Towing a '68 R/T

[Zentelis]

Has anyone here towed a '68 R/T with a U-Haul dolly or trailer? They say the max curb weight is 3900 and 69" width.
So..is my Charger too wide/heavy for a dolly?

I'm taking her out to a local body shop to get a patch panel installed..local towing is at least $75 and I was hoping to avoid those kinds of costs..but if I have to rent a flat-bed trailer ($50/day) I may as well get a tow-truck to do it.

It's either that or I starve myself for a couple months and drop the $800 on the brake-kit so I can drive the car out there myself.

Thanks, folks

[694spdRT]

We hauled a '71 R/T on a U haul trailer from Ohio to WI. The dollies are not the greatest thing out there for big cars.

How many miles are you going? If possible I would get a rollback instead of a tow truck if you go that route.

[Drache]

I'm not sure where you are at but up here in Canada it can sometimes be a crappy experience trying to use the U-Haul trailer. Up here you have to have your towing vehicle inspected to be made sure that it can pull the weight of the vehicle and that it has the right class of hitch and stuff like it.

[41husk]

were are you from?  call around, many local tow places will tow for $35.  When you call tell them what your doing at that your just getting prices and let them know you may just use u-haul, that may get them to cut you a deal.  the small garages are the best ones to deal with.

[JimShine]

I have had some bad experiences with U-Haul. The thing is that they are just a network of franchises and the owner of the outlet U-Haul you are picking the trailer up at can give the trailer away to anyone they choose. One time I had one scheduled for pickup on Long Island. I get down there, 350 miles from home, and they are gone. I drove around to other U-Hauls and finally one of the dealers mentions though he has one in stock, it was scheduled for rental that day. I asked him to check around for me on his computer to see what else was around locally and when the room cleared, he offered to 'lose' the reservation on the one outback if I flipped him $50.

Other things to look at. Check the wire harness really close. some trailers are in good shape, others are really ratty. When they install the car trailer, check all the lights yourself as I have had them hook everything up and green light me to go just for me to find out the lights do not fully work.

[Troy]

 I have used U-Haul many times for trailers (won't tow a Charger on a dolly). They get a little antsy when you tell them it's a big block car because it's very close to the limit. There is only one way to park the car on the trailer so you need a sturdy tow vehicle/hitch and there is a LOT of weight on the tongue. I have recently found a local trailer retailer that rents better trailers cheaper than U-Haul though (and they will actually have one when you show up if they took a reservation). If you can have it towed on a rollback for $75 then I'd do it. When you tow it yourself you have to pick up the trailer (gas), load, unload, return trailer (gas). One other major consideration is insurance. You cannot cause liability to yourself so if you wreck while towing you need full coverage on both cars or you get nada for the car/trailer if there's any damage. The towing company will have insurance though.

Troy

[blackcharger]

I have used U Haul trailers several times with good results. My local dealer is great to work with. One other local guy is an A hole, so I looked and found a good one. The last time I used a trailer was hauling a '69 New Yorker 4 door, and a '69 300 'vert. Both were complete cars, had no problems.
Trailers were in GC also. I wouldn't use a dolley.Better to have all four off the ground, especially if traveling far.
  Dave

[ipstrategies]

I have rented trailers from UHAUL   (Actual company store not franchise) no problems. Towed my 71 SE 383 Magnum from Virginia to Ohio with my Durango no problems (make sure to get the newer aluminum trailer not the orange ones (orange ones are a little narrower and shorter)

[derailed]

I used a uhaul trailer to tow my 68 behind my f150. I guess i got lucky because i had no problems with it and it pulled straight as an arrow. I loaded the car nose first so there would be enough tongue weight.  Uhaul trailers are pretty heavy duty as they have to be for lialbilty purposes. It cost me $60 for 24 hours and there were plenty in the area so i didnt have to reserve one although you may want to just to be safe.

[1968 Charger B5]

i towed my charger with my mothers ramcharger using a bobcat trailer, had no problems, lol/.

[derailed]

looks like you could put a sherman tank on there

[DC_1]

I towed mine home on a U haul. Prolly around 500 miles. Towed like a dream. Plus I had a 440 and trany in my bed.

[dd44068]

When ever i had to use one i have always used a flat bed if you have AAA they are ok but tell them that you want a flat bed

[Telvis]

I towed mine home on a U haul. Prolly around 500 miles. Towed like a dream. Plus I had a 440 and trany in my bed.

That's an awful small trailer.

[89MOPAR]

 If your gonna use a tow dolly , make sure you have a spare tire in case one blows out....

U-haaul doesn't check what your putting on the trailer.  Tell them it's a toyota corolla.

[DC_1]

THe trailer is a little small but it had surge brakes and good tires so I went for it.

[MTPOCKET]

The only way to go is with a auto transport not a tow dolly. You need to get the drive wheels off the ground when towing dont wont to burn up ne seals on transmission.

[Afflyer]

I used a U-Haul auto hauler to bring the "Mistress" down here to Florida from Little Rock.  A word of advice- Don't travel faster than 60 MPH or you'll see your life's dream fishtail in your rearview mirrors!  It's not a pleasant feeling.

