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Old 05-12-2012, 07:34 AM   #1
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1967 24' Tradewind
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Towing help wanted.

I have a 67 Tradewind in Tennessee and want to tow it to Charleston SC on the coast for shipping.
In my ignorance, I thought I'd simply hire a pickup truck and tow it .....
Now banging my head against the wall. As most companies that hire pickups domestically wont allow towing and or the trucks are not set up for towing.
I've discovered that U-Haul will hire me a truck for towing but then there is the question of a brake controller, they dont have them fitted it would seem ?
I'd welcome any constructive advice please ?
Somewhere I read that Hertz equipment hire might be the place to go but it's saturday and they're closed.
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Old 05-12-2012, 07:44 AM   #2
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Check with U Haul or Penske. Brakes are not required unless the weight of the towed trailer is more than a certain % of the towing vehicle, not sure what that ration is but they should know.

Renting a larger U Haul or Penske should more than cove this. It is the one way charge that may get you.

A bigger consideration will be if you can get the trailer level behind a larger truck. Airstream dual and tri axle trailer have to ride level in order for the axles to see equal weight on each axle. A single axle trailer this will not be a problem for what you are doing.
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Old 05-12-2012, 09:23 AM   #3
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Sounds like you want to drive it yourself, but this might be an option to consider About Us - Horizon Transport or other contract RV towing compaines. You would need to weigh your costs vs. contracting. There are other compaines of course, but I know a former driver from Horizon from another forum.

Good luck,

Gary
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Old 05-12-2012, 09:42 AM   #4
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Thank you both very much for your thoughts. I'd be interested to know that %ratio regards towing without brakes though, I was thinking that might be an option.
It is however twin axle.
Gary, I dont mind really whether its me or a haulage company.
U-Haul pickup trucks dont have a one way option, so I'd have to take it back to Knoxville anyway which is a pain.
I cant believe how so a simple job can be proving such a nightmare.
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Old 05-12-2012, 09:53 AM   #5
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Try this site.
Trailer Brake Requirements For Towed Vehicles

Penske may have oneway service and they may have brake systems built in because of the number of people trailering cars while moving.
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Old 05-12-2012, 09:55 AM   #6
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Buzzardz,

Not sure where in TN your Tradewind is or your experience level, you might be in for some beautiful driving on I-26 TN to SC or it might be 20 miles of white knuckle driving and second guessing your choice in the mountains. Hiring the job its their skills, their rig and their insurance to get a professional to do the job.

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Old 05-12-2012, 10:05 AM   #7
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I'm pretty experienced with towing up to a couple of tonnes but never in the US. The Trailer is near Knoxville. I'm torn really, I'd like to do it but as yet have no vehicle. I think Penske only hire removal type trucks, is that right ? I want a Pickup really. I take your point about leaving it to the pros too.
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Old 05-12-2012, 10:07 AM   #8
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Also I'm not sure that Hertz equipment rental will hire to me as I'm not a business, just a private user ?
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Old 05-12-2012, 11:04 AM   #9
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Ok, this is one of the U-Haul 10' trucks...
Any thoughts ?
They do one way.
The assistant I spoke to said theres no need for a brake controller, you just plug into the four pin (adaptor may be necessary) and the brakes will be connected and work ?
Can that be true, it doesn't seem right to me ?
Empty weight: 5,790 lbs.
Towing capacity: Up to 6,000 lbs.
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Old 05-12-2012, 12:01 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzardz View Post
Ok, this is one of the U-Haul 10' trucks...
Any thoughts ?
They do one way.
The assistant I spoke to said theres no need for a brake controller, you just plug into the four pin (adaptor may be necessary) and the brakes will be connected and work ?
Can that be true, it doesn't seem right to me ?
Empty weight: 5,790 lbs.
Towing capacity: Up to 6,000 lbs.
It's not. He's thinking of the surge brakes that the U-Haul trailers have, not the electric brakes Airstreams (and plenty of other trailers) use.
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Old 05-12-2012, 01:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzardz View Post
Ok, this is one of the U-Haul 10' trucks...
Any thoughts ?
They do one way.
The assistant I spoke to said theres no need for a brake controller, you just plug into the four pin (adaptor may be necessary) and the brakes will be connected and work ?
Can that be true, it doesn't seem right to me ?
Empty weight: 5,790 lbs.
Towing capacity: Up to 6,000 lbs.
There is no brake wire in a 4 wire connector.
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Old 05-12-2012, 02:08 PM   #12
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Towing help wanted.

