Event Coverage Towing Heavy Cars

So I am really bummed about my car probably not being ready for the Jalopy Jam Up. I still want to see what I can do about getting it there though.

I have a 1956 Ford Customline (Four Door Sedan) that I would want to be there.

My question is this. I have a 2009 Chevrolet HHR with a 2.0 and I was wondering if that would be enough to get a trailer or dolly from U-Haul and tow the heavy '56 Ford down there. Or would you recommend not doing the haul in such a small/light car.

Thanks guys!

 

Seriously?

 

the short answer is no. My answer is No . Too short of a wheelbase, too small a car,engine, brakes, hitch, the list goes on.

 

Yes, I believe that would be too much weight for your HHR..I towed my 59' on a u haul trailer behind my avalanche 1500, and it barely fit on there..I had to leave the bags fully inflated so I could open the door to get out once it was on the trailer. .

 

see how much it would cost to rent a truck along with a trailer

 

Negative on the HHR. Half ton pickup minimum, if it was me. The going ain't so bad, it's the stopping part that gets your attention.

 

Too small to tow that car with--also important what type of brakes does the trailer have. 1/2 ton pickup and trailer with good brakes minimum. The HHR may tow it but it won't stop-bad situation.

 

Thanks guys! That is pretty much the answer I was looking for. I'll see if I can afford to rent a truck. Otherwise I'll just go to the show car-less

 

Be like the tail wagging the dog!

 

FIRST thing I was gonna say! havin pulled trailers all my life -- GOOD decision NOT to w the HHR

 

I feel your pain. My shoebox isn't on the road either, so I'm tow-dollying it up. Either way it's going to be a good show.

 

I had one of those little HHRs briefly and there is no way I'd tow anything more than a go-cart with it. And that may be asking a lot. Not trying to be smart, just don't want to see you damage both vehicles and possibly get hurt. Got any buddies with a truck??

 

Go to u-haul with your proposed tow vehicle and see what they say.

 

The U-Haul online site lets you plug in the info on towed and towing vehicles, and will give you a yay or nay on your plans.
http://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/
I have on occasion 'fudged' slightly. (I seem to haul quite a few '64 Volkswagens, considering I don't and have never owned one!)
But that's mainly because there is no option to say you're actually towing a '50 Chevy less about 700 pounds of engine and transmission.
The specs on the towing vehicle is understandably more critical than the towed, and everyone is right, your HHR wouldn't cut the mustard.
Incidentally, last time I was picking up a trailer, there was a guy there trying to rent some sort of trailer to go behind a Ford Explorer. At that time, about 2 years ago, U-Haul would rent no trailers of any sort to be pulled by an Explorer.

 

Good rule of thumb is that you should never try to pull anything that weighs more than what you plan to pull it with. A '56 Ford is nothing like as heavy as, say, a '59 Cadillac, but it's probably heavier than the HHR. The weight plus the short wheelbase of the HHR makes a very unstable combination.

 

HHR will probably pull it, slowly, once you get up to speed stopping will be scary.

 

Only if you're feeling suicidal.

 

actually, I am shocked that this question was even posed. Seems like a common sense situation.

 

I'll add my voice to those saying "don't". I tried to tow a heavy car with one that was too light a few years ago. Seemed like it'd be okay until the trailer and car I was towing decided to overtake me and roll over into oncoming traffic. Thank christ no one was hurt.

sent via classroom note. pass it on

 

A 1/2 ton truck is really the minimum for towing anything. I've towed more than I should have with a 1/2 ton Pick-up. Once you tow with a 3/4 ton or larger you will never go back. You are safer towing with a larger truck. I now tow with a 3/4 ton '05 Chevy Van with 4 wheel disc brakes with a 6.0 liter. Its safe, powerful, and I have a place to sleep when I get tired. This is my 1st van and I really like it. Vans can be bought a lot cheaper than trucks. My 2 cents!!!

 

The old saying around here is "The mule is too small for the wagon" I used to work at a Ford dealership close to Interstate I/24 and close to Monteagle mountain. They would say "Everything was ok until I started up the Mountain" Which ment, everything was ok until it wasn't. Automatic transmissons would overheat and blow fluid out the overflow onto the converter and smoke like the car was on fire, even without pulling something. The brakes were ok for the car, but not nearly big enough for the car and whatever it was pulling. The engine was barely big enough for the car. The best one was a couple with a worn out Mustang 11 4 cyl trying to pull a 2 axle U-haul trailer leaving Fl. and going up north.

 

Go to the uhaul web site and plug in your HHR and hitch capacity..... won't even bring up car trailer as an option. I am looking at renting a van or trailer this weekend to move my son.... both $29.95 a day, the $.99 per mile for a van or truck is the killer and I only have a 60 miler round trip to make.

 

Rent a U haul truck and trailer

 

Last time I went to rent a trailer, nobody would even rent to me without a 3/4 ton or bigger truck. I tried Uhaul, United Rentals, as well as 3 local outfits. Same answer everywhere.

I have towed plenty of miles with my 1/2 ton Suburban with tow package, all over the western US, it's set up with trailer brakes and I know what I'm doing. However, idiots out there have caused me not to be able to rent a trailer anymore by using vehicles not intended to tow.

Devin

 

As a owner of a 2007 HHR Panel with over 250,000 miles, I would not haul anything larger than a pizza or a gym bag.