Towing a speedster with a Uhaul trailer - load it backwards or forwards?

brought mine home from western ny to mass, had the open  car uhaul trailer, drove it on nose first and drove the 6 hrs home no issues, pulled it with a gmc 2500 3/4 ton truck.

16 hrs from Wash DC to NW FL ith 4 cyl 2003 Toyota Camry 11 years ago. Was loaded with moving junk too!

Roll it on forward. You should be able to adjust the tongue weight by rolling the car forward or back. And since the trailer weighs 500 pounds more than the car, the car's weight won't matter all that much.

Thanks everyone. Edsnova, great advice. My route is mostly curvy mountain roads, so i wanted to be careful.

@silverghost

Once you get it loaded, drive around a bit in the neighborhood and on a secondary road to see how it feels.  If it the trailer wallows back and forth a bit at the rear at speeds above 30mph, then stop and try moving the car forward on the trailer to move the center of gravity.  It's a process of "dialing it in", as Ed said, but once done it should be stable at regular speeds.

If you use the open uhaul trailer, you won't be able to position the car forward/backward as the stops with the nylon netting hold down system and the welded on chains work with the car fully forward, put it in forward and you'll have no problems

You guys really do need to rent a U-Haul car hauler.

It's not like the car hauler you buy and use. As @widebody boy alludes -- there's pretty much only one way to load the thing. The tongue weight is what it is, but they build them with the axles so far back that the trailer isn't going to "wag" no matter where the engine is in the towed vehicle.

I've used them several times to move Ford Transit Connect minivans around with my F150 Monster Truck.

For $40/day, they absolutely cannot be beat.

I was going to echo what Gordon says. The U-Haul trailer is designed for longer cars than a Speedster. It will be fine, load it on and go.

I have done this multiple times; you have to roll it all the way forward to use the two front basket style wheel straps. There is a single chain they want to use to anchor the back of the chassis with and IMHO that can allow for the car to possible move a bit L and or R . I use two additional ratchet straps & 70mph or so is not an issue. 

How far are you hauling it ?

@silverghost posted:

I'm considering using a uhaul trailer to tow my speedster, I'll be hauling with either a newer Toyota tundra or GMC 3/4 ton, both have trailer brake controllers. The 3/4 ton is a workhorse but not the most comfortable, so I'll probably use the Tundra with the 5.7 in it.

Brake controllers are irrelevant with a Uhaul car trailer.  Uhaul uses hydraulic surge brake systems.  

I mentioned my flat towing only because I didn't have a vehicle capable of towing a trailer that weighed more than the actual car I was towing.  The VW tow bar cost me $60 (now about $120) and I narrowed it a couple of inches so I would have to remove the front bumper on my CMC.  I've also used the hitch to tow a couple VW based dune buggies - plus Shu's MGTD to Carlisle and back a couple of times (but with my V6 Yota 4 Runner).  I've not flat towed in mountains though - just brief rolling plains of NC.   Braking was never an issue - plus, I never tried to back the rig up.

I'm hauling it about 700 miles. @David Stroud IM Roadster D

@LI-Rick, can you explain further?

@silverghost posted:

I'm hauling it about 700 miles. @David Stroud IM Roadster D

@LI-Rick, can you explain further?

Sure.  A brake controller is for electric brakes.  The controller is adjustable for gain, which is how much pressure is applied on the brake shoes.  The controller also has an inertia switch, which lets the trailer brakes know how hard you are braking, and increases the pressure to increase braking.  
Surge brakes uses an hydraulic actuator to apply the brakes when it senses the vehicle slowing.  If you just apply a little brake, the trailer brakes never really actuate.  If you get on the brakes, the trailer brakes can lock up. Not nearly as elegant as the electric brakes.  Right now you are asking yourself, why surge brakes?  Because it’s a self contained system that UHaul doesn’t need to be concerned about your vehicle’s capability.  Surge brakes are also used extensively in the boating industry, because electric brakes don’t last long in water, especially salt water.

What Rick is really saying is all you need is a properly rated tow vehicle with a proper hitch and a 4-pin connector for the trailer lights.

The hydraulic surge brakes take care of themselves.

