beansbaxter
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posted December 24, 2002 12:34 AM
Any experience with U-Haul Trailers
Ok...I have a truck, and I'm thinking of towing my motorcycle, renting this trailer...
http://www.uhaul.com/trailers/motorcycle/
Has anyone had any past experience with it? Good or bad? Please let me know.
It's $15 a day, has to be returned to the U-Haul I got it from, no one-way allowed, and I'm still calling around trying to find a U-Haul spot that has one. But if I do find one, I'd like to know the skinny.
This needs to happen kinda soon so please chime in anyone.
   
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beansbaxter
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posted December 24, 2002 12:47 AM
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TurboBlew
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posted December 24, 2002 03:26 AM
Its ok. Tends to wiggle at highway speeds because of the puny 12" tires on them. It used to be $7.95/day for the trailer (formally called a garden trailer) but I got sooo fed up with dealing with those incompetent idiots.
Be carefull about renting from them. They have their own "special" wiring connectors that they will make you purchase for $11.95. Every trailer in the world uses a 4 prong connector. But not Uhaul...they use 4 individual wires on the trailer that connect to a special Uhaul 4 prong harness that connects to a standard one.
Also, they will give you shit about draining the gas, oil, etc. Just politely nod yes...lol.
They wanted to "surcharge" me one time because I disconnected the trailer on my own.
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muzbgreen
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posted December 24, 2002 04:47 AM
Took one of those on an 800 mile round trippe....r nice part was easy to load and unload..... bad part anything over 55 she will vibrate.
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OZZY
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posted December 24, 2002 07:19 AM
where you hauling your bike too? can you ride it there and then get a different way back? Might be the easisest.
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psycho1122
Pro
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posted December 24, 2002 07:45 AM
Hey Bean, We just used the "5x7 enclosed" trailer to haul 2 bikes up to Colorado. The thing worked excellent! We unscrewed 4 of the floor screws to install eye hooks for the straps and away we went.
It light and has the big wheels and tires that run nice up to 75 mph!
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TBBT
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posted December 24, 2002 07:45 AM
 Edited By: TBBT on 24 Dec 2002 07:49
I've used them several times. They did a perfect job all but one time. I had a little bit of a wobble problem once when the trailer was running at low speed (when coming to a stop). This was due to a bad tire on the trailer. I've never had a problem at speed. I've pulled my bike with them at 70 to 75 mph and they pulled fine. I think I've checked on doing a one-way with one once. They would let me do it but it was way too expensive. The trailers are easy to use (load and unload) and they are cheap.
You probably already know this but just in case - Use 4 tie down straps. If you only tie down the front, the rear end will bounce around. I cross the rear tie downs over the back tire (hugger removed) and attach the hooks to the to the inside of the rear foot peg brackets (on opposite side). This allows me to get the job done without having to run the tie down strap over the pretty akropovic can. If you are loading/unloading by yourself (as I do), ratcheting tie downs are a big help...
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wannabe
Pro
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posted December 24, 2002 09:21 AM
Those trailers are fine, but I agree with everyone else that they have a minor problem with weaving at speed. One thing to add: If you're in a pinch, the 5 x 8 trailers & the 6 x 10 work just fine as well. You just need to have your own ramp.
Most U-haul places only have 1 'motorcycle trailer.' But, they all have a gazillion 5x8 & 6x10's. The 6 x 10's are more stable because they are twin axles, but it's an awful waste for just draggine around 1 bike.
Have fun on your trip.
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beansbaxter
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posted December 24, 2002 09:25 AM
Yeah TurboBlew, I know all about the wires. Thank goodness the hitch on my truck I had put on from U-Haul so it has both kinds of wiring in the harness. Lifetime warranty too, I am pleased with their hitch. I got a hella good deal on it too at the time, and it should work with any Toyota I get in the future.
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beansbaxter
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posted December 24, 2002 09:26 AM
So everyone that has had experience with this particular trailer, was the wobble wobble because the bike was too light? Not enough weight on the axle? Was it a 12 or something heavier? The 12 is 463 dry if I remember right.
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wannabe
Pro
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posted December 24, 2002 09:37 AM
Beans, actually, there is no one hitch that you can have that is compatible with their piece of shit setup. Unless you have their stupid adapter that goes from individual strands to a flat four, they're gonna make you buy one.
As for the wabbling, it has nothing to do with weight. I had my 12 on it, and it wabbled too. I think it has more to do with the size of the tires and the length of the trailer. I was just complaining about it, but it's really not that bad. If it starts to wabble, just slow down until it goes away.
