Any ideas for a budget towing/trailer package?

turbogt said:

Earlier explorers are the worst vehicle ever to tow with.. Uhaul won't even rent trailers to explorer owners.

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That is because U-Haul is a horrible company ruled by morons. They wont rent trailers to Explorers because of the tire issues they had years ago. Some people had those blow outs and tried to sue everyone they could think of including the U-Haul they will towing. Now U-haul is afraid of more lawsuits and will not rent them out to Explorer users. I tried to rent one for my parent's 2005 Limited 4X4 with the V8 capable of towing 8000 lbs and U-Haul denied me, yet they would rent the exact trailer to a 1990 4 cylinder S-10. I think that is a little crazy. I have towed other trailers with Explorers for hundreds of miles and they work great.

Just a little rant: Stay away from U-Haul. I tried to rent a truck from there to move my furniture and got the run around from like 20 different places. One place even said they had one, took my CC number for the reserve, and then the next day said they didnt have it. A call placed to the home office did absolutely nothing. Another place said they had one, put me on hold for 20 minutes and then told me they would call me back. After a two hour wait I tried to call back but then they wouldn't even answer the phone. I have rented from them about 10 times and everytime it is a HUGE B*%&*$*T hassle. I will never use them again. U-Haul needs some competition to run their horrible butts out of business. This last time I just stacked everything on my poor Explorer and moved the 6 miles to my house.

so is the stang being relegated to a track-only car now? and you are afraid it is going to break down?

there is the problem right there. take the money you would pay to get a tow vehicle and trailer and put it into making the stang more unbreakable so you can drive it with confidence that you aren't going to break anything.

or think of it this way ... the money you save by driving it to the track and back (and not renting a trailer) will most likely pay for the tow truck the time it does break.

i'm in the same predicament as u, i've got my race car which is semi-streetable but i don't want to have as the dude from pinks says a "Catastrophic failure" 50 miles from home. So i want an f-150 crew cab 2wd and i should still be able to get about 18-20 mpg and be able to haul 4 other people and my stuff in the back and tow a race car when i need to. can't fit a lot of people in the mustang, nor a lot of stuff in the trunk, so my mind is made up. now it's just getting my bills paid off and saving up so i can get my f-150.

BlackVert said:

so is the stang being relegated to a track-only car now? and you are afraid it is going to break down?

there is the problem right there. take the money you would pay to get a tow vehicle and trailer and put it into making the stang more unbreakable so you can drive it with confidence that you aren't going to break anything.

or think of it this way ... the money you save by driving it to the track and back (and not renting a trailer) will most likely pay for the tow truck the time it does break.

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i don't care how much money u spend on your motor or tranny or rear end or anything, the rule of hauling ass is that you are bound to break something eventually, there is really no exception to this rule.

Another silly rule is people break down only when they don't have a trailer. Anytime we head to the track without a trailer someone breaks... but when we do bring a trailer... everyone does ok and drives home.... go figure

Moral of the strory is... bring a trailer.

i dont understand what fun a car is you gotta trailer everywhere can only make one pass then gotta shut it down...if i cant drive the bitch to the track and back home and where ever else i want it ,whats the point? i can get plently fast enough for me i dont need a 8 sec. car?

also im 21 with 4 vehicles so whats so rediculus about that?? i got my own house, a damn good job i work hard so i get what i want. if you dont want to buy another vehicle the rent a truck and trailer to haul...thats your only solution.

the double edged sword of drag racing, u want to have fun by raggin your car at the track but if something does break u have a trailer to take it safely home. how much fun is being broke down with no way to get home, it doesnt matter if your running 8's or 14's your car will break something eventually.

Cheap 8ft bed f 150

The 89 150. Bought that one from a local jeep dealer for $1500 3 years ago. Gave to my brother after he got emo over not having a beater truck. Inline 6 and pretty basic. It would tow your car easy. The 300 in the trucks was a good motor and made all of its TQ down low. Nice trucks. Wish I would have kept this one.



