U-Haul Trailer Tips

[K-MTG]

I plan on towing a U-Haul trailer from SoCal to SF - never towed anything before so I have some questions

• Do I need any adapters to connect a U-Haul trailer to the Model X Hitch?
• Do I need any special adapters to connect the brake lights?
• What kind of range/efficiency should I expect - is this trip feasible (400 miles)?
• Anything else I am missing?

 

[BerTX]

I plan on towing a U-Haul trailer from SoCal to SF - never towed anything before so I have some questions

• Do I need any adapters to connect a U-Haul trailer to the Model X Hitch?
• Do I need any special adapters to connect the brake lights?
• What kind of range/efficiency should I expect - is this trip feasible (400 miles)?
• Anything else I am missing?

U-Haul will likely have whatever hitch and electrical adapters you might need. You might want to have the towing specs available for them, as they may not be familiar with the vehicle.

Towing in CA you are legally limited to 55 mph. The most you can likely expect is about half your normal range (meaning your normal range at 75 mph, not your normal unloaded range at 55 mph), although a towing expert like @ohmman or @ecarfan could probably give a better idea.

U-Haul trailers are pretty heavy, so unless you are hauling pretty light cargo, you won't be able to use a very big trailer. U-Haul will be able to advise you on the limits. Beyond that, be careful to load the trailer with an appropriate amount of weight in front and behind the axle on the trailer. The tendency when moving is to load the heavy stuff first, then fill in with light stuff at the end, which will put too much weight pushing down on the car.

Also remember that you will likely have to unhitch the trailer at every Supercharger stop.

 

[idoco]

I plan on towing a U-Haul trailer from SoCal to SF - never towed anything before so I have some questions

• Do I need any adapters to connect a U-Haul trailer to the Model X Hitch?
• Do I need any special adapters to connect the brake lights?
• What kind of range/efficiency should I expect - is this trip feasible (400 miles)?
• Anything else I am missing?

The trailers are 4-way flat plugs. So you'll need an 4-way to 7-way adapter
U-Haul: Trailer Adapter (Nite-Glow)

*If the UHaul trailer has LED brake lights you may need one with an LED adapter instead
*7-Way to 5-Way/4-Way Trailer Adapter for Vehicles with Lamp-Out Sensors Towing Trailers with LEDs To

It appears that UHaul trailers have surge brakes. So you don't need a brake controller.

You'll need a hitch-ball mount with the proper rise. Here are threads both for generic towing and UHaul specific towing hitch mounts.

What ball mount is everyone using for the Bosal tow hitch?
Model X towing: ball hitch offset
Ball mount for towing a U-haul trailer

 

[ecarfan]

I plan on towing a U-Haul trailer from SoCal to SF - never towed anything before so I have some questions

• Do I need any adapters to connect a U-Haul trailer to the Model X Hitch?
• Do I need any special adapters to connect the brake lights?
• What kind of range/efficiency should I expect - is this trip feasible (400 miles)?
• Anything else I am missing?

You don’t state what the physical dimensions are of the trailer you plan to rent. The larger the trailer, the greater your energy usage.

Since U-Haul trailers are essentially a rectangle with sharp corners, I think you will be using energy at the rate of over 500Wh/mi, maybe over 600 (on level roads, going over the Grapevine it will be more). Of course it is “feasible” to tow such a trailer with an X90D for 400 miles, you’ll just have to stop and charge a lot more. Fortunately, along your route (I5 through the Central Valley) there are a plethora of Superchargers. But you don’t say what your starting point in SoCal will be....

 

[ohmman]

I think most things are covered here. The only thing I'll add is that U-Haul can set you up with the ball hitch and adapter. Just go in with the knowledge that tongue weight has to stay below 500 pounds and total weight under 5000 pounds. The hitch adapter from Bosal has the ball offset printed on it; ensure you stay within those guidelines as well. If so, you'll be fine.

I imagine you'll get 120 miles per charge at best. Leaving with a full charge, your 400 mile trip will likely require 3-4 stops. Your route from Irvine to Fremont (I'm assuming) has plenty of options and shouldn't pose any real difficulty. The hardest part will be going 55 on I-5 while everyone's barreling past at 90.

 

[1375mlm]

Hey @K-MTG
I towed a U-Haul trailer, total weight was about 2,500 pounds.
Total trip was 267 miles, from Houston to Dallas.
I have a MX 75D, and I had stuff loaded in the car as well.

