Help me tow a car behind a moving truck.

June 20, 2019 3:07 PM

In a month or so, I will be moving from eastern MD to the Twin Cities, a two to three day drive. So I need to drive a small moving truck (10-12 feet) to Minnesota. I also need to get my Honda Civic there. The most efficient and lowest cost way to do this is to rent a tow dolly and pull the car behind the truck. I'm a little nervous.

I'm fine with driving the truck, of course I'm okay driving the Civic. I'm a confident driver and I've driven small moving vans before. I'm also adventurous and like trying new things.

But

Not sure about driving the combination of truck and car. I worry about having to get over, and finding enough space to get over slowly, in particular.

I think I'd be fine just driving on a highway, staying in one lane and eating up distance, but I've never driven a vehicle the length of truck + Civic.

Anyone who's done this - any tips? Any concerns I didn't take into account? Any warnings? Is it a bad idea to do a multi-day drive the first time I drive this combo?

posted by Archipelago to Travel & Transportation (17 answers total)

I once helped a friend do a multi-state move with a large moving truck which was probably about the length of your combined small truck plus car, and it was not a good experience. As in, the guy who was driving (who is a very competent driver in general) hit two parked cars in separate incidents while trying to park. All the highway driving was perfectly fine, but that last 5% of time you'll have to spend in gas stations, motel parking lots, your destination city, etc will suck. I personally would not do what you're planning to do.
posted by showbiz_liz at 3:27 PM on June 20, 2019

You'll be fine, but here's a few tips to make the trip go easier based on that time I drove a moving truck towing a Civic behind it from LA to DC. If you can swing the cost of a trailer instead of a dolly, it's much much better (have done both).

Don't fill your car trunk with heavy stuff. Most of the car's weight is engine, e.g., it sits on the tow dolly. If you make the trunk heavy, you create instability.

Before you head out, make some stops in the parking lot or on an empty road so you have an idea how long stopping takes and what it feels like. The rig will be heavy.

Similarly, experiment with acceleration so you don't create problems for yourself merging.

Practice turning so you know your radii. You will need to turn wider to avoid curbs and obstacles.

Also, do some experiments with your mirrors and a friend. Get to know what a car looks like when it's a safe distance behind you on both the left and right sides. Understand the shape and location of your blind spots. Track the vehicles behind you by color and general style so that you don't lose them in your blind spots since you will be being passed often.

Make sure the taillights and turn signals work on the tow dolly and check after every stop as they can easily bump loose on the road;

Similarly, check the straps or chains at every stop. Make sure they cross;

Do not plan on any site-seeing since it's peak summer.

Some people recommend the slow lane for obvious reasons, but I say stay in the middle lane to avoid both the speedsters and the folks merging in from the exits. You can easily do 65 mph here.

The truck will be noisy and noise is sleep-inducing. Know your limits. It's much more exhausting driving a truck/dolly because you'll be thinking all the time and nervous. Don't assume you can do 10-12 hour days just because you've done that in a car.

Never go anywhere you don't have pull through options. You can't really back up with a dolly. This means that the remote edges of the parking lot are your friends. Similarly, stick to the big gas stations where you don't have to make sharp turns to maneuver in and out of the gas bays. Note ahead of time what side your gas tank fills from.

Let yourself be selfish on the road. Don't worry about waiting until it fills safe to pull out. Ignore the jerk honking at you. You get a complete pass on basically everything under these circumstances.

After the trip, don't forget that the rear tires will have more wear than the front tires.

PS For future readers, tow dollies only work for front wheel drive cars.

posted by carmicha at 3:30 PM on June 20, 2019 [12 favorites]

You might see if you can get a friend to drive the car and pay for his/her flight home.
posted by carmicha at 3:32 PM on June 20, 2019 [11 favorites]

Oh and when you get to the other end, first go to the rental truck lot and remove the Civic/dolly. Return the dolly and leave the Civic in the parking lot. Now it will be easier to get the truck to your new place, park, unload, etc. You can pick up the car when you return the truck.
posted by carmicha at 3:37 PM on June 20, 2019 [6 favorites]

Getting over etc on the highway is easy - signal well in advance when you think you have room, change lanes slowly. If you misjudge by a bit, others will get out of the way.