@WOLFGANG posted:

I mentioned my flat towing only because I didn't have a vehicle capable of towing a trailer that weighed more than the actual car I was towing.  The VW cost me $60 (now about $120) and I narrowed it a couple of inches so I would have to remove the front bumper on my CMC.  I've also used the hitch to tow a couple VW based dune buggies - plus Shu's MGTD to Carlisle and back a couple of times (but with my V6 Yota 4 Runner).  I've not flat towed in mountains though - just brief rolling plains of NC.   Braking was never an issue - plus, I never tried to back the rig up.

I was trying to figure out the relevance here myself.

NEVER back up with a towbar. Not even a little.

How much more is there to say?

Don't overthink using the u haul trailer, my truck never knew the car was on the trailer as compared to the empty trailer, brakes took care of themselves. I had my credit card and Haggerty's phone number with me, car was insured before it was driven onto the trailer...

From Seattle to Vancouver BC with a Uhaul trailer. No issue at all .

@silverghost posted:

… Is it better to load a speedster on a uhaul trailer frontwards or backwards?

@WOLFGANG posted:

16 hrs from Wash DC to NW FL ith 4 cyl 2003 Toyota Camry 11 years ago. Was loaded with moving junk too!

@Panhandle Bob posted:

How much more is there to say?

Not much at all, since silverghost’s question was long ago answered, but apparently this is the place to post random pictures of long past trailering experiences.

I think I may have “a few”. Each is kinda’ special in its own way.

^These two look the same, but they were taken about a year apart ^

^ This is the day I blew up my son's Ram 1500. It's why I decided it was time to buy my own killer monster truck. ^

^This is somewhere in Nebraska, gassing up for the umpteenth time. I hauled a load of household stuff when my sister moved to Wyoming. The trip was epic with the 4 ribboned tires, a destroyed anti-sway bar, and the 6.7 mpg I averaged overall. ^

If you want want more, I can keep going...

I’m down to 3 trailers (I sold the big boy enclosed trailer last year), and every vehicle I use (except the speedster) has a hitch. The dump trailer is by far the most expensive thing I pull, but the little Diamond C tilt back with a single 7000 lb axle gets the most/heaviest use. I drag that little thing everywhere, and it's astoundingly useful.

Having a trailer that outweighs the tow vehicle is not really anything all that unusual. Nearly every semi you encounter on the road is pulling a trailer that usually outweighs the tractor pulling it by a wide margin.

I tow often enough that I don't snap a picture unless there's something out of the ordinary about the pull (generally something well "outside of design"). I’m particularly proud of a couple of these shots.

Since this thread is going on and on, let’s see if you can find the ones I’m talking about.

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Stan, you got nothin'.

I once hauled a 15' sailboat on a liitle dude trailer 1600 miles from Sacramento to Friday Harbor, WA and back. Tow vehicle was a BMW 2002 (four forward gears and a Georgia overdrive).

The 2002 had a rated towing capacity of 0. But I was determined. I bolted a hitch to the bumper (working a hitch into the frame structure is for wusses). Trailer and boat combined weighed nearly 300 pounds. Tongue weight was about 30.

Brakes? If you need trailer brakes, you just don't know how to drive. Besides, it was only 1600 miles.

The most macho moment of the journey came at the 200-foot long, single lane Washington State Ferries boarding ramp in Anacortes, where the smirking attendants insisted I back the rig onto the boat — in front of an audience of hundreds of bloodthirsty fellow travelers. No pressure.

Stan, the dude abides.

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I bow before the dude, Mitchster.

@WOLFGANG posted:

16 hrs from Wash DC to NW FL ith 4 cyl 2003 Toyota Camry 11 years ago. Was loaded with moving junk too!

Well I finally figured out that the metal trunk rack is useful for …

@Sacto Mitch posted:

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                     (four forward gears and a Georgia overdrive).   Dave Dudley, 1963.....Six Days on the Road.....nicely done by the Flying Burrito Bros ...later.  I still think Gram Parsons was a dork.

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WTTTOC! (Welcome To The Trailer Owners Club!)

All trailers all the time.

