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Noob towing questions

crashandburn

crashandburn

1/2 ton status
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Posts
334
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Location
Colorado Springs, CO
I tow my little single axle trailer around all the time. I'm pretty good at it too, I always impress the guys at the dump with how easy I whip it around, and those are the hardest things to back up with, especially with a bigger truck like my Suburbalanche.

But I have never towed heavy, except a camp trailer once. And I have never towed long distance. With my upcoming relocation, I may have to tow my prized possession, my 1972 Skylark (640 hp big block, 6 speed, oh yeah...) about 2000 miles.
The tow rig is a 1996 2500 Burb with a 6.5 turbo diesel and a 4l80e, 14 bolt FF. Has EGT and trans temp gauges. 150k miles.
The car and trailer will be around 5000 lbs.

Am I just worrying too much? The truck is rated for 11,900 I think, but is that for a limited distance?

Also, if I go easy, my rig will get 18-19 mpg on the highway. What can I expect to see for mileage towing the car?

I might instead pull my single axle with 2 motorcycles on it (I might tow the car with the U-Haul). The trailer tires are rated for about 1000 lbs each, and I figure all combined it will weigh in at around 1500-1700. Am I pushing the limits too far?
 
Do not tow the car with a u-haul. Use the vehicle you know and are comfortable with. And take your time.
 
2000 miles and a single axle trailer with a full size car on it? It can be done. All I can say is 2 axles WAY WAY more stability. Make sure the trailer is rated for that much weight and does it have brakes. Brakes on a trailer carrying a car is comforting. You do love your car RIGHT? The burb will be fine to tow with, but that much weight on your tongue (Ball) may lift the front end up a bit giving you some reduced front wheel braking. That's where a load distributing hitch comes in handy.
 
sponsoredbydad said:
2000 miles and a single axle trailer with a full size car on it? It can be done. All I can say is 2 axles WAY WAY more stability. Make sure the trailer is rated for that much weight and does it have brakes. Brakes on a trailer carrying a car is comforting. You do love your car RIGHT? The burb will be fine to tow with, but that much weight on your tongue (Ball) may lift the front end up a bit giving you some reduced front wheel braking. That's where a load distributing hitch comes in handy.
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No no no,
If I tow the car, it will be on a car trailer. The single axle will be for 2 motorcycles, totaling about 1200 lbs. I should have said that.
 
A car that nice deserves a professional transport in an enclosed carrier..thats my opinion ,if I were going to have to move a vehicle I consider a "prized posession"..its one thing to haul a rusted truck home,but you stand to lose a lot if something goes sour towing it yourself..

If thats not an option,I'd be sure the trailer is in dam good shape,has working brakes,and try towing the car locally first to see how it feels..

My older brother bought a '67 Econoline pickup in Charlotte NC some years ago,and the trucker he hired to haul it back to MA had truck problems and ended up bailing on him,and he lost the money...the guy he bought the truck from called and said he wanted it GONE off his lot within a week,or else he would have it put in storage (or worse!)--so rather than lose it,he drove there in his 2002 K-2500 Duramax/Alison truck and used a tow bar to pull it home the 1400 mile trip!..said it sucked,was the scariest ride of his life,but he made it back here in one peice..

He had to drill 4 holes in the bumper on the Ford and used 3/8" bolts to put the tow bar brackets on it...he said in PA the roads were so rough the Econoline flew up high enough to see its headlamps in his rear view mirror!..

He now owns more than one tilt bed car trailer,with working brakes and a winch,etc..said tow bars are good for short runs only,and probably will never use one again..
 
crashandburn said:
No no no,
If I tow the car, it will be on a car trailer. The single axle will be for 2 motorcycles, totaling about 1200 lbs. I should have said that.
Click to expand...

sponsoredbydad said:
OK I feel much better now:waytogo:
Click to expand...

:haha: :haha:


ktmoutfront said:
Do not tow the car with a u-haul. Use the vehicle you know and are comfortable with. And take your time.
Click to expand...

My advice as well.
The trailer you plan to put the car on.....your's or a u haul ? Either way obviously check it over very well, nuts, bolts, tie downs, safety chains etc. If it's a rental trailer check ahead of time to see what type of braking system it has and if electric (if you don't have one) I would invest in a brake controller, if it's a surge set up, confirm that it works
Not being a smart a**, but , have you ever towed and tied down your car before? If not definitely plan ahead and know what you will need before the car ever hits the trailer, not something you want to half a** on a trip that distance or on your pride and joy.
 
jt512 said:
:haha: :haha:




My advice as well.
The trailer you plan to put the car on.....your's or a u haul ? Either way obviously check it over very well, nuts, bolts, tie downs, safety chains etc. If it's a rental trailer check ahead of time to see what type of braking system it has and if electric (if you don't have one) I would invest in a brake controller, if it's a surge set up, confirm that it works
Not being a smart a**, but , have you ever towed and tied down your car before? If not definitely plan ahead and know what you will need before the car ever hits the trailer, not something you want to half a** on a trip that distance or on your pride and joy.
Click to expand...

