Towing a 62 Champ Truck with 2007 Tacoma

[dougmays]

Hello,
i've been going around in circles here and i'm looking for some towing advice. I'm trying to tow my 1962 Champ truck with my 2007 toyota tacoma (tow package and 4WD). I've done the math and it looks like my truck should be more the well equipped to tow the truck, but Uhaul doesn't have the towing package listed in there computers so they wont let me tow it, unless i Lie about the car i'm pulling. But i was wondering if i could use a tow dolly. I've been told that you really dont want to tow older vehicles with dollys....is this the case with a 62? or would i be ok towing it with the dolly. If i cant, and have to use a flatbed trailer, will the truck be narrow enough to fit on one of those trailers? Anyone with any advice or experience in this please write back.

i appreciate it

doug

[tutone63]

I am not much of an expert, but I have towed older vehicles with a tow bar (all 4 wheels on the ground), and what I have done is disconnect the driveshaft to prevent any damage to the drivetrain. If that is what you are concerned about.


1963 Lark Custom, 259 V8, TT, 4 doors, 2 tone paint. Driven often, always noticed. Man I love this car!!

[dougmays]

hmmm...how hard is it to disconnect the drive shaft? i'm not much of a mechanic

[mapman]

FWIW I towed my 64 on a dolly with a 3/4 ton dodge van with no problem. Mine has a manual trans and I didn't disconnect the drive line. I did check often to make sure no problems developed. It was about 100 miles in the hills of N. Idaho. 60 MPH but no freeway.
Rob

[Dick Steinkamp]

The downside of towing with a dolly or flat towing (IMHO) is stopping, not going. The total package will weigh more than TWICE the weight of the tow vehicle. In a situation where you need to stop as quickly as you normally would with just the tow vehicle, you'll be toast.

I would guess the tow package on a Tacoma is the hitch and a wiring harness. It wouldn't add to the tow CAPACITY of the truck. U Haul errs on the safe side. I think I'd borrow or rent a bigger truck.

[Flashback]

How far are you towing?

Tex E. Grier

[shewolf]

U-haul has gotten bad about not renting auto transport trailers(at least here) to be pulled with anything less than their truck.I agree with Dick though that I would want a heavier truck than the tacoma to haul the champ.It would probably do it but would be a bit squirelly especially when a tractor-trailer passes.Steve

Can't wait to drive my V-8!
'63 Lark

[JRoberts]

quote:Originally posted by dougmays

Hello,
i've been going around in circles here and i'm looking for some towing advice. I'm trying to tow my 1962 Champ truck with my 2007 toyota tacoma (tow package and 4WD). I've done the math and it looks like my truck should be more the well equipped to tow the truck, but Uhaul doesn't have the towing package listed in there computers so they wont let me tow it, unless i Lie about the car i'm pulling. But i was wondering if i could use a tow dolly. I've been told that you really dont want to tow older vehicles with dollys....is this the case with a 62? or would i be ok towing it with the dolly. If i cant, and have to use a flatbed trailer, will the truck be narrow enough to fit on one of those trailers? Anyone with any advice or experience in this please write back.

i appreciate it

doug

See what the least expensive truck U-haul has that they would approve to pull the trailer with the Champ. That maybe the easiest thing to do if you cannot borrow a bigger truck.
When I wanted to tow a 2R6 pickup with a friend's 4x4 f150 several years ago I found that some U-Haul dealers would not rent me the trailer and some would. Check around.

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter

[Guido]

Dick is on target. Going is not the issue, but stopping is. A trailer or a good tow dolly will have brakes that will assist with stopping. I would not recommend flat towing as there can be issues with the towed vehicle cornering. If you do flat tow be sure to pull the driveshaft (and make sure you do not lose oil/fluid from the transmission).

You could always load the Champ INSIDE one of the U-Haul trucks. [:0]

Guido Salvage - "Where rust is beautiful" and real Studebaker horsepower lives

See pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/GuidoSalvage

Hiding and preserving Studebakers in Richmond, Goochland & Louisa, Va.

[studeclunker]

As a friend of mine has a Tacoma (probably similar to yours) I can say that for a short distance, it would be okay. Just keep your speed down. You'll have to borrow a truck to pick up the dolly though. By the by, they probably wouldn't rent the dolly to you if you were using the Champ to tow the Tacoma either. U-haul can be really silly about them. Probably past experiance on the stupidity of the population (present company excepted).

