Towing a roadster - My lesson today with uhaul

[v8_ranch]

This may be old news for some of you but I have had some strange experiences in the past with uhaul auto transport rentals. Mostly I am referring to cars not showing g up as ok to row with another vehicle you know good and well could tow a Small mountain! So I am going to pick up my new to me 1968 2000 Roadster today, and I call my local uhaul, and I’m thinking they are probably not going to have a 1968 Datsun roadster in their database... so I say I’m towing a 1973 MG Midget. They say yes, it is in there system and I think “Great”! But then it flags it as not compatible with being towed by my Mercedes GL450. What!? So I say, “well, can you check on a 1970 Datsun 2000 Roadster? She does and bingo, good to go! Ok, guess I’ll just say “whatever?”

[redroadster]

One of those aluminium car trailors ?
Yeah they want a full size truck ....I worked for
U-haul . insurance wants it likely, I tried to rent one here but no go ... they wanted a square receiver hitch
My truck a 4L Dakota was a ball on a full chrome bumper....I think a lot of renter's say they are towing a VW bug , when really it's a LTD

[Curtis]

No one will rent me a trailer for my 91 Mazda B2600i truck, too big and heavy for it. I could buy a 5 x 10 flat bed utility trailer. U Haul put on a hitch receiver welded to the frame, class 2 or something. Rented a dolly from u haul and it was kind of a pain. You can not back a dolly with a car on it so plan your stops carefully.

One of the local roadster owners has lent me his very nice dolly and I have now used it 3 times and it tows the car very well. I've been looking off and on for a newer truck with a V6.

[v8_ranch]

Red, I get that, but mine was a totally different sitch. My GL450 has factory towing and will tow a load. The strangeness I was bring up was they said I was good to tow a Roadster, but not a Midget... that seems kind of odd to me...

[rwmann]

Probably a database of demonstrated use cases that 'worked'.

Too bad about the guy with the Midget, I am guessing.

[MattC]

Curtis, if you ever want to sell that Mazda, let me know. I’m looking for one.

[Curtis]

Curtis, if you ever want to sell that Mazda, let me know. I’m looking for one.

Owned it since new, 95k original miles. We'll see if I find what I want.

[notoptoy]

The thing with the midget may be more based on the trailer compatibility with the car to be towed rather than the towing ability of the Tow vehicle. The Midget has a very small track, and my not fit onto the trailer ramps.

[Curtis]

The dolly I'm using barely fits the roadster, the tires are right up to the inside edge of the pads.

[RCMike]

The thing with the midget may be more based on the trailer compatibility with the car to be towed rather than the towing ability of the Tow vehicle. The Midget has a very small track, and my not fit onto the trailer ramps.

Bingo

When we load Ron Carter's race car on his trailer, the rear tires touch the load track edges on both inside tires. a Midget would not fall into the tracks.

[v8_ranch]

The thing with the midget may be more based on the trailer compatibility with the car to be towed rather than the towing ability of the Tow vehicle. The Midget has a very small track, and my not fit onto the trailer ramps.

Bingo

When we load Ron Carter's race car on his trailer, the rear tires touch the load track edges on both inside tires. a Midget would not fall into the tracks.

Understand... I figured they had to be pretty close on track width, but I stand corrected

[MattC]

Yep, I used a uhaul car carrier trailer when I picked up my roadster and it barely fit in the tracks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_D1DMR ... sp=sharing

[v8_ranch]

Matt , thank you. I was squirming a bit getting it on and off the hauler but your picture assured it could in fact be done... man that was tight.

[Stick]

Yep, I used a uhaul car carrier trailer when I picked up my roadster and it barely fit in the tracks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_D1DMR ... sp=sharing

Very helpful .... this is my current plan to pick mine up. my biggest challenge is getting Haul to answer the phone ... I called 3 separate stores today and couldn't get a live person! The online/app format they use doesn't list the car and won't let you proceed.

Any suggestions of where to tie it down and just as important, where not to?

[MattC]

I just picked something close, like a Miata or something. It doesn’t really matter what you choose on the online form. They’ll never see what you’re towing.