Towing a U-Haul Trailer

[B-rad351]

Greetings, looking for your past experiences towing a 6’ x 12’
U-Haul trailer for a crosstown move.
Is a standard length trailer hitch ball mount (7 7/8” from hitch pin to ball) long enough to clear the spare? Is a 2” drop sufficient? According to U-Haul, the maximum trailer weight @3500 lbs Bronco towing capacity, is 1550 lbs. of cargo, which won’t be an issue. The ball hitch is rated at 7500 lbs tow and 750 lbs tongue.
I have a ‘24 Badlands 4dr non-sas w/factory 2” trailer receiver and light hookup.
Thanks in advance for your help.

UPDATE: I went to two area U-Haul locations and both said they will not issue a trailer because I have a soft top.
Looks like I’ll be renting a truck instead. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories, pictures and the warnings about soft tops.

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[Fordified1]

Do yourself a favor and remove the spare and do not use an extension. You’re just going across town. You don’t need the spare.
It takes about a 3” drop to get below the spare enough, defends greatly on the trailer hitch style.
EDIT: Actually I had to buy this to make it easy to hook my trailers up. Not sure how they figure the drop but I returned one and bought this. Works great with 35” spare on the truck.
https://a.co/d/0aOsLr7d

 

[cbrenthus]

I towed the 6X12 a few times with my JLUR with no issues at all. I know I towed a utility trailer with the Bronco with no issues. I also towed a small camper that was probably right up around 3500 lbs about 90 minutes, but on a 70mph highway with no issues, the Bronco towed it just fine. You'll have no problem towing the U-haul 6x12 at all.

If you have Sasquatch tires, you might have to remove the spare to hook up the trailer. I can't remember for sure - just make sure the rear cargo area is empty and you can put it in there, or, since it is across town, just leave it somewhere and go get it if you need it. Removing the spare also helps the tongue weight as well.

IMO, the Bronco drivetrain can tow much more than the Bronco is rated for, but the Bronco is limited by the off road suspension and frame. The Braptor gets the extra 1000lbs because of a bracket from the hitch to the frame that lesser broncos don't get because the exhaust is in the way.

 

[Fordified1]

This is what a normal length hitch looks like under the spare. I think this one’s a 3 or 3.5” inch drop. I ended up having to get more drop (shown above) for my other trailer. Also notice how close the tongue jack is to the spare. It will tow the trailer just fine. Do not be tempted to load it so it’s not tongue heavy. You need to be tongue heavy so it does not sway. At least 10% of trailer weight on the ball. It’s gonna squat your bronco, but it won’t mind.

 

[cbrenthus]

And I found a pic on my phone of the U-Haul utility trailer hooked up to the bronco, and I didn't remove the spare. Sasquatch tire, and I used a bar similar to above, no crazy drop.

 

[BroncoChallenger]

I put my old adjustable hitch in the Bronco (a cheapy) because I have a better hitch for my truck that is rated for what I tow with it. The adjustable hitch (this guy) is rated for a 5k trailer, which is more than the Bronco is rated for and more than I'd ever want to put behind it anyway. Due to its design, it sticks out enough I can JUST see the ball to line things up with the spare on, and allows me to have enough drop to easily work any coupler (including the annoying square ones they're putting on boats now). it also keeps the jack handle far enough back so I don't smash my hand when I'm raising or lowering it, although it is still VERY close.

That said, we don't tow much with the Bronco, in fact the last thing we towed was my FIL's old boat that was within the tow rating - his new one is not. What we DO use the Bronco a lot for is moving stuff around in the yard. We have put the flatbed loaded with lumber behind it to get it in our rather tight back yard, and just this past weekend we rented a boom lift and used the Bronco to move it around as needed. That mountain-goat-inspired turning radius makes getting stuff into tight areas a breeze.

 

[Smocaine]

You will want more than a 2" drop but with like a 4" it's no problem. I have never used an extension or removed the spare to tow. We're pretty tall and Uhauls are pretty low on the nose anyway so they'll take the drop just fine.

 

[GoHawks63]

I have only towed a couple of times with my Wildtrak using a hitch with a 2.5" drop and was able to clear the spare with no problems. No hitch extension either, although the tongue jack was pretty close to the spare and while spinning the jack handle to raise/lower the tongue, had to lift the jack handle to clear past the spare, which wasn't a big deal.

 

[B-rad351]

Do yourself a favor and remove the spare and do not use an extension. You’re just going across town. You don’t need the spare.
It takes about a 3” drop to get below the spare enough, defends greatly on the trailer hitch style.
EDIT: Actually I had to buy this to make it easy to hook my trailers up. Not sure how they figure the drop but I returned one and bought this. Works great with 35” spare on the truck.
https://a.co/d/0aOsLr7d

Good info. Thanks!

 

[B-rad351]

I towed the 6X12 a few times with my JLUR with no issues at all. I know I towed a utility trailer with the Bronco with no issues. I also towed a small camper that was probably right up around 3500 lbs about 90 minutes, but on a 70mph highway with no issues, the Bronco towed it just fine. You'll have no problem towing the U-haul 6x12 at all.

If you have Sasquatch tires, you might have to remove the spare to hook up the trailer. I can't remember for sure - just make sure the rear cargo area is empty and you can put it in there, or, since it is across town, just leave it somewhere and go get it if you need it. Removing the spare also helps the tongue weight as well.

IMO, the Bronco drivetrain can tow much more than the Bronco is rated for, but the Bronco is limited by the off road suspension and frame. The Braptor gets the extra 1000lbs because of a bracket from the hitch to the frame that lesser broncos don't get because the exhaust is in the way.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[B-rad351]

This is what a normal length hitch looks like under the spare. I think this one’s a 3 or 3.5” inch drop. I ended up having to get more drop (shown above) for my other trailer. Also notice how close the tongue jack is to the spare. It will tow the trailer just fine. Do not be tempted to load it so it’s not tongue heavy. You need to be tongue heavy so it does not sway. At least 10% of trailer weight on the ball. It’s gonna squat your bronco, but it won’t mind.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[B-rad351]

I put my old adjustable hitch in the Bronco (a cheapy) because I have a better hitch for my truck that is rated for what I tow with it. The adjustable hitch (this guy) is rated for a 5k trailer, which is more than the Bronco is rated for and more than I'd ever want to put behind it anyway. Due to its design, it sticks out enough I can JUST see the ball to line things up with the spare on, and allows me to have enough drop to easily work any coupler (including the annoying square ones they're putting on boats now). it also keeps the jack handle far enough back so I don't smash my hand when I'm raising or lowering it, although it is still VERY close.

That said, we don't tow much with the Bronco, in fact the last thing we towed was my FIL's old boat that was within the tow rating - his new one is not. What we DO use the Bronco a lot for is moving stuff around in the yard. We have put the flatbed loaded with lumber behind it to get it in our rather tight back yard, and just this past weekend we rented a boom lift and used the Bronco to move it around as needed. That mountain-goat-inspired turning radius makes getting stuff into tight areas a breeze.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[B-rad351]

You will want more than a 2" drop but with like a 4" it's no problem. I have never used an extension or removed the spare to tow. We're pretty tall and Uhauls are pretty low on the nose anyway so they'll take the drop just fine.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[B-rad351]

I have only towed a couple of times with my Wildtrak using a hitch with a 2.5" drop and was able to clear the spare with no problems. No hitch extension either, although the tongue jack was pretty close to the spare and while spinning the jack handle to raise/lower the tongue, had to lift the jack handle to clear past the spare, which wasn't a big deal.

Good info. Thanks!

 

[vrtical]

I use a Curt 45900, but I am way higher.

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