I used US Rider once at my house when I ruined a tire by running it into a piece of equipment. I tried to change the tire myself but couldn’t budge the lug nuts. Do you all carry impact wrenches with you? That’s what the service provider told me I’d need.
I do not know about now but back in the days that we used US Rider the first two questions they always asked was something on the lines of do you have horses with you and are they OK
I’ve had US Rider for about 4 years (just got the renewal notice this week). I have never called them at all in those four years. I have had two flat trailer tires in that time, but both happened while parked either at home or at a venue, so I just changed them myself. I’ll keep paying them their $139, because if something were to happen when I was far from home, I’d really need the help, especially now that I have a gooseneck. No more calling dad to the rescue (which has never happened either, but I did once borrow his truck for towing when mine was in the shop).
I know this is an older post, but are you still using Trailguard and if so are you still happy with them?
USRider has let me down twice this season so I am looking at other options.
USRider only let me down once in 7 years - and that was in the middle of a blizzard. Fortunately I was at home and needed a relative towed out of a ditch.
Just today I waited almost 2 hours for a tow in nice weather, but only needed a truck towed to the repair shop. I would’ve been annoyed if I had spent two hours alongside the freeway with a horse in the trailer.
I am also interested in Trailguard experiences as I am 2 months away from a cross country trip with a large trailer.
my gf has had it long before my involvement. She said the same thing, never had to use it with the horse (thankfully).
however, the last time she used it was for our jeep at her work and they were giving her the run around stating that it may take several hours. I called horseshit, there were dozens of tow places to give us the jump. What they do is call into x,y,z’s and say “will you do it for 1/3 of your typical price”. Then make you sit there until you call them out on it.
but in the end, it worked fine.
It is so funny that you posted this because I just had to use them for a blow out on a trailer tire in August. It took them about an hour to get out to me, which I thought was reasonable, but I was on a major interstate near my state capital. I was hauling a four wheeler, and not livestock, so that worked to my advantage too.
I think part of the issue, in your situation, is that they contract their service provider and there are only so many service providers they are actually contracted with. Providers are scarce in some areas. My attitude is that I cannot be in a hurry if something goes wrong, and I’m just going to have to wait until they get to me.
I will say the service provider that came out for me was excellent- kept in touch with me about arrival time, knew exactly what needed to be done and did it correctly, and was pleasant. I went to tip him, and he refused, but I insisted and he finally accepted.
I went with US Rider but fortunately have not had to use it yet. We got a newer truck and new tires on the trailer so hopefully we are okay. I don’t do a ton of hauling but will do more out of state shows next year so want to be ready. Trailguard is about a double the price of US Rider so curious as to what the differences are.
I’ve been happy with US Rider. I just had them do a trailer tire swap a few weeks ago and the guy came within 1/2 hour and had the job done in 3 minutes where it would have taken me half an hour with a breaker bar and a torque wrench. He had an impact gun and was done in 2 seconds.
I use an impact gun with torque sticks at home, prevents overtightening.
We have had Trailguard for the last few years, and recently used them for the first time, for a flat tire on one of our trailers. The trailer developed the flat after returning from a long distance haul, which wasn’t discovered for several hours. It was parked in a safe place, so my husband told TG to send someone in the morning, rather than change it at night. Guy showed up first thing in the morning.
What TG offers better fits our needs.
http://www.usrider.org/about/faq
Notice the difference in who is covered and the towing limits, for example
I recently switched to Trailguard after a frustrating experience with US Rider. I haven’t needed them yet, but the coverage is significantly better.
I generally haul alone and appreciate having a roadside assistance service “just in case”.
I have been very disappointed in USRider, sitting on hold for over 20 minutes, then after telling the rep that I was in a unsafe spot, she took another 20 minutes to ask questions that really were overkill. After all that I was able to get the tire changed when MD roadside assistance stopped to help, as we were on I95 not too far from DC. The rep finally called back 45 minutes after getting off of the phone with her to tell me she couldn’t find a provider!!! We were long done and back on the road.
The second time they let me down this summer, I could not even get through to them. Found my own provider and was taken care of. When I called them to complain and get reimbursed they were like oh yeah our phones must not have been working that day, we had a lot of complaints.
Trailguard’s 30 day waiting period is obnoxious, you buy a year of service and only get 11 months because of it.
