my truck to a uHaul center after business hours and measured the wheelbase dimensions of the truck against the transport trailer and there seemed to be enough clearance for my F250.

The 15" uHaul truck has the following specs:

Max load: 6,385 lbs.
Gross vehicle weight: 14,500 lbs. max.
Empty weight: 8,115 lbs.
Towing capacity: Up to 10,000 lbs.

The transport trailer:
Max load: 5,290 lbs.
Gross vehicle weight: 7,500 lbs. max.
Empty weight: 2,210 lbs.


2016 Triumph T120 (wet): 441lbs
1973 Honda CB750K3 (wet): 499lbs
1970 Ford F250 Camper Special 2WD 5.9L 360 V8 (wet): ?????? 5000lbs
(All vehicles are stock configurations with no weight-increasing modifications)

The numbers now have me a little worried. I'm thinking that I may tie the Triumph motorcycle down in the uHaul Truck and then load the Auto Transport trailer with the F250 carrying the CB750, but that still puts me a bit over the 5,290lb max load limit of the Auto Transport trailer, assuming that the F250 is around 5,000lbs. This is tricky.

[idaho_cowboy]

You really need to re-think this.

Not trying to be a nay-sayer at all. But that distance of a trip, THAT loaded on the trailer, you're just asking for damage. Then when it come's back to you, it will be on-you because it's over their ratings.

The F-250 Camper Special, wet, will weigh around 4600.

You'll have to lie and tell them you're hauling a Mustang. They won't let you leave if they know it's a full-size truck. (Been there, done that)

What are your other options? Let's brainstorm this now, and save you ANY headache later. I'm tellin' ya..

If it was 30-50 miles I'd say go for it. But more than that? We're treading on thin ice here..

- Joseph

[eggman918]

with a trip that long with the trailer at it's weight limit AND the caliber of the other drivers on the road there is a lot that could go south

[tsherry]

I've used rental trailers for 45-60 mile haul-homes, and might do that again, but I'd NEVER haul what you're describing that far or with that type of trailer. Way too many things to go wrong in a big, big way. Wind. Bad tires. Other drivers. Weather. Trans failure, etc.

I'd hire a car-hauler to do it and never think twice.

[bph]

Thanks all, I really appreciate the advice and am certainly thankful that I decided to solicit your advice prior to going through with my plan!!

Initially, I was leaning more towards hiring a third-party transport service. After looking into uShip, I realized that I'd probably have to spend over $1000 to ship these vehicles. We were aleady paying $1600 to move our household goods in the uHaul rental truck and I saw that a uHaul Auto Transport Trailer could be tacked on for $395 + insurance/damage coverage. Comparing the total costs to move between the uShip route ($2.6-3K) and the uHaul-only route ($2K), I figured that the uHaul-only route was worth investigating.

Now you have me second-guessing this. Do you all have recommendations for vehicle shipping? Would uShip be the primary resource for acquiring vehicle shipping services?

[eggman918]

We have done it a couple of times and have found that the more flexible you are as to scheduling the better price you can get,just need to wait for a driver that is coming your way with a spoon the trailer. The last driver that hauled a Wagoneer we sold from AZ to VA had made a run west bound as far as WA. St. and was eastbound with one slot left when he got here and i think he charged the buyer ~ $700.00 for the trip he left here with 6 vehicles on a double decker trailer and rig and trailer had 5 axles so I know he was well within his weight allowance so don't see why stuff in the truck bed would be a big deal

[Bill Ramsey]

What about a tow dolly?

Buy your own trailer and sell it later?

[idaho_cowboy]

Shoot me an email: bumpsidetreasures @ gmail - dot com, I'll put you touch with trusted carriers who have transported for me within the last year, some from the mid-west. Often with loads Westbound. Insured, probably get ya for less than 1k.

- Joseph

[MTM]

I totally agree with the advice given so far. We towed our camper special with no engine home on a trailer that is rated about the same. It was all of the way forward and was not real fun to tow. We only had to take it 40 miles so It wasn't a huge deal, but I would not want to take it from Austin to Oregon.