Tough Decision

[Chris Rice]

I just brought home my new Harley Sportster! I love it! Its actually a used 2001 I bought from a family friend. But now I dont know if I should put money into up grades on my ST or my HD?! :unsure: I guess its a good dilema to have though. On a side note I brought it home on a trailer and just pulled from the bumper, I want to get a hitch reciever installed. Whats a good price for a class 3? Found one new on ebay for $89 the company is here in Phx so I wont have to have it shipped....

 

[Becker69 CO]

$89 for a class III hitch is a really good price.... just make sure you're getting a reputable finish on the one you're getting (even though phoenix isn't known for it's wet weather! ). I got a Putnam online and it was about $100 give or take. If I could do it again, I would've bought a collored one like the ones from Curtis (I think is the name?). Enjoy the bike!

 

[Michael Sugarman]

I bought a hitch from U-haul. It was about $120. Looks good, reputable company, easy to find.



I'd put money into the ST. I bet you will want to upgrade the Sportster pretty soon to a big twin. You don't get a good return on your investment when you customize a HD.



Regardless, keep it rubber side down and keep your knees in the breeze!

 

[Tom Schindler]

I bought a hitch from U-haul. It was about $120. Looks good, reputable company, easy to find.

U-haul will sell you a hitch, but will not let you hook anything up to it.



Reputable company? Have you ever looked at their equipment?





Tom

 

[Johnny O]

I think a Hidden Hitch is the shiznit. A lot of the cheap ones are a universal fit type of thing and hang down real low. Hidden Hitch is well worth the extra $40. I live in wet and salty Pennsylvania and after three years there is no rust on my hitch. (Wish I could say the same about the Trac.)

 

[A1cntrler]

I bought a hitch from U-haul. It was about $120. Looks good, reputable company, easy to find.

What rock do you live under?? Uhaul is far from a reputable company. When you have rented from them, did you ever get equipment that worked as well as it should??? Chances are it had lights busted out, or bald tires/non working brakes/leaky cargo compartments.. In addition to the above, Uhaul has decided that if you own a vehicle with Explorer in the name, you may not use thier equipment. I guess someone had a rollover or two while using a Explorer, so to cut thier losses, they determined the proper way to hanle it would be to ban ALL Explorer owners from pulling thier trailers with thier vehicles. But, if you own a Mazda Navajo, Mercury Mountaineer, Lincoln Avaitor, pull right up! Your vehicle is safe to use with our trailers!



Uhaul is a bunch of Morons.

 

[Michael Sugarman]

Maybe I misunderstood the question. I thought he was asking about a class 3 hitch. I have one. I bought it from U-haul. It was inexpensive, in stock, and GOOD quality. It tucks up neatly under the bumper.



[Broken External Image]:



I am not recommending their rental equipment, nor am I discussing their policy about renting to Explorer owners.



As far as TOW ACCESSORIES go, U-haul has good products at reasonable prices. They are easy to find and usually in stock.

 

[Tom Schindler]

If U-Haul will not let you rent their equipment, why would you let them sell you equipment to tow stuff?



That is the point. Would you support a company that refuses to support you? I won't. Until people stand up, refuse to support U-Haul no matter what they sell, and they see a drop in their business, they have no reason to change.



When you walk out of that store after buying a hitch from them, the only sucker was you.





Tom

 

[Michael Sugarman]

1. My Sport Trac is not the only vehicle I own.

2. Several Ford vehicles score poorly on rollover safety tests (NHTSA).

3. I have not, nor do I plan to rent anything from U-haul. I have a truck and a trailer. I don't need their services.

4. If you pay more for a comparable product just because you don't agree with a policy based on your safety - YOU are the sucker.



If U-haul doesn't want to rent to a segment of the population, then more power to them. It is their proffit that is affected. It is their decision. If you want to boycot them - it is your decision. I hear they have crappy equipment to rent anyway. By the way, I am an occupational safety guy. I make unpopular decisions to protect people from themselves for living.



Caymen - I am more concerned about the power Wal-Mart has over my life than I am about U-haul. Again U-haul is reacting to government test data. Wal-Mart is forcing their morals on the consumer.



