Questions and Answers please about towing a car (Ryder, mileage, renting)

[Asher Kim]

Hello everyone! I'm renting a 16ft' Penske truck with a car carrier (2015 lexus is250). I'm not carrying that much weight, just one bedroom furniture and some other things. I'm traveling from Missouri to Maryland about 975 miles. How often do I need to pull over to check on the car carrier to make sure everything is good, what will I be getting for gas too, and is it hard driving with a car carrier? Thank you

[Normashirley]

By carrier, you do mean a trailer as opposed to a towbar type set up?

You should not have to stop at all to check on the trailer as it had better fully maintenanced before you pick it up.

What you can do, is ask to see the maintenance record on the trailer you are picking up. Wheel bearings and brakes are the first priority and tires with a lot of tread and no weather wear. Don't kick the tires, it's not impressive

If you are using are using a tow bar set up, check to make sure everything is still hooked the way it should be, each time you stop for gas.r

I used Ryder when I moved from the east coast to the west coast and back. Both times my old classic Chevy was on a Ryder trailer behind one of their 26' trucks. I was pulling the horses. We easily averaged 70 MPH on the interstates, without one bit of trouble. We got to our destination without any wheel bearings getting fried.

It sounds as if you have never pulled a trailer? My sage advice is what my Ex told me when I first hooked to the horse trailer, 40+ years ago: When backing, left is right, right is left, and don't forget how much length you have behind you, when turning and parking.

Then the arwse smiled quietly and walked back to the house

Make sure all your lights work to the trailer before you leave. brake lights and turn signals are still an important safety feature, even in this age of high tech.

Also, Stay in the slow lane. Don't be tissn' people off by getting in the passing lane and not passing. The fastest way to get a Semi driver annoyed and riding your butt, is to just poke along in the passing lane when time is money to him and he has a delivery deadline.

Watch the road signs closely for your exits so you have plenty of time to ease into the correct lane to make your exit.

Doing an "oh S**T!!!! There's my exit, jerk the steering wheel and either cut somebody off or hit them would be easy to do with a trailer behind you. Defensive driving applies more than ever, when pulling a trailer.

Stay off the cell phone and concentrate on safe driving. Believe me, there will be enough people out there on the road to *iss you off, now that the trailer towing shoe will be on your foot.

Sorry that ended on a lecture note but, people have become far too arrogant in their text or talking while driving. It's against the law. It is also against the law for me to bring out my old GMC 4-wheel drive with the cow catcher on the front and run some of these stupid texting drivers off the road, or I might be tempted

As far as gas mileage, it depends what you're pulling with. Generally trucks don't vary that much in MPG if the driver' gas pedal foot is consistent. My '78 GMC and the mister's '88 dually get the same gas mileage towing cross country or a fast trip to Lowes--------- we have to sneak up on both of them with the key just to start them, lollol

[Asher Kim]

Originally Posted by Normashirley

By carrier, you do mean a trailer as opposed to a towbar type set up?

You should not have to stop at all to check on the trailer as it had better fully maintenanced before you pick it up.

What you can do, is ask to see the maintenance record on the trailer you are picking up. Wheel bearings and brakes are the first priority and tires with a lot of tread and no weather wear. Don't kick the tires, it's not impressive

If you are using are using a tow bar set up, check to make sure everything is still hooked the way it should be, each time you stop for gas.r

I used Ryder when I moved from the east coast to the west coast and back. Both times my old classic Chevy was on a Ryder trailer behind one of their 26' trucks. I was pulling the horses. We easily averaged 70 MPH on the interstates, without one bit of trouble. We got to our destination without any wheel bearings getting fried.

It sounds as if you have never pulled a trailer? My sage advice is what my Ex told me when I first hooked to the horse trailer, 40+ years ago: When backing, left is right, right is left, and don't forget how much length you have behind you, when turning and parking.

Then the arwse smiled quietly and walked back to the house

Make sure all your lights work to the trailer before you leave. brake lights and turn signals are still an important safety feature, even in this age of high tech.

Also, Stay in the slow lane. Don't be tissn' people off by getting in the passing lane and not passing. The fastest way to get a Semi driver annoyed and riding your butt, is to just poke along in the passing lane when time is money to him and he has a delivery deadline.

Watch the road signs closely for your exits so you have plenty of time to ease into the correct lane to make your exit.

Doing an "oh S**T!!!! There's my exit, jerk the steering wheel and either cut somebody off or hit them would be easy to do with a trailer behind you. Defensive driving applies more than ever, when pulling a trailer.

Stay off the cell phone and concentrate on safe driving. Believe me, there will be enough people out there on the road to *iss you off, now that the trailer towing shoe will be on your foot.

Sorry that ended on a lecture note but, people have become far too arrogant in their text or talking while driving. It's against the law. It is also against the law for me to bring out my old GMC 4-wheel drive with the cow catcher on the front and run some of these stupid texting drivers off the road, or I might be tempted

As far as gas mileage, it depends what you're pulling with. Generally trucks don't vary that much in MPG if the driver' gas pedal foot is consistent. My '78 GMC and the mister's '88 dually get the same gas mileage towing cross country or a fast trip to Lowes--------- we have to sneak up on both of them with the key just to start them, lollol

Thanks. I droven with a trailer before but not with a car carrier traveling 900+ miles before, I'm just paranoid haha. Hopefully it's not an issue since the penske truck isn't going to be full

These are the specs for the car carrier:
Load capacity: 4,050 lbs
Strap system: 3-point tie-down
Ramp type: 84 in. with 13.75° angle

[Normashirley]

Once you get 20 or 30 miles under your belt, you'll start to relax

Just keep at the front of your mind there's a trailer behind the truck and be ever wary of driver's who don't pay attention to themselves much less their surroundings

[kab0906]

We hauled a car. My advice is to check your tire pressure at every fill up. We had one tire that lost pressure after several hours. Could have been bad.

[sll3454]

I'd like to add a question to this: What about staying in hotels? How easy would it be for someone to steal the car on the carrier?