Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:42:23 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: hauling a GL on a UHaul auto hauler
In-Reply-To: <97bf82910912231209q1f4f4b9dia452c5b7d124fed2@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Michael Snow wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 2:36 PM, Bobby Brown <bobbybrown1@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Fellow listees,
>>
>> Long story short, I plan to haul my 88 GL on a UHaul autohauler about 250
>> miles with a 4.7 V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
>>
>> Anything special I should know in advance for a successful run?
>>
>
> I hauled an old Chevy pickup 225 miles (climbing then descending over
> 4000 feet in 100 degree heat on I-8 east of San Diego) with my 4.7 V8
> Toyota Tundra on a U-Haul trailer last spring. The trip was stressful
> but uneventful. Overdrive off, reduced speed, and shifting down for
> compression braking on the descent kept my son and I safe and the two
> trucks undamaged. The tie-down straps that U-Haul provides are strong
> enough, but there are not enough of them. I would use some extra
> straps on the front and rear tie-down loops to stabilize the van body.
> This will help prevent trailer sway from the van rocking on its
> suspension. If the trailer doesn't track perfectly straight behind
> your truck, slow down until it doesn't sway.
>
> --
> Michael Snow
> 1987 Syncro TiiCo
> 1982 Westfalia 1.9TD
> http://slowmachine82.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
I hauled my '88 GL from Clinton, OK to Birmingham, AL on a U-haul auto
trailer. Had no problem - but there were/are caveats - 1), I was limited
to 45 mph. Made for a long slow trip. 2) I also rented one of U-hauls
box-van trucks. I got the minimum size that would pull the trailer.
Don't remember the weight size, but it wasn't huge. Pulled nicely. I
had to be careful of the braking - which was long and slow on the
stopping distances. Other than that, the trailer tracked well, and there
was no sway. I liked the U-haul trailer and the truck. Both performed well.
Recently, my son and I hauled a '91 Carat about 70 miles using a U-haul
auto-trailer pulled by a 2009 Chevy Pickup truck with a factory towing
package. I don't know what the particulars were on the engine, but it
was an automatic, and the truck was not a 4X4. Had not problems at all.
The same day - we moved another "88 GL about 15 miles and again had no
problems.
I don't know about the model Jeep involved here - but in Alaska I had an
'85 Jeep Wagoneer LTD Widetrac full-time 4X4 with automatic trans and
manual shift for Hi or Low range. That model Jeep was Heeeaaavy! I never
pulled an auto trailer with it, but I can say it was hell-for-stout and
pulled many a vehicle out of the ditch or the snowbank in Alaska,
including one unfortunate tourist with a 33 foot long motor home.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
| 
