How to trailer a mini-van

[dknarnd]

May want to trailer our ford Windstar about 1300 miles one way and I was wondering what the best or most economical way to do this is. I know best and economical are never the same but what are my options? Would a uhal car dolly where the rear wheels stay on the ground in toe work for a trip like this or should I use a full trailer? The toe vehicle would be a 2004 GMC Crew 5.3L and 3.73 rear.

 

[crbr]

May want to trailer our ford Windstar about 1300 miles one way and I was wondering what the best or most economical way to do this is. I know best and economical are never the same but what are my options? Would a haul car dolly where the rear wheels stay on the ground in toe work for a trip like this or should I use a full trailer? The toe vehicle would be a 2004 GMC Crew 5.3L and 3.73 rear.

Best bet is a full car hauler. That is evident. Saves wear and tear on everything and to me, the rental investment would be worth it. For 1300 miles, it may be a return on the investment to buy a double axle trailer, use it, then sell it. At least you'll get some if not all of your money back. That may not be an option for you. Rental is 100% loss to U-Haul.

Next bet just as good: Tow dolly.
I have towed extra work cars and such as I travel around to various plants to work. I use a U-Haul dolly and it works just fine. Simple, easy to rent, easy to drop off when done. Very easy to load (tilt ramps) and light hook-ups are generic. Safety chains come with the trailer (by law) but I am also saying that safety chains come with the dolly for a safety hook-up to the vehicle onto the dolly.

One thing to heed.. Never load a vehicle onto a dolly backwards. Weight distribution (or lack of, from the engine being at the rear and no tongue weight) will wreck you. Plain and simple. I have seen it and it almost happened to me. One sway and it's all over. Load it up forward...

I used to carry a trailer everywhere but storage is often difficult at a temporary site. Thus the dolly, easy to drop and forget about. Thirteen hundred miles is not that much wear and tear actually. The dollys are stable and heavy-duty enough to suit my comfort zone at ~70 MPH (or more). Don't drive like I do please. I am a big fan of heavy diesel foot.

You'll load it on frontward, cinch the wheels with the ratchet straps, unlock the swivel on the hitch, leave the steering wheel unlocked. Your rear wheels will roll independently, as most vans are front-wheel drive.

If you're dealing with a drive-shaft onto the rear axle, then we need to discuss plan B.

When stopping always plan a parking and exit route to not have to back up. You now have two points of pivot, one at the ball hitch and another at the swivel on the dolly. It can be tricky to back in reverse direction. Always plan an out in forward.

I think the dolly would best serve your needs with the 5.3 and the 3.73:1 gear. The trailer will add considerable weight for the 5.3. The dolly will indeed serve a good purpose. I have done this a dozen times or more, both short hauls and long hauls.

 

[MrJimi]

I'm wondering about the one-way cost of renting versus buying one and sell at location unless you may have other uses for it?
Food for thought
Jim

 

[crbr]

I'm wondering about the one-way cost of renting versus buying one and sell at location unless you may have other uses for it?
Food for thought
Jim

A decent dolly will run one about $900 plus tax here in East TN.

 

[Bird]

For a one time, one way trip, I wouldn't hesitate at all to use the rented car dolly for a Windstar. A lot of RVers use them to tow cars all over the country behind motorhomes. As has been said, you want to avoid situations in which you would have to back up more than 3 or 4 feet, if possible. And towing with a pickup instead of a motorhome means the vehicle being towed is closer to the weight of the vehicle doing the towing, so consider the braking ability of the vehicles.

 

[MrJimi]

A decent dolly will run one about $900 plus tax here in East TN.

Good point exactly and a 7,000 pound dual axle trailer will run around $1,200 almost anywhere in north east Florida and I know he would find a use for a trailer that can haul his tractor or anything else later

 

[dknarnd]

Good point exactly and a 7,000 pound dual axle trailer will run around $1,200 almost anywhere in north east Florida and I know he would find a use for a trailer that can haul his tractor or anything else later

I'm comin out of NJ and you won't find anything "around $1,200" here!!!! A small landscape trailer will cost you that much here.

