Anyone ever scrutenized a UHaul?

[steved]

Here's the issue... looking to relocate around 4200#s of files from PA to NM in May.



I have budget to either ship via FedEx Ground, but since I'm heading that way for work, I was considering loading them in a UHaul (the biggest enclosed trailer, a tandem axle 6x12). I could probably load them onto my flatbed, bundle them well, and do it OK; but an enclosed trailer would be easier.



I'm looking at the UHaul site and they claim the GVW of that trailer is 4400#s??? Anyone ever actually look at one (tires primarily) that can verify this? I can't hardly believe they would rent a 6x12 that would only haul a little over 2k pounds... I could load half my furniture and have that overdone.

 

[hilda]

Here's the issue... looking to relocate around 4200#s of files from PA to NM in May.



I have budget to either ship via FedEx Ground, but since I'm heading that way for work, I was considering loading them in a UHaul (the biggest enclosed trailer, a tandem axle 6x12). I could probably load them onto my flatbed, bundle them well, and do it OK; but an enclosed trailer would be easier.



I'm looking at the UHaul site and they claim the GVW of that trailer is 4400#s??? Anyone ever actually look at one (tires primarily) that can verify this? I can't hardly believe they would rent a 6x12 that would only haul a little over 2k pounds... I could load half my furniture and have that overdone.

You want to consider line hauler. Palletized the files and go to freightquote.com and see what the rate is. I did (do) a lot of shipping and this is a cheaper way to go. See you in NM.



Jim

 

[steved]

They are budgeted for FedEx, but would pay me to transport... figured loading them onto a trailer wholesale would be easier than filling out 70 FedEx AirBills...

Palletizing is not an option due to location and loading/unloading issues.

 

[DodgeWarlock]

Moved from Wyoming to Alabama, pulling a 6x12 U-haul on one trip. Had it loaded close to if not slightly over 4400lbs. Was trouble free the entire trip. We pulled 12-14 hours each day, only breaking for fuel, meals and dirty diapers. I've used a lot of U-haul over the years and never had a problem.

 

[TRoss]

I just returned one Sunday after moving from Indiana to Tennessee, and that is what the sticker says in it. The payload capacity is incredibly low, less than 2000 IIRC. Didn't look at it too hard, I just filled it up. Normal trailer tires, five lugs per, in good shape. I had no problem running it completely full, and probably slightly over weight. They don't have traditional trailer brakes, they have "surge braking", so that makes them harder to stop with more weight, particularly for the average uhaul customer/vehicle combination. I think Uhaul generally knows the crowd it rents to, and so they probably rate them lower than what they can do. After all, most people don't pay any real attention to how they load them, and who knows what they'll be pulling it with. So I would guess that they rate them lower than they're capable of doing. I guess I'm just saying, if I was Uhaul, I probably would leave myself some significant wiggle room between the sticker and the real capacity just in case. Legally, though, they're rated at that, and you sign a contract saying thats what you'll do. What does that make you liable for? No idea. Just my $0. 02.

 

[TinCanTourist]

Have you considered ABF? They rent their trailers out by the foot, not by the pound. You load and unload (stuff does not have to be palletized and usually you get a ramp for loading), they drop the trailer at your start and stop points. I used them to move household goods from Albukwerky to Astoria and was pleased by the convenience and costs. They brought the trailer to my house (a 28 footer) and dropped it off on schedule. I then had 24 hours to load and they picked it up on schedule. Trailer arrived at the other end, again on schedule, and I had 24 hours to unload.

 

[jkidd]

their trucks break down all the time. pretty sad when your maintenance program is "when it breaks we fix it. "

 

[steved]

Have you considered ABF?

As I eluded to earlier, this is not an option... the stuff is in an offsite storage unit . Politics makes parking a trailer or palletizing not feasible...



I can either do a few a day for several weeks, or do a single load and haul with my equipment.

 

[cwsoules]

I've towed one of these loaded with furnature with no problem. Just ensure the lighting works properly. The first trailer they gave us took over an hour's work by their technician to get the brake lights, turn signals, and running lights working. Like many rentals they are often used by folks who don't care about the equipment and abuse it.

 

[steved]

Furniture is one thing... 4200#s of paper is another!



I'm going to find a local dealer... see if I can look at their stock and figure out if it is truly a 4400 pound GVW trailer or a 7k pound GVW trailer with a conservative GVW of 4400.

 

[bigdaddydieseldan]

I hate screwhaul the stuff that they rent are usually pos and have the stuff on then don't usually work right either #@$%!#@$%!#@$%!#@$%!#@$%!

 

[steved]

I just ogt off the phone with a local uhaul guy... he too was amazed at the low GVW, stated they should be more...



I've basically come down to one of two choices... rent a uhaul, load it to the max and the rest in the truck, or; use my flatbed and just tarp it well (I have an 18-foot 10k GVW trailer)... the only bad thing is that would mean I have to haul my trailer back to PA empty (or maybe not... )

 

[icman95]

I rented one of those uhaul trailers once and it was a POS. Granted there were newer ones and older ones on the lot and they gave me the oldest one they had.

apparently all the others were spoken for. The door swinging doors wouldn't close right-I had to fix when I took a closer look at home. The thing was pretty well beaten up and I don't think it would have passed DOT inspection had the issue come up. That being said, I bet the newer ones were in better condition and I fit all the stuff I needed into it without any consideration for weight. There were no problems towing, etc. Just with maintanence.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I moved every other year with the Army and used U-Haul a couple of times. Very poorly maintained truck and trailers. Once had a trailer tire blow and sat for an hour while their "road crew" came out to discover that they didn't have spare tires/rims to fit. Sat another two hours while they brought back a flatbed and winched the trailer onto it. Back at the yard, they slid it off the flatbed (good thing that I packed the glassware well)!



Started using Penske trucks after that (very well maintained) and eventually after getting the CTD, I bought an enclosed trailer of my own. It paid for itself after the first move. I would NEVER, EVER, EVER use U-Haul again!

 

[Hoefler]

For what you can buy a small enclosed trailer for at Home-Depot or Lowes, it would be awful close to the one way fee and the hassle of UHaul. I just returned from Mass. dragging my own trailer to move my brother, the UHaul fee was going to be right at $1,000. It was cheaper in fuel to drag my 16' empty.

 

[steved]

Yeah, I have gotten to the point that I think I'm just going to use my flatbed and tarp well. I know what I got, I know its capacity, and I have no time limit.