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 Post subject: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:06 pm 
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Location: SJ, CA
I'm moving from VA to CA. One of my options is to rent an enclosed trailer 6X12 from Uhaul. Can fit all my stuff into it.


Would the CRD be ok with this or i ll be pushing it ?

trailer empty weight is 1900 lbs aprox load may be 1200 (aprox)

would it kill my mpg ?

Thanks !

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:44 pm 
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Should be a no-brainer.

Guys around this site routinely post tales of towing in excess of 5,000lbs. You are talking about 3,100 and the vehicle itself is rated to 5,000. I haul my 2500lbs of jet-skis, etc. back and forth from L.A. to Vegas and up to Lake Powell (approx 600 miles each way) and it's like there is nothing behind me. I get a little over 20mpg. It varies, depending on whether I am going over flat land or through the light mountains (~4,000ft).

All of that being said, take the normal precautions, do the preventive maintenance and you should be fine. Oh, yeah, stay South ;-)

In my humble opinion.

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:50 pm 
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Pick out the right hitch so the trailer is as close to level as can be, it will help when towing.
I have had over 5K in the Uhaul 12' trailer with no problems, even with the stock ECM tune before I upgraded.

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:13 am 
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007husky wrote:
I'm moving from VA to CA. One of my options is to rent an enclosed trailer 6X12 from Uhaul. Can fit all my stuff into it.


Would the CRD be ok with this or i ll be pushing it ?

trailer empty weight is 1900 lbs aprox load may be 1200 (aprox)

would it kill my mpg ?

Thanks !


I moved from Delaware to Washington towing a trailer over a three year period for about 9 round trips and the final 10th trip in Washington. Total miles was about 57,000 miles pulling a new Haulmark 6x12 enclosed fully loaded one way the other way empty. I paid $2200 got $200 rebate gas cards, put about $200 in it for spares and rails and hooks. Sold it for $2000 when I was done with it. Mileage was as low as 14 and as high mid 20s depending on load and conditions when towing. Would I do this again instead of feeding the rental companies? You bet!

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:11 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:14 am
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Location: Belvidere, IL
I towed a 6x12 U-haul utility trailer recently and just the empty trailer is quite a load! Empty I weighed 6240 lbs. and loaded up I was at 9600 lbs. It's mostly flat around here, so it was a pretty easy haul. Stock '05 with factory tow package and SEGR as the only mod.

It was interesting that I got about 17mpg unloaded but 18mpg loaded! Much of the drive was interstate and the empty run had a pretty good headwind/crosswind. If I was running below 50mph I would take it out of O/D, but as soon as I was over 50, I'd pop it back to O/D. The CRD had no problem pulling in O/D but I was always careful with the throttle and didn't let it lug in lockup. I did experience my first torque convertor shudder, I believe (has the F37 recall converter) when I got down to just above where it locks up in 3rd with O/D off and had to accelerate up a hill. I dropped it into O/D so it would unlock and get some revs.

I really should have rented a dump trailer from my local rental yard, but I didn't want to haul that much weight that far without trailer brakes and I don't believe the dump trailers have surge brakes as does the U-Haul trailer and I do not have a brake controller since I don't regularly tow anything of consequence any distance. It looked a bit funny with this big-azz trailer behind the little CRD, but the rig was amazingly stable and well balanced.

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:13 pm 
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I've been more than happy with this little Jeeps ability to tow so far. I haven't done any long trips yet, but I have had this rig up to freeway speeds and it feels nice and stable both accelerating and decelerating. Still need to get a Prodigy before I hit any big passes.

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:08 pm 
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Not bad Roostre, is that a 7x16 Haulmark?

I'm the crazy towing fool around these parts, right now I'm driving around Savannah, Ga yanking a 75kw Cat Diesel generator to film set locations. 6900 lbs is the trailer's GVWR, and I know from a previous experience that this setup is just about 6800 when fully fueled. Add to that, probably close to 750 lbs of FEEDER cables (100 foot of 4/0 gauge cable, times 5 conductors = 500 ft of cables) and this is a BIG load to be hauling anywhere.