I learned a lot of things from this trip, since it was my first time towing anything, so it was also my first towing with an electric car

Since I’m not much of a towing expert, I’ll leave the adapter/hitch/electronic connections to other people.
My U-Haul actually fell off the car mid-drive, so you probably don’t want any advice from me anyway

Not sure specifics of your payload, so I’m just going to give you a rundown of my experience.

I have a 237 advised mile range, and I figured that towing at the advised 55 mph would give me a usage equivalent of as if I was towing nothing going at 90-100 mph (~490 wh/mile)
I figured I could stretch to 65 mph to speed things up

I was dead wrong. My consumption was through the roof. At 55 mph, with all my effort to conserve range, I ended up consuming ~570 wh/mile. So I ended up using my percentage as an indicator of how many miles of range I had left, which was quite accurate. If I went at 65 mph, I’d be stranded 20 miles away from the next charger.

Be very very careful. I’d advise that you drive slow first, and measure consumption, arrival percentage, weather conditions, and speed up if you think it makes sense.


I see you’re in a 90D, which I believe has ~257 rated range. So you’re in a similar boat as I was

Please make note of any L2 (slower, non-supercharger) chargers along the way, just in case you’re running low.

U-Haul offers a FREE inspection to make sure everything is working properly once it’s all hooked up. Please take advantage of that. It’ll be worth the few minutes you take to make sure nothing is lose and everything is in order.

 

[idoco]

Hey @K-MTG
My U-Haul actually fell off the car mid-drive, so you probably don’t want any advice from me anyway
...
U-Haul offers a FREE inspection to make sure everything is working properly once it’s all hooked up. Please take advantage of that. It’ll be worth the few minutes you take to make sure nothing is lose and everything is in order.

OT, but....WTF!! You can't just say that and not give details. Need more info. Including whether you took advantage of the "inspection".

 

[TOBASH]

In general, towing things can be dangerous for first time haulers, and speeding over 55 is a bad idea for a first time hauler.

Over 55, things might begin to sway side to side. BAD NEWS. Avoid the brakes and let the vehicle slow a bit on its own or you might jack knife.

Learn the feel of the trailer before you drive aggressively.

Best of luck.

T

 

[1375mlm]

OT, but....WTF!! You can't just say that and not give details. Need more info. Including whether you took advantage of the "inspection".

LOL as I was pulling out of the neighborhood, the trailer disconnected and was pulled only by the safety chains, dragging the trailer across the floor for several feet.
I caught it almost immediately because I had the rear camera on (another bright idea!) and stopped immediately, blocking one side of a busy street

This really nice guy with HUGE forearms jumped out of a Range Rover Autobiography and helped me out. He lifted the entire thing like it was it was a 20 pound dumbbell and latched it on correctly.
Turns out I thought I was latching it on, but in reality it wasn’t sitting properly, so It was as if I just PLACED the U-Haul onto the ball mount and drove off. It fell off after the small bump right outside my neighborhood.


And then I went straight to the nearest U-Haul store for an safety check

Also like @ohmman said, the hardest part is watching others fly by at 90 while your cruising around like some Prius at 55.
I even saw one guy while passing do a double-take, slam on the brakes, and then take a pic of a Tesla towing a U-Haul, all whilst holding up other passing traffic

 

[Solarman004]

@K-MTG all great advice above. If you are going to purchase the ball, make sure you know what size hitch is on the U-Haul. A 2" ball would be the most common, but some of their smaller trailers may use
1 7/8"
For the round-to-flat electrical adaptor mentioned above, I just picked one up at a local Advance Auto Parts store. They're very common.
Oh, and don't forget your sunshade...

 

[K-MTG]

Thank you everyone for sharing!! I will probably do the trip at night so I can get a charging spot that doesn't require me to disconnect the trailer.
I have done the trip many times with the X so I am familiar with the route (just never with a trailer). Over the past summer - I did over 20k miles driving between SoCal and SF.
Also, just to confirm I won't have to stop at any weigh stations or stay off any certain roads?

I rented a U-Haul truck last weekend to move furniture to my apartment in LA. Should have rented a trailer instead to get some practice.

You don’t state what the physical dimensions are of the trailer you plan to rent. The larger the trailer, the greater your energy usage.

Since U-Haul trailers are essentially a rectangle with sharp corners, I think you will be using energy at the rate of over 500Wh/mi, maybe over 600 (on level roads, going over the Grapevine it will be more). Of course it is “feasible” to tow such a trailer with an X90D for 400 miles, you’ll just have to stop and charge a lot more. Fortunately, along your route (I5 through the Central Valley) there are a plethora of Superchargers. But you don’t say what your starting point in SoCal will be....

