Renting trailers and questions regaurding

[diesel lover]

I was wondering who all rented trailers and also what companys cover what items on their trailers. I have rented from Uhaul three times and all three have been good. As far as I understand I guess they can cover road side such as a flat or blown tire, and other road side repairs.

I rented from runyon to move my two bay matco tool box and they had me sign paperwork saying that I was responsible for trailer 20 miles away from the location. They said if the trailer wrecked then I would be purchasing it. I found that hard to understand. Also they did not cover tires at all!! So I went out and checked the air pressure in the tires on the trailer I was renting, they were low, when I asked a service man to air them up for me he gave me an odd look like "why" like he didn't understand tires will blow out due to low air pressure. I had a good experience with runyon but their policy on not covering the trailer if it is more than 20 miles away bothers me. Would my auto insurance help me in the case of an accident??

Does U haul cover tires etc? What about accidents? Does the Uhaul insurance really help in the case of an accident? Things I have been wondering

 

[Diamondpilot]

I was wondering who all rented trailers and also what companys cover what items on their trailers. I have rented from Uhaul three times and all three have been good. As far as I understand I guess they can cover road side such as a flat or blown tire, and other road side repairs.

I rented from runyon to move my two bay matco tool box and they had me sign paperwork saying that I was responsible for trailer 20 miles away from the location. They said if the trailer wrecked then I would be purchasing it. I found that hard to understand. Also they did not cover tires at all!! So I went out and checked the air pressure in the tires on the trailer I was renting, they were low, when I asked a service man to air them up for me he gave me an odd look like "why" like he didn't understand tires will blow out due to low air pressure. I had a good experience with runyon but their policy on not covering the trailer if it is more than 20 miles away bothers me. Would my auto insurance help me in the case of an accident??

Does U haul cover tires etc? What about accidents? Does the Uhaul insurance really help in the case of an accident? Things I have been wondering

You need to talk to your insurance agent. Better yet go the email route so you have a paper trail.

Chris

 

[diesel lover]

I still wonder what all Uhaul offers as far as road side etc. They seem like some of the best service around for the price! One day I need a car dolly then 2 months later I need a 6x12 enclosed for a day. Renting is the best option at the time being for me

 

[newbury]

Not to start a flame war on Uhaul but they have some pretty poor franchises.
I've rented a car dolly from Penske, and then about a year later from Uhaul. I've rented several vehicles from Penske in the last dozen years, all were in good condition, as was the car dolly. I've also rented a few from Uhaul, generally looking more used.

But the car dolly I rented should have been used for concrete fill. The ramps were rusted and stuck. The chains were rusted together. I was driving Alexandria Va to Fulton, Ms, about a 14 hour drive, towing a Honda Civic with my dually. One running light was out in a few miles. At first I was concerned because I was going to be finishing the trip at night. I guess I was lucky because I ended up not needing lights at night. A few hours BEFORE dark, a ways past Decatur, Alabama I started plowing the pavement and then the side of the road. The passenger side wheel of the dolly FELL off.

I didn't hit any big potholes, no cars or obstructions, it just wore OUT. When I haul a trailer I make it a point to check the hubs for heat, the tires for pressure and the load for being secured at each stop. All had been ok about 150 miles before. The wheel and hub just BROKE off, only the axle and most of the fender were left. About 4 hours later, AFTER dark we drove away in the truck and the Civic. It was going to take Uhaul another day to get me a replacement dolly.

I guess because of the stability of my dually it wasn't noticeable in the steering wheel. I heard a sound and thought the truck transmission was going, checked the rearviews and saw the Civic was REAL low on the curb side. I had been going about 50 at the time. When I pulled over and got it shut down I had plowed a scar in the pavement about an inch deep for a few hundred feet and then about 6" deep in the roadside gravel.

The wheel (and hub) had broke off, went spinning down off the road and hit a house and the owner came up to sue me for damages. I just let my lawyer (SWMBO) handle that, she also had to drive her Civic the rest of the way to Fulton.

To Uhaul's credit they apparently handled the claims (I had gotten one of their insurance policies), at least SWMBO didn't have any complaints and when it comes to legal matters I take a "don't ask -don't tell" policy.

On my personal 12K trailer I took the hubs off and checked them before a long pull. But that heavy duty car dolly is supposed to be good for about 3,500 lbs and the '94 Civic was empty and spec'd at about 2,500 lbs. Other than an exterior inspection I don't know what a renter should do to ensure all the wheels remain on the rented equipment.

