Towing A C-Body
- Thread starter streetmachine
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commando1
Old Man with a Hat
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I pulled my 1978 Newport with my Titan. I forgot I was towing something most of the trip. You need the biggest 2 axle trailer U-Haul rents and them them that your towing an A-Body.
Dang, that s one fine Newport!
chris53190
Member
ok let me see if my simple brain is understanding this. you want to tow a car that is, lets just say 6,000 lbs and close to 19 ft long on a trailer what is what 15 feet long as is 1/3 the weight of the car. hmmmm.. im not the smartest man but something just does not seem right to me
The FCBO gang at Carlisle is getting bigger and bigger every year. Come on out (with your family) and spend a few days with us. I guarantee that it'll move up on the list of one of the coolest things that you've done in your lifetime.
Relax.... the car weighs 4603 lbs....which is under half of the weight capacity of the trailer.
First, a C-body doesn't weigh that much. The weight of the trailer doesn't mean anything. The rating of the trailer (how much it can handle safely) does.
While it's better to have a longer trailer, the car can hang over the rear of the trailer as long as the weight distribution is correct to allow for 10% of the weight of the trailer to be on the hitch ball.
It's all good.
Myself, I don't like the U-Haul trailers. I tried one once... the brakes were shot (they pulled to the right) and the wiring had shorts. I called the U-Haul dealer the next day and got a lot of grief from them. I wanted nothing, but I was suggesting they don't rent it until it was fixed.... and they had already rented it and I was told to get lost.
monaco75
Senior Member
I've used a Uhaul trailer for a slab 4dr fury before, and a 75 4dr coronet. Both times had no problems. I've been lucky though, both times the trailers were somewhat new, and didn't have many miles, or much use. Some friends have had terrible times with uhaul trailers.
I've also flat dragged (tow bar) my old Newport. The trip was from MI to FL. The car towed beautifully! Had no problems with the car. However my cooling system in the truck was not up to par, and the truck gave out in the mountains. The rad was full of crap! Luckily the car got us home from the first exit into GA. Was a LONG ride on the highway at 55mph the whole time, with 4.10s out back.....
I've also flat dragged (tow bar) my old Newport. The trip was from MI to FL. The car towed beautifully! Had no problems with the car. However my cooling system in the truck was not up to par, and the truck gave out in the mountains. The rad was full of crap! Luckily the car got us home from the first exit into GA. Was a LONG ride on the highway at 55mph the whole time, with 4.10s out back.....
bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
I was not happy with Uhaul. lousy service, equipment issues. I'm thinking it's best to borrow, or even buy a 18' trailer, get the job done, and sell the trailer.... free transport.
One might even find something to haul to the destination and cover fuel costs.
One might even find something to haul to the destination and cover fuel costs.
streetmachine
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I wanted to say thanks to everyone who posted here. I've looked up the specs according and looks like the C-Body is about 20 inches longer than a 68 B-Body and also 3 inches wider than that platform of which I have towed on a U-Haul. The only reason why I'm asking is because I don't have to tow a long distance. My distance to tow is about 50 miles. I guess I'll give it a shot weather permitting.
polara66hardtop
Senior Member
I towed with a bumper bar for 10 years until I could afford a trailer. Under limited circumstances, it worked. Barely. I had an episode of towing a car with a cheap trailer through Raton pass, Colorado to new mexico, 11,000 feet elevation. When I made it down the other side, I prayed to God that I never did that again, and thanked him for letting me survive. I then went out and bought a Cummins Dodge 1996, and a longer trailer.
The U-Haul I rented.... Documented the existing damage.
I bought my own trailer soon after. I used to have a Bock Drag Star trailer back in the seventies and wished I'd never sold it. This one was made locally.
I bought my own trailer soon after. I used to have a Bock Drag Star trailer back in the seventies and wished I'd never sold it. This one was made locally.
I've been lucky with U-Haul trailers. The trailers I rented were fairly new and I never found any major problems with my inspections prior to towing. The worst problem that I encountered with a U-haul was a wiring harness that was dragged prior to me using it and I just used lacing wire to secure the harness to my truck...lights worked.
I've used tow bars (work great but hard on bumpers), a U haul tow dolly once, 16 ft utility trailer several times, and my current 22 Foot Dragmaster that I got back in the late 90's. I like the Dragmaster
I only used tow bars towing military vehicles with military vehicles.
barnfind
Old Man with a Hat
For now I tow with a dolly, you gotta plan the fuel stops thou. One day a featherlite.
I had great experience with them when I was too poor for a trailer plus you don't have to have much storage for tow bar compared to a trailer and you don't have to pay license fees or trailer rentals
I've thought for a long time I should sell my big pig of a trailer and rent one when needed but the family borrows it a lot and i use it once in a while so I've kept it
Yo Polara66hardtop. Your state used to have a law the simply stated that if you were hauling something over 12' wide it had to be delivered in Nebraska but you could not enter your state at all if you were just passing thru'! Did they ever join the rest on the Contiguous 48 so us folks that hauled the big stuff wouldn't have to detour from Council Bluffs, Ia. to pine Bluff, Wy. tryin' to get from the Island of Long to Gay Bay?
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
My dad had two '69 Datsun pickups and a '76 Toyota SR5 pickup he flat-towed with a tow bar and tow bracket for the trucks he built himself, and never, ever had a problem towing. He used a '69 Chevy C20 pickup with an 8' Weekender overhead camper that he bought new. He used these for his job that he had until the late '70s, that involved a lot of travelling and using the little trucks for the job. He probably towed well over 100K miles without any incident.
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