I am considering the 5x8 Cargo Trailer. I will be leaving from Irvine.

I think most things are covered here. The only thing I'll add is that U-Haul can set you up with the ball hitch and adapter. Just go in with the knowledge that tongue weight has to stay below 500 pounds and total weight under 5000 pounds. The hitch adapter from Bosal has the ball offset printed on it; ensure you stay within those guidelines as well. If so, you'll be fine.

I imagine you'll get 120 miles per charge at best. Leaving with a full charge, your 400 mile trip will likely require 3-4 stops. Your route from Irvine to Fremont (I'm assuming) has plenty of options and shouldn't pose any real difficulty. The hardest part will be going 55 on I-5 while everyone's barreling past at 90.

I typically stop 3 times without a trailer to supercharge but I do drive fast (75-80 mph). Doing 55 for 400 miles will certainly be a challenge. I typically stop at Tejon, Kettleman, and Hollister.

@K-MTG all great advice above. If you are going to purchase the ball, make sure you know what size hitch is on the U-Haul. A 2" ball would be the most common, but some of their smaller trailers may use
1 7/8"
For the round-to-flat electrical adaptor mentioned above, I just picked one up at a local Advance Auto Parts store. They're very common.
Oh, and don't forget your sunshade...

Definitely won't forget the sunshade!

 

[1375mlm]

but I do drive fast (75-80 mph). Doing 55 for 400 miles will certainly be a challenge.

It’s a challenge for me to do 75-80!

usage equivalent of as if I was towing nothing going at 90-100 mph (~490 wh/mile)

a 5x8 is exactly what I towed...
Keep an eye out to make sure everything is latched on properly

 

[idoco]

Also like @ohmman said, the hardest part is watching others fly by at 90 while your cruising around like some Prius at 55.

Slow is definitely the mantra when towing. Both for safety and range.

Having a checklist is also good (either written or mental). Do a walk around after hitching up just to make sure everything is secure and nothing is left behind.

Another thing you might need are wheel chocks. Just in case you have to unhitch for charging on a sloped lot.

Here are some ̶m̶i̶s̶t̶a̶k̶e̶s̶ learning moments we had on a cross country trip:
Tin Poodle: It's always harder the first time...

 

[j-rho]

Speed-wise, what’s safest isn’t always what’s slowest. Have towed the I5 corridor many times, and semis generally are going 60-62. I’d advocate ensuring your rig is safe and stable to those speeds so as not to impart any additional risks from yourself being a rolling roadblock.

My trailer is a lot bigger than this Uhaul and at those speeds I average 1.4-1.5 miles per kWh in my 100D. 100D vs. P100D and towing

 

[Yinn]

I'm suprised @MXWing hasn't jumped in here. He has experience with uhaul trailers in your region and can probably give you some really good data.

I plan on towing a U-Haul trailer from SoCal to SF - never towed anything before so I have some questions

• Do I need any adapters to connect a U-Haul trailer to the Model X Hitch?
• Do I need any special adapters to connect the brake lights?

@idoco is right about the 4 way flat plug and adapter. This one is cheaper though and works with LED or halogen lights:
Seven-Way RV Blade to 4-Wire Flat Adapter

• Anything else I am missing?

An actual hitch. Harbour Freight sells one that is not only cheap, but a perfect fit spec-wise for our Bosal tow bars. It's also great for a first timer as the ball is welded on and removes any questions about being properly torqued and installed.
2 in. Ball Hitch

A 5x8 "low profile" v nose trailer gets me about 475wh/mi empty on local; and an estimated average of 600wh/mi - 700wh/mi on the highway depending on elevation and speed. The good thing about the U-Hauls are they have a very low profile - about a foot less than the trailer used for the numbers above, so your wh/mi should be better.

LOL as I was pulling out of the neighborhood, the trailer disconnected and was pulled only by the safety chains, dragging the trailer across the floor for several feet.

When installing the chains, cross them!! Give yourself enough slack to turn but keep them tight enough that if your trailer does disconnect there's a chance they get caught by the chains instead of falling to the ground. After you tighten the coupler (I believe Uhauls use a screw type) I usually reach under to make sure there's a good seat, then pull up from the coupler and wiggle it to make sure there isn't any play and that everything is seated properly.

 

[BerTX]

@K-MTG, this may be obvious, but take an hour in an empty parking lot practicing your backing skills. You will be maneuvering in some tight spaces at some point on the trip, finding a place to park the trailer or even pulling into an empty Supercharger sideways. And if you do pull in sideways, you can still minimize blocking as many stalls as possible by pulling up to the first two, which are often paired anyway. BUT someone might then pull into the stall in front of you, forcing you to back up to get out.

