Anyone used a U-Haul car trailer to haul tractor?

RedMF40

Well-known Member
Making plans to pick up a Massey parts tractor, same as mine. Don't have a trailer of any kind, don't know anyone who does. Used to, but not now. I've used U-Haul's trailer to haul an actual car, but never a tractor. I know the hold-downs are those nets or webbing that go over the front tires. For the tractor, good plan? Bad? Any suggestions?
 
From what I know don't tell them it is a tractor. Then again, the person behind the desk won't know the difference between a 1960 Ford car, truck, or tractor.
Just make sure to not mention the bad (tractor) word when making the reservation or picking up the trailer.
 
Don't know how important following the rules is to you, but if you tell them you're hauling a tractor they won't rent to you. Do you have an equipment rental outfit locally? They usually have flatbed and car trailers. How big a tractor? Most car trailers (with fenders extending above the deck) are about 80" between the fenders, and the rear wheels have to go between the fenders to be balanced right.
 

Massey Ferguson F40, weight is no more than 3,000 lbs I believe. No loader or attachments, just the tractor. Tires all hold air, it rolls.
Measured the width at the wheels and it's few inches less than the car I trailered. So I know it'll fit.
 
You have to declare the vehicle when you rent uHaul, would assume it is fraud if you do not do as disclosed.
 
As long as the tractor is light enough for the trailers capacity just tell them your hauling a chevy aveo or some other small car. I didn't haul a tractor but hauled a loader about 500 miles home on a Uhaul trailer.
20190418_121549.jpg
 
Good chance the tractor could weigh more
if it has wheel weights and fluid
ballast.

The biggest issue may be properly
positioning the center of gravity so you
have proper tongue weight.

I hauled a 4x4 Ford 150. It took up every
inch of my 20 ft implement trailer.. we
had to wench the truck onto trailer. The
engine weight created too much tongue
weight.

If I didn't have a weight transfer hitch
I couldn't have safety hauled it.
So there's more than how much weight a
trailer can haul.
 
I hauled my ford 1310 on a uhaul car carrier--was about 150 miles---i used my own tie downs to secure the tractor---had no problems
 
I used one to haul my Ford 801 home.
It was a little over 300 miles.
I told them I was hauling a 1959 Ford and that was not a lie.

The problem comes in when you get a flat tire on the trailer and they try to blame the tractor weight for causing the tire problem.
 
Good reading the replies but I would advise you to do it right. That would be renting a proper trailer, or paying someone to hau it for you ...... is that not possible? As for the car hauler, I think the term "car hauler" means a trailer for hauling a car, not a tractor. If nothing happens then no problem. If something happens, you might not like the result. When you think of liability and accidents, why would you even go into something like this without knowing all the possible outcomes, especially the bad outcomes. What's the old expression? Penny wise and pound foolish !!!
 
(quoted from post at 11:54:43 01/19/20)
Massey Ferguson F40

Somehow asking you "what tractor" now seems like a stupid question...

Your main issue will be getting proper balance. As a rule of thumb when you pull a tractor on forward, if you center the rear wheels over the trailer axles, you're pretty close to properly balanced.

Measure. You may not be able to get the tractor forward enough to get enough tongue weight. Not enough tongue weight will mean the trailer has a tendency to fishtail uncontrollably behind you.

I have hauled a Farmall Super A on one of these trailers. The wheel channels need at least 36" (IIRC) between the wheels for the tractor to sit properly on the trailer. My Super A is only like 32", so it was kind of setting up on the edges of the channels. I was only going about 15 miles and I had it strapped down well. The tractor had a loader so getting a good balance was not difficult.
 
(quoted from post at 12:50:14 01/19/20) Good reading the replies but I would advise you to do it right. That would be renting a proper trailer, or paying someone to hau it for you ...... is that not possible? As for the car hauler, I think the term "car hauler" means a trailer for hauling a car, not a tractor. If nothing happens then no problem. If something happens, you might not like the result. When you think of liability and accidents, why would you even go into something like this without knowing all the possible outcomes, especially the bad outcomes. What's the old expression? Penny wise and pound foolish !!!

