The Big Rentals Guide to Towing a Car Hauler Trailer in and around Chicago, IL

A car hauler is long, and Chicago is tight. Loading and maneuvering a car on a trailer through narrow streets, alleys and low viaducts is half the job here, and a salt-belt winter shapes the other half: cars stored for months, roads coated in salt, ice under the ramps.

Misjudge a viaduct or a turn with a car on behind you and you're stuck. Haul a clean car open through February salt and you undo the storage. Find the ramps iced when you go to load and the day gets longer. This guide covers the car haulers that match real Chicago loads, the Illinois rules that apply the second you couple up, and the city and the winter that make a car hauler trailer rental in Chicago its own particular job.

Why Chicago Renters Choose Car Haulers

Chicago is one of the largest metros in the country, with a busy dealer, auction and private-sale market moving cars to new owners across the region. A car hauler is how they get there when they can't or shouldn't be driven. Read more about how open and enclosed car haulers compare.

The long winter drives the other half of the calendar, with a lot of cars stored from fall to spring and the hauler moving them to and from storage — including the stored or project car that won't start on its own. Read more about how to tow a non-running vehicle with a rented car hauler.

Underneath it is a deep classic and project-car community, with the Chicago Auto Show anchoring the calendar and builds and buys moving on trailers year-round. Wherever the car is headed, you'll find trailer rentals across the Chicago area from local owners near you.

Illinois Towing Laws Every Car Hauler Renter Should Know

A car usually puts you in the top brake tier

Illinois tiers its brake rule under 625 ILCS 5/12-301: no brakes at 3,000 lb or under, brakes on one wheel per side over 3,000 to 5,000 lb, and brakes on every wheel plus an automatic breakaway over 5,000 lb. A car hauler plus a car usually lands between 5,000 and 6,000 lb, which puts you in the top tier, where all-wheel brakes and a working breakaway are the legal minimum. Confirm the trailer's brakes and breakaway and your tow vehicle's brake controller, and check the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) before you book. Read more about what GVWR means and how to read it.

Securing the car

Illinois requires the load fastened so nothing shifts, and the trailer coupled with two safety chains under the drawbar. For a car that means four rated tie-downs to the car's designated points — not to suspension components — with the parking brake set and the car in gear. A car that shifts on the deck wasn't tied down tightly enough, so recheck the tie-downs after the first few miles. Read more about how to load and tie down a car on a rental trailer.

Speed, the lanes and license

Illinois sets no separate towing speed limit, so the posted limit applies. Illinois has no HOV or carpool lanes, so there's no occupancy-restricted lane to worry about here — the expressway express lanes are just express-vs-local and open to all. A standard license covers a personal car haul, with commercial licensing only for the heaviest rigs. Read more about what hitch and tow vehicle you need to pull a car hauler.

Matching a Car Hauler to Your Vehicle and the Car

Deck length and the car

Car haulers commonly run 16 to 20 ft of deck. Measure the car rather than trusting the category, because a long sedan, a classic with overhang or a full-size truck uses more deck than people assume. Check the trailer's payload against the car's curb weight too: a midsize car runs 3,000 to 4,000 lb, and a full-size truck or SUV climbs past that quickly.

Ramps, clearance and the winch

A lowered or low-clearance car drags on a steep ramp, so match the ramp angle and deck height to the car. If the car doesn't run — a stored car with a dead battery or a project — you need a winch and a plan, so confirm the trailer has a working winch before you go get it.

Open or enclosed

A salt-belt winter and constant road grime are hard on a nice car, so an enclosed trailer earns its cost for a classic, a show car or a fresh build. For a daily driver or a project shell, an open deck is fine and simpler.

Hitch, brake controller and where the car sits

Match the coupler to your ball size, confirm the receiver is rated for the loaded trailer and confirm the brake controller works. Put the car forward on the deck for 10% to 15% tongue weight, because too far back and the trailer sways. Use four rated tie-downs and recheck them after the first few miles.

The Dense City, the Viaducts and the Winter

Maneuvering a car hauler in the city

Narrow streets, alleys and tight turns are the reality of loading in Chicago, so plan the route, the loading spot and the room to swing a long trailer before you go. A car hauler doesn't back or turn like your truck alone, so don't improvise a three-point turn on a busy street with a car on behind you.

Low viaducts and clearance

Chicago's low railroad viaducts are a real hazard for a tall load. A car on an open deck is usually fine, but know your loaded height and your route, because a viaduct is not the place to discover you're an inch too tall.

Winter, salt and storage

Early spring still means salt and sand on the roads, so time a clean car's haul for a dry day or take an enclosed trailer. Clear ice and snow off the ramps before you load, and if you're hauling into storage, don't seal a wet car in for the winter.

Traffic and the tie-down check

The Kennedy, the Dan Ryan and the Eisenhower run heavy for most of the day, so give yourself long, planned merges with a car on behind you and don't count on squeezing into a gap. Recheck the tie-downs at your first stop, because a car creeps and shifts under repeated braking.

Insurance and Damage Protection

What about insurance and damage protection?

Before towing a rented trailer, contact your auto insurance provider to ask whether your policy covers liability and towing-related damage claims.

Eligible rentals booked through Big Rentals also include Basic Rental Protection at checkout. This added protection can help limit your financial responsibility for certain damage or theft events during the rental period.

For full details on how Basic Rental Protection works, including deductibles, exclusions, and renter responsibilities, review our FAQ and platform terms.

One thing worth being clear about: that protection applies to the trailer. The car riding on it is a separate conversation, and for a valuable car it's one to have with your own insurer before pickup day.

Ready To Book?

Size the deck to the car, confirm brakes and a winch, secure the car at four points, and plan the route around tight streets and low viaducts. Do that and a car hauler is the most reliable way to move a car across a city this dense. When you're ready, browse car hauler trailer rentals in Chicago from local owners near you.

The Short Version

• Car haulers move Chicago's big-metro car market and its fall-to-spring storage cycle, plus a deep classic and project-car scene.
• A loaded car hauler usually lands in Illinois's top brake tier, so all-wheel brakes and an automatic breakaway are the legal minimum (625 ILCS 5/12-301).
• Secure the car with four rated tie-downs to its designated points, parking brake set and in gear, plus two safety chains under the drawbar.
• No separate towing speed limit, and Illinois has no HOV or carpool lanes, so there's no restricted-lane question here.
• Plan for tight streets and low viaducts, choose enclosed for salt and grime, and clear ice off the ramps in winter.
• Match the ramp and deck to the car, confirm a winch if it doesn't run, and keep 10% to 15% of the weight on the tongue.