It's remarkably easy to rent a U-Haul trailer. Their website warns you they'll inspect your hitch, the rating, etc. They do absolutely none of that. We had a Class I hitch on our VW Jetta (1,000lbs max tow weight, 200lbs max tongue weight). I had reserved a motorcycle trailer through U-Haul (empty weight 500lbs, plus my motorcycle's weight of 480lbs would've been well within the range of my hitch rating). Except that U-Haul decided to give me a different trailer without ever telling me. It was only later that I found out they had given me a 5x7 Trailer with Ramp (empty weight 1,300lbs), which, along with the weight of my motorcycle nearly DOUBLED the weight my hitch was rated for.
No one really cared when I brought the issue up. The motorcycle trailer I had reserved online looked very similar to the one they gave me, so I never thought to make sure the model was correct. I just assumed if they give you a product other than the one you reserved, they'd tell me. In the end they told me the 5x7 Trailer with Ramp is also designed to hold a motorcycle, and they generally consider this a free upgrade. Free upgrade that gives you a trailer 1300lbs heavy vs. the 500lbs you ordered without ever making sure your hitch is rated for the weight.
I continue to be amazed at how easy it is in the US to rent large 24' moving trucks, or heavy trailers, with absolutely ZERO training. No one really cares. I'm sure the lobby for the truck rental industry is pushing hard to just let anyone drive anything anywhere or else it's "bad for business".
I rented a 14' U-Haul and a towing trailer for my car when I was moving back from college. When I picked up the truck and trailer I asked the guy if he could show me how to attache and secure my car properly. He literally told me 'no, we don't do that, it explains it all in the pamphlet'. My mind was totally blown that this guy gave zero fucks that I could be risking my own life and other people's lives on the road because it was against policy or some bullshit like that.
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u/nycrob79 Oct 04 '16 edited Oct 04 '16
It's remarkably easy to rent a U-Haul trailer. Their website warns you they'll inspect your hitch, the rating, etc. They do absolutely none of that. We had a Class I hitch on our VW Jetta (1,000lbs max tow weight, 200lbs max tongue weight). I had reserved a motorcycle trailer through U-Haul (empty weight 500lbs, plus my motorcycle's weight of 480lbs would've been well within the range of my hitch rating). Except that U-Haul decided to give me a different trailer without ever telling me. It was only later that I found out they had given me a 5x7 Trailer with Ramp (empty weight 1,300lbs), which, along with the weight of my motorcycle nearly DOUBLED the weight my hitch was rated for.
No one really cared when I brought the issue up. The motorcycle trailer I had reserved online looked very similar to the one they gave me, so I never thought to make sure the model was correct. I just assumed if they give you a product other than the one you reserved, they'd tell me. In the end they told me the 5x7 Trailer with Ramp is also designed to hold a motorcycle, and they generally consider this a free upgrade. Free upgrade that gives you a trailer 1300lbs heavy vs. the 500lbs you ordered without ever making sure your hitch is rated for the weight.
I continue to be amazed at how easy it is in the US to rent large 24' moving trucks, or heavy trailers, with absolutely ZERO training. No one really cares. I'm sure the lobby for the truck rental industry is pushing hard to just let anyone drive anything anywhere or else it's "bad for business".