Putting a hitch on a truck

[shmokes]

How difficult is it and how cleanly is it reversed?  I'm driving out to San Francisco with my wife and friends in a week or so and want to bring a load of stuff back.  Uhaul quoted me, I kid you not, $1673 to rent a 10-foot truck (the smallest one they have) one-way from San Francisco to Utah.  Seeing as it would only cost me a few hundred dollars to just rent an SUV and take it both ways I'm seriously considering doing that, but I kinda doubt a Hertz rent-a-car is going to have a hitch on it. 

How easy is it to attach and remove a trailer hitch?  Will the wiring be there waiting for me to activate the trailer's tail lights?

[paigeoliver]

Putting a trailer hitch on a rental is probably not the best idea.

Might actually end up being simpler and easier to just buy a large old truck, drive it for the time you need it, and then sell it when you get back. No need to even license it, just slap some plates off another vehicle on it, chance of getting a ticket is really minor, and the ticket is pretty cheap anyway.

High gas prices have really driven down the price on beater type trucks, you could certainly buy one with a hitch for less than what you would spend renting an SUV and buying a hitch.

[Dartful Dodger]

Might actually end up being simpler and easier to just buy a large old truck, drive it for the time you need it, and then sell it when you get back.

Two years ago I bought a 79 full size Chevy van for $500, used it for a month to move into my condo, and then donated it.

[Stingray]

No need to even license it, just slap some plates off another vehicle on it, chance of getting a ticket is really minor, and the ticket is pretty cheap anyway.

This is not a good idea. Obviously I don't know the laws in every state, but here in OK, you won't get a "cheap ticket". The car will be impounded and you will go to jail for driving with a stolen plate. Doesn't matter if you own the car the plates came off of. Then of course you have to pay to have the vehicle registered, and you have to pay to get real plates for it before you can get it back. Then you have to pay the impound & storage fees to get the vehicle out of the impound yard. We're talking about a minimum of several hundered dollars and possibly being charged and sentanced with a crime depending on how friendly the judge is.

-S

[ChadTower]

Yep, here in MA, and pretty much every state around here, if you get caught driving an unregistered, uninsured vehicle with stolen plates, you're going to jail.   Car impounded, fines until you're dead, a court date, laywer fees, and possibly raped in the behind while in jail.

All that to avoid renting an SUV.

[Stingray]

I just realised that I didn't answer Shmokes question. How hard it is to install a trailer hitch is largely dependant on what type. The type that just screws onto the bumper take about two minutes, but you are limited to whatever load the bumper is rated at. A reciever hitch can hold a much larger load, but has to be attached to the frame. Sometimes this can be time consuming, depending on the vehicle. In any case this type of hitch is expensive. A rental is almost certain to not have trailer light hookups. Your best bet is to call around the rental places and just find a place that rents trucks that are set up for trailer towing. They probably cost more to rent, but you're looking at a lot less hassle on your end. Also something to consider is if you add a hitch to a rental and something happens, you may not be covered by the rental insurance.

-S

[PetitMorte]

Last I checked, U-Haul can strap a hitch onto most types of car/suv.  Then you can pull what you want, and not worry about it being unremovable.

http://www.uhaul.com/hitches/

[paigeoliver]

I didn't say anything about not insuring it. Switch your policy, then switch it back when you are done.

Around here you likely won't even get a ticket for having the wrong plates if you just bought the vehicle and it is insured, and if you do then it is a 40 dollar ticket.

But an old truck towing a U-Haul trailer on the highway isn't very likely to have it's plates run. If it does then you can truthfully say "I just bought it and I am bringing it home".

[Stingray]

But an old truck towing a U-Haul trailer on the highway isn't very likely to have it's plates run. If it does then you can truthfully say "I just bought it and I am bringing it home".

To which Officer Friendly will reply, "These plates belong on another car and this car is registered to someone else. Please enjoy our hospitality while we sort this out."

Yes, even if found innocent, you still have to pay for the impound and storage fees.

-S

[mr.Curmudgeon]

More importantly...will you be putting on a pair of Truck Nuts?

[mccoy178]

I agree that the rental agency does have vehicles available with a hitch.  You should also be able to find a trailer company that would rent you a trailer.  Also, truck nuts are a nice accessory when the middle finger just won't do.

[Stingray]

I'm holding out for a set of truck strawberry speedbags myself.

-S

[fredster]

You have to take off the bumper.

[Stingray]

There are plenty of rental places that only rent trucks. There's a local place where you can rent anything from a half ton with a bumper hitch up to a one ton with a fifth wheel, actually I think they rent bigger trucks too now that I think about it. That's the way I'd go. Much less to have to mess with.

-S