So bottomline is I trust Uhaul equipment - I trust it may be poorly maintained and is not to be used without EXTREME care.

 

[diesel lover]

Not to start a flame war on Uhaul but they have some pretty poor franchises.
I've rented a car dolly from Penske, and then about a year later from Uhaul. I've rented several vehicles from Penske in the last dozen years, all were in good condition, as was the car dolly. I've also rented a few from Uhaul, generally looking more used.

But the car dolly I rented should have been used for concrete fill. The ramps were rusted and stuck. The chains were rusted together. I was driving Alexandria Va to Fulton, Ms, about a 14 hour drive, towing a Honda Civic with my dually. One running light was out in a few miles. At first I was concerned because I was going to be finishing the trip at night. I guess I was lucky because I ended up not needing lights at night. A few hours BEFORE dark, a ways past Decatur, Alabama I started plowing the pavement and then the side of the road. The passenger side wheel of the dolly FELL off.

I didn't hit any big potholes, no cars or obstructions, it just wore OUT. When I haul a trailer I make it a point to check the hubs for heat, the tires for pressure and the load for being secured at each stop. All had been ok about 150 miles before. The wheel and hub just BROKE off, only the axle and most of the fender were left. About 4 hours later, AFTER dark we drove away in the truck and the Civic. It was going to take Uhaul another day to get me a replacement dolly.

I guess because of the stability of my dually it wasn't noticeable in the steering wheel. I heard a sound and thought the truck transmission was going, checked the rearviews and saw the Civic was REAL low on the curb side. I had been going about 50 at the time. When I pulled over and got it shut down I had plowed a scar in the pavement about an inch deep for a few hundred feet and then about 6" deep in the roadside gravel.

The wheel (and hub) had broke off, went spinning down off the road and hit a house and the owner came up to sue me for damages. I just let my lawyer (SWMBO) handle that, she also had to drive her Civic the rest of the way to Fulton.

To Uhaul's credit they apparently handled the claims (I had gotten one of their insurance policies), at least SWMBO didn't have any complaints and when it comes to legal matters I take a "don't ask -don't tell" policy.

On my personal 12K trailer I took the hubs off and checked them before a long pull. But that heavy duty car dolly is supposed to be good for about 3,500 lbs and the '94 Civic was empty and spec'd at about 2,500 lbs. Other than an exterior inspection I don't know what a renter should do to ensure all the wheels remain on the rented equipment.

So bottomline is I trust Uhaul equipment - I trust it may be poorly maintained and is not to be used without EXTREME care.

Sorry to hear the issues you had with the U haul equipment. For someone like my self that rents a trailer a handful of times a year its hard to justify the purchase of a trailer. Just the other week my friend was hauling a trailer he borrowed from his father in law a V Front atv/ snowmobile enclosed trailer. He had used it to move furniture. When returning the trailer on the trip back and it was empty For some ODD reason the trailer popped off the ball hitch and dented itself! Don't know why the coupler failed. It was a 2 inch ball hitch and a 2 inch coupler. Very odd as he had pulled the trailer several miles loaded before this happened while it was empty.

Some events with unfortunately happen when using any trailer. That's for sure. But wheels should not just pop off either!!

 

[ultrarunner]

Over the years I have reported several Uhaul trailers and one truck left/abandoned in the Hospital parking lot.

On one I finally had to have it towed to the impound yard... no one would come and get it.

On my last trailer experience, not Uhaul, I ended up leaving empty handed and this was after I had signed all the paperwork, given my card and the trailer was hitched to my tow vehicle.

The yard attendant said something in Spanish I could not understand and then the supervisor came over and said they could not let me leave the yard because I didn't have a current sticker on my plate... which was true.

I was one of several at work that had the stickers taken and since I had already sent in for my renewal... I was not about to go wait in line and pay for a duplicate when mine would arrive any day...

 

[JJZ 109]

You need to talk to your insurance agent. Better yet go the email route so you have a paper trail.

Chris

Yup. Best way to find out. I know that with my auto policy, only liability coverage from your tow vehicle will attach to a trailer being pulled. No comp or collision coverage.
With my business trailer, I had to add it onto the commercial policy for my bucket truck to obtain coverage for any damage sustained to the trailer. I have a completely separate policy for damage for the 7x14 enclosed that I haul motorcycles with. It's less than $40 a year.