The 550 mile trip from North Little Rock to our new home in Milton took TWELVE hours- I'm not kidding.

That was the most strenuous pull my '96 1500 has ever had to endure; pulling over the max limit of 5000 lbs, plus an additional 1600 lbs in the bed. 

Bradley 

[blackcharger]

I used a U-Haul auto hauler to bring the "Mistress" down here to Florida from Little Rock.   A word of advice- Don't travel faster than 60 MPH or you'll see your life's dream fishtail in your rearview mirrors!   It's not a pleasant feeling

I had that happen the first time i hauled a car. A buddy had found a '67 Charger out in the woods behind a guys house. There wasn't a very big clearing, so we loaded the car up with the front facing the rear. We were only a few miles from home, so it was no big deal, untill I went down the first big hill. Looked in the rear view, and the trailer was ALL over the place. Gotta have the weight in the front so that doesn't happen.
    Dave

[Troy]

I used a U-Haul auto hauler to bring the "Mistress" down here to Florida from Little Rock. A word of advice- Don't travel faster than 60 MPH or you'll see your life's dream fishtail in your rearview mirrors! It's not a pleasant feeling.

The 550 mile trip from North Little Rock to our new home in Milton took TWELVE hours- I'm not kidding.

That was the most strenuous pull my '96 1500 has ever had to endure; pulling over the max limit of 5000 lbs, plus an additional 1600 lbs in the bed.

Bradley

I'd say that had more to do with the towing vehicle and how it was loaded. I drive at, uuhhhh, a significantly higher speed than that with no problems.

Troy

[MoparYoungGun]

If you do go with U-Haul I wouldn't go with a dolly.

If you do get it towed definitely have them tow it with a flat bed. I've had somewhat of a horror story buy a local tow company/service station who towed my '62 Buick without a flat bed. I know I shouldn't have let them tow it but the car was in the street while it was getting dark out. When it was time to pull her into the garage she wouldn't start. Now on my street, if your car is left on the street overnight you get a ticket. There wasn't any possibility to push it up the drive way, it's pretty steep. Anywho, to make a long story short while towing it they bent the bumper to the point you couldn't reach your hand threw it and the bottow of the grille to open the hood. Of course they denied it but in the end they ended up paying for it to be fixed. Never again will any of my classics be towed on anything but a flatbed.

[DC_1]

Gotta have 10 - 15% tongue weight and you shouldn't have the fishtail'n. I had plenty of tongue weight as you can see in my pics above and I was doing 75mph and sometimes 80mph without issuse.

[KMPX2]

Tow dollies come in different sizes you need to make sure to find a big one

[Wakko]

Good information here.  I actually had these questions already.  Do you think a late 70s Dodge sedan with a 318 2 bbl would be a sturdy enough tow vehicle for a Charger?

[Telvis]

several years ago I hauled a 72 Challenger with a 318 from Champaign, Ill to Lexington, KY. I used a crappy tow dolly I had borrowed from a friend. I pulled it with a V6 minivan. It ran 70mph plus the whole way. No problem at all. Looking back on it I took a big risk. Fortunately it worked out.

[DC_1]

Good information here. I actually had these questions already. Do you think a late 70s Dodge sedan with a 318 2 bbl would be a sturdy enough tow vehicle for a Charger?

Towing it should be fine. Its stopping it that is the problem! Make sure the trailer has some kinda breaking system.Surge brakes or something Also, like I said before, 10-15% tongue weight. 3000 lb car = 300-350 lbs tongue wt. I have towed alot of boats in my day and have had to adjust many trailer bunks to get the wt right so the trailer would tow properly.

[Wakko]

What's a trailer bunk?

[DC_1]

Sorry Wakko ....trailer bunks are what the boat sits on. You don't need to worry about that I was just using that example to illustrate how you need to adjust the weight to get it to pull properly. With a car you would mover it forward or back on the trailer to shift the weight. Since I am sure you won't have a scale to measure the weight a rough way to check it would be to try and pick up the tongue. At 300 or so pounds it shouldn't be able to by yourself. With someone else also trying to lift you shoud be able to move it. Don't hurt your back or blow a ball trying to lift it but it is a good rough way to make sure you have tongue wt.

Maybe others have other ideas but this always works for me.

[Steve P.]

I don't know if they are any wider than the 10 year old model is BUT,,, I tried to put a 65' Coronet 4-door on one and it was TOOOOO tight.. I didn't trust bouncing.

Roll Back usually means ZERO DAMAGE..........

[69charger2002]

U-haul trailers suck. after towing about 10 of them, both backwards and forwards. i bought my own 18 ft car hauler. if you are ok with going 60, it will be fine, if you go over 60mph with one, the fishtail story is VERY true. it is unreal how unstable they can become. when they put 45 mph max on the side.. they MEAN IT.   i am not saying the trailers are junk, they are small, but do their intended job. but man make it a last resort. and for a normal tow dolly.. hang it up. wouldn't even be an option for me
trav