Believe me, I TRIED to rent a trailer or find someone to haul the tractor for me. NOBODY knew where I could rent a trailer. There was NOTHING in the yellow pages aside from U-haul. Nobody knew anybody that did hauling.

I didn't have weeks to search around for a trailer for sale, or hunt for a hauler. I would have had to pass up on the deal. The seller had plenty of other people interested and wasn't going to wait around for me to get my thumb out of my rear.

Sure the trailer is a "car hauler" but it can't tell what's on it. It's not like it's alive. A four wheeled vehicle that isn't exceeding the capacity is a four wheeled vehicle that isn't exceeding the capacity. Physics isn't the issue.
 
My neighbor tried to rent a U-haul trailer to haul up to his out
of state property. Told them it was a tractor and was declined.
I have to believe it is a standard U-haul policy. You might get
away with deceiving them but have an accident your fault or
not you would suffer financially greatly. Is it worth it, your call.
If you are going to play be willing to pay.
 
not me--i told them straight up but i also had the spec sheet for the tractor that had weight and dimensions
 
Imagine if you loaned or rented your trailer to someone to move a car and they hauled something entirely different that your trailer was never built for?
You: "Why did you lie to me"?
Them: Because I knew you didn't want your trailer used that way and I knew you wouldn't let me use it if I told you the truth"!

Wouldn't just about any towing company with the right roll bed truck be willing to haul a small tractor that is within their weight range and within their hauling territory? Is the problem that no one can be found to haul it, or that no one can be found to haul it cheap enough?
 
another option is to hire a towing company with a roll back. when i had the tow trucks at the shop we hauled all kinds of machinery. skid steers, fork
llifts, tractors, ect. generally we charged 65 dollars to load, the 3 dollars a loaded mile to drop point.
 
Not me I don't think its OK or very smart to lie to U-HAUL and then a lot will turn around and say how the morals in the country have declined since someone lied to them about something in a
Craigslist ad."Selective (dis)honesty" (LOL)
 
As already noted, any legal problems you have will be yours
alone because they don?t allow you to haul tractors.
But I don?t think there is enough flooring on a U-Haul trailer for a narrow front tractor. A wide-front tractor might fit...at your
own risk.
 
[i:4d959cd175][color=darkred:4d959cd175]I know the hold-downs are those nets or webbing that go over the front tires. For the tractor, good plan?[/color:4d959cd175] [/i:4d959cd175]You mention the webbing that goes over the front tires. Are you talking about a trailer or a dolly? A dolly doesn't sound like a good idea at all.
 
Maybe another option is there a place to rent a trailer near where the tractor is. Yup it mans taking it back just as far as you hauled the tractor. The flip side is you don't have to haul the trailer to the tractor and the trailer will pulll easier empty to return and don't have to pull it back. No deceit here that way.
 
Another option would be since the tires are up would be to make a tow bar to pull the tractor with your pickup. If you went back to the drawbar you could make it so the tongue would carry some of the front end weight. This would help to make it corner better with the tires either tied straight or let them follow. Could also just take them off and carry the front pulling as a trailer.
 
My good friend is a Uhaul dealer. Here is why they wont rent you a trailer to pull a tractor: there is no database like their is for cars to give dimensions. For cars their is a universal database provided to them to know if your vehicle will fit on their trailer and be within spec. He told me if your dealer wants to jump thru the hoops and you have accurate dimensions there is a way to get their system to say its OK to rent a trailer.

As for insurance have good coverage on your vehicle policy that covers any and all rentals as well as anything else you hitch behind your truck and forget about it.
 
Hahaha well finally I posted something that generates some interest! Who knew?

I've read the comments and yes it's a true car hauler, the kind you drive the car onto. I can't imagine towing a tractor with a dolly. We're talking roughly 50 miles one-way. Car trailer, not a dolly.

