'71 too light to rent car dolly=frustrated!!

[Irishpilot]

After all the work I've put into my truck, I still can't rent a car dolly or trailer from Uhaul because my truck is not "properly equipped." Never mind the truck now has a 406 sb that could pull a house down, bags on all corners with firestones in back, and power brakes (disk up front).

UHaul states that the truck is too light to pull the car. The truck weighs 4100lbs and the car weighs 3,300. I was planning on using the truck to pull my car when I move, and it just doesn't seem fair to us classic truck owners.

Any thoughts on this?

[jasonb72]

Do what I did, go to there web site and make a reservation, put in a different car than what you are towing, one you know is light enough to meet there standards. I think I put in mine a 72 camaro 6cyl, and all was good.

[Longhorn Man]

you'll have to put escort in there, and that may even be too much.

or tow the car with the moving van, and put the wear on there junk

of go buy a tow bar

You need to remember, your truck IS a 1/2 ton truck, and since you modified the suspention, they may not (and don't have to) rent you anything at all. They are going by the figures in there computer, and have come up with these numbers due to liabilities.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

yea, U-Haul is just crazy stupid on weight ratios. It's the same with the car trailers too. I rented them a couple times before I bought my trailer. I did what jasonb72 said, except I always told them I was toting a 66 VW bug.
And for the dollys, they always look for the width of the towed car too. They think anything bigger than a Yugo is gonna hit the dolly fenders when you make a turn.

[68C15]

tell them your truck is a 3/4 ton and you are towing an 89 Civic. it worked for me when I had to retrieve my 96 Blazer.

or to make them nervous tell them that the car carrier will be empty with nothing on it. you just need it for the trailer drags this weekend at the local strip. LOL

[Sport/Truck]

U-Haul is nothing but trouble. The service is piss poor, and their attitude just plain sucks. Do yourself a favor and get another company you'll be much happier.
s/t

[nightmare]

yeah, i don't like uhaul very much. i wish that penske did trailer rentals, but oh well.

a couple of weekends ago, i had to take my '69 down to houston for some repair. i used my '01 dakota to pull it. worked fine. only problem was that i had to tell uhaul that i was pulling a '94 honda accord, 4 door, in order to be able to rent it.

previously, i was using the '69 to get another car; a '70 plymouth duster. they said that the truck was too light, and that the car was too wide to fit on the dolly. the guy even looked at the vin plate on the door, which states that the GVW is 5500 lbs. he said that the computer won't let him because it states that the '69 LWB 2wd 1/2 ton weighs only 3600 pounds. just for grins i asked what it showed for a 1 ton, and they said 4400. something just isn't right with them.

[ashx2]

When I rented a UHAUL trailer this past year, I was pulling w/a 3/4ton chevy. The load was a 71 chevy.

They also said my setup wouldn't work. So I told them that the trailered truck was nothing but a shell (no engine/tranny - yes I lied) and somehow that made things okay. I took the trailer, drug the truck 4 hours one way and turned it back in a the local UHAUL yard, no problems.

Greg

[Sinisterspeed]

I tried renting a car trailer once there with one of my Toyota's. Never mind it was sitting on a 3/4 ton frame with D44 up front and D60 in rear.

I found out yet again later. That my wifes truck says Scottsdale 10 on the side of the replacement fenders. Yes its a 3/4 ton also.

All they can go by is the emblems i guess. I have seen my Dads 1994 6 lug 3/4 ton be able to rent from them. Yet my 8lug locked up with after market axles shafts and airbags on the rear cant rent a car hauler from them.

If they have actually seen what I really did with their trailer I think they would have a heart attack. We'll just not mention that. I have my own trailer these days and almost never loan it out due to alot of people just dont use common sense when loading or distributing the weight properly.

By the way after checking later, Their hang up is brakes. You have to have big enough brakes to stop the load.

[sleepertruck72]

I would try somewhere else. I rented a trailer fron United Rentals to pull a 72 Chevy C-10 longbed with a 97 Chevy 1/2 ton truck and had no problems. I agree with LHM on the tow bar. Harbor Freight has one for around $50. It works.

[mycool72]

x2 on the escort idea

[big_al_71]

I rented a trailer from them last summer to go pick up a 69 camaro and I dont remember having any issues at all renting or using it..

[vintagesteel]

their policies might suck, but they have been sued by somebody for renting a trailer, putting to heavy aload on it and pulling with to light of a truck. They ended up being sued for MILLIONS of dollars for someone ELSES stupidity getting into a wreck and killing someone. Now, they would rather NOT rent a trailer as to take the chance of somebody else doing the same thing. Now the liability is on the renter. If you lie about what you are pulling or what you are pulling with, and get into a wreck, there contract is void and YOU will be liable for damages and will be sued. If you notice on the paperwork if you get a trailer rented, it will state the tow vehicle and what is being towed (usually). If it is ANYTHING but what is stated on the paperwork and you get into a wreck(even if someone pulls out in front of you) prepare to go to court. Just remember too, those figures are determined by the main headquarters. The people working at the stores have NO control over that and you cant expect them to jeopardize their job or risk being sued by working it in your favor. Some other company might rent you a trailer, but it is because they havent had the "pleasure" of having a moron come in, rent something and then sue them.