Cheap 8ft bed 250
The 94 250 $3500 from a buy here pay here lot. Its a nicer truck with a 460. It gets **** mileage though. Had new clutches and converter rebuilt in the tranny last week. If they do ok I will say I got a deal on this truck.



One thing about towing is that a smaller truck may do, but the longer trucks are way more stable. I know the longer beds don't look as nice but they are more usable. If its a truck I am going to actually work in I will get an 8ft bed if given the choice. These are just deals I come across. You could be towing for $2000 if you come across the right deal. I just sold an 88 f 150 inline 6 for $900 last week for a guy. He put it on the board here at the office and it sold. Deals are out there on older truck cause of gas right now.

Kornnut said:

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I have those same hideous 80's style wheels on my 2000 Dodge 2500 4x4. I just bought a set of stock rims to get rid of those turds

MattZ281LE said:

I have those same hideous 80's style wheels on my 2000 Dodge 2500 4x4. I just bought a set of stock rims to get rid of those turds

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Not a big fan of them either, but they are on there. Not to worried how they look.

you guys seen walking tall and that green f-150 that the rock drives, that was a sweet ass truck, one of the few that i would actually consider owning of that body style other than a lightning.

jdh

Bens95cobra8594 said:

jdh

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My fault. I typed too quick and nothing quality came out... From the first post.

I saw the post in the morning and I sort of agree with the logic of being able to drive your car to the strip, but then again, I also understand that things break and getting home safely is also the name of the game; rather than jacking your meat at the track trying to fix it or pay to have it towed homerino.

My advice: Look for local dealers who sell old fleet vehicles. I got my plow truck 2+ years ago and have had NO problems with it. It has never stalled, sputtered, left me stranded, had electical problems, needed brakes or anything. 57K orig miles, 350, 4 speed auto, huge rear end (not sure ratio). It has never hesitated to haul anything I have asked it to including a 6 ton dump trailer AND the bed loaded with firewood at once. I get piss poor mileage though (8-11) but it plows great, tows great and hauls anything. Body is also solid for a 12 year old truck. I am a big fan of fleet vehicles now! Thing cost me $5000. Fair price, truck is stripped down with no accessories, but it's a truck, not a luxury vehicle.

Only things added were strobe light kit, tool box, waterpump (old & was rusty) and drain and fill trans fluid and 3 oil changes. Also yanked off the lift gate and traded for rear bumper and tailgate. Plow was scrubbed and painted this year with pretty Meyers paint.

As for trailers, look around in local papers and want ads, even at the local track. Loads of people are always selling them. If you ask around you may get the word out that you are looking for something specific.

The other bit I can offer is that there are indeed regional trailer manufacturers (beyond the big names of Big Tex, Redneck Trailers, Yorktown and whoever else you can name). There are two dealers around me who can custom make trailers and honestly (not b-sing here) they are cheaper, safer and better made than big-name trailer manufacturers. Plus as you know, when you have stuff custom made, it can be done to your specs, so if you have a specific thing you are looking for in a trailer for a mustang you can tell them and they can tweak it for ya...

Good luck no matter what.

To add on the Jeep post .... if for some reason you DID end up getting a Jeep, be sure to get the 4.0 I6. Very nice engine. The V8 (5.2 I think) is rediculously sluggish compared to the I6. I have driven both .... and would never own the V8. And the Ford 300 I6 mentioned earlier is nice, too. 300 > 302. In a truck anyway.





Kornut, those pics remind me of ... ummm .... here. You aren't too far away. You ever go to Bristol Dragway (the TRUE Thunder Valley)?

SeventyMach1 said:

Kornut, those pics remind me of ... ummm .... here. You aren't too far away. You ever go to Bristol Dragway (the TRUE Thunder Valley)?

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Yep all the time. Run the street fights down there(not well though). Check out fullthrottleforums.com

THats the local message board. I am Lord Kornnut over there.