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Trailer weight limits? A T bird can't be to heavy

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by fuzzy bunny, Aug 14, 2008.

  1. fuzzy bunny
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 448

    fuzzy bunny
    Member

    Hey evry body, heres the story. Turns out i've got a 2nd cousin in Roseville California Who has a 1963 T bird that i want. I live in Seattle and he told me i could have it if i just get it out of his yard and towed it up to my place. I've been looking for a bullet bird for quite some time now, and this happens to be a low miles power everything A/C car. Any way i called u haul to see about renting a trailer and was told their trailers only hold 3900 pounds...the T bird weighs 4195 pounds. So are the people at u haul just trying to cover their arsses or is this trailer going to colaps and crumble to dust the minute i get the car loaded on it. They also spacificly (sorry about the bad spelling) ask what you are towing on the trailer, do i lie and say im pulling a VW bug or what? What should i do?
     
  2. Salty
    Joined: Jul 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,258

    Salty
    Member
    from Florida

    Personally...200lbs aint gonna make a big difference....I would ***ume that it has to do with the braking system....not entirly sure though....I've use U-hog trailers in the past and the one I used was beefy....I wouldnt worry about it, just be a little extra carefull but be prepaired to eat the cost if something were to happen...

    but in answer to your question....if I was in your position, yeah I'd do it...
     
  3. fuzzy bunny
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 448

    fuzzy bunny
    Member

    Cool, i figure if they really want to fight me on weight i can pull the deck lid hood and bumpers and put them in the back of the truck, But only if they realy try to fuk with me
     
  4. 64Belvedere
    Joined: Sep 20, 2007
    Posts: 49

    64Belvedere
    Member
    from Alabama

    Just so you know, they ask what you're putting on the trailer and what you're towing with. I seem to remember that it's put into a computer and it will tell them if they are allowed to rent the trailer out in that particular situation. And I don't think they'll take into consideration that you've removed parts to make it lighter. Sooooooo, if you want the trailer, you will probably have to tell them about "another car" that you want to tow. But, like somebody mentioned, just be prepared if something happens........ Look the trailer over carefully too. I seriously doubt if any of the rental places actually do any kind of checks or preventative maintenance on them.
     
  5. Any time you rent from U-haul, you're hauling a Geo Metro. It may look like a 2-ton 4x4 pickup, but it's still a Geo Metro.
     
  6. Definitely check out the trailer or have someone with you who can look it over :D
    I rented a Uhaul trailer once and when I pulled out of the yard - the trailer kept on going another way into traffic :eek:
    Seems the guy just changed out the coupler and did not put bolts thru the frame to fasten it :cool:
     
  7. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,401

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    U - Haul is very conservative on their limits. Its an effort to keep their equipment from being repeditively abused.
    And all Or i should say most trailers are built with a varience to for over weight..In other words if the tag says the trailer can hold 2,000 pounds..in reality it could probably hold 2,500..without trouble. your 200 pound overage will not hurt a trailer in good condition. when you choose the traler look at the tires and how good of condition it is in before you rent it..and see if they have one that will carry 5,000 pounds..if not ..tell them you are hauling something lighter..
    and as said if something does go wrong or breaks be prepaired to take care of it with out them involved..(say like a blown tire or smoked wheel bearring)..I was just at a U-Haul the other day B.Sing with the maintenance manager..they have a very good preventative maintanance regime on their equipment..I say go for it.
    and good luck., just make sure the trunk aint full of bull **** and load the trailer right and tie down properly, drive right and you should be just fine.
     
  8. JDHolmes
    Joined: Nov 25, 2006
    Posts: 918

    JDHolmes
    Member
    from Spring TX

    haven't read the whole thread so I apologize if someone mentioned it already.

    UHaul rents larger haulers too requiring you to have 6k hitch. I found this out when last renting one and that was all they had. So that's one option.

    Second, don't tell them the correct car you are hauling and don't take the insurance. That way, if something happens, you are responsible since you are choosing to haul what is not approved by them.

    As someone noted above, they ask what you are hauling and if it's not approved in their system, you don't get the trailer. they also ask about your tow vehicle. If it doesn't meet the requirements, you don't get the trailer. Go to UHaul.com and start the reservation process. It will walk you through the steps and you will see the vehicles permitted and not permitted in the drop down boxes.

    It is usually such a h***le with them that I usually just give them one of two cars that I have that I know are acceptable to the computer system. I haul about once a month and have done anything from a monster pontiac grandville to cavaliers. They have good equipment and is well maintained.
     
