Can a U-haul tow a camper?

In this article, we will answer the following question: Can a U-haul tow a camper? We will explain the basics of towing with a U-haul and discuss how difficult it is to tow with a U-haul.

Can a U-haul tow a camper?

With an average towing capacity of 5290 lbs, most U-hauls can tow a camper, trailer or even a small caravan. Please see the table below for how much weight a U-haul can tow.

Whenever you are renting a U-haul, they will manage to give you the right trailer, depending on the camper’s size and weight, but also on the vehicle’s hitch system rating. 

Can I tow with a U haul trailer with a B licence?

Driving license B allows you to tow various types of trailers with your car without the need for additional licenses. The limitations, in this case, are centred on the maximum authorized weight for the trailer and on the maximum weight that can be reached by the assembly made up of this element and the towing vehicle.

There are two possibilities to tow a trailer with a driving license B:

• The MAM of the trailer does not exceed 750 kgs;
• The weight of the set (trailer+car) does not exceed 3500 kgs.

Thus, if we only have a type B driving license, we must bear in mind that we can only drive a tractor vehicle of those authorized by this type of permit and that pulls a trailer with a Maximum Authorized Mass of less than 750 kilograms as long as both are not allowed. 

If, on the contrary, we want to tow a trailer of 750 kilograms of MAM or higher with our tourism, we will need the B + E permit that authorizes to tow a trailer of up to 3,500 kilograms of MAM.

Travelling with a trailer is an extra risk when driving, so, in addition to taking extreme precautions when driving, you will have to take into account a series of precautions before starting your route. We refer to how to place luggage on a trailer.

Properly arranging the luggage on the trailer will help the weight distribution to be adequate; This is necessary if you want to avoid losing control of the vehicle more easily.

Thus, if it is important to distribute the majority of the weight in front of the trailer wheels; in this way, it is avoided that a sudden manoeuvre will compromise the control of the vehicle. If, on the contrary, Now, the bulk of the luggage is put behind the designated area, a simple hit could cause the car to lose control.

Is it difficult to tow a camper with a U-haul?

It is actually not that difficult to tow a camper, provided you have secured it well and you are obliging traffic regulations. We will give you a few essential tips on how to tow a camper so that you feel safe and confident on the long road. 

To drive your caravan well try to be calm and attentive. Plan stops regularly to rest, every two-three hours at least (of course each driver knows and knows their possibilities regarding …)

As for the trip, in addition to the usual precautions that must be taken at the beginning of descent or in a dangerous curve, your caravan can legally circulate up to 120 km/h (although this speed is not advisable in any case) if the conditions weather conditions are good; up to 100 km/h if the road is wet (it is advisable in these situations, however, not to exceed 80-90 km/h), and up to 50 km / h if visibility does not reach 50 meters.

Other questions you may be interested in

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However, the maximum speed of a car with a caravan depends on other criteria such as:

    – the weight of the car and trailer;

    – the state of the vehicle’s suspension;

    – tire pressure, etc.

Thus, each car-caravan has a speed limit, beyond which there is no security necessary to maintain the advisable course.

This is called “critical speed” and can be easily detected by the driver when 90 or 100 km / h are exceeded. At this time the steering does not respond with as much precision as at lower speeds, causing abnormal movements of the caravan.

If this happens multiple times, you have reached the critical speed level. In this case, it is advisable to maintain a margin of 10 or 20 km / h to react quickly and efficiently, for example accelerating to overtake and avoiding going to the limit of the possibilities of the caravan. 

In the case of the tires:

• It must be remembered that to prevent them from deforming, in the periods in which the vehicle is not used, they must be removed (in the case of caravans) or moved from time to time.
• Before leaving on a trip, check its pressure and increase the normal pressure of the rear axle by 0.2 kg / cm2 to improve its behaviour on the road.

Regarding the load of the vehicle:

• Eliminate everything superfluous, the less you carry, the greater the stability.
• As a general rule, load the caravan as close to the axle as possible, that is, in the centre and as close as possible to the ground. This avoids the feeling that the caravan is riding.
• Avoid placing heavy objects at the top or at the front and rear ends: oscillations will occur when driving.
• Kitchen utensils are usually the heaviest, so you have to try not to store them all in the kitchen block to avoid unbalancing the load.
• If the caravan/motorhome has a folding bed or bunk in the upper part, it should be lowered to eliminate weight in height, as well as the tables, which must be placed in the bed position.
• The luggage must be placed in the lockers or, failing that, well secured to prevent them from shifting with movement en route
• Finally, it is advisable to do tests on short trips to check the behaviour of the vehicle in each case, because placing the luggage properly in caravans and motorhomes is not easy.

The bottom line

Towing a camper with a U-haul is not as complicated as it may seem. In fact, renting a U-haul is one of the easiest parts, as the centre will help you with choosing the correct size of the U-haul trailer, depending on the maximum allowed weight of the camper and its MAM.

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know.

FAQ on Can a U-haul tow a camper?

How fast can you really go with a Uhaul trailer?

The fastest you can go with a U-Haul trailer is 55 mph. 

Why can you only go 55 with a Uhaul trailer?

You can go only 55 mph with a U-Haul trailer because these types of trailers do not have brakes. Stopping a trailer with so much weight would be more difficult if you exceed 55 mph!

Are U-Haul trailer hitches good?

U-Haul trailer hitches are good and can be fitted for almost any type of car. These hitches are reliable and come at a good price.

Is U Haul the only company that rents trailers?

U-Haul is not the only company that rents trailers, but it is definitely one of the most popular. Other companies that rent trailers are Budget and Penske. 

References

• Towing with a U-Haul? – Forest River Forums
• U-Haul Trailer Rental Questions | FAQs | U-Haul
• Cargo, utility and car trailer rentals | U-Haul