For "fraud," I prefer to think of it as committing a "change of mind." I WAS going to haul my Honda that needs an engine swap, but saw this deal that was too good to pass up. People change their minds, right? I do it all the time.

So that last comment will get me into trouble, but I'll add this: I've dealt with this rental outfit before, so I will ask them directly if I can haul a tractor that I know will fit and not cause problems. They will probably say no, but at least I tried.

There are probably other options, yes. People wreck their cars all the time around here, so the tow companies do good business. They have a reliable clientele. I'll check around for a rollback tow price. I hadn't really thought of that, being a guy with a pickup who likes to put it to work. I like the process, making the gas hog pay me back once in awhile.

So the gist of it is, yes the trailer will likely work if due care is taken. But it's not allowed.
 
I am picking on everyone about fraud, but is it kind of ironic, I bet most would be ------ if someone lied to them about the use of their equipment.

I do not lie on forms, if the owner says no, I find another source for equipment.
 
U-haul will not even rent a trailer to haul a car. Several years ago my 1998 Buick Lesaber had a fuel pump we later found out 80 mile from home. Had to know year, make and model of car PLUS what was planing to pull it with. A 1994 Chevy 1/2 ton with the 350 and automatic. Was not big enough of a truck. Yet I would haul 60 bushels of beans in it with a wagon with 125 bushels of beans behind it. So even routinly hauling over 12,000# with it to them it was not a big enough truck.
 
That should have been right on the line, but OK, Buick should be about 3500 pounds plus 3000 for trailer, truck capacity is 6500 with 4WD.
 
They run the calculations, and if the weight is over max tow capacity, no trailer.

I got by fine renting one to pull a 2002 civic with my 2016 super duty.
 
U-Haul wants to have a 3/4 ton or heavier truck pull a load that heavy. Remember they rent to the general public, many who have never ever pulled a trailer before, so U-Haul needs to be conservative for the safety of their customers.

You must have overload springs, 60 bushels of beans (3600 pounds) in the bed of my '94 K1500 would bottom out the frame on the rear axle.
 
(quoted from post at 16:38:53 01/19/20) Do you have a Sunbelt Rentals near you?

I just checked their site, they have a location close to where I need to pick up the tractor. They look to have the correct trailer, too. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
I hauled my '39 Ford 9N 100 miles home with a UHaul trailer. I rented their pickup truck also since my Jeep doesn't have the towing capacity.
 
It all comes back to the old risk/reward issue. To say nothing of the ethics of the issue, all you need is for something to go wrong and
you can be sued for any number of issues. Is it worth it to risk your personal assets in this suit - happy era we live in? In the event of
an incident, how would you like to have U-Haul sue you for fraud along with the person you damaged?

In my opinion, hire some one to haul it for you. You just have a few dollars to gain and a lot to lose if something happens.
 
I did a Ford 8n. Pulled with a Toyota
Sequoia. I spell Ford like this " Honda
Civic". Worked fine. Used ratchet straps
to hold it on. Though, load on flat ground
and preferably with dry ramps and tires.
Don't ask why I make that suggestion...
 
Ford 2000; 3 cyl. diesel; 8/2 trans.....I rented a car hauler from UHaul to pick up my tractor when I bought it and to take it to a mechanic another day. Told UHaul what I was hauling, the weight, etc. The UH guy tried to find a tractor in his rate book but couldn't so decided it weighed about as much as a small sedan and put that in his paperwork. Never any hesitation about renting the trailer to me or not. The webbed wheel straps worked fine plus chains front and back. Pulled it with a 6 cylinder F150 and it worked like a charm. This car hauler was a trailer on which you drive the whole tractor, not a dolly with only the front wheels supported. Good luck on your haul.
 