If you do use the Tacoma to tow the Champ, keep in mind what Dick said. Drive slower than you normally would, give yourself TWICE the normal stopping distance (minimum), and keep your speed down. There's no shame in driving slow and letting people pass you.

On the other hand, it's not a problem renting a U-haul truck. If you attempted to trailer the Champ with your Tacoma it would ruin the Toyota. That's way too much weight for it. Sure, it would probably do it... Then later you would be dealing with a bad transmission and possible engine problems.

As to the Champ fitting on a U-haul trailer? Yes it will. Studebaker pickups are narrow enough to fit. In fact, I was able to get a 71 Cadillac on a U-haul trailer, so a Champ will fit. Just make sure you face it forward.

For a short distance (across town) I'd say, 'go for it'. Any more than twenty miles... Rent the U-haul truck.


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
Lotsa Larks!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[61hawk]

quote:Originally posted by dougmays

Hello,
i've been going around in circles here and i'm looking for some towing advice. I'm trying to tow my 1962 Champ truck with my 2007 toyota tacoma (tow package and 4WD). I've done the math and it looks like my truck should be more the well equipped to tow the truck, but Uhaul doesn't have the towing package listed in there computers so they wont let me tow it, unless i Lie about the car i'm pulling. But i was wondering if i could use a tow dolly. I've been told that you really dont want to tow older vehicles with dollys....is this the case with a 62? or would i be ok towing it with the dolly. If i cant, and have to use a flatbed trailer, will the truck be narrow enough to fit on one of those trailers? Anyone with any advice or experience in this please write back.

i appreciate it

doug

As long as you have a trailer brake setup on the trailer you'll be fine. I've towed Studebakers plenty of times with my 2000 Tacoma (smaller than the '07) and it didn't have a problem. I've towed across NC; from NY to NC; from PA to NC as long as you keep it out of OD up hills.

Pictures here:

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/sdc_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18449&whichpage=2

Lee

[BobGlasscock]

When I was shopping for a way to move my '50 Champion, I found Penske to have the best deal. They had a bobtail box truck with a auto trailer and the rate for both of them for 1 day, 250 mile roundtrip was $85. Beat the you know what out of ALL of the other rentals.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[dougmays]

i'm going 150 miles or less, i'm not really concerned about my truck pulling the champ...i'm on a tacoma forum as well and there is a guy who tows a huge trailer with a backhoe on it. I currently tow my boat which is about 5000 lbs just fine with my truck. I was mainly concerned with the champ and the trailer. But i'm glad to know it'll be narrow enough. Another thing i'm up against is that the truck is inoperable now....so i was also looking for a trailer with a winch or a come-along....but come along's only have 6 feet of cable so i'm going to need to attach that to a chain or something. How do i disconnect the drive shaft? also what do you guys think about a tow bar instead of a trailer/dolly? Also someone mentioned checking the transmission fluid while towing if not on a trailer....is this a common problem?

[BobGlasscock]

I have towed payloads around 5000 lbs with my 84 Toyota (no model name, it was before they started the model names) with no problems. Flatbeds with loads, UHaul box trailers loaded, whatever. I have also towed my '50 Champion over 600 miles, all four on the road, just making sure it stayed in neutral. I don't think you have mentioned if your p/u is standard or automatic, makes a difference. A come-along is no sweat with a chain and multiple pulling stages, or a block-and-tackle with a long stretch, or two big guys. Auto trailers may be heavier than a simple flatbed if that is an issue. I've used both and the flatbeds with low sides have worked with car doors.
As a proud Toyota owner, GO FOR IT!

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[dougmays]

haha thanks for the words of encouragement! its a manual....so would putting it in N work or do i need to disconnect the drive shaft? i'm thinking about just telling uhaul i'm towing a dodge neon so they'll give me the trailer and come along-ing it on the the trailer. even with 2 big guys i'm not sure that truck would be easy to get on the trailer i just want to make sure also that the champ one damage or push the trailer to its limits because if its size. Also this is a Champ Truck not a champion...if that makes any difference

Did you use a tow bar on the 60?