The CRD has been handling it just fine. Drinking the diesel, certainly, but not a big problem on the haulage. I also have pulled a 7.5x20 enclosed box like the one you picture, only bigger. That scaled at just about 2000 empty, and 7000 fully loaded, with a scary 1200 lbs tongue. I've loaded and re-loaded that trailer with the heaviest things way behind the axle, and still thats where it ends up. Bad design, but I don't move it that often so I don't care. Here's an old picture of the 70kw generator that I scaled to know it was 6840 fueled... This genset is just about the same unit.

Image

For the original poster, I've towed U-haul trailers too, and from experience they are WAY WAY overbuilt. A 6x12 Uhaul will weigh EMPTY as much as my 7.5x20. The NORMAL weight for a 6x12 (like my other trailer, a 6x12 Haulmark) is like 1500# or so. You get the same loading capacity if you have the same number of axles, a dual-axle would offer at least 2500# of carrying, single would be 1800# or so. U-Hauls are double-axle because they have to plan on customers filling the trailer completely with cement - REALLY overloading it, and yet would still be safe. This overbuilding costs you money and fuel. You would be MUCH better served (if you can afford it) to look on your local craigslist or on crazedlist.org (searches multiple Craigslist sites) for a used trailer and buy that. Use it for your move, then toss it back on CL and get your money back out of it. I did that and got a 6x12 Haulmark for cheap (actually the guy I bought it from doubled his own money after his move!) :banghead:

If you put anything into the trailer like upgrades, tiedowns, interior rails, lights or new stuff / repairs / tires... Just add that to the sale price and you will get it all back. Most states will register and plate a trailer for like $40 or so, but I've also never been hassled by not plating a trailer if you have a bill of sale that shows you've owned it less than 30 days and are moving to a new state anyway. Then you can "accidentally" forget to tag it while you sell it yourself, and let the new owner file the title and tag. Saves even more money.

You may find that you want to keep the trailer around tho as a convenient portable shed / workshop, or even use that instead of your CRD's interior when moving stuff around. As far as mileage / handling, the 6x12 is a perfect size for the CRD, or even a 6x14. I prefer double axle for safety and capacity, and having a brake controller will make your life happier and safer. You should get a solid 19mpg towing at highway speeds, the trick is to remember that you are pulling something heavy. It isn't the top speed that will eat your mileage, it is the acceleration. DON'T BEAT ON IT.

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:31 pm 
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geordi wrote:
Not bad Roostre, is that a 7x16 Haulmark?



Close. 7x16 Interstate. Not much difference.

That Cat gen is a hell of a load!! How's the brakes?

What brake controller are you using?

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:07 am 
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I've got one of these Primus IQ controllers that I can move between my RV and the CRD:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/primus-iq-brake-control/43938

The generator in that picture (and this one too) don't need it tho - They have a combination surge brake and electric brake. I guess its one axle for surge, the other electric based on what you have, so you always have brakes. Good system, and you can definitely feel them work when you hit it.

I'd say that this generator with the cabling is the heaviest thing I've ever asked my CRD to pull, and I did a check of the EGT today while moving the thing into town. Get this:

65mph, OD, steady cruise: 1100-1150 degrees from a probe in the turbo's inlet.
65mph, OD OFF, steady cruise: 1000 degrees, RPM about 2600-2700. Power felt about the same, maybe a *little* more responsive than at the lower RPM.

I have the GDE Eco tune and the GDE transmission tune.

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TRAVELING CRD TECH. I come to you!
Need help? Just ask! I've taken it apart more than most.
Email jeep [at] maincomputer [dot] com - BOARD MESSAGING IS BROKEN
Over 225 CRDs currently driving with my valves, timing belt, rockers, or ARP Studs.
Bad noises = REALLY bad things.


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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:07 am 
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There's a newer member here that dosen't post often who bought a 05 CRD specifically for towing a trailer to move from Columbus, Ohio to California. Last I heard his trip was uneventull :SOMBRERO:

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 Post subject: Re: Towing across country ?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:23 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 11:22 pm
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Location: SandPoint, Alaska
How about through a country and back into the US. My wife towed a 6x12 Enclosed Trailer from Mississippi to Anchorage AK with the CRD. The CRD was sluggish going up some grades in Candada, but other then that no problems. Ohh yeah and lots of down shifting going down steep grades.


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