I contacted my local U-Haul dealer to see about renting one of their two axle car transport trailers to move my 1964 Chevrolet Corvair Convertible after it had broken a u-joint, and was stranded alongside the road. U-haul told me that a Corvair is “Not Recommended” to be hauled on one of their trailers!
It can’t be because of the dimensions, or the ground clearance, or anything like that, since I have seen pictures on the Corvair Forums of LOTS of Corvairs on U-haul trailers. Also, if they are concerned about the weight distribution since it’s a rear engined car, it would just be loaded backwards, so the engine is in the front of the trailer.
No one at U-haul has been ANY help explaining this to me.
Anyone out there ever run into this issue before with any kind of vehicle?
I wanted to tow it with a V-6 4X4 Toyota Tacoma Double cab TRD Off-road Pickup, so I know the towing vehicle wasn’t the problem. U-haul would only tell me that the TOWED vehicle was not allowed!
Corvair is just one one the vehicle models that U-Haul has problems with. Hauling a rear engined vehicle backwards would probably create unforeseen problems for you that U-Haul sees nearly every day. I don’t always agree with U-Haul but the policies are created for their benefit…not yours. I just looked through a few Corvair forums and the prevailing thought is that a Corvair cannot be safely towed on a dolly or most rental trailers. A rollback wrecker is preferred but is very expensive for the most part.
Let’s assume that U-Haul has a good knowledge base on where problems occur. The Corvair isn’t a new model so they know the car and the potential problems.
I don’t think the Corvair had a locking steering column so that could be an issue when towing with the rear wheels off the ground and the steering wheels on the road. If the steer wheel moves it can become unstable. A vintage Corvair isn’t a car you’d want to put at risk.
This is a trailer, not a dolly, right? All 4 wheels off the ground? In that case it’s hard for me to understand the problem.
Rear weight bias on trailer means lighter trailer tongue weight. If u put 400lbs on front of trailer u would be good. But uhaul cannot be assured you will do that. Easier to just nix your rental request. No rental, no issues.
That’s true, but U-Haul doesn’t know how folks load all their other trailers, no way to insure they’re doing it right, so it’s a bit strange for them to pick out the Corvair. Maybe they had a lawsuit 30 years ago…
Hauling a RWD car backwards with the front wheels on the ground can be dangerous. You’d be better off getting a full dolly that gets all four wheels off the ground.
Pretty sure we’re talking about a trailer, not a dolly. The only thing U Haul lists for cars with 2 axles is a trailer:
Uhaul has a lot of little nit picking policies.
The detour around that pot hole is to lie about what you’re towing…or in my case , what you’re towing with.
I wanted a trailer, not a dolly, to go pick up my daughter’s Taurus. Gallup to Silver city and back.
They told my NO because I wanted to tow with my 92 Explorer.
So I picked up the trailer with my 79 Chevy pickup at the store, went home and swapped it to the Explorer, went and got the Taurus with…ZERO…towing issues.
But since Joe Tower doesn’t pre-know these angles it’s a little hard to know what to say.
Around here you can just go down the street to a different uhaul place who doesn’t know you from before ,once you know what to say
Yes, I was talking about a full trailer, and the car could be backed on the trailer, so the engine and most of the weight is ahead of the axles. If I ever need to rent one again, I’ll just tell them I’m towing a 64 Chevy 2, or a Malibu!
Tell them you’ll be hauling a Ford Escort. Are they going with you on the rental???
Actually, I used an old trailer I had here to move the Corvair to get it fixed, but if I ever DO want to rent from them again, I’ll LIE!!
What they don’t know won’t hurt them…or me!
Ah, I see. It’s not a matter of having two wheels on the ground, it’s a matter of weight distribution.
Yeah, the guy standing behind the counter at U-Haul should not try to think too hard and just rent you the trailer.
I agree @ Masterskrain Just lie. The U-Haul guys I’ve dealt with are now very bright. A backwards Corvair is no different in weight distribution than a front wheel drive coupe pointed forward. Your tongue weight is a tad higher than a front-engine, rear drive car but its a Corvair. What’s it weigh, 1800 lbs? It is way lighter than a compact FWD coupe these days. Just be careful how you tie it down, but you already know this since it is home.
In defense of the U-Haul guy - if they have the Corvair on some kind of ‘do not rent’ list, I don’t blame him at all for not renting it to you. What’s more important to him - making you happy or keeping his job?
What are you planning to haul on our trailer?
My extensive feather collection…
Actually, lying could come back to bite you if the unthinkable happens. They could deny liability and leave you holding the bag even if it was something they should be responsible for covering. However, I’d be willing to play the favorable odds.
I’m sure the problem is the tongue weight. If you have too little weight on the tongue and it’ll fish tail like crazy. So naturally you have to back it on with the weight in the front.
I found it interesting that U-Haul would not let me rent a tandem axle trailer to pull behind my 1990 Ford Aerostar extended version, but would allow me to tow a tandem axle with my 2000 Ford Windstar. In neither case did I want the tandem axle trailer, but the proprietor of the U-Haul agency showed me that in the book that U-Haul supplied. It didn’t make sense since the Aerostar had a frame and was rear wheel drive while the Windstar is front wheel drive and unit construction. On both vehicles, I had U-Haul install the hitch and the light harness and had no problems.
I have to tell you… COOL CAR!
I learned to drive on a '61 Corvair that my dad owned. Looking at your photo brought back a lot of good memories of my dad. Sincere thanks.
You are VERY welcome! Lots more pictures at the Corvair Forums