What is this dual pivot on the dolly, why do they have that? Isn't the hitch pivot enough?

(I know my bio says PA and that is my real "home" and where my toys are but I live in NJ)

 

[crbr]

I'm comin out of NJ and you won't find anything "around $1,200" here!!!! A small landscape trailer will cost you that much here.

What is this dual pivot on the dolly, why do they have that? Isn't the hitch pivot enough?

(I know my bio says PA and that is my real "home" and where my toys are but I live in NJ)

That allows the vehicle to pivot on the trailer (even with the steering unlocked). Much easier on the trailer and the vehicle. I'd also guess it may be a federal law of which I am unaware, since this is about all I have seen over the past 10 years.

 

[Diamondpilot]

If you do use a dolly dont tow it home empty. I once helped a guy move from Indiana to Jacksonville, FL. We used a friends truck to haul stuff and tow one of his cars down on a dolly. It towed fine down but on the way home with nothing on the dolly it beat the truck up. They are usually unsprung or if they are they are sprung heavy so when empty they jump all around.

We ended up stopping after 4 hours and took the tong off the trailer, it was bolted on, and got 6 or 7 truckers help us get it in the bed of the truck for the rest of the drive.

Chris

 

[Bird]

Chris, when my brother got out of the Matco Tool business, we took his empty tool truck (GMC Topkick) to Denver to be refurbished/repainted for a new distributor. We put his Suzuki Sidekick on the tow dolly backwards to tow it behind the truck to Denver (about 850 miles), then we towed the empty dolly back to Waco, TX, behind the Sidekick with no problems at all. That is, no problems except for one broken sideview mirror lense on the Sidekick, which we suspect was gravel from the truck's rear wheels in the first 20 miles when we started out.

 

[dknarnd]

If I do it I'm going for the u-haul dolly or trailer so that I can return it there and come home solo.

 

[crbr]

If I do it I'm going for the u-haul dolly or trailer so that I can return it there and come home solo.

PS: Thanks for all of the info here....

 

[Diamondpilot]

Must be a difference in the tow dolly. The one we had was a solid axle design with no suspension. We even tried airing down the tires but still beat the truck up.

Chris

 

[Highbeam]

Bird nailed it. You don't have the brakes to dolly the windstar. Your truck's owner's manual will give you the maximum trailer load to be towed without having trailer brakes. It is 1000lbs on my older 1/2 ton chevy with a bigger engine. So the dolly weighs 500 lbs and the windstar will weigh maybe 3000 lbs so you are exceeding the truck's capabilities as determined by the manufacturer.

Even the crumby surge brakes typical of a u-haul car hauler would be btter than no brakes at all. I happen to own and like a car hauler trailer. I have towed hundreds of miles to pickup classic cars with my car hauler trailer. The truck is completely adequate.

Oh, my chevy is a 1998 with a 5.7 V8 and 3.73 rear end. Same auto tranny as your 5.3 chevy.

 

[Diamondpilot]

A different way to go about this whole deal is drive the Van and fly home. With gas prices being what they are I can fly cheaper than drive any distance over 250 miles. I recently took a 2000 mile flight, 1000 miles each way, for $129 round trip. Even if I had a car that got 35 mpg it would cost over $200 just for gas. You then have wear and tare, hotel, food, ect. ect. Your truck will get about 10 mpg doing this tow job.

Chris

 

[dknarnd]

Well guess I have a few things to look at now....but then maybe I'll just send my wife and daughter on their way to Arkansas by themself with the van and I'll stay behind. )

Once before I went to Arknasas in July (visiting inlaws) and it was 110 every day and I told my wife; never again will I go in July! This yankee just can't take that heat!!!! They can go on their trip for two weeks and I'll go spend a week at the farm playing (working) with the tractors.