Towing with U-Haul car trailer

[edusmc1]

I have a 2024 FX4 2.7 and I’m wanting to haul a car using U-Haul 2210 lb trailer and the car is 3450 lbs, so around 5700 lbs total. Has anyone done this yet and should I be ok towing this. Has Ford tow package and 373 rear gears.
Thanks for any response.

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[bigb]

Does the Uhaul trailer have surge brakes?

 

[Flak]

Does the Uhaul trailer have surge brakes?

yes the tandems do iirc last time I rented one going cross country.

Yea it should be fine EXCEPT you won't have actual trailer brakes. Also have to be careful with loading car for weight distribution and sway control to avoid overloading the tongue, unless you have a WD hitch you can bolt on.

keep in mind if properly balanced (and tandems help) you should usually be 10-15% tongue weight, so your 570-800ish against your total payload which should be fine from a pulling perspective.

 

[bigb]

Make sure the surge brakes are working. That much weight on a truck this size can get you into trouble if they're not.

 

[dajo]

U Haul is very picky with what they allow their trailers being towed by. If it does not met the weight criteria hey won't rent it to you. Do an online application to see if your vehicle meets their spec. They are not nearly as picky about what they rent to you.

 

[superj]

It meets it. We got a tow dolly to tow my aon's bmw home and the guy in the store said we could get the car hauler if we wanted. He said our trucks meet whatever the limits are that uhaul sets.

My son's truck is a 24 4x4 stx with 2.3

 

[cc1999]

Hauling Vehicles are tricky , not typically a lot of extra room on the car trailers to get the tongue weight right. Might be good to know the weight ratios front vs rear of the vehicle your hauling.

If it’s a really nose heavy vehicle like say a pickup can be, it might require a weight distribution hitch to pull that size load safely.

 

[superj]

Ypu can also load them backwards. I have done that a few times on uhaul car haulers

 

[cc1999]

Ypu can also load them backwards. I have done that a few times on uhaul car haulers

Wow, no electric brakes and tail heavy trailer is generally a recipe for disaster.
Especially with a light weight truck towing it. .
I could see that getting scary really quickly with a tail wagging the dog scenario inevitable .

Curious what sort of vehicle was being towed. I really am surprised you were able keep it on the road.

 

[superj]

I dont mean making it tail heavy, just if the tongue weight cant be met, you can also load bckwards to try to get the weigjt set up right

 

[Winn]

I wanted to haul a 3,700 pound car with U-Hall and they would not rent me anything. 2025 Ranger 2.7 but no trailer brake mechanism on mu truck.

 

[stemplar]

Wow, no electric brakes and tail heavy trailer is generally a recipe for disaster.
Especially with a light weight truck towing it. .
I could see that getting scary really quickly with a tail wagging the dog scenario inevitable .

Curious what sort of vehicle was being towed. I really am surprised you were able keep it on the road.

It's often not quite this drastic. Towing a vehicle that has a roughly 60/40 weight distribution, if loading it nose first makes the tongue too heavy sometimes backing it on is enough to balance the trailer such that the tongue weight is 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. Of course there are no absolutes, and really long wheelbases amplify the difference, but it can work and be safe.

 

[cc1999]

It's often not quite this drastic. Towing a vehicle that has a roughly 60/40 weight distribution, if loading it nose first makes the tongue too heavy sometimes backing it on is enough to balance the trailer such that the tongue weight is 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. Of course there are no absolutes, and really long wheelbases amplify the difference, but it can work and be safe.

True, thats was in part why I was suggesting the op find out that axle weight ratio.
‘If it were near 50/50 or 60/40 you could potentially back it on, like you said though, the wheel base and overhangs can or will also come into play, only so much room on trailer to position that weight.

Nothing scarier than a tail heavy trailer and no electric brakes to have even a chance to save it, if she goes to pushing and swaying, it can end really badly.

I would rather drive it on and use a weight distributing hitch to get that weight balance as safe as I could get it.

 

[cc1999]

I dont mean making it tail heavy, just if the tongue weight cant be met, you can also load bckwards to try to get the weigjt set up right

I think most u-haul trailers are aluminum, I am picturing not a lot of trailer tounge wright to start with, a 60/40 axle weight ratio might very well leave you tail heavy. Maybe not by enough to matter, but I would sure want know where I was at on tongue weight before heading out.

With my steel power tilt equipment trailer I am pushing 1000 lb tongue weight empty, I can play around with driving or backing equipment on to get that balance just right. It has a 22‘ deck so I typically have a little extra room to play with too.

 

[Bruce]

While some of U-Hauls vehicle sizes and weights are way off --- example, 1937 Ford Tudor was rated at 5700 lbs (not even with moonshine would it weight that) --- go ahead and rent and haul.
If your Ranger has the towing package from the factory the recommended ratings are good. The only problem you will have is that the gas tank empties faster than you can believe.
With a first year 2019 Ranger Lariat, using a U-Haul car trailer, with a 1949 Ford Tudor Sedan on it, had no problems what so ever. Was worried about the rear of the Ford moving when road was bumpy. Used chauk and marked where the rear tires were on the trailer deck. After a trip to Auburn IN from Minnesota and back -- like I said no problems with the Ranger towing, except for the extra fuel consumption.

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