driving a Uhaul truck and towing a car

[datech]

I am planning on relocating and have been looking at U Haul trucks. I want to tow a small car. I will need at least a 14' to tow, but really 17' to get my kayak in the truck. I would get even better value by getting a bigger truck, like 20, or 26, which is their biggest.

When I was in high school I did some small truck driving, grain and dump trucks, but I don't have any experience driving a 34 foot long truck with a car in tow, so I am reluctant to go that big.on their web site they claim they are easy to drive

Anybody have any experience, observations, or comments about the size I should go with?

 

[Brybo86]

just make sure you make wide corners... like a semi does and you'll be fine

 

[skyactiv]

Dude, if you drove a dump truck in high school, I'm pretty sure you can handle a U-Haul.

 

[mattwithcats]

First, get a diesel fueled truck...

Second, don't back up.

Third, watch hotel awnings and low bridges.

Hills, trailer has an electric brake. Light foot on the brake, trailer brakes will engage, slowing you down.

If you have to back up, hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. Turn in the direction you want the trailer to go.

 

[Kruse]

How much "stuff" will you be hauling? If you are moving lots of household items and have a car to tow behind it, get the largest truck they have. It's amazing how much a person accumulates and it will fill a big truck up fast. Just remember never to lie to them about what car you will be hauling on your trailer or tow dolly. If the car that you haul is not what you told them, you will be liable if you have an accident.
I've moved 500+ miles with a U-haul about 15 years ago. They really are easy to drive because you will get a truck with an automatic transmission and (odds are) it will be gasoline-powered. They are easy to drive, but they handle different than a regular car.
I'm really am surprised though that the DMV hasn't clamped down on the average Joe just walking up to a U-haul storefront and driving away in a 26-foot truck with no trucking experience whatsoever.

 

[01rangerxl]

A modern U-Haul, regardless of size, will be pretty easy to drive if you have any experience at all with larger trucks. It will be an automatic, small tire, relatively dummy proof truck.

Worst vehicle I ever drove was a 1991 Vandura 3500 box van. What made it bad was that it really couldn't get out of its own way. Handled fine, I just wondered if it would make it up some hills, but it always did. They aren't going to give you a 1991 Vandura 3500, even Uhaul has sold those off, so you will get something pretty drivable and they probably put plenty of mirrors on it.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
First, get a diesel fueled truck...



The OP wanted a U-Haul. I think all their trucks that DON'T require a CDL are gasoline powered. I assume they are protecting themselves from the uninformed driver from putting gasoline in a diesel-powered truck.
If he wants a diesel, he'll probably have to go with a different moving truck, like Ryder or Penske, but correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[edwardh1]

we rented a u haul, with a tow trailer and towed a Honda civic from NJ to Atlanta, no probs cept a front tire on the truck went bad, creepy is that you could not see the trailer at all from the cab. or even feel that is was there. price shop ryder etc may be cheaper

 

[andrewg]

I've driven a 26' Budget Rental Truck across the entire U.S. WITH towing a pickup on a full-size trailer. Total length was over 50'. I've never driven anything anywhere near that large/long before. Yes, it was daunting at first. But once you are on the open road it isn't any big deal other than being 100% sure of your clearances....length and overhead clearance. Changing lanes is a challenge in traffic. Try to stay in the lane you need to be in FAR in advance. Don't be intimidated by other drivers. Never put yourself in a situation where you must back more than a short distance or around any corners....very hard for the novice and dangerous. Try to get a diesel truck of course. Know your route 100%. It helps a lot to have a partner next to you in the cab as well. And one big thing about the car trailer....make VERY sure the pull-out ramps are SAFELY secured when on the road. I've had one slide right out of the back of the trailer and almost kill a driver behind me! It was a horrible experience but luck was on my side. Those U-Haul places are HORRIFIC at making sure all equipment is safe and functions properly. DO NOT trust them...check it all out yourself before driving.

 

[Nick1994]

My dad moved a month or so ago and rented a 26' Penske truck with a lift gate. I was the driver and put about 50 miles on it around town, and where he lives it's almost all hills. This thing even with a little running start would do 30-35 mph MAX uphill. They have the computer tuned so far down it was ridiculously slow, and it was a 2012! It was almost as if the turbo hose had a hole in it or something. It was a diesel and you don't need a special license. It was actually vey easy to maneuver around and I could even turn around in his culdesac that was on a hill! It didn't have a hitch, but that may be because it had the lift gate. Also around town and on the hills it got 8-9 mpg! Pretty darn good for it's size and huge motor. Air brakes are touchy, LOL. Get the biggest you can, they all get pretty much the same mpg too.that way you don't even have to worry whether you can fit everything or not.