Backing up with a trailer is very different if you have never done it.

 

[K-MTG]

An actual hitch. Harbour Freight sells one that is not only cheap, but a perfect fit spec-wise for our Bosal tow bars. It's also great for a first timer as the ball is welded on and removes any questions about being properly torqued and installed.
2 in. Ball Hitch

Thanks for the info!
Is the height for this hitch sufficient for the U-Haul trailer. I found this info online:

“Jeff Jenkins, U-Haul's towing expert, suggests using 18 inches as the trailer height in step two if you plan to tow a U-Haul trailer, as this is the standard coupler height for U-Haul trailers.”

 

[MXWing]

@Yinn - thanks for tagging been swamped so haven't kept up.

Looks like most things covered already. What I feel would stress/concern me is:

1 - Is the whole trip taking over a 24 hour period with no opportunity for sleep? Can't underestimate the potential difficulty of pulling into potentially impacted superchargers and extra charging time needed at slower KW rate to create buffers.

2 - Supercharger availability. Anything considered urban I would just plan for not being accessible between 10:00AM and 10:00PM. Not unhitching and navigating SC stations that are occupied would be very stressful.

@K-MTG

I know its not what you are looking for but have you considered driving a UHaul and towing the Model X?

Cost wise is more expensive but logistic concerns go to 0 and you can make trip easily in 1 day, and at any time you want to go.

 

[Yinn]

Thanks for the info!
Is the height for this hitch sufficient for the U-Haul trailer. I found this info online:

“Jeff Jenkins, U-Haul's towing expert, suggests using 18 inches as the trailer height in step two if you plan to tow a U-Haul trailer, as this is the standard coupler height for U-Haul trailers.”

Unfortunately, the Bosal hitches don't allow for too much adjustment. There's a 3/4" limit on the rise; and to save you the headache - I looked and it's not worth spending the $50-75 to get a 3/4" riser. That being said, while the manual doesn't mention it I believe the MX goes into automatic leveling when trailer mode is engaged. I've heard my rear suspension inflate and visually seen it rise when I've hooked taller trailers to it. This will at times look weird with the back end up in the air as well.

But without a load, the standard suspension setting measures in at 15.5" to the top of the ball. Here's some pictures:
Confirmation - you can add accessory or towing package after delivery

Here's one with the trailer connected. Notice how level the trailer is and how high the rear end (wheel well gap) is in comparison to the front of the car:

 

[K-MTG]

1 - Is the whole trip taking over a 24 hour period with no opportunity for sleep? Can't underestimate the potential difficulty of pulling into potentially impacted superchargers and extra charging time needed at slower KW rate to create buffers.

The drive is 400 miles which I have done over 50+ times. I currently stop 3 times to supercharge which results in an 8 hour trip (I could do it in 2 but I like to stop at the Kettleman City Lounge).
I am assuming with the trailer I would have to stop 4 times - roughly once every 100 miles??

2 - Supercharger availability. Anything considered urban I would just plan for not being accessible between 10:00AM and 10:00PM. Not unhitching and navigating SC stations that are occupied would be very stressful.

I might have to stop at Tejon Ranch which is probably urban - but the other stops should be empty. I plan on driving at night (actually prefer the night since no traffic).

I know its not what you are looking for but have you considered driving a UHaul and towing the Model X?

Cost wise is more expensive but logistic concerns go to 0 and you can make trip easily in 1 day, and at any time you want to go.

That is also an option. But it would be roughly 10x more expensive for a one-way rental (and that excludes the gas cost). Probably $700-800 + $150 in gas?

Unfortunately, the Bosal hitches don't allow for too much adjustment. There's a 3/4" limit on the rise; and to save you the headache - I looked and it's not worth spending the $50-75 to get a 3/4" riser. That being said, while the manual doesn't mention it I believe the MX goes into automatic leveling when trailer mode is engaged. I've heard my rear suspension inflate and visually seen it rise when I've hooked taller trailers to it. This will at times look weird with the back end up in the air as well.

But without a load, the standard suspension setting measures in at 15.5" to the top of the ball. Here's some pictures:
Confirmation - you can add accessory or towing package after delivery

Here's one with the trailer connected. Notice how level the trailer is and how high the rear end (wheel well gap) is in comparison to the front of the car:

I can't see the attached photo. Do you recommend the hitch you previously linked in this scenario or something else? Since the X height is 15.5 inches and the U-Haul trailer is 18 inch - the offset should be ~2.5 inches. Is that fine?