U-Haul wants to know if you are sure you want to spend the extra money for a moving company? If not, there's AMERCO, whose principal subsidiary, U-Haul International, serves do-it-yourselfers with orange-and-white trucks, trailers, and towing devices. Founded in 1945, the company also sells packing supplies through about 15,500 independent dealers and – more... ReviewsOverall5 stars4 stars3 stars2 stars1 starWork/Life BalanceCompensation/BenefitsJob Security/AdvancementManagementCultureStandard working experience, few opportunities for advancementSalariesCustomer Service RepresentativeGeneral ManagerReservations ManagerU-Haul JobsIn Sunday books: This author's got U-Haul on speed dialBlinded woman wins U-Haul suitArrested While Unloading U-Haul : Sylmar Man Charged in Trailer TheftCalifornia Briefing / Los Angeles86 fraternity brothers at Yale are named in tailgating lawsuit Budget Regina, SK Car Rentals (YR8) Fastbreak Services available at Regina Regina Rental Car Deals

No Budget Locations within 100m of Regina Regina Terms & ConditionsIf you occasionally need to move a ton of small things (or just one very large thing) there are numerous companies who will rent you a trailer. But how can you make sure you won't screw up? I went to U-Haul's test facility in Arizona to learn both the right and wrong way to tow a U-small trailer. Most rental trailers are plastered in warning decals. I even saw QR codes you could scan on your phone to pull up instructional loading and coupling videos. I thought that was clever, but apparently my view was unique."you know, you might be the first person to notice those. We have them on hundreds of trailers and as far as I know about five have been watched," a U-Haul employee told me when I asked about them. That's too bad, because there's nothing like a good crash video to motivate you to heed instructions... see below.Luckily, the rule to remember for safe trailer loading is pretty simple: put 60% of your trailer's weight in the front half of the trailer.

That's the actual front half, not just in front of the axle, which I'm told is a common misconception. Some trailer axles are positioned further back from the centerline to increase leverage on the hitch ball and further alleviate "whipping," as we'll discuss below. The other thing you'll have to keep track of is your tongue weight — the downward force that the coupler from the trailer (called the tongue) puts on the hitch of the tow vehicle.How To Make A Cowl Induction Air CleanerEvery vehicle has a different maximum tongue weight it can bear; Second Hand Tyres Wollongonglook for that in your vehicle's manual.Persian Cat Rescue In Austin TexasThe consensus among industry experts puts acceptable tongue weight between 9 and 15 percent of the total trailer weight.

Hutchinson reckons "about 10%" is optimal, partially because it's an easier number to calculate.It's possible to measure the tongue weight your trailer is exerting with reasonable precision by simply placing a scale where the hitch ball is meant to go, but there's also an "eyeballer's" method for those of you who hate counting: The end result should be a level trailer. If it's tilted forward, tongue weight is excessive and some cargo must be moved backward of the center line or removed completely.The trailers I saw at U-Haul's shop had decals indicating exactly where that center line was, along with a little drama to scare you into submission with the words "FAILURE," and "WHIPPING" in caps-lock. A gnarly illustration of a car swerving helplessly ahead of a trailer completed the message. "A powerful visual is important," said Hutchinson. "People don't want that [pointing to picture] happening."But what does this "whipping" feel like, how do we avoid it and what do we do when it happens?

To find out I went to U-Haul's test track in Phoenix, AZ, a for-hire engineering research facility called Exponent. It's an oval loop with banked turns and a giant skid pad.An improperly balanced trailer can be a ticking timebomb chasing your truck. U-Haul rep and trailer nerd Sperry Hutchinson showed us exactly what can happen when a trailer is loaded incorrectly, and how to make sure your rig doesn't start the truffle shuffle next time you tow. A 2008 Dodge Journey SXT was offered up as the test mule, and some of U-Haul's engineers fitted one of their 1,000-pound-capable motorcycle trailers with "test weights." We ran around the track with the weights loaded correctly; 60% ahead of center, without incident. You can see what happened in the video when the weights were moved to illustrate a "dramatically poor" loading job.Even a correctly loaded trailer will exhibit some sway in the rear-view mirror, but you should not feel the effects through the steering wheel.With an off-balanced trailer, the further askew your load is, the lower the speed will be at which you'll feel the effect — imagine The Hulk picking up your vehicle by its rear bumper and shaking it from side to side.

The trailer is acting like a lever; applying a powerful lifting force on the rear of the tow vehicle causing traction to disappear from the back axle throwing weight distribution of the whole rig all over the place.This phenomenon is aptly referred to as "whipping." You're obviously not going to see many people slapping 1,000 pounds of mass on the last foot of their trailer. But consider that if the load is close to 60% in front, but not quite there, the action you see in the video takes place at a higher speed, and has a lot more potential to make a mess.If you do feel the effects of trailer whipping, it's important to remember not to apply brakes. Doing so will take ever more weight off the rear wheels and exacerbate the situation. The only viable escape is to let off the throttle and hold the steering wheel straight-ahead. If and when you get your setup under control, that would be a good time to pull over and re-adjust your load. You might need a change of underwear while you're at it.