Topic: Closing, moving and towing

[mrcabinet]

After almost 40 years in business we're closing up the shop and heading east. I won't go into all the details about getting burned to the tune of almost 800 grand last year because of the a**h*le banks and jerk-face customers that went banko without warning me. Let's just say that it hasn't been fun.

I am very fortunate to have been offered an awesome job with a great company in Charlotte, NC. So, we're moving from Vegas to Charlotte in a couple of weeks. We've got the moving company covered but, because of our four dogs and the fact that it would be almost 3 grand to ship three cars back, we'll be driving to Charlotte.

My thought is to get a dolly and tow the '01 Wrangler with my son's '08 Unlimited. Anyone see an issue with that? Anything I should look out for?

Thanks!

[Trainman638]

Are you talking a wrangler unlimited or a grand cherokee unlimited. Either way the towing vehicle will be overloaded. Personally I'd try it , but it seems like a bad idea. Don't forget to include trailer weight and everything packed into the tow vehicle in your calculation. Your brakes will be an issue if you get into alot of stop and go traffic. Be cautious of fade once they heat up! Also, plan your stops. The stopping distance will be increased by at least 1.5X. Check your hold-down straps after the first 10 miles then every time you stop. Be EXTREMELY careful, don't drive a load like that if you start getting tired and have a safe trip.

[chardrc]

i wouldn't pull a wrangler with a wrangler unlimited... not enough motor or towing capability.. a grand Cherokee  would have a better chance... good luck on the move and hope it goes smoothly.

[mrcabinet]

No cherokee - Wrangler Unlimited. The '01 won't be packed with anything so it will be as light as possible. The Unlimited is rated at 3500 lb.s towing capacity, which the TJ should come in under.

[neale_rs]

These vehicles weight almost the same.  You would really be pushing the limits.  If you go slow enough you might be ok, maybe 35 mph at most.

[stan98tj]

If you go slow enough you might be ok, maybe 35 mph at most.

he has to get to Charlotte before the end of the year 

[neale_rs]

LOL. We once used a big van to tow a '43 GPW from Douglas AZ to a place close to Yuma at 35 mph.  The fuel efficiency was amazing, almost double what we got at normal speeds.

[jagular7]

If you try to rent a tow dolly from a national business (UHaul), they will ask what tow vehicle to tow what on the dolly. They will let you know if they will let you tow with their dolly. Now, if you give them incorrect information, you also sign a waiver and cost replacement document where if you were to be involved in a situation, you would be totally held liable for all costs and replacement. Even if you took their insurance on it.

Its the same thing with renting a box truck and trailer from them as well. You could look at loading the TJ into the box, put the JK on the trailer, and drive the truck across.

Yah, moving yourself sucks. Other option is to look into air fare costs. Leave something back with friends. Move yourself and family, get settled, then fly back on a cheap rate and drive back home. Vegas is usually not the expensive places to fly to. Many airlines have $99/$79 deals to get to Vegas. Another viable option is to let someone else you trust drive it following you. Hotel and food costs will be little more, but then you can use that person to also help unload your house as well. Then fly them back on a 1-way.

Have a friend that is doing just that. His wife took a job at the corporate level and had moved from KC to Pittsburg. She's flown back/forth for months. He drove out there with her WJ last trip and flew home. Next he's driving his daily with a pickup box trailer full of items movers wouldn't haul (propane, acetylene, gas cans (empty)). He'll fly back to get his toter, 22' trailer and Scrambler next trip. But that probably won't happen till they buy a house and he's got someplace to put it all. You should have seen the eyes of the packers when they were shown the working garage they had to pack. 20+yrs of tools, machine tools, small metal supply (big metal he's hauling with his trailer).

I moved out to KC from northern VA back some 12 yrs ago. I drove my Bronco pulling a popup camper. Flew back home, got my Cherokee pulling a small trailer of garage stuff (lived in townhouse so didn't have much in terms of machine tools). Then flew back home, closed on the house, moved wife, 2 small kids and a inlaws (lived with us) in a minivan. It was loaded.

[chrisfranklin]

I moved out to KC from northern VA back some 12 yrs ago. I drove my Bronco pulling a popup camper. Flew back home, got my Cherokee pulling a small trailer of garage stuff (lived in townhouse so didn't have much in terms of machine tools). Then flew back home, closed on the house, moved wife, 2 small kids and a inlaws (lived with us) in a minivan. It was loaded.

Not to hijack, but where were you at in Northern Va. Jag?   I grew up in Arlington and Mclean myself.   

[jagular7]

Not to hijack, but where were you at in Northern Va. Jag?   I grew up in Arlington and Mclean myself.   

No longer in Springfield, VA. I moved to KC in 1998. Been in the KC area since. I grew up in Bowie, MD myself.

[chrisfranklin]

No longer in Springfield, VA. I moved to KC in 1998. Been in the KC area since. I grew up in Bowie, MD myself.

I spent a lot of time at Springfield Mall growing up.  It had the best arcades of the malls in the DC metro area (that's what I thought at least).   

[mrcabinet]

So, the plan has changed. 4 moving companies have given me quotes of 10k to 13k to load, transport and unload our stuff. That is more than I can afford, and we'd still have to pack and wrap everything.

Since we'd have to pay for the gas for three vehicles and drive there anyway, I got the idea of renting two Penske 22' trucks and towing the jeeps with them. I have lots of volunteers at this end to help load and a high school football team to unload in Charlotte. Both rigs are too wide for dollies and the tires are too tall for trailers, so I'll be picking up two basic tow bars to use and a pair of trailer light sets from Harbor Freight - all for about the same price as one rental dolly.

This has too many positives to not do it. We'll be able to take all of our stuff instead of leaving a third of it behind, no 5 to 7 day window for the moving truck to deliver, no lost or stolen items, it costs 1/2 as much and, most importantly, I don't have to drive a TJ 2400 miles!

[Sine Deviance]

I live up in Lake Norman/Mooresville, which is about 20 minutes north of Charlotte. When you get here, look me up. I'll introduce you to some of the local Jeep stuff that is going on

[mrcabinet]

Hey Sine -

Thanks for the invite. Lake Norman / Mooresville is the area we're looking at! High schools are the main factor - one girl will be a senior and the other a freshman. Besides, I grew up on a lake in Oregon and after thirteen years in the desert I would really like to be around water again.