DeHartShadow

Can anyone here tell me if I will have any trouble towing a 5'x8' U-Haul Trailer that weighs 900lbs filled with with 700lbs-900lbs of stuff (total = 1600lbs-1800lbs) using a Class II Hitch on my 2003 Impala LS 3.8L V6 going eastbound on Interstate 70 through the Colorado Rockies at the end of May?? I am just basically wondering if I will have problems with overheating towing that amount and being that the highest I think I will be up is a little over 11,000 feet. I believe I will be starting out at about 2,000ft-3,000ft but not sure. I think the ride through the Rockies on I70 is about 125 miles to 150 miles. I figured some of you may have experience towing with your Impala and may know and even have thoughts or suggestions. I am going to be traveling Mesquite, NV area to Binghamton, NY area. Most of my travel will be on I15, I70 & I80... as I said, heading East. If you can, please let me know. I can be e-mailed too if you like at Joe@dehartfamily.com.

Thanks, Joe

"Attachment is a picture of my car"


[IMG]local://upfiles/22429/AFBF33F0897A4296B279F48A9669966C.jpg[/IMG]

rbarrios

I think youd have to keep the car itself as light as possible and not overdo the total weight.
I cant visualize the size of your trailer... but Ifair drag will also add to the equation.. id bevery wary of overheating the tranny....
Especially over the mountains...
Hopefully someone withexperience canchime in...

wildman

I will point out some issues but I will not comment on whether or not it can be done or if you should attempt it. That is yours to decide. I will say that it is common for people to exceed the tow ratings of their vehicles, even trucks - this can be the first ingredient of a mishap.

First, check your Gross Vehicle Weight rating (printed in the door jams?). If you figure your tongue weight is 10% or about 200lbs, add that to the stuff you put in the car plus the people. If you are exceeding your GVWR, you are putting a load on the axles, brakes, and tires the vehicle is not designed to carry.

A class II hitch typically is rated for up to 3500 lbs. However, your trailer tow rating is 1000 lbs, I believe, so you are exceeding that by almost 100%. A big danger is stability - the trailer can sway out of control. Your brakes are not designed to slow that much weight- does that u-haul even have surge brakes?.

This may all be mute because I suspect U-Haul won't even rent you a trailer when they see you drive in without a truck. They are an outfit run by corporate sissies, and worry about lawsuits (they wouldn't even rent me a similar trailer with my 2004 Ford Explorer equiped with tow package). Almost any national chain rental facility will be the same.

DeHartShadow

I checked the GVWR and it says it is 4499lbs (front: 2438lbs & rear: 2061). The tires are rated for a max load of 1609lbs. According to U-Hauls website, the 5x8 trailer does not have brakes of any kind. I will have in my car itself, about 230lbs which is including myself & my cat. The trailer is mainly for getting my Honda Shadow Motorcycle (460lbs), a 42" Toshiba (60lbs), and small TV stand (40lbs), about 5-10 small boxes (5-20lbs each) & some clothes (100lbs). Also, as I said, the trailer weighs according to U-Haul's Site, 900lbs empty. Below is a link for the specs on the 5x8 u-haul trailer.

http://www.uhaul.com/guide/index.asp...nt=trailer-5x8

Below is more info that may help figure out how much I can tow on my vehicle from U-Haul's Site.

[align=center]LOADING YOUR TOW VEHICLE
To find how much weight you are allowed to put in
your tow vehicle:
Step 1: Find your tow vehicle's GVWR on the label
inside the driver's door.

Step 2: Subtract the curb (empty) weight of your
tow vehicle from the GVWR. Contact a U-Haul
representative for help in finding the curb weight of
your tow vehicle.

Step 3: Subtract 250 pounds from the answer in Step
2 if your trailer has 2 tires. Subtract 400 pounds from
the answer in Step 2 if your trailer has 4 tires.

The answer in Step 3 is the amount of weight you can
put in your tow vehicle. This weight includes driver,
passengers, cargo and any additional equipment. If
the rear of your tow vehicle seems low, reduce the
load in the rear seat, trunk or cargo bed areas. Too
much load in the rear can affect handling.
[align=left]
So lets see if I got this correctly. Feel free to correct me on this. I take my GVWR (4499lbs), subtract the curb weight of the trailer from my GVWR (900lbs), subtract 250lbs since the trailer only has 2 tires. This comes to 3349lbs. How exactly does this help me? Yeah, the Trailer Towing Maximum is 1000lbs according to the site below which I believe is GM's site.

http://media.gm.com/division/2003_pr...fications.html

Now, I should be ok with this type of load going on Interstate 40 (East) through Flagstaff, AZ & Amarillo, TX & Oklahoma City, OK and then going up through Tulsa, OK & Indianapolis, IN & Columbus, OH & then through Erie, PA on Interstate 80 (East)? I would only have to deal with about 2-3 slightly steep upgrades and down grades (2630 mile, 40 hour trip). Does towing what I want to tow seem like something I can do? Does going through the Rockies on I70 East seem like something I can do as long as I take it slow and take it easy? Given all the information, would it be wiser to go the extra 5 hours/300 miles and go by way of I40? **Insert thoughts, opinions & ideas here**

Thanks!
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wildman

I think you made a mistake in step 2. It says subtract the curb weight of your tow vehicle, not the trailer, from the GVWR. Also, did you ask U-Haul if you could use your Impala?

DeHartShadow

You are correct on making a mistake on Step 2. I didn't even see that... haha. Of course, I was half asleep when I did that.

Here is the equation and let me know if I got it right this time.

So lets see if I got this correctly. Feel free to correct me on this. I take my GVWR (4499lbs), subtract the curb weight from my GVWR (3450lbs), subtract 250lbs since the trailer only has 2 tires. This comes to 799lbs.

I just got off the phone with 1-800-GO-U-HAUL and even called a local rental place and they both said that my vehicle should have no problem towing that trailer and recommended getting the Class 2 hitch even though I can go with a Class 1 on that.

wildman

Your calculations look generally correct although I am not professionally qualified to advise you on the tow. Now subtract the weight of you and your cat, and what is left is how much cargo your should put in the car itself, max, in general. As for U-Haul, maybe I should have gotten an Impala instead of a 2004 Ford Explorer with tow package to make them happy.

BTW, I would put the heaviest items in the front seat, back seat, trunk of the car, or over the axle of the trailer in that order of preference. Then Load the next heaviest items alternating on each side of the trailer axle with the goal of keeping it balanced. You don't want it heavier in the back or it will tip up the tongue. You don't want it too heavy in the front or it will drastically exceed the tongue weight you calculated. Well, back to my day job.

wildman

Here is some good info on towing with FWD: http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/how...1/page001.html

Gwampa

Wildman, you sound like an engineer. I work with a bunch of 'em and can see similar traits. I'll bet there is some "wiggle room" with the capacities for the Impala and trailer too. But best not to tempt the gods too much when it comes to towing. My big concern with towing trailers is that people seem to tow them way to fast. So DeHartShadow, take it slow and easy and get there in one piece and safely.

wildman

We haven't heard from DeHartShadow in a while - maybe he didn't make it?