U-Haul Trailer update

[Richard Lange 2]

Get this ... I finally got so frustrated because I could not find anything in the phone book, that I called U-Haul and told the guy "listen I know you won't rent to me because I have an Explorer, but could you please tell me if you know of anyone else you rents trailers."



He says in a thick middle eastern accent, "hang on a sec" I wait about 2 minutes, he comes back online and says,"when do you want to pick it up".



I said, "Friday and I will bring it back Sunday"



He says,"ok what's your credit card number?"



So I tell him," It's OK that it s a Explorer Sport Trac?"



He says,"Ford Explorer? Sure No Problem"



So believe it or not I am using a U-Haul!:blink:



On a side not, this will be my 1st time to haul anything behind my ST. On a scale of 1-10 how important is it to go 45mph? I am going over 300 miles. I want to keep it at 60mph. what's are ya'lls suggestions?

 

[Hal S]

Once you get comfortable to how it handles and stops, just give yourself a little extra room and keep up with the traffic.

 

[Tom Schindler]

That 45 MPH speed limit is a crock of crap. I am still amazed nobody has nailed them on it.



IMO, do the speed limit and you should be safe. I have seen people towing a uhaul trailer at 75+ MPH.





Tom

 

[Dreman]

The 45 mph posted on the trailer is there to limit their liability. If you have an accident at normal freeway speeds, you can't go back to them and claim it was caused by the trailer, because they can claim you exceeded the limit posted on the trailer.

 

[TRACket Paul]

45mph - 6.5



If you're comfortable at that speed cool.

But, you could be cited (an officer with little else to do), mileage decreases, wheel bearing heat increases (load is the factor), safety & control decrease.

Probably, you'll have no issues. Check your lights, please use your signals and double check when you change lanes.

Good Luck and enjoy.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Well, many factors come to play.



Load the trailer the correct way. Too much tongue weight and it will cause steering issues. To much tail weight and it will try to pick up your rear end. It needs to be loaded in such a way that the front half of the trailer will have 15 to 20 percent more weight than behind the trailer axle.



Generally quality trailers will be able to tow at 75MPH. The biggest issue is the safety. Being able to stop or steer out of an emergency. Anytime you travel at 45 vs. 75 your going to be in better control.

 

[Robert Barker]

As CoastieJoe says make certain you properly balance the load, that is 100% critical. Just be certain to give yourself proper following distances and etc, depending upon the weight of the load. It is better to take 1 hr longer to get there than to pushing things and have a problem.



Trac N Tennessee

 

[Tom Schindler]

The tongue weight should be about 10% of the trailer weight. A 15% tongue weight will be better to tow. Any more then that and you are putting undue stress on the tow vehicle. Some trailers go with a 20% tongue weight. You best off with stickiug to the 12% to 15% tongue weight.



Too heavy behind the axle, and the trailer will sway. I was almost killed by a improperly loaded trailer. Forunatly for me, I was able to put the vehicle in the center medion and not over the guard rail and down the hill.





Tom

 

[Gavin Allan]

Check the hitch on the truck--make sure the bolts are all good and tight. Tighten the ball as tight as you can get it and then tighten it some more. You don't want the ball to get loose in the drawbar (don't ask me how I know this).



Check and fill all fluids and tires on your truck.



Check all trailer lights and signals--make sure they work properly before you leave the lot. Make them hook it up right. Drive with your lights on at all times. Check the lights frequently when you haul.



Frequently check the tightness of the hitch-- make sure the trailer hitch is tight on the ball.



Check the trailer tire pressure when the tires are cold. U-Haul never checks the pressure, and tires blow out frequently.



You can go 70 MPH. Just take your time and get used to the "feel" of a trailer. Observe proper trailer loading (read the directions on the trailer).

 

[Ben Toledano]

Listen to this crap. Two weekends ago I called 30 u-haul places to find a pull u-haul. Finally booked it after about four hours of searching. I go to pick this thing up about 30 minuets away. I get there and they lost my reservation. I waited 20 minuets untill they found out that they had spelled my name so incorrectly it would not show up in the comp. Then I pick out the one I want and the guy asks what kind of truck I will be pulling it with. I teel him my sport trac. He tells me that he will lose his job if he rents it to me because they do not put them on any explorer. I went crazy, after hours apon hours of planing, the lost reservation, and now I have to move with no u-haul and no one tells me this information untill I get there at 7:30 am the day of the move. I walk out because I am so pissed. I look at my trailer hitch and it is a U-haul hitch. Is that not crazy they will instal a hitch on a explorer but you can not pull anything u-haul. Then I remembered that the guy I bought my truck from said he towed a u-haul trailer accross the country when he moved and that they installed the hitch. Boy did this make me even more mad. Screw U-haul. Thay need to let customers that info before they rent.:angry:

 

[Wayne Foy]

I used U haul 2 timesin the last month, both towing one of their car dollies with my SVT focus on it. As long as you say "Sport Trac" and not "Explorer Sport Trac" they will rent it to you with NO problems.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Wayne,



You know, if you tow your Focus alot with a tow dolly, you might be better off buying a new one on eBay. You can get a Stehl Tow dolly, WITH electric brakes for about 950.00. A Tow Master Dolly will run about 1 grand.



It would save you the hassel of renting one and whenever you need it, it is already there.



The Stehl dolly is in South Carolina near Ashville, NC.





Tom

 

[Ethan X]

 

[Steven Hackett 2]

U-Haul is noting but trouble too many issues to talk about~~~~



this is normal to expect-

the trailers wheels may fall off

will over heat

lights fail

no trailers breaks working

axles bent

lug nuts missing OR GLUED IN PLACE

cracks in the floor boards

they leak when it rains

etc....>



:wacko: