towing U-Haul 4 x 8 enclosed trailer

[iam2sam]

I have a 2025 XL 2.0 AWD with the 4k tow package and base Co-pilot-360. I need to take a heavy Murphy bed kit and some other stuff down to our off-grid Virginia property come Spring. The kit boxes are up to ~86" long, and in total, the kit probably weighs about 250 - 300 lbs. I was originally planning to rig a DIY bed extender to adequately support the boxes for the kit. After further consideration, I think it might be easier to pony up $160 for a one-way rental of a U-Haul 4 x 8 enclosed trailer. That also would eliminate my concern about the boxes getting rained on.

The trailer net weight is 850 lbs. I also plan to carry about 20 gallons of water in the bed, so that is about another 160 lbs. I will not be carrying a passenger. So, call it about 750 lbs. of payload (including me), plus the net trailer weight of 850. That looks like I am within the basic design limits of the truck, even without the 4k package. The frontal area of the trailer looks to be about 17 ft sq., which also looks to be well within the recommendations in the Ford Towing Guide. Most of my driving would be on I-81, keeping max speed down to about 60 mph in Towing mode. It is about a 450 mile drive. Any cause for concern there?

Next question, is there any provision in the Maverick wiring harness to plug in an addtional backup camera to display on the infortainment monitor? I'd love to have a backup cam on the trailer for stopping at the Interstate rest areas. If not, I'll probably just buy a cheap set-up and jury rig the additional monitor.

Finally, the driveway into my property is quite steep. Is there much chance that the Maverick would not be able to tow that much weight up there? I do have a fall back plan. My wife will have her 2017 4Runner on the trip. She isn't much for towing, but if necessary I could switch the trailer to her vehicle at the end of the trip and I could drive that up. Several years ago we needed water to mix concrete for the foundation piers for our cabin. There is no running water in the property, so we loaded a 250 gallon water container onto a small trailer, filled it down the river aways, and towed that monstrosity up the grade with our previous 2007 4Runner, so I'm confident that the 2017 can do this job. I just don't want to go to trouble of swapping the trailer between vehicles at the end of an 8 hour drive if the Maverick is up to the task.

Anyway, I have not towed anything with the Maverick yet, so I look forward to insights from those who have. Thanks in advance.

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[Glen Baker LLC]

A u-haul enclosed trailer is a good choice, especially if you're trying to keep stuff out of the rain.

Here's a great first-hand experience thread you might want to read.
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/towing-a-5x8-u-haul-trailer.69705/

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

I can't think of a better trailer than that 4x8 U-Haul enclosed. To U-Haul's credit, their trailers are over-built. Not sure what your uphill road to the cabin is like, if wet/muddy, the OEM tires may not grip as well as you'd like, but otherwise, enjoy your trip.

HRG

FYI, insert-wise, a 2" drop should put you in the range for that trailer.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

Towing a U-Haul 4x8 enclosed trailer with a Ford Maverick 2.0L EcoBoost is generally a safe and effective match, but your specific truck configuration determines how much "breathing room" you have.

The U-Haul 4x8 cargo trailer has an empty weight of 850 lbs and a Maximum Gross Weight of 2,500 lbs.
Standard 2.0L EcoBoost: Your towing capacity is 2,000 lbs.
Verdict: You can tow this trailer, but you must be careful with loading. You only have 1,150 lbs of cargo capacity before you hit the truck's limit.
2.0L EcoBoost with 4K Tow Package: Your towing capacity is 4,000 lbs.
Verdict: You are well within limits. You can fill the trailer to its maximum capacity (1,650 lbs of cargo) and still have a 1,500 lb safety buffer.

 

[iam2sam]

Here's a great first-hand experience thread you might want to read.
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/towing-a-5x8-u-haul-trailer.69705/

Informative thread, thanks. I was already planning to buy an OBDC scanner in case I decide to do any Forscan changes, so I'll take the tip from that thread to use one to monitor engine temp accurately. The trip will likely be in May, so I don't anticipate any truly hot weather, but if I'm buying it anyway, that's a no-brainer.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Informative thread, thanks. I was already planning to buy an OBDC scanner in case I decide to do any Forscan changes, so I'll take the tip from that thread to use one to monitor engine temp accurately. The trip will likely be in May, so I don't anticipate any truly hot weather, but if I'm buying it anyway, that's a no-brainer.

Found it.
There is an available bluetooth or Wi-Fi magnetic trailer camera. I think it comes with a monitor. You would stick it on the back of the trailer and it give you a view behind it.
Good luck

 

[Pointyears]

Found it.
There is an available bluetooth or Wi-Fi magnetic trailer camera. I think it comes with a monitor. You would stick it on the back of the trailer and it give you a view behind it.
Good luck

I have something like that for my RV which doesn't have a functional rear view mirror. It works really well. The solar power makes a lot of difference.

