Towing uhual trailer across country...

[hitmoninfinity]

I'm going to be moving from South Carolina to California in a couple months. My new job won't be able to offer a relocation package so I'm trying to do this as inexpensive as possible. My wife and I have decided to not take any furniture (we barely have any to begin with) so we're only going to be moving clothes, pots and pans, personal belongings, etc. I'm sure a 4x8 uhaul will be more than enough space to cover it.

I've read through some old threads on whether or not to tow with a yaris... and I know it's not ideal but I'd rather rent a trailer for 300 bucks than rent a truck and pay for its crappy MPG along with fueling the yaris.

However, after doing some research, uhaul says the empty 4x8 weighs 850lbs... that seems like too much to me. Our stuff will probably weigh less than 300 lbs but I don't think I want to exceed 1000 lbs. Thoughts?

[CTScott]

UHaul trailers are generally crazy heavy (because they are made to take some abuse).

The 4x8 below only weighs 221 lbs, but you would need to add a floor and sides. You could probably do so using 1/4" plywood with 2x4's in the stake pockets for strength to keep the weight down.


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200356493_200356493

[hitmoninfinity]

That's not a bad idea. I could craigslist it when we get there! :)

[Woodsman]

850 lbs + 300 lbs + contents in car + long trip + mountains = bad idea.
The Yaris in Canada is rated to tow 800 lbs.

Have you considered boxing & shipping your belongings. Most likely your cheapest solution.

[refotsirk]

I second boxing and shipping......

[Altitude]

If you haul, take the southern route to avoid the Rockies.

[Mead]

Interstate 10 is your only hope, still very dangerous, so naturally I'm all for it :biggrin: start the trip soon before it snows, good luck

[bronsin]

I like Scotts idea. I used my 1980 Subaru Hatchback to tow 1200 pounds of boat and trailer for ~100 mile distances.

Shipping works too.

[jambo101]

850 lbs + 300 lbs + contents in car + long trip + mountains = bad idea.
The Yaris in Canada is rated to tow 800 lbs.

.
I agree, gonna put a lot of strain on a drive-train not designed for that kind of hauling,might cost you a clutch if its a standard particularly when hauling the over-sized load over the Rockies, if its an automatic could cost you the whole tranny.
I'd reconsider what you really need and if it cant fit in the back seat or the trunk i'd get rid of it.

[nemelek]

You might be able to rent a smaller van instead of a truck.

[YAR1S]

ABS is the cheepest moving company I found.... I got all my stuff shipped for under 1k... and mine included furiture for 2BR apartment.

[Connoisseur_of_fine_cars]

I have a 4x4 trailer for my 250-lb dirt bike. Total weight is 400. A piece of cake for the Yaris. But it's very flat down here in Texas. I don't know about going over the Rocky Mtn. I'd like to try it sometimes.

The 4x8 trailer option is not cheap. You have to buy wood, wiring kit, straps, and hitch. I also upgraded mine lights to LED. Building the trailer and wiring it properly also takes a lot of time, especially if you have never done it before. And you have to pay license and registration fees.

But having a trailer is really awesome. It's better than a pickup truck.

[MUSKOKA800]

You aren't saving any money if you destroy your Yaris in the process.

[hitmoninfinity]

I ain't scared.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008/02/the-great-american-anti-towing-conspiracy/

[Connoisseur_of_fine_cars]

I like the can-do spirit of the author. Too often nowadays, we are told we can't do this and we can't do that, it's too dangerous, one idiot got killed so nobody should be allowed to do it.

My girlfriend’s Mom was driving a 70hp Corolla, which was rated to tow 1800lbs, exactly the weight of my VW. She generously offered it. Towing the Bug home, the Corolla never broke a sweat.

[Yar Is Word]

Ship and enjoy the ride.
http://www.shipgreyhound.com/

[thebarber]

Will U-Haul even rent you the trailer if you tell them (or show up with) a harks as a tow vehicle? They wouldn't let me rent a tow Dolly with.my vibe...

[hitmoninfinity]

Will U-Haul even rent you the trailer if you tell them (or show up with) a harks as a tow vehicle? They wouldn't let me rent a tow Dolly with.my vibe...

The website lets me go through the whole process so I don't see why not.

[firemachine69]

Your car is not rated to tow in the USA.

700lbs. in Canada.

1000lbs. in Europe.


You live in the land of the ambulance-chasing lawyers. You don't have liability limits (like we do in Ontario, Canada), and losing your shirt trying to save a couple hundred bills, is, quite frankly, bordering on moronic.

[DebbyM46227]

I think it's really stupid to tow a trailer behind a Yaris. Whatever doesn't fit in the back end with the seat folded down, just ship it.

[refotsirk]

I used a Honda Pilot to tow with Uhaul and they wanted all details on my tow vehicle. I even heard a rumor that the Ford Exploder (explorer) was refused to rent as they had issues with tow area in rear....and that is a 6 cyl.
I agree...what does not fit...ship. Peace of mind for whole trip too.....

[contraband831]

get yourself a cargo rack set up, and the rest just ship it.

[MadMax]

Take a second and consider that the necks you would be risking may not necessarily just be your own!

You are attempting to pull a trailer with a vehicle not rated for it. If you have any kind of accident, even scrape against another car in the parking lot of a hotel, and you open yourself up for a liability lawsuit that will breech-load you harder than you could ever imagine.

God forbid you cause serious injury or death to someone else with such a gamble. You lose control due to a crosswind and run another vehicle off the road. One the lawyers get a hold of you, you will be toast and your insurance company will be free of any commitment because you knowingly exceeded your car's towing capacity.

There's risk and then there's stupid. This is the latter. Find a better option.

[hitmoninfinity]

Your car is not rated to tow in the USA.

700lbs. in Canada.

1000lbs. in Europe.


You live in the land of the ambulance-chasing lawyers. You don't have liability limits (like we do in Ontario, Canada), and losing your shirt trying to save a couple hundred bills, is, quite frankly, bordering on moronic.

-$1500 for truck rental
-$1100 for gas
-$250 for Yaris gas
Atleast $1850 total.

-300 for trailer rental
-115 for hitch
-350? (not sure of mpg while towing) for yaris gas.
$765 total.

We're talking much more than a couple hundred bills... but I do understand your point.

[mazilla]

Our IT guys tows a small trailer behind his Yaris all the time...it's not across the country by any means, but he has done it for a long time with no issues. He is usually pulling some computer equipment, maybe some office chairs, a ladder, etc.

[salliewho]

hitmoninfinity, Did you ever end up doing this? I'm curious bc I'm going to be doing the same route in a month.

[600RRgoal]

If I were in this situation, I would rent whatever size uhaul truck I needed, as well as a car trailer to tow behind it where the yaris would be sitting on the entire trip.

[nookandcrannycar]

:laugh: I like post #19 -- 'You live in the land of ambulance chasing lawyers' :laugh:

[jambo101]

Wonder how our op made out in his travels..
As he hasnt posted in 5 years he probably burned up the Yaris and bought something else.