[Vwdiesel] tow tow tow your boat

[Shirley, Mark R]

Some good advice from Doyt there.  I didn't comment on the original posters 
desire to tow a car with a NA Jetta, but I wouldn't even consider doing that.
If you can't beg borrow or steal at least a 1/2 ton truck to do this tow job,
consider having it shipped to your location.  Car haulers sometimes look for 
return runs to save the cost of shipping.  You can usually save a few bucks
if you're willing to wait a while to ship it.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doyt W. Echelberger [mailto:doyt at mail.buckeye-express.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 11:47 AM
> To: vwdiesel at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] tow tow tow your boat

> In my opinion, U-Haul is showing considerable caution and 
> good business 
> sense in not providing your friend with the means to cause a serious 
> accident. They are considering liability and risk, compared 
> to the profit 
> they could make. The risk is high and the liability enormous.
> 
> Friends don't let other friends...........finish it any way you want.
> 
> I pull things like that with a 3/4 ton Heavy-Duty Suburban 
> running a 454 
> and class 3 hitch. It has the brakes to stop the unit, and 
> the cooling 
> system to handle dragging it up hills and against wind resistance.
> 
> Incidental Note: Rule in Europe for hauling trailers without 
> their own 
> brakes is that the tow vehicle should be at least twice the 
> weight of the 
> towed vehicle.
> 
> Most people have replying to this question indicated they 
> would use a truck 
> for the job. That is because neither of the suggested sedans have the 
> excess braking capacity to reliably stop that load if it 
> needs to be done 
> in a hurry. U-Haul knows this.
> 
> If you are towing at 50 mph, the stopping distance required can't be 
> figured because the linings may get too hot to work if they 
> have to be 
> applied very often.....but it will be a long way. And the 
> vehicle being 
> towed may be pushing the rear of the tow vehicle into a 
> jack-knife at any 
> moment. Picture the Caddy sliding down the right side of the 
> road with its 
> rear end out, with no brakes of course, tow-barred to the 
> Jetta with brakes 
> locked up and tires smoking as it slides down the oncoming 
> lane totally out 
> of control and pointed toward the ditch. Who is driving? The 
> non-person in 
> the Caddy.  Add in a patch of wet road, even a heavy fog 
> would do it.....
> 
> 
> Doyt Echelberger
> 
> 
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