To continue the trailer talk
my ute trailer recently suffered a tree failure incident.

fortunately it "sprung" back mostly straight once the tree was "unloaded".

I have pulled trailers ranging from small 4x6 homemade (built on a '70's Honda CVCC wagon rear axle that Dad made & still has) to a large 40' gooseneck triple axle enclosed (a race team I rode with).  Using tow vehicles ranging from VW rabbit up to a crewcab diesel dually ...   I've even towed a mobile home with a farm tractor, not far but I did it.  Like Stan I have lot's of experience with towing.  Unlike Stan my few towing failures didn't lead to vehicle, trailer or collateral damage.  (Need a good poking the gorilla emoji here)

@silverghost either truck you mention will tow that trailer and speedster without issue.  You may find the 3/4-ton truck ride improves with the trailer connected due to the load.  Just be sure you tighten the u-haul coupling properly onto the ball, connect the chains and lights plug.

@Sacto Mitch posted:

.Trailer and boat combined weighed nearly 300 pounds. Tongue weight was about 30.

I assume you meant 3000 lbs, Mitch -- else that 15 ft sailboat was made of balsa wood and silk.

@Wrenn Smith posted:

Unlike Stan my few towing failures didn't lead to vehicle, trailer or collateral damage.  (Need a good poking the gorilla emoji here)

Here I stand. I can do no other. I yam what I yam.

You caught the creative tow on the 4-post lift, right? And the scissor-lift being pulled by the 2.5L 4-cylinder Transit Connect? Nothing broke either time (somehow).

The dump trailer fiasco was about 15,000 lbs of love. A Duramax or Cummins would have pulled it zero problem, but a Powerstroke would have grunted. The mighty, mighty 5.7 was no match.

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Stan, not a typo.

But some googling shows my memory was not perfect.

Probably closer to 600 lbs.

This was not a yacht. Boat, still being made by another manufacturer, is advertised as 400 lbs, but i doubt the version I had was that much. And the 'trailer' was little more than a few sticks of angle iron. I remember being able to lift the tongue by hand and wheel the whole thing around,

This isn't my boat, but the same model on a very similar trailer:

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@Stan Galat posted:

You caught the creative tow on the 4-post lift, right? And the scissor-lift being pulled by the 2.5L 4-cylinder Transit Connect? Nothing broke either time (somehow).

Yes, I noticed each case. didn't know the transit had a 4 banger & there were certainly some creative solutions you attempted.  I'd like to hear about that lift straddle solution at the 'Smo.   Sounds like a good 'fireside' story.

This project got shelved for now. It has some benefits but loading may be a problem and thats why I shelved it .  This is the scale model I was playing with.......Bruce

@aircooled posted:

This project got shelved for now. It has some benefits but loading may be a problem and thats why I shelved it .  This is the scale model I was playing with.......Bruce

Ah yes the old "T" style trailer. I had one of those to tow my very first sand rail. Worked great !  I had a U shaped metal piece on my front tube to guide the front end down the center. My Big Brother paddle tire fit right in between the two bars in the back.

At least, @Sacto Mitch, your car didn’t end up submerged at a boat ramp like this Hapless Hummer Hooner on the north side of Boston (near where Paul Revere lived).

The fact that he was driving a (now useless) Hummer makes it all the better.   Just proves that 20” wheels might not keep you afloat.

https://whdh.com/news/failure-...ramp-in-charlestown/

This happens all too often, especially on ramps covered with slippery moss starting around the low tide line.

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Gordon, there are videos like that all over the interwebs.

That was our first boat and we learned to sail on it, but we also learned what a pain trailering and towing can be. If you don't do your homework, you can end up in more trouble in a boat on the highway than on the water.

We found ourselves spending as much time trailering, rigging, launching, retrieving, derigging , and stowing as sailing. It would be a few years, but our next boat was kept in a marina where you just step on and go sailing. Well, except for scrubbing decks and topsides, varnishing, maintaining a diesel, water system, head, sails, rigging, and just a few hundred more things. Much easier than towing. Or so it appeared at first.

We have all heard about the two happiest days in a sailor's life.

I don't claim to know anything about the kind of towing and rigs that youse guys are discussing here. But I do know I don't want to know.

