Well gang, my fiance and I are getting ready to move to Wyoming from Texas. On the way up we want to pull her '08 Acura RDX on a trailer behind my '05 F-150 that I bought with the tow package. We're looking at using a U-Haul car hauler (all four wheels off the ground) which is listed at 2000 lbs. Her car is right at 4000 lbs., so combined I'm looking at 6000 lbs. with all interstate highway driving.

Does anyone have any opinions/recommendations about the plan? The last two hours of the drive will be on a two lane state highway that is pretty hilly. My plan is to take her car off when we hit this and let her drive it the rest of the way, as I don't want to slow down traffic; nor do I want to get into the really steep stuff with this set-up.

 

For that weight, you will need a WD hitch and brakes on the trailer. Max without a WD hitch is 500lb tongue weight and 5000lb towed weight. And more than one state you will be passing through would require brakes on the trailer at a certain weight. Usually at 2-3000lbs.
Not familiar with the Acura, but if it is 2wd, you might want to think about a dolly that carries the drive wheels (probably front) and the other 2 are on the ground. With that you would need neither the WD hitch or the trailer brakes.

 

i towed my girlfriends 02 cavalier behind my truck (04 lariat screw 4x4) and it towed like a champ. i had the same setup you did with the whole car off the ground and i made sure it was perfectly centered on the trailer.
the trailer i had, had the hydraulic brake on the tounge and it works. (trailer brakes vary from state to state, and im in canada anyway.)
as for towing on a hilly highway, just leave the OD drive (i would leave it off the whole way anywho) and cruise up the hills, the truck can pull 6000# no problem.
and the reason why im advising you to just tow the car the whole way it because the trailer pulls HORRIBLY when its empty. its loud, constantly bouncing around, and sways all over the place.

edit: anyway, let me know what you end up doing in the end and how it all works out.

 

You will be able to tow it all the way with NO problems. You will nned a WD itch like stated above, but your trucj will tow fine. I tow a TT loaded to that weight and I go up hills and barely know its there.

 

The U-Haul trailers have surge brakes which is better than a dolly that has none. Technically, you need a WD hitch, but I'd probably go without it.

Truck specs? 2/4WD, cab, bed engien, trans, axle ratio.

 

You will have no problem. I pulled my wifes Volvo XC 90 from Mobile to Atlanta on a 20' steel deck trailer with ease - as in cruise at 75 to 80 with it (OD off). These two cars are approximately the same, I know the Volvo weighed right around 4450 lbs + my trailer is pretty heavy You do not need to go out and buy a $500 WD hitch. I have a regular cab, SWB 2003 FX4 F-150 and have never had an issue with sway or the need for weight distribution with an open trailer and I consistently pull right at 6500 with my Mustang on it, with the Volvo I am guessing it was closer to 7,400 lbs. Although, I will tell you from experience that U-Hauls trailers are quite possible one of the worst pulling trailers I have ever been around.

 

I've never seen a U-haul car hauler setup with a WD setup?? U-Haul will probably ask what you are going to tow it with and what you are going to put on the hauler and then look at their own charts to see if they'll rent it to you in the first place...

For a one time deal, I wouldn't worry about the WD setup either... That is, if U-haul even rents you the hauler?? There are some posts on here where they won't rent you one unless you have a 3/4 ton tow vehicle?? But, with the economy the way it is, they may want 'any' kind of business, so who knows!

Good luck with U-haul and the move and the new location!

Mitch

 

Thanks for the input guys. My truck is a 4x4 supercrew with 3.73 gears. I looked into WD hitches and for what I was going to spend on one it kind of negated the whole idea of pulling the car (which is AWD, btw). From speaking with others though I get the feeling that if i balance her's on the trailer just right it shouldn't be too big of any issue, especially for a one time thing. Of course anyone else's input is always appreciated.

 

If properly set up the "weight" of that trailer won't be a problem.

U-Haul won't let you off the lot without the proper eqiopment.