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Hi,
I'm planning to move from NJ to Dallas, TX. After shopping around I found that the cheapest way to do it and guaranteed to have my stuff with me when I arrive in my new home in Dallas is to drive.
I drove uHaul trucks several times before when I moved locally within NJ which was fine but never cross country with a full uHaul truck and I never towed a car so I'm nervous about it.
I need an advice from anyone made a similar trip before
I did a U-Haul with my old Audi 4000 on a dolly from Iowa to Mississippi, and from Mississippi to North Carolina.
First, make sure you have the car securely fastened to the trailer or dolly. If using a dolly, unlock the steering. On VAG cars anyway, you can turn the key to "on", then back to "off" and the steering will remain unlocked. Make sure your stuff is packed properly in the truck, it will shake around quite a bit on the least bit bumpy road, if your stuff is poorly packed it will get damage, if not from impact at least from rubbing.
You may want to get AAA if you don't already have it, if only for the custom map of your trip. They may be able to route you around construction, help you select the smoother and less crowded roads.
If you can get a good "navigator" to ride with you, someone who can read a map can be a big help. Failing that a GPS unit. I just don't completely trust the GPS software to pick the best route. Of course it's getting better all along.
Avoid getting into congested areas during rush hour if you can. Typically Friday is the worst, weekends are the best.
Don't over-tire yourself. When traveling to the west, the sun will be in your eyes near sunset, that may be a good time to stop for rest and/or a meal.
Don't get into a hurry, remember you are a "hobby" truck driver, not a pro. Stay in the right lane for the most part, signal your turns well in advance. Try to go fast enough to avoid making a nuisance of yourself, but if you are more comfortable at 65 than at 70, go 65 then. Allow as much following distance as you can, you don't want to get into a hard braking situation if you can avoid it.
Truck stops are your friend. Avoid pulling into any tight areas that you are not certain you can pull through, rather than try to back up. With a car on a dolly, I'm not convinced even a champion big rig driver can back it up more than a few feet.
Mastering the obvious, I think the big U-Hauls are Diesel, so buy the correct fuel. Here again truck stops are your friend. If you decide to eat there, you can usually get some "intel" on upcoming road "attractions" from the pro truckers.
A hand-held CB might be useful. Maybe.
Country motels will be better for overnight than anything downtown.
While parking overnight, if you have the key in the car to unlock the steering, take it back out overnight. Avoid putting any valuables in plain sight in the car.
Finally, congratulations on ditching NJ for Texas! From a state solidly in my "bottom 5" to one in my "top 5"!
Thank you M3 Mitch, This is very good information. I appreciate you sharing your experience. I have a good GPS so I hope it will guide me to the best routs. All your tips are really valuable and I will follow them all.
we drove from ohio to sc during the last years snow storm and believe me if we can do it in that you can do it in good weather . Good luck to you and many safe trips .
DH and I just moved from CA to Dallas a month ago and we did it with a 26ft Penske truck that towed our SUV while I drove our sedan. After a lot of cost-comparison we found that Penske had better prices and a reputation for more reliable trucks. Check them out before you decide on U-Haul.
The most important thing that we did was map everything out and make sure that our AAA membership was up to date and ready to go. Our phones were always charged and we used walkie talkies to communicate with each other so we didn't have to rely on crappy cell service in the middle of nowhere. Choose where you want to stop and book rooms ahead of time- you'll save money and guarantee that you'll have a place to rest and sleep.
Thank you Berrie143. I think driving a 26ft truck is kind of challenging. I will be driving only 17ft uHaul truck so it should be a little easier to manage.
a 17ft uhaul truck will be gas not diesel. Most are fords and the seats aren't terribly comfortable so take along a spare cushion or seat pad.
Towing a car on a car trailer is much easier than a dolly IMO. Make sure you watch your width in gas stations and when stopping for the night or for food try and find a space you can pull through as reversing is a pain.
Finally speed, your trailer will probably say 50mph only, they will do more than this but be careful more speed equals more gas. At 60mph an 8 hour day will get you only 400 miles or so, if you are driving longer make sure you take frequent breaks to get out and walk around.
We drove 3,700 miles from Alaska to Michigan with a 20ft uhaul and car trailer, it can be exhausting so if you have the chance of a co-driver or even just someone to keep you company take it.
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Driving a 17" uHaul Truck and towing a car cross country ... Advice needed?
