Hauling a rental trailer with a truck or SUV is fairly straightforward, but what if you want to pull a trailer with a car? Is that even an option, or will you have to rent a truck in addition to a trailer? The guide below explains which cars can pull rental trailers to help you plan your upcoming adventure.
Many Cars Can Haul Trailers!
You don’t have to have a truck to haul a trailer. You can pull a rental trailer with your car as long as it has a hitch. Some cars come pre-equipped with hitches, and others have aftermarket kits you can purchase and install yourself.
Note that the hitch itself isn’t all you need to attach to a trailer. You’ll also need a ball mount that’s compatible with the trailer, but we provide those for rent with our trailer rentals.
How to Find Your Car’s Towing Capacity
Just because your car can haul a rental trailer doesn’t mean it’s sufficient enough for your project. Each vehicle has its own restrictions when it comes to what it can or can’t haul.
To determine how much your car can tow, you’ll need to know the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This is listed on the sticker inside your driver’s side door panel. This shows how much weight your vehicle can pull, whether it’s a fully loaded trunk or a trailer attached to a hitch.
On that same panel, you’ll see the Curb Weight for your vehicle. This is how much the vehicle weighs without cargo or passengers. This number contributes to the GVWR. Ideally, you should try to operate around 80% of your GVWR to account for passenger weights and other variables.
Let’s say you have a vehicle with a GVWR of 12,000 lbs. If the Curb Weight is 5,000 lbs, that leaves 7,000 for the trailer and the cargo. If you follow the 80% rule, you’d actually want a load closer to 4,600 lbs (80% of 12k = 9,600 | 9,600 – 5k curb weight = 4,600).
Things to Consider before Renting a Trailer
Before renting a trailer, determine how much your vehicle can pull. Then decide which size trailer best fits your functional needs and vehicular capabilities. Easy Car Haulers offers open and enclosed trailers for rent, and we have hourly/daily/weekly rentals available. We can help you find the perfect match for your needs. Give us a call at (888) 672-1206 to get started.