Oh, and FYI, I used a Toyota Tacoma to pull it, and I didn't have any problems at all.
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ZHooligan
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posted December 24, 2002 10:02 AM
Do yourself a favor and pull the thing casual. The stability issue deals with the location of the axle and the length of the tongue. The more tongue weight and longer and the tongue usually the more stable pulling the trailer is. The rental trailers are usually pretty neutral. Short tongue all the weight over the axle i.e. no real tongue weight. They have to be because someone by be hooking that trailer up to their KIA, Escort or some other little car. Drive carefully and get the bike there safe. I have seen the results of bad judgement with a trailer! When you have gone to as many races across the country as I have, you get a chance to pick up many pieces along the highway of the bikes that were headed in the same direction as you are.
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TedG
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posted December 24, 2002 11:45 AM
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beansbaxter
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posted December 24, 2002 12:16 PM
I'm melting.....
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crazybill
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posted December 24, 2002 12:27 PM
ive also used the little enclosed (i think it was 4x8) . the side rails inside are hard to strap to but it worked great one it was secured inside .
dont tell them your hauling a m/c though . they specifically told me i wasnt supposed to . i believe it was 12.00 a day .
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JoshDunn
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posted December 25, 2002 12:48 PM
I used one of the bigger enclosed trailers with two bikes side by side, just used eye bolt tie down hooks into the floor and tied the back of the bikes to the side wall hooks to keep the rears from swapping side to side into each other. It is kinda scary because you can't see them if they come loose or fall or something, but it's cool cause they are secure and dry. If you are lucky you will get a trailer that someone already drilled holes in the floor of.
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beansbaxter
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posted December 25, 2002 12:55 PM
What if your U-Haul encounters a dinosaur, then what do you do?
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flite leader
Zone Head
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posted December 25, 2002 01:05 PM
u haul trailers
i prefer the enclosed models
they protect your bike soooooo much better
make sure the lites work
make sure your bike is real secure
i check the straps each time i stop
resign yourself to run at least 5-10mph slower
than you usually drive
allows for a comfort & Safety factor
good luck
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beansbaxter
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posted December 25, 2002 01:07 PM
Thanks for the good tips....I'm going for the gusto with the U-Haul this Friday so I'll be sure to give a thorough redelk-style writeup. 
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kawachan
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posted December 26, 2002 11:34 AM
I've got a REAL light trailer that I use to haul my bikes on. It will pull behind my truck as fast as my truck will go (before it shuts off, that is)! It is an old golf trailer I bought from my neighbor. Tilt bed and an expanded metal gate mean I can lower my bike as low as I want and I can load it by myself. I use six tie-downs "just" in case it ever gets a lil wobbly on me.
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slug
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posted December 26, 2002 02:09 PM
try not to get one with the brake reservoir on the tongue, they put them on the enclosed trailers i think.
10 hour drive, and that thing kept puslating the entire trip.
it was horrid
it is supposed to detect when you are slowing, and automatically brake the trailer for you, but any bump in road set it off, which led to surging which would have led to a REALLY bad time of it.
that cured me of EVER using uhaul crap again, it was pain in arse to get, to use, and tro turn in. ditton on the connectors issue, then never have the ones 'for rent' availavble, just the 'for sale' ones.
bah.
 
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TBBT
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posted December 27, 2002 08:55 AM
I pull the uhaul MC trailers with my '93 Ford Ranger 4x4 (regular cab). I've pulled my bike on them several times. I've never experienced any weaving side to side etc... At speed the trailers have always ran true, straight, and normal. Like I said before, I had one trailer that had a bad tire and it would wobble a bit when I came to a stop.
You'll have to consider that you'll see all kinds of trailers at uhauls in various conditions. Some will be like brand new. Others will be older and look like they are on their last leg. The one that I had that wobbled a bit looked like it had been through hell. The tires were not in the best shape. But it did get the job done. Best advice - look at the trailers and try to get one that looks to be in good condition if you can.
The next time I need to trailer the bike, I won't hesitate to get another uhaul trailer if needed. It's cheap. It's easy to use (with the drop down gate). It only requires one person to load and unload. It gets the job done.
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ninja12
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posted December 27, 2002 09:18 AM
A friend of mine has one of these, he like it .
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=35966
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ninja12
Needs a job
Posts: 3310
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posted December 27, 2002 09:20 AM
also checkk
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40597
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Hawkman
Zone Head
Posts: 747
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posted December 27, 2002 12:25 PM
Edited By: Hawkman on 27 Dec 2002 12:35
I've used that trailer a number of times. I didn't have any problems with it whatsoever. Good trailer. Wish I had one for myself.
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