Greetings Buzzardz!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzardz View Post
Ok, this is one of the U-Haul 10' trucks...
Any thoughts ?
They do one way.
The assistant I spoke to said theres no need for a brake controller, you just plug into the four pin (adaptor may be necessary) and the brakes will be connected and work ?
Can that be true, it doesn't seem right to me ?
Empty weight: 5,790 lbs.
Towing capacity: Up to 6,000 lbs.
Unless U-Haul has changed their truck setups in the last six months, the trucks do not have electric brake controller so you will not automaticlly have electric trailer brakes. I frequently rent their car hauler trailers or their 12' box trailers . . . these trailers have surge hydraulic brakes so a brake controller isn't required for U-Haul equipment. What the trucks did have was a four-pole flat connector that supplies ground, clearanc/tail/running lights, left-turn and stop light, right-turn and stop light.

I suspect that the ball height on the U-Haul truck will be very close as the ball height on both the U-Haul car hauler and U-Haul 12-foot box trailer are set up for an 18" ball height . . . and the standard ball is 2" and may be welded to the hitch . . . I know that they were at one time. That is one reason I like to rent U-Haul trailers . . . they hook right up to the hitch that I normally use with my Overlander.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin
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Old 05-12-2012, 03:24 PM   #13
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Towing without brakes

Some states require you to have brakes above a certain trailer weight. If I were you and had no capability of hauling the trailer, I would hire a hauler. There are lots of them available and that will also handle the insurance on the trailer that you will need to assure that you make a profit and not have a disaster and a major loss.
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Old 05-12-2012, 04:42 PM   #14
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Thank you all for your comments. I'm not ready to give up yet but I do seem to be drawing a blank on this one. What is it with brake controllers, why don't trucks with tow packs have them fitted as standard, or are they an old fashioned system now ?
I think the haulier route may well be the only way to go ?
How would I find out which States require the trailer to be braked ? I'll be in TN & SC.
I called a couple of hauliers but they only hauled motorised RV's not Travel Trailers, any suggestions of anyone I could call welcomed ?
Sure I'll crack it one way or another. Thanks again.
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Old 05-12-2012, 05:24 PM   #15
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Ran into a deal like this 20 years ago,, Had a pu go down on me while far from home.. Had a trailer to haul the broken pu,,, but needed a TV... Got on the phone and started to call all the used pu lots in the area.. Times were slow and as it turned out a dealer had a nice 1 ton needing to go to Denver.. Worked out a deal to haul my pu home,, and get there pu onto Denver.. My cost was the gas to drive it 250 miles once I dropped off my pu,, and got a ride back home from my wife..

Like the old saying goes,, what seems impossible today is a good start on tomorrow..

Sodbust
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Old 05-12-2012, 06:37 PM   #16
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Buzzardz,

Being a weekend, we might have a hard time confirming it, but I'm pretty sure there are contract haulers that tow travel trailers, not just motor homes.

Gary
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Old 05-12-2012, 07:57 PM   #17
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Buzzardz,
I am in complete agreement with Gary. I live in Charleston and have made the trip to Knoxville (without a trailer in tow). Coming from Knoxville, you would probably take US441, I-40, and 1-26. You would be traveling a large part of your trip through the Great Smokey Mountains, while a beautiful drive some of the grades are pretty steep. I would not even think about towing a 3 ton trailer without trailer brakes through this terrain. Once you get past Greenville, SC, it flattens out substantially, though. Hire it out unless you can get your hands on a truck with a brake controller and a proper hitch set up.
Good luck,
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Old 05-13-2012, 01:34 PM   #18
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Thank you, lots of useful ideas and info there.
I'm amazed how tricky this would seem to be ?
I'll try the Hertz equipment rental tomorrow, that name crops up a bit, but failing that it looks like a hauler is the way forward.
We have a thing in the UK called Shiply ? This is kind of like ebay but for logistics. Haulers and private drivers or anybody going from A to B will bid for a load or to tow a trailer or move a car or what ever it may be. Works really well. The drivers are left feedback the same as ebay. Does this exist in the US ?
I looked at one company called Horizon Transport.com but I've not heard back from them yet.
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Old 05-13-2012, 02:27 PM   #19
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uShip - The Online Shipping Marketplace - Ship Freight, Furniture, Cars or Moves
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Old 05-13-2012, 02:31 PM   #20
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Thanks Richard, that looks like the sort of thing. Cheers
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