Of course there are reasons why they don?t want
people hauling tractors mostly because of the ytdot
and it?s board members 😂. It looks to me like
someone posted a way to be able to haul the tractor
and not have to burn in hell for it so I?d talk to the
local U-Haul and see if he can figure out how to put
the size and weight of the tractor into consideration
and whether or not it is within the trailers design
limits? There must be another trailer rental place
that you could rent a trailer that they are ok with
you hauling a tractor on ? I once had to borrow a
trailer to haul a tractor when I told the guy I was
hauling a tractor oh you can?t do that the trailer is
not heavy enough to haul a tractor then I told him
the tractor was 18 horsepower and had a loader
and weighed about a ton he said oh ya that?s fine
take the trailer .
 
Lots of interesting opinions here.
I would lie to UHaul. There, I said it.
I would feel NO 'moral obligation' to
UHaul.
Corporate America has to think Inside
the box - for legal reasons. So they try
to define anything and everything that
can safely be hauled on their trailer.
Most two axle "car haulers" are 7000 lb
gvw. So I know I could safely haul a 2
ton load on it - providing I pull it
with the proper tow vehicle of course.
What is the difference if I haul 2 tons
of hay or bags of black dirt or salt, 2T
of steel plate or lumber or an old
tractor?
As for liability, call your insurance
agent and ask. When I hauled my old
14'x22' garage from home 120 miles up to
my property I called my insurance man.
Told him what I was fixing to do and he
said as long as I was doing it for my
own use ie, not commercially or for
hire, my pickup insurance had me
covered. Corporate America is as full
bureaucrats as the government is and if
it's outside their "box" it doesn't
compute so their default answer is NO.
I say tie the tractor down properly as
per DOT and go. You have no "moral"
obligation to UHaul.
 
I wish I could remember where I saw an ad for renting regular trailers. There are places out there so maybe try a google search ? Someone mentioned sunbelt rentals. Sure worth a call to them.
 
Is that the same "no moral obligation" that allows some people to trespass and leave gates open?
 
I think you might be able to fit a Ford 4400? on a uhaul trailer. Ours is about the same size if not a little longer.
mvphoto48082.jpg
 
It sure sounds the same. Many farms are now incorporated (S-corporations), some have outside capital investors, employees, etc. just like any other big business. Does that mean the public has no moral obligation to them anymore?
 

Don't have an accident - you will have rented fraudulently so you will have no insurance. Neither yours, nor U-Hauls, will be valid.
 
I have been watching the posts, still don't get how you can say lying is not lying if you do it.

The owner of the trailer sets the rules, and you agree in writing to it, bottom line, it is fraud (lying), no if ands or buts.

Conditional morals.
 
Things may have changed over the years (20+) but for what it is worth here is the experience I had with U-haul.

When I called up the toll free number to reserve a trailer for where I intend to pick it up the price was about 30% higher than the price
I was given when I contacted directly the local U-haul outlet where I wanted to pick up the trailer.

I needed the trailer to haul a 1948 Desoto for a friend (+/-3500 lbs)
I was driving a GMC 1-ton.
Told the guy at U-haul what I wanted the trailer for and he mumbled something about the stupid computer probably won't know what that is but he could fix that.

20 minutes later I was hooked up, lights checked and on the way.

As far as tying it down goes, overkill is always your friend.
I would be more comfortable using 4 chains and 4 boomers for your load.

Bought my own trailer years ago.
Stock reply when someone wants to borrow it is;

It needs a new battery for the break away and shoes on the left side of the front axle, if you want to fix that for me you can borrow it. (Funny no takers yet on the offer)
 
Not the same.
Leaving gates open potentially causes harm to landowner - corporate or private - if livestock escape.
Hauling a load of whatever sort on trailer designed for that load causes no harm.
 
UD, 1948case is right. U-Haul's insurance will not cover you in case of an accident if you are not hauling what has been declared. Lying is lying no matter who or for what reason it is done. Have to agree with the others here that it doesn't matter if an individual or corporate, it is still lying.
 