 

[Triangle6887]

A few months ago I towed the 5x8 haul with ~2500lbs with no issues. I drove about 200 miles at an average speed of 60 - 65mph with about half of the trip in the rain. Felt like the truck did just fine. As for the slope on your driveway, I encountered a similar issue so I just parked the trailer at the bottom of my driveway and moved everything in the trailer up by hand. If you're concerned about moving heavy or awkward items by hand due to age or disability, go buy a cheap hand truck from Harbor Freight. I bought this one a few years ago and it has been a wonderful investment for moving heavy things by myself.

 

[Joe Strummer]

From what you describe, I'm not sure you need the U Haul trailer. I think you are well within the 1,500lbs Payload limit of the truck. Plus you won't have the hassle of picking up and dropping off the trailer.

1,500lbs includes everything you load onto the truck except a full tank of petrol. In your case Payload = you, bed and water = 200lbs + 300lbs + 160lbs = 660lbs. Even if you weight 300lbs, you are less than half the maximum Payload.

 

[DadofTim]

Be sure to load the trailer properly. A tail-heavy trailer is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Ranko Kohime]

Finally, the driveway into my property is quite steep. Is there much chance that the Maverick would not be able to tow that much weight up there?

It took pulling 6300 pounds of center console boat up an icy hill with my FWD hybrid to run out of traction. I think you should be fine with all wheel drive.

 

[iam2sam]

From what you describe, I'm not sure you need the U Haul trailer. I think you are well within the 1,500lbs Payload limit of the truck. Plus you won't have the hassle of picking up and dropping off the trailer.

1,500lbs includes everything you load onto the truck except a full tank of petrol. In your case Payload = you, bed and water = 200lbs + 300lbs + 160lbs = 660lbs. Even if you weight 300lbs, you are less than half the maximum Payload.

I want to use it because of load length, not weight. The longest box in the Murphy bed kit that I am taking down is about 96". It has some particle board pieces, so the boxes needs to be supported for their entire length. I had figured out how to DIY a bed extender from 2x lumber to provide that support, then I began to think about having that shite hanging off the back of my truck for the 425 mile drive, and began to have second thoughts. I checked out the one-way rental price for the small enclosed U-Haul. It was $168, and I have three days to return it at the other end. I can pick it up 1/4 mile from my house, and return it about 30 minutes away from my destination. When I added all of that up, it seemed like a good idea.

 

[iam2sam]

A few months ago I towed the 5x8 haul with ~2500lbs with no issues. I drove about 200 miles at an average speed of 60 - 65mph with about half of the trip in the rain. Felt like the truck did just fine. As for the slope on your driveway, I encountered a similar issue so I just parked the trailer at the bottom of my driveway and moved everything in the trailer up by hand. If you're concerned about moving heavy or awkward items by hand due to age or disability, go buy a cheap hand truck from Harbor Freight. I bought this one a few years ago and it has been a wonderful investment for moving heavy things by myself.

Thanks for the suggestion about the hand cart, but you have no idea what the drive or slope is like there If I need to walk that drive carrying nothing more than twice in a day, I'm beat, and I'm not in bad condition for an old fart. If couldn't drive it in my own vehicle,, I'd need to borrow my neighbor's 4x4 tractor to get the stuff up there...

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I want to use it because of load length, not weight. The longest box in the Murphy bed kit that I am taking down is about 96". It has some particle board pieces, so the boxes needs to be supported for their entire length. I had figured out how to DIY a bed extender from 2x lumber to provide that support, then I began to think about having that shite hanging off the back of my truck for the 425 mile drive, and began to have second thoughts. I checked out the one-way rental price for the small enclosed U-Haul. It was $168, and I have three days to return it at the other end. I can pick it up 1/4 mile from my house, and return it about 30 minutes away from my destination. When I added all of that up, it seemed like a good idea.

And you keep your stuff dry if it rains.

If you rent and return to the same location. U-Haul rents a 4x8 cargo trailer for $19.98 a day. What about renting one for 3 days.
Granted you will lose miles per gallon, towing it there empty.
That's probably $70 in rental fee +taxes for 3 days.

 

[iam2sam]

And you keep your stuff dry if it rains.

If you rent and return to the same location. U-Haul rents a 4x8 cargo trailer for $19.98 a day. What about renting one for 3 days.
Granted you will lose miles per gallon, towing it there empty.
That's probably $70 in rental fee +taxes for 3 days.

re rain - yeah, that too (maybe especially Regarding the rental period, with the length of the drive (>400 miles one way) we usually stay down for at least a week. We didn't make it down last year (we were dealing with a dying pooch) so this year it will probably be two weeks. That takes the return to source option off the table, but it was a good suggestion, thank you. Regarding trip cost, this should be at worst a "wash" with past trips. We drive two vehicles down, one of which is my wife's 2017 4Runner. My previous vehicle for the trip was my 2004 F250 V-10 long bed crew cab pickup. I averaged maybe 11-13 MPG in the drive in that vehicle (used nearly all of two 39 gallon tankfuls on a round trip, roughly 75 gallons). With the decreased fuel consumption in driving the Maverick, even if there is a 25-30% penalty from pulling the trailer, I should use no more than half the fuel, which should pretty much pay for the trailer rental.

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