Shovelhead

You're right about that.
Also check the strap attachment bolts.
The last one I rented, the strap bracket on one side had all bolts loose and on missing.

Dodgezilla

I am a Budget truck dealer where I work and sometimes the rental person is just too lazy to check the lights and straps to be sure everything is in proper working order. I have "borrowed" our car trailers twice in the past two months and both times had problems with pieces falling off of them. Thank god I'm like McGyver and can rig up just about anything in a pinch....

You don't have to worry about a tag. The car is being towed so it doesn't need a license plate. If you were hauling a junk car to the salvage yard you wouldn't get it registered just to do that..

dcwm

That's a good point Dodgezilla, I been kinda worried about that.

As of yeasterday the Uhaul guy didn't have a dolly yet, I hope he got on the ball between then and tomorrow.

I would hate to drive this little car home from Columbus. A little old 81 year old lady owned it, had the oil checked at a service station, the guy left the cap off, she drove until noise started. It won't hold good oil pressure now.

This will be my son's first car and a good project for he and I to take on this winter. *Have to be educated on them Jap mobiles*

Thanks everyone for the help....check the straps, don't back up, watch for things falling off (hopefully not rolling past me on the interstate ).......Got it!

Captain

now for my 2 cents. I've towed my chevy II quite a bit wtih uhaul stuff I only did it once with a dolly. It wasnt worth the 5$ you save over getting a "car transport" the full car trailer thing. If I remember a "transport" is 45$ and a dolly is 40$ a day. Backing dollys up is about impossable in my experance. Also make sure the dolly is in good shape. They tried to give me a "transport" once and it was all FUBAR I was P.O.'ed I canceled a skiing day to get my car and the transport was half rusted with a missing fender and bent axels. The last thing is check there tire pressure and lights. I've found lights out and tires that almost fell off teh wheel they were so low on air. Good luck!

IA_James

Not sure about anywhere else, but around here if it's got wheels on the ground it should have a plate on it to keep from getting hassled. Not so much the hiway or county types, but the Barney Fife locals who think traffic citations are a legitimate revenue source for their town.

bmoeller

Yes. I've pulled one like is posted above. They can be backed up. No biggie, but I'm used to pulling hayracks and head movers too.

Rammer64

No because the wheels of the car sit in trays that stay stationary in relation to the towed vehicle.The two wheel trays are attached together on a beam that pivots on the tongue of the dolly. The dolly wheels also pivot and they don't pivot much (LIMITED TRAVEL) to prevent the pivoting dolly wheels and fenders from swinging towards the towed vehicle and crushing doors or rocker panels.
Front wagon axles and wheels (if the pivot is in the center LIKE A KIDS LITTLE RED WAGON) can turn under the bed. Unlike having a car behind the dropped axle and below the dolly wheels.
Their is various styles out there. Some have steering knuckles (SPINDLES) and steering linkage attached to the tongue that steer the dolly along with the towing vehicle. These are better but still limited to steering travel. Even they are hard to back up only for the fact that there is limited steering movement.
As for laws and restrictions for towing lights, most states and provinces in Canada require visible lights within 4-6 feet from the farthest point from the rear.
Some motorhome travellers will wire plugs to their car to connect to the trailer plugs on the motorhomes for lights.
You can buy magnetic towing lights that stick to the trunk or bumper (IF THEY'RE STEEL) that has a long cord that plugs directly into the towing vehicles trailer plug.
Strap the wheels, lock the steering, start the car, put it in neutral and go.
The towed vehicle has to be running (IF AUTOMATIC) to supply the transmission with fluid for lubrication while towing or you will burn a transmission out quick. The old automatic cars used to have a rear pump in the transmission. These were ok for towing in neutral without the engine running. For any of you old GOATS like me may remember being able to PUSH START an automatic.