The hard part will be parking and gas etc, but just be patient. If you lack confidence about a particular move, don't to it for expediency. That may mean waiting idling for a specific couple of pumps that are easy to access to open up, even if there are many others already open, or choosing to sit and block traffic even when folks are honking your horns wanting you to take a free-right at a stoplight.

Keep your cool and you'll be fine.
posted by bigplugin at 3:46 PM on June 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

I did this with 2 kids and a dog, you can do this! My advice is be willing to pay extra for the motel right off the highway with the wide drive-thru parking lot. Same for the truck stop instead of the little off-the-beaten-path falafel place you heard about. I don't often recommend Walmart over the local shops, but it applies here. Etc.
posted by headnsouth at 4:51 PM on June 20, 2019 [2 favorites]

Tow dollies work fine on rear wheel drive vehicles, you just disconnect the drive shaft from the rear axle and secure it in place. I've done hundreds of miles like that.
If you remove the drive shaft entirely (it just slips out of the transmission) you'll leak transmission fluid. Some people do this and either drain the tranny or secure a bag on the end of it.
posted by rudd135 at 5:06 PM on June 20, 2019

I did this from New Orleans to Santa Cruz. carmicha has all the stuff I would say.

We had a few really tough moments - the worst was when we got stuck in a cul-de-sac in Salinas completely by mistake, and had to ask a contractor working on one of the houses on the loop to back us out since neither of us had the skills to back and turn in the space we had.

The truck itself had a flaw in the electrical system somewhere that meant we stalled out in a variety of inconvenient places all the way along I-10, and depended on the kindness of others to give us a jump or to push us through (it happened in gas stations, motel parking lots, and, memorably, at the inspection point when entering California.)

Ugh, that trip. We had a cat who took his drugs every morning and visibly gave up on his life ever getting any better by about day 3; we stayed in motels that were obvious party (i.e. meth) spots; we laughed, we cried. We did not stop anywhere just for fun.

But we made it! And so will you.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 5:12 PM on June 20, 2019

Consider paying for the upgrade from the dolly to the flatbed trailer. With the dolly, you can't back up unless you remove the car from the dolly, whereas you can back up the trailer any time. I did a cross country move with the trailer, and there were definitely a few times where the ability to back up increased our options as to where we could park, or in two places allowed us to get out of a jam when we took a wrong turn and ended up in a parking lot without room to make a circle. We would have managed with the dolly, but it would have increased the stress quite a bit pulling in to a random parking lot.

As far as the length, I agree with the advice to take a few minutes to practice with your mirrors to see what it looks like when you're far enough away to change lanes. When you're wanting to change lanes, and there's a gap that's not ridiculously small, put on your signal and you'll find that sooner than later, you'll find a driver kind/intimidated enough to make space to let you in. Think ahead, read the signs, and when you're approaching an interchange, start your lane changes as soon as you can, so you don't need to perform a last minute lane change. If you do get stuck behind a right lane slowpoke, change back as soon as you overtake, and you're guaranteed to have empty space in front of them. If there's not space in front of them, then they're not really going that much slower than traffic, so don't bother to pass.

Use a standalone GPS or phone app with lane assist if you can, and properly mount it to the windshield/vent/whatever. You don't want to be trying to look at a phone in a cupholder (or in your hand!!) at the same time as you're reading the road and planning a lane change. Practice with the GPS before the trip, and purposely take wrong turns, miss turns, etc., so you know how the GPS reacts. When you're driving the truck, treat the GPS instructions like suggestions, not commands. If it tells you to take a turn that doesn't look right/safe, or you're in the wrong lane, just keep going where your lane goes, and make a new plan. If necessary, find somewhere safe to pull over and regroup.
posted by yuwtze at 5:51 PM on June 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

Consider getting an auto transport quote, it could be relatively affordable and it's pretty hassle-free -- guy shows up, puts your car on a flatbed, drives away, different guy shows up at new location with your car on a different flatbed. I arranged one for a friend 3 years ago, totally worth it.
posted by aramaic at 6:26 PM on June 20, 2019

I've had to drive a 26' U-Haul several times now (though town, on rural highway, on interstate, and multiple times across a very narrow toll bridge that people are often afraid to drive even small cars across. I discovered something; even though I was hella nervous, I'm a pretty good driver, and it was WAY WAY WAY easier than I was anticipating. The biggest thing is, know your route, and know how much room you'll have for turns. Don't put yourself in problematic situations, and it won't be a big deal.
posted by stormyteal at 6:36 PM on June 20, 2019

I would agree with everything carmicha said, plus the suggestion to price getting the trailer vs the dolly so you can back up. Their suggestion of what to do when you arrive (ie leave the car at the rental place, then unload) is particularly good -- that cuts out a lot of unneeded stress.