(quoted from post at 06:34:22 01/20/20) You are right,the moral obligation is to your own standards and principles.

Over my 21 year career I put at least 25 folks in prison whose standards and principles allowed them to take property from other folks at gun or knife point, or sometimes just by being bigger, younger, or stronger. Guess we have truly lost all moral direction. Not arguing with you, just sad for all of us.
 
I've enjoyed the comments, didn't realize this would start a moral/ethics debate. Let me stir the coals a little:

I called U-Haul, got a guy on the phone. "Sure, I guess you can haul a tractor. I mean as long as it's tied down like it should be. The trailers are set up for cars."

Clearly doesn't know. Is obviously NOT the corporate mouthpiece. What do you do? Say, "Great! I found someone who gave me the answer I wanted!"

The repercussions are possibly throwing this guy under the bus if any little thing goes wrong. "Hey! He said it was ok! That guy making $11 and hour! Yeah, him!"

Feel free to discuss.
 
I'll dip my toe in the water on this and put on my flame retardant underpants. I just hauled home my 860 with loaded tires home on a U-Haul trailer a couple weeks ago. I used the front tie-downs that go over the tires with the front safety chain and ran 2 large straps over the back axle to the cross bars. The trailer was somewhat front heavy so I put my rear blade behind the tractor and that balanced out the load perfectly. I towed it with my 05 Tundra and it worked perfectly. Once it was loaded I looked at how the springs were carrying the weight and they weren't hardly flattened out. I have a friend that's an engineer that helped me load the tractor and it was his opinion that its VERY conservatively rated at a 5200lb payload. He thinks that it would safely carry 8,000lb but U-haul rates it down for liability reasons.


As to U-haul I payed my rental fee plus the insurance and I don't feel bad about it. I knew that the load was within what the trailer could do. My truck was up to hauling it so I did it. As has been stated earlier in this post U-haul caters to everyone. It's a matter of what kind of knowledge does the general public have. I think we can agree(ytdot included) that most of the general public would struggle to just safely load a car and get it properly secured. So they aren't going to expose the company to the liability of every yahoo out there that wants to haul something but doesn't own the correct tie downs or have the knowledge to properly secure loads.

In summary RedMF40 if the wheel spacing is setup correctly, you have the supplemental tie downs, and your tow vehicle is capable I'd do it. There is inherent liability that you assume but to me it was worth it. You'll have to make your own choice in that department.
 
Just hauled a JD2150 home. Rented a 10' Van truck with a Car Hauler. Even on the U Haul web sight they have a "Tractor" choice for what your hauling. The tractor came with a 6' Bush hog, Forks, Gannon and a Bucket. I unhooked the bucket and put on the forks to weasel the Gannon in the truck first, the Bucket next then dropped the forks in there. Pretty good load for the 10' Van Truck. Backed the tractor on the car hauler with the Bush Hog on the rear. Came real close to the rear of the Van but worked. Kinda hairy coming down from Prescott AZ to Phoenix as the Car Hauler was at or slightly above it's rated capacity. The truck was pretty pathetic with this load on any uphill. But I got it home! Now to look for a 3 point Backhoe attachment.
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(quoted from post at 11:35:05 01/19/20) Making plans to pick up a Massey parts tractor, same as mine. Don't have a trailer of any kind, don't know anyone who does. Used to, but not now. I've used U-Haul's trailer to haul an actual car, but never a tractor. I know the hold-downs are those nets or webbing that go over the front tires. For the tractor, good plan? Bad? Any suggestions?

Sold a 42 9N to a guy that showed up w a uhaul TRAILER, dont know their policies etc.

Loaded fine w no issues, the middle section was open but tires cleared fine. He used the web straps and had tie-downs for the rest.

Don't know uhaul policies but my insurances covers MY vehicles and anything I choose tow.

Regardless of policy, it would depend on the weight classification of the trailer. In a legal forum it would most likely fall under D.O.T. guidelines, not a uhaul policy.

