Towing
Towing a car or trailer on a move
A tow dolly lifts the front wheels of a car and a car carrier lifts all four, with drive type deciding which one you can rent. U-Haul also rents enclosed cargo and open utility trailers to tow behind your own vehicle, and the loaded trailer must weigh less than that vehicle.
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-28
Dolly or carrier
Penske's dolly cannot take mid or rear engine cars.
A tow dolly lifts the front wheels and leaves the rear wheels on the road. A car carrier, which U-Haul calls an auto transport, lifts all four. Front wheel drive cars go on a dolly as they are. Penske says rear, four or all wheel drive cars need the driveshaft disconnected and removed. Penske's dolly cannot take mid or rear engine cars. Budget's dolly is front wheel drive only.
Max loads differ by brand. U-Haul's tow dolly allows 4,080 lb and weighs 740 lb empty. The auto transport allows 5,290 lb and weighs 2,210 lb empty. Penske's carrier allows 4,055 lb behind a 16 ft truck and 5,000 lb behind a 22 or 26 ft truck. Budget's dolly takes a car up to 3,300 lb and no wider than 76 inches at the front tyres. At Budget, rear or all wheel drive needs a carrier.
Tow dollies and car carriers, as each brand prints them, read 28 Sep 2026. Max load is the car's weight.
| Brand | Device | Max load | Empty weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul | Tow dolly | 4,080 lb | 740 lb | Front wheels up. Most front-wheel drive cars; rear-wheel drive needs the driveshaft disconnected. 55 mph max. |
| U-Haul | Auto transport | 5,290 lb | 2,210 lb | All four wheels up; for rear and all-wheel drive. Own brakes. 55 mph max. |
| Penske | Tow dolly | Not printed | Not printed | Front-wheel drive as is. Rear, four or all-wheel drive: driveshaft disconnected and removed. Not for mid or rear-engine cars. |
| Penske | Car carrier | 4,055 behind a 16'; 5,000 behind a 22' or 26' lb | Not printed | Only with a Penske truck. |
| Budget | Tow dolly | 3,300 (car weight) lb | Not printed | Front-wheel drive only; car no wider than 76 in at the front tyres. Cannot be backed up. |
| Budget | Car carrier | Not printed | Not printed | For all-wheel and rear-wheel drive. Only with a 16' or 26' truck. |
Sources: uhaul.com; uhaul.com; pensketruckrental.com; pensketruckrental.com; budgettruck.com.
Driving with a car behind you
Avoid reversing with anything attached and unhook first.
Speed and reversing are the hard limits. U-Haul caps the tow dolly and the auto transport at 55 mph, and the auto transport has its own brakes. Avoid reversing with anything attached and unhook first. Budget's dolly cannot be backed up. Penske staff show you how to hook up but do not do it for you. Check the straps and chains after the first five miles and then every 50.
Nothing rides inside the towed car. People, pets and belongings stay out of it at U-Haul, Penske and Budget. Penske's 16 ft truck is the smallest that can tow, and towing gear is only rented with a Penske truck. Budget tows only with the 16 ft and 26 ft trucks, and its gear is only rented with a truck. See truck sizes before you book the tow.
Rental trucks whose spec page says they tow. Specs vary by model year and location.
| Truck | Towing | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| U-Haul 10' truck | Up to 6,000 lb | Gasoline |
| U-Haul 15' truck | Up to 10,000 lb | Gasoline |
| U-Haul 20' truck | Up to 7,500 lb | Gasoline |
| U-Haul 26' truck | Up to 10,000 lb | Gasoline |
| Penske 16' truck | Can tow a vehicle | Gasoline |
| Penske 22' truck | Can tow a vehicle | Diesel |
| Penske 26' truck | Can tow a vehicle | Diesel |
| Budget 16' truck | Tow dolly or car carrier | Gasoline |
| Budget 26' truck | Tow dolly or car carrier | Diesel |
Towing a trailer with your own car
Cargo trailers go one way or in town.
U-Haul rents trailers for your own vehicle. Enclosed cargo trailers run from 4 by 8 ft, 142 cu ft and 1,650 lb, to 6 by 12 ft, 396 cu ft and 2,480 lb, plus open utility trailers. Cargo trailers go one way or in town. Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand.
The loaded trailer must weigh less than your vehicle and stay within its towing capacity. U-Haul checks your vehicle at booking. Cargo and utility trailers are the alternative when you already have a car that can pull them. If the load outgrows the trailer, compare rental costs and run the DIY calculator.
U-Haul trailers to tow behind your own vehicle. The loaded trailer must weigh less than the vehicle pulling it.
| Trailer | Inside | Max load | Empty weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4' × 8' cargo trailer | 8'1" × 4'2" × 4' | 1,650 lb | Not printed | 142 cu ft, swing door. One-way or in-town. |
| 5' × 8' cargo trailer | 8'1" × 4'8" × 5' | 1,800 lb | Not printed | 208 cu ft; swing door or ramp. One-way or in-town. |
| 6' × 12' cargo trailer | 11'7" × 6' × 5'3" | 2,480 lb | Not printed | 396 cu ft, swing door. One-way or in-town. |
| 5' × 9' utility trailer, ramp | 8'11" × 4'8" | 1,650 lb | 1,240 lb | Open, ramp takes 1,810 lb. One-way or in-town. |
| 6' × 12' utility trailer, ramp | 11'11" × 6' | 3,710 lb | 2,290 lb | Open, ramp takes 1,810 lb. In-town only. |
| 4' × 7' utility trailer | 7'6" × 3'2" | 1,770 lb | 630 lb | Open, gate. In-town only. |
Source: U-Haul trailers.
Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-28, then edited.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- Which cars can go on a tow dolly?
- Front wheel drive cars go on a dolly as they are. Penske says rear, four or all wheel drive cars need the driveshaft disconnected and removed, and its dolly cannot take mid or rear engine cars. Budget's dolly is front wheel drive only, so rear or all wheel drive needs a carrier.
- Can I reverse with a dolly, carrier or trailer attached?
- Avoid reversing with anything attached and unhook first. Budget's dolly cannot be backed up.
- Which trucks can tow a car?
- Penske's 16 ft truck is the smallest that can tow. A Penske car carrier takes up to 4,055 lb behind that truck and 5,000 lb behind a 22 or 26 ft truck. Budget tows only with the 16 ft and 26 ft trucks, and towing gear at both brands is only rented with a truck.
- Can I buy cover for the car I am towing?
- Towing cover for your own car is sold by Penske and Budget. Budget's pays up to $20,000.
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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