Probably will be a uhaul trailer, though there is a pretty decent car trailer that I can probably get for 800ish.
I have tied down a K5 onto a uhaul trailer before, it was pretty straightforward. Had to let the air out of the tires so the straps would fit.

You guys really think it would be that much of a problem towing it with the box truck?
 
I would tow with your burb as well, I think it will do fine pulling 5K, hell my 95 350 did good at that weight, and I know that 6.5 will blow that thing away...do you have an equalizing hitch and bars, I would also invest in a sway bar, just a brakepad clamp type will work well with that trailer. Make sure your trailer is sound....being from CT, I know you have to deal with salt and rust issues...so check the cross members and tongue where it joins to the trailer side and front cross members...check that tongue weight is 15-20%, brakes are in good working condition, wheel bearings are adjusted right and greased, tires are in good shape, and inflated to max press rating, lug nuts are torqued, and all lights are working properly.
It will be fine....tow the single axle behind the Uhaul!
 
crashandburn said:
You guys really think it would be that much of a problem towing it with the box truck?
Click to expand...

Not so much a "problem", it's more of a "what would you be more comfortable" issue. You are comfortable driving your Burb, you will be able to see your car much easier behind the Burb as opposed to a box, things like merging into traffic, backing up, pulling into a gas station, will all be easier in the Burb.

Like already said, the Burb should be more then capable of towing that load :waytogo:
 
jt512 said:
Not so much a "problem", it's more of a "what would you be more comfortable" issue. You are comfortable driving your Burb, you will be able to see your car much easier behind the Burb as opposed to a box, things like merging into traffic, backing up, pulling into a gas station, will all be easier in the Burb.

Like already said, the Burb should be more then capable of towing that load :waytogo:
Click to expand...

Very true. I might not have a choice, depending on how this all pans out. I don't have an official start date yet and my wife has to stay back and finish a few things. I might have to trailer the bikes behind the Burb, hang out with my sister in law and her bf for a bit, then fly back and drive the uhaul with the car behind it. I'm afraid to tow my single axle with the uhaul, it is so small.
But it might go another way. Don't know yet.
 
Not much I can add to the discussion as I agree the burb will handle that weight fine and I would definitely use it vs the uHaul.

That being said I'd also get some quotes on shipping it professionally. Might be one less thing to worry about on the trip. On a trip that long figure the drop in mpg vs what they charge to ship and it might not be a whole lot more to have it shipped professionally. As Chris said expect 9 mpg or so towing.
 
Personally I see no problem with tow-bars, (obviously the wrong choice for pulling your car, but just throwing this out there) I made a 1700 mile round trip in the F250 with the Alaskan Camper in the back and with the Jeep behind on a tow bar and had no problem at all, just leave the key in the ignition to keep the steering lock off and the transfer case in neutral.

For your car I would Use the Burb with a decent, braked, tandem axle trailer.
But I wouldn't see any problem using the Box truck, just check it over a bit when you get it to make sure it's solid.

Now here's another option, I know at my nearest U-Haul place, you can get a one ton truck with a ramp over the back and over the cab, and you can park a car on it. Put your car on it, strap it down damn well, and tarp it. Then hook your trailer with the bikes on the back of that truck.
 
do not tarp the car, it will beat the hell out of the paint.
 
Really? Every time I moved anything with a halfway decent paintjob I tarped it, and never had any problems.

Although now that I think about it, I can see how it could.
 
Yes, it will (can, I guess- maybe it wouldn't but I wouldn't do it) beat up the paint. Expect to gain a nick or two in the paint by the rockers on an open trailer- speaking from personal experience. So if this is a nice enough car that you're not ok with that, explore other options. I'd invest in a cheap set of mudflaps for the trip- it might cut down on the amount of gravel kicking off your tires and save a ding or two.

Check the prices on the uhaul trailer- I paid more than $800 a few years ago to rent one cross country, so buying that one might be a better option.


Also, I towed my Spirit on a Uhaul trailer (4500 lbs or so) behind my K5 from Cali to Missouri, over the Rockies. I had no problems- I had to stop once to let the tranny cool down going up a pass, but that was it. It wasn't the best choice of vehicles to tow with long distance, but it's what I had and it worked just fine. Your Burb won't give you any problems at all.

As far as shipping professionally, I wouldn't pay for that unless you're willing to spring for a closed trailer. I had my Spirit shipped (open semi trailer) from Florida to Cali, and it gained a few nicks in the paint along the way. So I don't see that option as better than towing it yourself if you're going to be driving that same distance anyways.
 
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