If its overloaded, that would be a issue
 

This is my trailer I haul with. A older Cronkite BOBCAT trailer w hydraulic brakes. D.O.T. approved up to the GWVR.
LEGAL anywhere in the U.S. provided it not overloaded.

mvphoto66938.jpg
 

I've hauled cars, trucks, tractors, equipment of all sorts on my own trailer, on friend's trailers before I owned one, on rented trailers at times, etc.

I've come to the conclusion that the easiest and cheapest option in the long run is to hire a towing company to haul home whatever needs to be hauled. They are equipped for the job, insured for the job, liable for the job and all I have to do is pay them. No brainer as far as I'm concerned.

I agree that those who tell the U Haul people that they will be hauling an acceptable car with full intentions of hauling something else instead are liars and weasels and are not to be trusted in other dealings as well.
 
(quoted from post at 06:23:58 12/20/20)


I agree that those who tell the U Haul people that they will be hauling an acceptable car with full intentions of hauling something else instead >>>>are liars and weasels and are not to be trusted in other dealings as well.

Assuming you have never lied in your lifetime???
If a man breaks one of the 10 commandments by lying on his uhaul application. Will he go to hades?

Your last sentence properly describes our political system to a T. Great point.
 
(quoted from post at 10:31:30 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 06:23:58 12/20/20)


I agree that those who tell the U Haul people that they will be hauling an acceptable car with full intentions of hauling something else instead >>>>are liars and weasels and are not to be trusted in other dealings as well.

Assuming you have never lied in your lifetime???
If a man breaks one of the 10 commandments by lying on his uhaul application. Will he go to hades?

Your last sentence properly describes our political system to a T. Great point.

You're right, I don't lie. Do you?

Hades is a fictional scenario.

What does this conversation have to do with politics? Are political opinions and arguments not frowned upon here?
 
(quoted from post at 06:54:44 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 10:31:30 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 06:23:58 12/20/20)


I agree that those who tell the U Haul people that they will be hauling an acceptable car with full intentions of hauling something else instead >>>>are liars and weasels and are not to be trusted in other dealings as well.

You're right, I don't lie. Do you?

Hades is a fictional scenario.

What does this conversation have to do with politics? Are political opinions and arguments not frowned upon here?

Telling your kids that if they are good Santa Claus will bring them presents is a lie.

You could break your finger hitting the report button if the truth hurts you.

Just saying,
 
(quoted from post at 11:02:30 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 06:54:44 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 10:31:30 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 06:23:58 12/20/20)


I agree that those who tell the U Haul people that they will be hauling an acceptable car with full intentions of hauling something else instead >>>>are liars and weasels and are not to be trusted in other dealings as well.

Assuming you have never lied in your lifetime???
If a man breaks one of the 10 commandments by lying on his uhaul application. Will he go to hades?

Your last sentence properly describes our political system to a T. Great point.

You're right, I don't lie. Do you?

Hades is a fictional scenario.

What does this conversation have to do with politics? Are political opinions and arguments not frowned upon here?

Telling your kids that if they are good Santa Claus will bring them presents is a lie.

You could break your finger hitting the report button if the truth hurts you.

Just saying,

I would equate telling kids about Santa Claus to telling kids about the great spaghetti monster in the sky.

I'm perfectly fine with the truth although some people's idea of the truth differs from mine.

Report button? Nope, not my concern about who posts what, that's up to the site monitors.

Just saying.
 
(quoted from post at 09:59:32 12/20/20)
(quoted from post at 09:17:01 12/20/20)
Since this thread has been resurrected eleven months after you originally asked, what did you end up doing??

Really surprised to see this thread pop up again, so here's a rerun of my follow-up way back when. Tractor is here, covered in snow, haven't done a thing with it.

Gerrit

At least you don't have to worry about going to h*ll and the uhaul police ambushing you.
Nice work.

https://forums.yesterdaystractors.c...hlight=follow+using+uhaul+trailer&start=0
 

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