Rented a trailer from U-haul, saw this funny disclaimer

masraum · 11-18-2021, 12:41 PM

This is part of their "reservation advisements"

Quote:

U-Haul offers a free towing inspection. To find a location near you where you can have your vehicle and trailer hitch inspected prior to the date of your move, visit the U-Haul location finder at http://www.uhaul.com/Locations/search/4.

All towing is subject to inspection at the time of pick up. If a towing hookup is not compatible and not recommended, U-Haul will not rent you the trailer or towing device.

Towing behind a Ford Explorer is prohibited.

When towing, load trailers heavier in front, reduce normal driving speed and wear a seat belt.

And the first item is that the car has to be inspected before you can get a trailer. The nearest inspection place is at lest 50 miles from us. I called the place, and the guy said "I ain't never heard anything like that. Any a y'all ever heard anything like that before? Nah, we never heard anything like that before!"

To be sure I asked if he'd give me a trailer if I showed up, and he assured me that as long as everything looked good, they'd rent me a trailer.

I think it's pretty funny that there's probably any number of small cars that can rent a trailer, but a Ford Explorer can't. Although I suspect the guy that I spoke to would be happy to send you on your way with a trailer strapped to the back of an Explorer.

javadog · 11-18-2021, 01:12 PM

There’s a guy in Chicago that tried to rent one with his Ford Lightning and they wouldn’t give it to him. Apparently a Lightning is not an F150.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by javadog

Apparently a Lightning is not an F150.

775 ft lbs of torque from stand still.

javadog · 11-18-2021, 02:06 PM

That ought to be adequate for pulling a U-Haul trailer.

masraum · 11-18-2021, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by javadog

That ought to be adequate for pulling a U-Haul trailer.

Unless it's a Russian U-haul trailer, because those try to tow you.

javadog · 11-18-2021, 02:22 PM

In that case, the Lightning should’ve been able to out run it and get far, far away.

javadog · 11-18-2021, 02:24 PM

I once had a Lightning try to race me when I was leaving Dallas, after getting my RS6 serviced, years ago. He lost.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 02:55 PM

I saw this too/ chuckled when I rented a uhaul several weeks back.
I figured it was post traumatic legal c.y.a from the Ford explorer/ Firestone tire fiasco from 2000.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firestone_and_Ford_tire_controversy

Arizona_928 · 11-18-2021, 07:08 PM

I pick up one of their car trailers with my cummins and the guy hooking the trailer to my truck says "finally someone with a real truck"...

sc_rufctr · 11-18-2021, 10:31 PM

Do you remember the movie The Firm? (1993)

Tom Cruise.
Jeanne Tripplehorn. (Hubba Hubba

)
Gene Hackman.

masraum · 11-19-2021, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

I saw this too/ chuckled when I rented a uhaul several weeks back.
I figured it was post traumatic legal c.y.a from the Ford explorer/ Firestone tire fiasco from 2000.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firestone_and_Ford_tire_controversy

That was my assumption as well.

We had a 2001, and I don't remember what, but I'm pretty sure we towed something with it, and if so, it must have been a U-haul trailer, but that was years ago, and I can't remember. I just remember buying a ball for the bumper.

Bugsinrugs · 11-19-2021, 02:16 PM

I rented one on Wednesday. No mention of any inspection. I wanted to rent one in the Bay Area and return 130 miles away. Not in California. Trailers must be returned back to where it was rented from. Too many trailers leaving Cali and none coming back so guess.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 02:48 PM

Couple of thoughts from my experience.

1. Take a BUNCH of pics of the trailer before you leave. I picked mine up in predawn hours, and it had two broken ramp tabs. I didn't realize it until later that morning. The guy I returned it to put the burden of proof in my lap I didn't break them. Basically, take a HUGE number of pics of everything, and make damn sure you have the person checking you out in some of the photos. It really helped to be able to say, there's the broken tab, and there's the uhaul's attendants butt in the same pic when I picked it up. The guy with the butt, he's the one that missed the broken ramp....Talk to him.

Fortunately, I did have pics, but that was a pia.

2. Uhaul is really ramping up the smart phone app aspect of their business, which is great if you have a smart phone. When I *****ed about it, my wife chided me in that it was a 'cost cutting measure' to save us money. We should be thankful. I didn't have the app, so it required my wife to come along to the drop off location to use the smart phone app return the trailer (no attendant nearby on a sunday). Only problem being, the return location (rural) didn't have the reception for her to check out using the app. There were not enough G's (or whatever) for her to upload return odometer readings. Within minutes she was cussing, and I was smart enough not to smirk at her. I got blamed for smirking anyways. There weren't any employees there either. Another pia. After a while, the garage owner showed up to wrench on some cars off hours, and he was nice enough to help us out. That's when he told me I needed to prove I didn't break the ramp tabs.