How Heavy Is a U-Haul Car Trailer Really?

U-Haul car trailers are incredibly convenient — you rent them, load the car, and go.

The problem is that many people seriously underestimate how much weight they’re actually towing.

The Empty Weight Surprise

Unlike many lightweight utility trailers, U-Haul car trailers are built extremely robustly.

Typical U-Haul car trailer specs:

Empty trailer weight: ~2,200 lb
Maximum load capacity: ~5,290 lb
Maximum gross trailer weight: ~7,500 lb

That means before you load a vehicle, you’re already towing over a ton.

What Happens When You Load a Car

Let’s say you’re transporting a common sedan or small SUV.

Example loaded setup:

U-Haul trailer: ~2,200 lb
Vehicle being towed: ~3,800 lb
Total trailer weight: ~6,000 lb

This is where people start running into problems — especially with SUVs and half-ton trucks.

Tongue Weight Adds Up Fast

Car trailers typically run around 10–15% tongue weight.

Tip:
The only way to know your real tongue weight is to measure it. A simple, purpose-built tongue weight scale can prevent guesswork and surprises. For most travel trailers, a mechanical scale like the Sherline Hydraulic LM-1000 Tongue Weight Scale is accurate, battery-free, and rated for real-world tongue weights.

Estimated tongue weight:
600–900 lb added directly to payload

That tongue weight counts against:

Payload rating
Receiver tongue weight limit
Rear axle and tire capacity

It’s very common for the payload to be exceeded long before the tow rating.

Why This Catches People Off Guard

Many vehicles advertise tow ratings of 7,500 lb or more, which makes a 6,000 lb trailer sound safe.

But those ratings assume a lightly loaded vehicle with no passengers, cargo, or hitch hardware.

In the real world, payload is often the limiting factor.

Check your real towing numbers

Enter your vehicle’s payload, passengers, and a U-Haul trailer to see where your margins really are.

Use the Towing Calculator

U-Haul trailers aren’t “bad” — they’re just heavy. Knowing the real numbers helps you avoid surprises.