...sort of... This is not a full household move. Just a family and a bunch of gear.

After a year of living in California, I need to drive back to Ontario in a couple of months.
We have enough stuff that the cross-continent drive will involve some significant luggage. After reading several of the towing and trailer-hitch threads on these boards (thanks!) I would still like advice.

I can see two options:
1) Me and the family (2 adults, 2 kids) inside, cargo area packed, 4 bikes on a hitch-mount rack, and a big cargo bag on the roof.

2) Me and fam in the FEH, and everything else in a small U-Haul tralier (the 4 x 8 ft model should hold our stuff)


Any opinions? Factors include drive-ability, mileage and safety.

Thanks!

 

Roof cargo bags kill mileage.

I'd go with the small U-Haul. This'll also be better on your suspension in your FEH. I towed a small U-Haul a couple of summers go without any problems. I found fuel mileage actually improved on hilly, rolling terrain.

 

Thanks for the input.
I am leaning that way. Also has the advantage of keeping stuff locked up at the motel.
My only hesitation has been the 1000 lb towing rating in the owners manual. But I feel more reassured about this reading the excellent posts on these boards.

 

Lots of threads here on towing if you search for it. Use common sense and limit your speed and you'll do ok.

 

I guess that you haven't read posts where people have exceeded that #1000 limit two times if not three times?

 

I moved from Florida to Utah with ours. 2 bikes, surfboard and yakima skybox on the roof. 2 people up front with the seats folded down and the back completely stuffed full.
If I had to do it again, I would have installed a hitch and pulled a small enclosed U haul mainly for the security. I would have also been able to keep my kayak which I had to sell.

 

Yes, I have read them. That is why I said I was reassured.
Otherwise I wouldn't have really considered it an option. I'm usually a go-by-the-owners-manual kind of guy.

 

Thanks Jerry. Sounds like a similar load to what I am thinking of. Think I will definitely go for the hitch and pay the $500 to rent a small trailer.
Thanks for your advice!

 

Someone told me that on the FEH, you can TOW 2 -3x more while "driving forward" because you are using ICE (combustion engine). The issue is that the 1000lbs limit is due to the "reverse drive" which only uses the electric motor (my 2005 FEH uses a70-kilowatt electric motor ~ 95hp).

You can drive all day in forward drive, but when backing up, you lose a lot of horsepower in electric only mode. Worst case scenario would be facing downhill on a mountain, then if an emergency happens where you need to drive in reverse going uphill with an overweight trailer (1000lbs limit).

 

Hey folks,
Just following up on my OP.
I reserved the smallest U-haul trailer (4x8). But when I showed up all they had was a 5 x 10 beast with two axles. They assured me that according to their 'system' it was okay. I even called U-haul central and got the same story.

Now, I know the manual says 1,000 lb towing, and this thing weighed 1200 lbs or so empty, but with what I had read here and elsewhere I went for it.
The trailer was not stuffed at all. Only about 2-3 feet deep in boxes, duffle bags, bikes etc. I estimate 600 to 800 pounds of gear (but I'm not good at estimating that).


We drove from California to Ontario no problems. On the flat interstate I just set cruise control to 65 mph (despite the 55mph warning on the trailer). On steep mountain uphills we often slowed down, sometimes as low as 45 mph. However, the mileage was not terrible. We were getting 9 to 10 L/100km. I usually get 7 L/100 km. But 23-26 mpg for a rig like this is pretty **** good imho.

If you've been afraid of towing with your FEH don't be.