Cal Club Autocross Forums

The Dodges transmission decided to grenade just out side of Flagstaff. My Dad drove out to rescue us and haul the trailer home. Now I need to get the truck home.

Anyone have access to/know where I could rent a trailer strong enough to haul a 6500lb truck?

The U-Haul open rental trailers should be strong enough for the truck, I just don't know if they are long enough.

John Coffey wrote:The U-Haul open rental trailers should be strong enough for the truck, I just don't know if they are long enough.

or wide enough for a dually.

maybe you find a new trans and bring a bunch of tools out to the truck?

Marshall Grice wrote:

John Coffey wrote:The U-Haul open rental trailers should be strong enough for the truck, I just don't know if they are long enough.

or wide enough for a dually.

maybe you find a new trans and bring a bunch of tools out to the truck?

That would seem to be the best option. The U-haul trailers are short. My Toyota hangs off the back.

Uhaul only rates their trailers for 4000lbs and 133" wheelbase, with a maximum width of 75-78"

I wonder if Taka still has the two-car trailer that Paul Whitehead used in 2005? That definitely had the length, and I'd imagine enough capacity (at least when the truck is empty). You'd probably have to remove the outer dually tires to fit on the trailer, but...

Ekstrand's open trailer would have the length if it weren't for the tool box on the front, but I'm pretty sure he only has about 4500lbs of capacity.

You might look at places that rent equipment (like loaders), as they often have heavier-duty trailers. The big problem that you'll find is that most places require a commercial license once you go beyond 6-8k lbs GVWR for a utility trailer.

Good luck.

Would Rita have something???

I think mine is 7K total so like 4700lbs available.

Steve Ekstrand wrote:Would Rita have something???

I think mine is 7K total so like 4700lbs available.

Same problem here: mine is 7K so I have 5500 lbs available.

Could the rear tires be placed on one of the Uhaul dollies (won't work if the truck's a 4x4)?

Mike

Mike Simanyi wrote:
Could the rear tires be placed on one of the Uhaul dollies (won't work if the truck's a 4x4)?

Mike

Remove drive shaft and tow forwards on one of those. Would it even carry the load of the front of a truck?

Christine has the best idea, if the truck will fit on a tow dollie, or you can flat tow the truck using a tow bar setup. You can also try an equipment rental yard and see if they have a HD flatbed for construction equipment.

U-Haul trailers/dollies are only rated for 5000lbs. Truck is 6400lbs. Local rental yard don't want to separate trailers from equipment. (maybe I could rent the cheapest equipment and then just use the trailer)

Anyone have contact info for Taka? I'll call Rita.

Marshall Grice wrote:

John Coffey wrote:The U-Haul open rental trailers should be strong enough for the truck, I just don't know if they are long enough.

or wide enough for a dually.

maybe you find a new trans and bring a bunch of tools out to the truck?

I think this is the best idea- fix it there and drive it home.

Kevin Price wrote:

Marshall Grice wrote:

John Coffey wrote:The U-Haul open rental trailers should be strong enough for the truck, I just don't know if they are long enough.

or wide enough for a dually.

maybe you find a new trans and bring a bunch of tools out to the truck?

I think this is the best idea- fix it there and drive it home.

But where would he work on it? Do we know any fellow autocrossers in flagstaff that would lend their garage?

I agree it is probably one of the cheapest ways of fixing it.

Christine Berry wrote:But where would he work on it? Do we know any fellow autocrossers in flagstaff that would lend their garage?

I agree it is probably one of the cheapest ways of fixing it.

its a truck. it should be high enough off the ground to fix it pretty much anywhere. just bring a big floor jack to lower the eleventy-billion pound trans....right?

i don't think it's the best idea. but it's probably the cheapest.

Remembering back to our situation last week, I thought Scott K. had something that could tow a big truck with, but I'm probably wrong. Try getting in touch with him.

Marshall Grice wrote:

Christine Berry wrote:But where would he work on it? Do we know any fellow autocrossers in flagstaff that would lend their garage?

I agree it is probably one of the cheapest ways of fixing it.

its a truck. it should be high enough off the ground to fix it pretty much anywhere. just bring a big floor jack to lower the eleventy-billion pound trans....right?

i don't think it's the best idea. but it's probably the cheapest.

Remembering back to our situation last week, I thought Scott K. had something that could tow a big truck with, but I'm probably wrong. Try getting in touch with him.

Just be prepared to take a break when the cop walks up and starts asking if you are stealing catalytic converters.

and yes, contacting Scott is probably a really good idea also.

I figured Eric was looking to rebuild the tranny. But if you could find another tranny, fixing it there could be a solution. Then rebuild the other and have a spare in the trailer for next time... It is a dodge.

taka still has it.
Did you guys figure out what you're going to do?

Call the Big Tex dealer in Buena Park: http://www.bigtexwest.com/door/. I rented a big flatbed from them to move a full-size Ford pickup... as long as you're not talking about a crew-cab truck, I think it would fit.

Eric, I do have a connection I will call in the morning as I just read this and its 10:15pm. You are welcome to my f350 as a tow vehicle as well. Call me in the morning 909-605-3810.
Scott

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions and offers!

Here's the details as they currently stand:

We [and by we, I mean Eric, with get me an X help from me] pulled the transmission on the side of the road at the travel plaza on exit 185 outside of Flagstaff. One of the bearings in the tail housing was in many, many pieces and was floating around the transmission, welding bits to the aluminum and chipping teeth. Because this NV4500 is only 20K miles out from its complete rebuild, we have decided to change the transmission to a different one [probably the NV5600]. Changing the transmission also requires changing the clutch, changing the driveshaft, and fabricating a new crossmember (because that transmission is bigger). In other words, it's a bigger job than Eric really wants to do away from his own garage. (We are, however, VERY grateful to the Turbo Diesel Registry member in Flagstaff who has let us leave the truck there this week.)

Eric is leaning toward having it shipped back ($350) rather than towing it back ($44/day for the tow dolly--thanks Rita!!, 20 gallons diesel to get there [$80], 30 gallons to get back [$120], plus the time and fuel for Eric's dad to come down from San Luis Obispo for the trip first to Lake Elsinore and then to Flagstaff).

The one complication is that there may be a transmission in Phoenix off a crashed truck, in which case a scenic tour of Arizona might make more sense.

Most rental yards won't let you take their trailers out of state. If something goes wrong, it's to hard for them to get to the trailer.
U-Haul is a joke. A few years ago, my S-I-L blew the trans in a 1/2 tom extended cab Chevy in Visalia about 3:00 PM on a Sunday. I had the 3/4 Ton Suburban with all the bells and whistles, but because the 1/2 ton was a full size truck and not a mini truck, they would not rent a trailer and didn't have a dolly. We had a flat bed bring it down to Whittier - $400.00.
The $350.00 is a good deal. I'd take it.
Good Luck
Tom

The truck is home (thanks Kurt Williams). The driver wasn't thrilled about delivering it in a residential area, but it's home, and the transmission is out.