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by vintagesteel

their policies might suck, but they have been sued by somebody for renting a trailer, putting to heavy aload on it and pulling with to light of a truck. They ended up being sued for MILLIONS of dollars for someone ELSES stupidity getting into a wreck and killing someone. Now, they would rather NOT rent a trailer as to take the chance of somebody else doing the same thing. Now the liability is on the renter. If you lie about what you are pulling or what you are pulling with, and get into a wreck, there contract is void and YOU will be liable for damages and will be sued. If you notice on the paperwork if you get a trailer rented, it will state the tow vehicle and what is being towed (usually). If it is ANYTHING but what is stated on the paperwork and you get into a wreck(even if someone pulls out in front of you) prepare to go to court. Just remember too, those figures are determined by the main headquarters. The people working at the stores have NO control over that and you cant expect them to jeopardize their job or risk being sued by working it in your favor. Some other company might rent you a trailer, but it is because they havent had the "pleasure" of having a moron come in, rent something and then sue them.

Ya, dont blame uhaul, blame yourselfs... Blame all the people who dont have a clue about towing and shouldnt be towing anything in the first place. If you want to use their trailer or tow dollies, either suck it up and LIE, or follow their rules. Their service may suck, but its their business and they have to do what they can. When and if they go out of business i bet a bunch of people will be upset about that to. I only know of 1 place to rent a dolly and thats uhaul....

Its their gear. Suck it up... 9 times out of 10 they KNOW your full of crap when you tell them what your towing, it just takes the liability fromthem since YOU lied ya know...

[LOW DOUGH]

My dad used to rent out Penski trucks and trailers. He would just let me borow one. I towed a 73 camaro a few times with my 71 1/2 ton LWB. I have even had my LWB 71 on one. The back tires were right at the end off the trailer. I can't wait till I can get my oun trailer.

I had my old F*** E350 and wanted to pull my 71 on a dolly and they said no cause the 71 was to wide for the dolly.

I have towed and 85 EL Camino on a dolly before. I think i borrowed that one too.

[Irishpilot]

It sounds like I'm not the only one who's run into problems with trying to rent trailers. I understand they have liability issues, but I don't have to like it.

Thanks for the responses! Buying a trailer would be great, but since I'm moving to Korea, I guess that will have to wait. Decisions decisions...

[toddtheodd]

I borrowed a trailer from a friend once. It was about 25 or 28 foot long.
Well, I put a 70 Chevelle on it. And a bunch of furniture, and some other crap. Had the trailer balanced pretty well, but the back was still on the axle stops because I had the bed loaded up to.
My 72 c-10 had no problem up or down hills. Down the highway. Nothing.
U-Haul is just skeered.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

Ya, dont blame uhaul, blame yourselfs... Blame all the people who dont have a clue about towing and shouldnt be towing anything in the first place. If you want to use their trailer or tow dollies, either suck it up and LIE, or follow their rules. Their service may suck, but its their business and they have to do what they can. When and if they go out of business i bet a bunch of people will be upset about that to. I only know of 1 place to rent a dolly and thats uhaul....

Its their gear. Suck it up... 9 times out of 10 they KNOW your full of crap when you tell them what your towing, it just takes the liability fromthem since YOU lied ya know...

So what your saying is if you rent a trailer from them, you're responsible for it? Gee.... what a concept. Shouldn't it be that way from the start? When I let people borrow my trailer, I tell them up front what their payment will be to replace it if anything happens.

I too was told by u-haul my truck couldn't pull one of their trailers.

[MyakkaJeff]

Moving from Utah to Korea? You need a boat, forget the trailer..

[lyrikz]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

So what your saying is if you rent a trailer from them, you're responsible for it? Gee.... what a concept. Shouldn't it be that way from the start? When I let people borrow my trailer, I tell them up front what their payment will be to replace it if anything happens.

I too was told by u-haul my truck couldn't pull one of their trailers.

Thats the thing, i think uhaul is responsible for you ya know... You think the responsibility would be on the renter of the trailer, but in the US thats not the case. We have to be monitored and checked to make sure we dont screw something up...

Just go back, tell them its actually a 69 VW that your towing. You will be fine. As long as they are off the hook your ok.

[lclippard]

i rented one from uhaul a month or so ago. towed my 69 c10 home with my 00 astro. they said it wasnt heavy enough to tow that truck. i just had to sign a waiver saying that i took full responsibilty for towing something they didnt recommend. they let me take it. dont know if that will work where you are. good luck.

[68lwb292]

I always borrowed my friends dually to pick up the tow dolley or trailer then took it home and used my truck i had which was a 79 1/2 ton at the time

[dfwright]

I don't blame U-haul for their policies so much, but the way they have implemented it is ridiculous. I tried to rent a trailer from them to tow my '72 home, using my '95 suburban. It wasn't accepted. However, if I put in that I had a 2000 Tahoe, that would work!?!

I ended up doing what others have suggested. I rented a trailer from another place. They would not listen to anything I said, and whatever the computer said was the final word, whether it made sense or not.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by dfwright

They (u-haul) would not listen to anything I said, and whatever the computer said was the final word, whether it made sense or not.

Sounds like a bunch of parts guys I've experienced over the years .

[KEL]

I went to Taylor Rental. Their only two questions were, what size is the ball on your truck, and when are you going to bring it back. It was that simple.