  9. 56don
    Joined: Dec 11, 2005
    Posts: 10,329

    56don
    Member

    I have used them before to haul cars heavier than they recommend.I just lied to them.But you had better measure the tread width and be sure the T-Bird will actually fit on the trailer.I tried to haul a car once that was too wide to fit.
     
  10. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,401

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    renting trailers is why i went and bought my own..it solved all these issues..i can haul what i want with what i have..but my trailer is rated for 10,000# and so is my tow rig..so im set for anything i would ever buy as far as projects.

    I found that if you are into this type of project bulding and buying..you just need to sink some cash into the right equipment to get r done..even if it takes you years to get to that point..
    in the mean time..use U-haul to get it done, just cover your ***, and know their rules and work around them.
     
  11. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,342

    73RR
    Member

    Hopefully you are Not planning to drag an empty trailer that distance:eek:, it will beat the **** out of you!!! For a extra drop fee you should be able to get a one-way ticket. Maybe a fellow Hamber at the car's hometown can inspect the local fleet.
    And as others have said, consider buying a 10k trailer. BTW, what is the tow rig??
     
  12. 55 dude
    Joined: Jun 19, 2006
    Posts: 9,357

    55 dude
    Member

    if i recall correctly most trailers are rated at 70% of their capacity. see if you can setup a hamb relay. going to california in august would ****! it would surely be the end of this "web footed" dude but sounds like a fun trip!
     
  13. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    Tell me about it. 55 Desotos are wide. And require 2 trips.
     
  14. fuzzy bunny
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 448

    fuzzy bunny
    Member

    Well that was kinda the plan. If i do a local rental it is $45 a day, so at 4 days im into it about 200 bucks, but for a one way they quoted me $530. That seemed outrages to me, thats half of a rand new trailer. And as light duty as it may sound i plan to pull the rig with an f 150 4X4, it all i've got.
     
  15. Jobe
    Joined: Oct 19, 2004
    Posts: 1,248

    Jobe
    Member
    from Austin, Tx

    Call some other rental places, I rent really nice car trailers here in Austin for $20 a day,much better than Uhauls..and I'm hauling 5000 pound Cadillacs. Try some places that rent trucks and vans, someone is going to have a better trailer and easier to deal with than Uhaul.
     
  16. fuzzy bunny
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 448

    fuzzy bunny
    Member

    Thanks for the advice guy's
     
  17. J Man
    Joined: Dec 11, 2003
    Posts: 4,131

    J Man
    Member
    from Angola, IN

    Look on craigslist for a used trailer, I see them from time to time but I am on the other side of the country as well. Usually if I have to use a U Haul trailer for an old car I tell them it is a S10.
     
  18. Frank L. hughes
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 86

    Frank L. hughes
    Member

    My tow vehicle is a f-150 supercrew. Towed a trailer with an imperial on it from New Mexico to Wyoming over 5 mountain p***es. no problem with truck or homemade trailer. Buy your own trailer. It's worth it to avoid the h***le. :) Frank
     
  19. chitbox dodge
    Joined: Apr 25, 2005
    Posts: 598

    chitbox dodge
    Member
    from dunlap tn

    i dont know how far roseville is from seattle, but another thing to consider is the gas to get the thing and back. i towed a plymouth with an 04 ram last summer for about a 16 -18 hour round trip and for what i payed in gas i could have had it towed to my doorstep by a hauler. of course i was coming from s.e. tennessee and headed to north central illinois and had to make a p*** over some mountains.
     
  20. Trailers hauling cars have been getting a lot of attention of the DOT. You become a tractor trailer in their eyes. You have to have brakes on both axles. There is weight limit on the tires it is in fine print on the side walls. Also the trailer and tow vehicles have a GVR weight limit. Also it is required to have a break away system that applies the trailer brakes should the hitch fail. It is illegal to use mobile home tires. If you have a one ton truck to be legal you must have a CDL and a health card. A lot of that legal stuff is why trailer rental places give you a hard time. If you break the law then you cant come back at them. Even if you have your own trailer you probably should go to the DMV and get a DOT hand book and look up the info that applys to your situation. If you violate the law out of your home state you could get a hefty fine and even have Your vehicles impounded. By the way i have a CDl and know from experience what can happen:eek:OldWolf
     
  21. BrandonB
    Joined: Feb 24, 2006
    Posts: 3,571

    BrandonB
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from nor cal

    Exactly. Their trailers are pretty small and the deck width won't accommodate some of the larger older cars. If you do get it on you'll probably have to crawl out the drivers window because the door won't open because of the trailer fenders.
     
  22. madjack
    Joined: May 27, 2008
    Posts: 201

    madjack
    Member

    Remember the adage "drive it like it was rented, park it like it was stolen" came from somewhere and it was probably a rental business
     

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