Interstates are easy, people are used to slow vehicles, there is lots of space, and rest areas and truck stops are built for trucks with trailers. The bad parts are when you have to get off the highway and into smaller roads, or there is a detour. This is a case where chain hotels, chain fast food, and big truck stops are way better than the local/independent alternatives.

Going through cities, the middle lane is the place to sit. Fast drivers can pass you on the left, but you don't risk getting stuck in exit-only lanes on the far right. Even better is to time the drive to miss city rush hours, but that isn't always possible.

The bottom line is that it isn't exactly a fun and relaxing experience, but it doesn't need to be terrible, either.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:40 PM on June 20, 2019

Pretty much carmicha. If you get a trailer also practice (or at least try) backing up in that parking lot. Everybody who has a boat or a camper figures it out. You'll be fine. Practice backing up in your car using just the side mirrors for a while. The truck should have bigger mirrors. Make sure they're adjusted. And practice a little bit. It's a different sort of thing to back up using only side mirrors and another different thing to get a trailer to go where you want it.

Plan ahead where you intend to stay the nights to make sure they're trucker / trailer friendly. Pack your lunch / snacks in a cooler so you don't have to worry about stopping except at rest stops.
posted by zengargoyle at 12:36 AM on June 21, 2019

I have never driven a truck in your country (cars though I have) but I do drive trucks, much bigger than the total of what you are talking about.

I will nth that you can forget about stopping anywhere small. Follow what the trucks do and go to big stops for fuel and food and you'll be right. It is a big shift in thinking and it's really frustrating to pass through great towns and have no way to park for the bakery you were told about or whatever, but it will save you a heap of stress. Though you will eat a bunch of crap food.
posted by deadwax at 3:56 AM on June 21, 2019

Another vote for the car trailer -- the dolly is really only best for short trips. The trailer makes long distance travel much, much easier, it's better balanced and it is less wear-and-tear on the car being transported.

Lots of other good advice too -- my advice on parking: people are forgiving if a big truck with a trailer parks inappropriately in lots that aren't designed for trucks, especially if it's a UHaul versus someone with a lawn service painted on the side (inexperienced vs should know better). Whether it's a McDonalds or a hotel or wherever, just pull into the farthest-away area -- ignore the painted lines altogether-- where you can drive straight out again without backing up. As long as you're not taking up primo parking spots, blocking someone in, blocking the normal driving lanes, etc., you'll be fine.

I drove a 26' truck with a car on a trailer from Milwaukee to Fargo without much issue; I've driven larger vehicles all my life so I had an advantage -- the Minneapolis/St Paul area was the toughest, because the 494/694/35 areas all have a significant number of "merge onto the new road, then you need to move to the left because the lane you merged into is ending in a quarter mile". Generally, get yourself into the middle lane as soon as you can to avoid panics of not being able to merge. You may want to review an updated actual-ink-and-paper map to look for stuff like this, especially "exit is on the left" places which can really make it tough if you have to cross 4 lanes to make your exit.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:09 AM on June 21, 2019

Regarding choosing hotels, my brother and I were trailering his large boat recently. We chose hotels based on how accommodating their parking lots and access configurations read to us on Google Earth. Then we used Uber to get to the fun.
posted by carmicha at 7:02 AM on June 21, 2019

I had to tow a horse trailer behind a Durango for years. It really wasn't that big of a deal.

1. Make gas stops at truck stops - they'll have way more room.

2. Stop to eat near large grocery stores, Walmarts, etc. We'd park at the back of the WalMart lot where there was plenty of room and walk to the neighboring fast food joint.

3. Look for hotels that advertise as "trucker friendly." That is code for plenty of room for parking.
posted by COD at 5:33 AM on June 22, 2019