To the question you asked cottonwood, you can get a good hitch from U-haul for about $120. You maybe able to get one from Wal-Mart, but I won't shop there. Sorry to highjack your tread.

 

[Mark Santini]

I will agree with the above 'hidden-hitch' plug. I had one installed on a 98 Ranger years back, owned the truck until I bought my ST and that hitch was the selling factor when it sold. They stand behind their product and you can get one at almost any truck supplier/ toy store. Mine was about $230 installed and well worth it. Couldn't even tell it was there until I hooked something up to it almost!! Just my $.02 again,,,,,,,,,,,,Mark

 

[Tom Schindler]

Again U-haul is reacting to government test data.

Wrong. The Mountaineer is an identical vehicle to the Explorer. The same goes with the Lincoln Avaitor and Mazda Navajo. It is acceptable to tow a U-Haul trailer with those vehicles, but not an Explorer.



The Sport Trac has a frame that is almost identical as the Sport trac has. The Ranger is perfectly acceptable to tow a U-Haul trailer.



A Suzuki Samuri is acceptable to tow a U-Haul trailer. So is the early versions of the Chevrolet Blazer, you know that one that was awarded 1 star in safety and the reason it did not get aby less is because 1 star is the lowest rating they have.



I do not support U-Haul. I will not buy their hitches. I will not rent their trailers. I will not use ther wiring harnesses. I will not buy their inserts. I will not support them. I will NEVER reccommend them to anyone.



I will not support a company that limits rental, not on safety ratings but, by name only. I respect a company that says they do not rent to a name because of safety issues. This is not a safety issue. If two vehicles are identical, one says "Explorer" and the other says "Mountaineer", yet the Explorer is a no-no, while the Mountaineer is OK, it is not about safety.



As for Wal-Mart, things will only change if you avoid them. I try everything I can to go elsewhere. As long as there is a sucker for them, things will never change.





Tom

 

[Michael Sugarman]

Caymen you are correct, it is not a safety issue. I guess people don't like taking responsiblity for their actions. This is from the U-haul site:



Ford Explorer owners: U-Haul has chosen not to rent behind this tow vehicle based on our history of excessive costs in defending lawsuits involving Ford Explorer towing combinations. This policy is not related to safety issues. This is an unusual circumstance for U-Haul – we have built our success for over 59 years by saying "yes" to our customers, and do not like saying "no" instead. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are committed to working with our customers to find alternative options to help with their move. Please contact 1-800-GO-UHAUL (1-800-468-4285) for assistance with alternative options.



I guess it is kind of like suing a gun manufacturer for a murder or McDonalds for having 'hot' coffee.

 

[Tom Schindler]

The point is that it is not som much as excessive, but because there are so many Explorers out there. There are millions of them!!! The point is if U-Haul does not want anything to do with Explorers, they should also not sell and hitches for Explorers.



The U-Haul hitch is nothing more than a Hidden Hitch with a U-Haul sticker on it.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Not to continue the hijacked thread, but...



U-Haul like any other company should be able reserve the right to refuse service to whomever they want, on whatever legal basis they want....or so I firmly believe.



If U-Haul believes that for them it makes business sens to NOT rent to people with Ford Explorers, then they should be able to do that. Yes, it probably is a simple matter of dollars and cents, and their bean counters have determined that they are money ahead by not renting to folks with Explorers due to the excessive lawsuits.



Whether this means that people aren't being responsible for their own actions, or that there are safety issues with Explorers are both moot. We can't really be sure of the exact financial and risk analysis that U-Haul has done. I can only hope that they believe that "on average" a person towing with a Ford Explorer has proven more likely to generate costs (of either the loss or the legal type, or both) than people driving other vehicles. I say "on average", because as one of the #1 SUVs on the road, it only makes sense that "in total", claims and loss should be higher with Explorers. Again, I won't question U-Hauls analysis.



Their motives are clear...to save money (make more money).



So, I support them in that decision, because I think all companies should be able to do whatever is legal to maximize their bottom line.



We as consumers, that don't like the policies and practices of companies can "vote with our dollar" and not patronize said companies. If enough people do so, then the company changes their position.



TJR

 

[Gavin Allan]

Screw U-Haul. They will not get anymore of my money.



Cottonwood: We need some PICS!!!