How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

[Carl R.]

Hi everyone,

I'm moving from Austin to Jackson, Mississippi soon and need to move my cars. Both are garage furniture, never driven/out except perfect weather. Planning on renting a U-Haul truck & 4-wheel (not towing) trailer. Drive is about 600 miles each way, trying to move two cars in three days (weather permitting).

* I have been told not to cover the cars to prevent paint abrasion from a flapping cover. Any other good options? Figure the truck should be reasonable protection from stones, etc.

* What should I do if I run into a rain? Should I tape seams with low-tack masking tape to help with leaks?

* And pitfalls on securing the car onto the trailer?

* Finally...how does everyone else do this?

Thanks everyone,

Carl

[Thad L.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Hello Carl, One piece of advice is do not engage the park brake. It will stretch the cable assy and can damage the shoes and hardware! Hope you move goes smoothly. Thad LeJeune

[Jack H.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

U-haul rents an open flatbed hauler setup. The guys will show you how the tire tie downs work.

As far as what to do if it should rain, well Zora and his lads designed 'em to operate on the open road in the rain! Plus, when cars are placed on the judging field, most meets are held in the open....

You are CORRECT in presuming you don't want to tarp/cover the car. Wind in motion is going to make the cover rustle and you CAN abrade painted surfaces as a result.

[Bill C.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Carl:

At the present time U-Haul is the only rental company that rents 4 wheel car transporters. If you plan to rent a truck as well it is a "moving package" and only rented 1 way (truck & trailer) which means you must rent each way and a total of ? times (hope you have a use for the truck to move other things.) A cover on the cars is a NO-NO for the reason you mentioned. I would offer a suggestion to call a professional car hauler to move 2 cars enclosed and your worries are over, this is all these people do and they can handle up to 6 vehicles and are insured as well. You can consult Hemmings or any number of other publications for listing of transporters. You can then rent a 1 way truck to move the personal things. Good luck on your move. Bill

[Ralph E.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Have you consider an auto transport company. You could go with an enclosed carrier or open carrier. Closed is a lot safer and the cost is not as much as you might think. Think about what you moving. My .02

[Don G.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

My advice is to hire it done with a professional who uses enclosed equipment. If this is your first car-hauling experience, you shouldn't make your first venture a 600 mile run without someone with experience. Too many things can go wrong and its hard to cover all the do's and don'ts without leaving out something.

[Patrick H.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Hi Dr. Carl,

Make sure to get us your new e-mail address!

Anyway, when moving from MI to PA for residency, I rented a Ryder with a pull-behind car trailer. I can tell you that 1) it fishtailed any time I got over 55-60 mph (scariest drive of my life), and 2) the truck and open trailer did not adequately protect my car, and it received quite a few stone chips on the lower front edges of the fenders (where the parking lights on your car would be).

If you're getting any moving expenses paid, you should absolutely have someone do it enclosed. If you value your cars, you should absolutely do it enclosed. Hire a pro and leave your worries behind you.

We also hired pros to move us back from PA to MI. I'll never move with a Ryder again.

Best of luck!

Patrick

[James G.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

One of the biggest problems I have seen over the years is people tie their cars too tight and sinch down the suspension so tight that item break. I have seen rear diff housings crack due to overtight holdowns.

If you have never done it, good idea is get them shipped. Intercity, Passport and others do it professionally and at reasonable rates.

Good Luck

[kenrobb]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

If you do trailer the cars, I leave my emerg. brake off and the trans in neutral. If you are worried about leaks, put towels under the the areas of leaks. Don't use tape as it can stick real good if sun hits it. That is a lot of driving in short time. Be careful.

[Gary S.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

I was out jogging in the neighborhood a couple of years ago and went past a moving van. As I passed it I saw an 82 CE in there. I asked the guy if it was normal for moving vans to carry cars and he said they do it all the time, space permitting. I didn't care for the fact that they were leaning things on the Corvette but it wasn't mine and I didn't pack it. It can be done if you have the room.
Gary

[Grant M.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Gary,

Yes, most moving companies will carry an automobile, and I had them move my '65 ONCE. Never again. It had just been painted and assembled to the point of being licensed and driveable (generally 'musts' with a moving company). Despite many promises from the diver about taking care of my car, when I arrived at the lot to pick it up (this was a LONG move: 3000+ miles - Vancouver Island to Ottawa) I was heartbroken to find a 3 inch diameter hole punched into the top of one front fender and a crack in the fibreglas around one of the parking lamps! They had apparently dropped a steel 'decking' bar (used to support a plywood 'deck' above the car so they can load more household goods above it...I didn't know they were going to do that!)on the fender, and I never did hear how they damaged the parking lamp area.

I'm in the military, and therefore move rather frequently, but I'll NEVER let a mover touch any of my cars again (the last two longer distance moves I did were Ottawa-Edmonton and Edmonton-Trenton ON, and I simply left the car at my parents' place in Ontario rather than move it to a place without good garage space. The 'pros' are definitely the way to go!

grant

[Gary S.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

I agree and I used a company out of Phoenix with an enclosed, high quality trailer to bring my 30000 mile 72 LT1 to Pittsburgh. Well worth the money for door to door delivery of a nice car.
Gary

[Michael Jones]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Carl:

I vote for having the pros move your cars. When I bought my C1 three years ago, I rented a U-Haul car carrier. But just as I was leaving for home it started snowing and I admitted to myself that this was a mistake. I took the car off the carrier, turned the carrier in and went to the local magazine retailer and picked up a Hemmings. There are dozens of ads in there by professional movers. I picked one and the car was delivered a week later in the same condition it was in when it left. Unfortunately I wasn't so lucky: the snow caused a multitude of accidents and my truck was totalled in a headon. Glad I wasn't towing my classic!

Also, don't expect your tow truck to protect your Corvette, it'll throw up its own share of stones and rocks.

Michael

[Carl R.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Haven't decided for certain yet (heard from another gentleman this evening who open-trailered his 1964 - the same route I am taking - without difficulty) how I'm going to do this. I was expecting to move myself but will now give serious consideration to the professionals.

Thanks,

Carl

[Patrick H.]

Re: How to Properly Trailer a Mid-Year

Carl,

Doesn't your new practice cover moving expenses?

If nothing else, keep track of all receipts. Moving expenses are tax deductible.

Patrick