Cheap towing rig

[Homerr]

What's your favorite beer, Mike?   

[RCCDrew]

There is the math, and then there is reality. He just needs to tow a project car a few times and run bark. It's not the best rig, but it will do the job. I would avoid a long highway tows or speeds over 55 or so..... take it easy, avoid steep hills, and leave excessive stopping room.

U-Haul is going to give you trouble because they are worried about company liability. Outside of U-Haul, a half rack of decent beer or less will typically get you trailer rental from your gear head acquaintances 

People used to tow with a lot less truck than we have now. If it's an occasional tow then his truck is okay.

[Homerr]

I know the brakes, axle, bearings, wheel studs, tires, etc. all work as a system, but would these help?

Hellwig helper springs

[Trulyvintage]

" The Reality " is ....

Put yourself in the place of someone driving down the road involved in an accident
you caused because you were trying to " save a buck " ... 

Have any type of accident or claim of an accident while you are behind the wheel of an undersized tow vehicle ...

Or

Behind the wheel of a tow vehicle hauling a rental trailer that you lied to the rental agency about
what vehicle you were putting on it so they would rent it to you ...

You will quickly find you have no insurance.

It takes one accident to lose everything you own & will own in the future.

Don't be a D^ICK ...   

Be responsible ... 



Jim

[Bob]

I used a 88 F150 six cylinder to tow a 74 charger from Kentucky to Pennsylvania on a full trailer. No issues except for the mountains.

[lukedukem]

 

There is the math, and then there is reality. He just needs to tow a project car a few times and run bark. It's not the best rig, but it will do the job. I would avoid a long highway tows or speeds over 55 or so..... take it easy, avoid steep hills, and leave excessive stopping room.

U-Haul is going to give you trouble because they are worried about company liability. Outside of U-Haul, a half rack of decent beer or less will typically get you trailer rental from your gear head acquaintances 

I agree, my dad had the same truck We pulled a 18' low boy with a crew cab super duty deisel on it for 52 miles and it did good. Kept it at 60 mph. All good.

Luke

[nvrbdn]

I had a full size dodge conversion van with a slant 6. Rented a car trailer from a local rental yard. (not U haul) Drove from St. Louis to Indy. Loaded up a 68 chevy van and hauled back to St. Louis.
   On the other hand I understand what Jim is saying about safety, and under powered/under rated towing vehicles. mainly because when I was pulling my 30 foot tag along camping trailer with a super slide behind an F-150 with the 302 V8 manual transmission, I couldn't get out of the way of anyone. And put a hill in front of me.... so I quickly jumped to a 3/4 ton 5.8 and changed the game.

[funknut]

The concern is that if you are exceeding the manufacturers specifications and are in a collision, you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy.

Let's say someone runs a red light and you T-bone them.  Even if there was no possible way you could have stopped,  if you are running a rig outside of spec then you will very likely be found at fault and your insurance may not cover it.

[Troy]

U-Haul also has no concept of "body shell" so they'll tell you that a big block Charger is not allowed because they're going by the size/weight of a complete vehicle. Having said that... their trailers are short and you have no room to shift the load forward/back. With a short bed truck you need to be very careful of tongue loading or that thing is going to wiggle like crazy.

Troy