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So, I'm thinking about buying a flatbed to tow the speedster on. Uhaul wants $400 for a one way car hauler rental.

How do you attach a speedster to a flatbed, like this trailer? There are specific car hauler flatbeds, but i may need to buy an equipment trailer like this one and double duty it for the speedster. The uhaul has pretty simple straps that go over the tires. i've tied other cars down with tow hooks, but I'm not sure how to do this on a speedster.

Hmmmmm....  

Well, OK, so hauling a Speedster on a flatbed like that would not be my first choice but I'm sure there are other factors involved so here's my take:

Buy a flatbed utility trailer with "D" ring strap or chain anchors already welded on.  You will need four really strong anchor points at the four corners.  The anchor points on my car hauler trailer were "D" rings welded to the deck structure itself and they roughly lined up with the center of the car's wheel track.  They could be spaced wider or narrower than that on the trailer with no problem, so it depends on what area you have to work with.  They have to be strong enough to take a 3+ inch tie-down strap or chain binder cinched really tight and positioned such that the strap is not otherwise touching a trailer part, like stretched over a floor lip (that could chafe the strap and cut into it - Not good).   

If you really want to run wheel basket straps you will need four additional anchors on the opposite sides of the wheels to firmly hold the baskets in place.  I would definitely NOT screw the anchors just through the wood floor unless it also goes through the metal sub-frame - You need all the strength you can get on those anchors.

Personally, I wouldn't use wheel baskets on a trailer like that.  I would use 3+ inch wide tie-down straps.  At the front, I would run a strap up over the lower torsion bar just inside of the shock absorber tower.   Do that on both sides and crank them down until the car lowers an inch or so on the shocks.

At the rear, run the straps up over the frame horns that support the engine, pull them back against the engine mount and the ends back to the deck anchors.

DO NOT RUN THE REAR STRAPS OVER THE WHEEL AXLES!!!  

There are straps available that have "D" rings already sewn in and I recommend using those at both ends of the car.   At the rear, you have the option of criss-crossing the straps to the opposing side for more stability IF the straps don't rub on the engine sump.  If they do rub, then don't cross them.  

If you've read this far, then let me say this:  Buying proper straps that won't fall apart causing your car to careen off of the trailer with questionable anchors could certainly begin to get close to the $400 rental of a U-Haul trailer which has all of that stuff included.  U-Haul has thought of everything to make your trailering experience, especially for a first-time car hauler person, an easy and safe experience.  I highly recommend using that U-Haul trailer to move your car.

Sound advice … using a trailer a lot is an art IMO…

Pro trailer guys correct me if I’m wrong but that looks like a heavy equipment trailer. 5 times (at least) overkill for a Speedster. If you don’t have other uses for it, I’d get something lighter.

As for tie downs, the ones on that trailer are the 2” strap steel welded to the sides of the trailer on 2” channel.  They’re meant to be used with those heavy duty chain binders.

Way overkill for a car.

You could use a setup like this but I’m afraid the trailer is so wide it would put an unacceptable lateral load on the top of the wheel.

But were it me, I’d set up my trailer with etrac and use a set up like this, only with a basket type strap like the picture above.

Doh! I just re-read your post and noticed that you’re asking about “double duty” of an equipment trailer. As Emily Latella says, “Never Mind.”

I’d install some etrac on the trailer with through bolts and backing plates at proper speedster locations and use the system above.

Or install some forged d rings like this (likewise through bolted with rated hardware and backing plates)  and use the hook version of the tie downs.

https://dlparts.ca/product/1-2...olt-on-d-ring-mj704/

Thanks everyone. I actually do haul heavy equipment in my dump trailer, but I'm buying a new mini ex which would exceed my dump trailers capacity, so I will be buying a new flatbed with at least 18k gvwr. It would be nice if it could pull double duty with the speedster, so I could grab a load of materials on my return trip, but I don't really want to overcomplicate things. I haven't really hauled any vehicle besides an ATV that isn't chained down with purpose built tie down points.

Fyi those side mounts can be used with either chain or straps. Depending on what I'm hauling, I use both 3 and 1 inch straps or chains.