 

[datech]

I guess the things I am most worried about are getting gas, food and motels. Just cruising down the interstate should be ok.

I decided to go with U Haul even though Penske and Budget might have better deals because of the low loading deck height.

I know some gas stations have a canopy overhead.

I have been checking on gasbuddy, 10 mpg and a HUGE tank will cost me a lot for each fill up. I don't know if I want to wander around trying to find a better price on gas, though, considering what I am driving.

If I needed to 'unload' the car temporarily, maybe unhook it from the truck, whatever, how hard is that? Would I drive the car off the trailer first? I will probably be using the trailer not the dolly, as I understand you can't back up at all with the dolly.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
First, get a diesel fueled truck...

Second, don't back up.

Third, watch hotel awnings and low bridges.

Hills, trailer has an electric brake. Light foot on the brake, trailer brakes will engage, slowing you down.

If you have to back up, hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. Turn in the direction you want the trailer to go.
U-haul Auto Hauler trailers have hydraulic trailer brakes-and be SURE the tires are fully aired up & check tire pressures on a regular basis-pretty much every U-Haul car trailer I've rented has had low & leaky tires. Plus they DON'T give you a spare!

 

[datech]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Originally Posted By: mattwithcats


U-haul Auto Hauler trailers have hydraulic trailer brakes-and be SURE the tires are fully aired up & check tire pressures on a regular basis-pretty much every U-Haul car trailer I've rented has had low & leaky tires. Plus they DON'T give you a spare!


I will try to remember to take a tire gauge. The last thing I want is a blow out in the middle of nowhere. Does U Haul help out in case of problems, or just re-imburse you after the trip?

 

[901Memphis]

Get a Penske rental truck, they maintain their vehicles better, ie: engines and brakes plus have diesels. I rented one to move my apartment and couldn't have been happier.

 

[expat]

My experience with U-Haul trucks is not good.

Having had to drive an oil burning Junker from Vancouver to Toronto.
Also, smaller U-hauls on local moves have often been poorly maintained and unreliable.

But in Canada, U-haul is the only company that will let you rent One Way

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: datech
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Originally Posted By: mattwithcats


U-haul Auto Hauler trailers have hydraulic trailer brakes-and be SURE the tires are fully aired up & check tire pressures on a regular basis-pretty much every U-Haul car trailer I've rented has had low & leaky tires. Plus they DON'T give you a spare!


I will try to remember to take a tire gauge. The last thing I want is a blow out in the middle of nowhere. Does U Haul help out in case of problems, or just re-imburse you after the trip?

I had a trailer tire blow out. I called a near by tire place and they said that they would contact U-Haul and get them to pay for it. It was very time consuming waiting for a repair vehicle to show up....but once they arrived and put on a new tire, they obviously had done it a few times with folks traveling on the interstate.

 

[Kuato]

Have towed with both. 24' expect a bigger.hit on mpg. 14 will tow a small vehicle fine; get the smallest truck you need for all your property, plan to be passed a lot, and by the end of the trip you'll know why truckers can be so difficult.

 

[datech]

Originally Posted By: expat
My experience with U-Haul trucks is not good.

Having had to drive an oil burning Junker from Vancouver to Toronto.
Also, smaller U-hauls on local moves have often been poorly maintained and unreliable.

But in Canada, U-haul is the only company that will let you rent One Way


I think the same thing is true here. I need a one-way rental, also the loading height is important to me.

Another issue is agency location. U hauls are almost everywhere, but no Penske in my town

 

[Propflux01]

I drove a 26' footer from little rock to tacoma, Washington with a 1972 4 door Torino on the back fully loaded moving my SIL there. It was actually easy. Had a gas engine, got 7mpg, and went up hills at 50mph with the engine screaming (sounded that way). Was pretty easy really, Hardee's part was getting into a gas station in Utah, when everyone else decided to get gas at the same time. Truck was easy to maneuver, just need to swing out alittle when making turns. If you don't have to back up, try and pull in straight with eyes open for an easy exit. Everything needs to be checked for tie down and readjusted if needed at very stop. If you drove dump trucks this should be easy even with the trailer.

 

[datech]

7 mpg? the web site says 10 mpg, of course they don't say about towing the car.

I drove an old dump truck one summer, but I did't tow anything. Towing the car is something I worry about a little. Like I said, getting gas, food, motel. It makes the planning much easier, though.