Motorhome Double Towing

[dewilso]

I see a lot of trailers double towing, but why aren’t any MHs doing it?

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Most states require the first towed vehicle to be a fifth wheel type hitch.  The second towed can be a bumper pull type.  In the Midwest, you'll see just about everything towing everything.

[Murf2U]

There’s also the issue of overalll length, the longer the tow vehicle is, the less you can tow..

Lots of States have a 65’ overall length (bumper to bumper) restriction, if the tow vehicle is already 35’ that only leaves you 30’ to work with. That’s not much if you want to double tow. 

[jc2]

Common sense factor also comes into play. 

[Big5er]

2 hours ago, jc2 said:

Common sense factor also comes into play.  

Are you saying that people that own motorhomes have more common sense than others? 

[dblr]

I saw a motorhome towing a jeep with a golf cart on a utility trailer once near Bowling Green Ky. I didn't think it was legal or safe but of course that's only my opinion.

[richfaa]

Rv's double towing is common  all types legal or not.

[Dutch_12078]

Back a few years, our truck shop had a stacker trailer with two pro level bass boats on it in the impound yard we maintained for state and local police. We were told it was being towed behind another stacker behind a motorhome from Missouri when they were stopped in NY. I don't know if the owner had to wait until he won enough tournament money for the fine or what, but it was there for a couple of weeks before the judge sent over a release order. A Ryder rental truck hauled it away.

[oscarvan]

Just so everyone is clear..... you can drive in any state with the license you can legally operate your rig with in your home state.... If your home state requires a class C, you're good in any state. If it requires a CDL, that's what you need.

Equipment rules (size, brakes etc etc) are governing by state. So the triple may be legal in one state, but just because you're from that state doesn't mean you are legal in a state where it's not legal.....

Here's the scoop......

http://rvlife.com/rv-triple-towing-laws/

[Kirk W]

50 minutes ago, oscarvan said:

Here's the scoop....

Good seeing you back on the forums! It has been a while.  

[noteven]

I saw a motorhome flat towing two  Jeeps in California. #yepitslegal

 

[remoandiris]

Last year I saw a tag axle MH pulled over on I-95 S in Daytona.  That MH was towing a LARGE boat and a half ton truck was being towed by the boat trailer.   First (and last) time I saw a MH double towing.

 

[packnrat]

first you must have a class A dl, does not need to be a comercial dl.

second you must have a doubls/ tripples endorsment.

third the first trailer must be a fifthwheel style.

forth your tow must have the tow ratting to do this.

sixth can never be over 65 feet  total length.

seventh do you really need to do this?

eighth all axles must have brakes.

ninth all lights must work.

might be more.

[Ronbo]

First not all states require an upgraded license to operate a motor homer.

second not all states have double/triple endorsement, Texas being one.

fourth who is going th check the tow rating? 

Sixth different states have different allowable lengths, some as short as 55 ft.

Eighth some states do not have a brake requirement on a towed vehicle.

Ninth please show where all lights must be operational. This is an old wives tale. I can have lights all over my rig, only those required by law must be operational.

[Big5er]

packnrat, none of that is applicable in all states.  Every state is different. 

Many of the rules you posted sound like the Fed regs for commercial vehicles...which do not apply here. 

A Class A license depends on weight in my state, not the number of vehicles. Many states do not issue double triple endorsements except for CDL. And some states do not specify the type of trailers. In Texas brakes are only required on trailers over 4500lbs, actual weight. 

But i am with you wholeheartedly on #7.

[kb0zke]

Just because something can be done doesn't mean that it should be done.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

37 minutes ago, packnrat said:

first you must have a class A dl, does not need to be a comercial dl.

second you must have a doubls/ tripples endorsment.

third the first trailer must be a fifthwheel style.

forth your tow must have the tow ratting to do this.

sixth can never be over 65 feet  total length.

seventh do you really need to do this?

eighth all axles must have brakes.

ninth all lights must work.

might be more.

Check your states before you put what you think is law on the internet.  For instance,  check South and North Dakota....

 

[packnrat]

1 hour ago, Ronbo said:

First not all states require an upgraded license to operate a motor homer.

second not all states have double/triple endorsement, Texas being one.

fourth who is going th check the tow rating? 

Sixth different states have different allowable lengths, some as short as 55 ft.

Eighth some states do not have a brake requirement on a towed vehicle.

Ninth please show where all lights must be operational. This is an old wives tale. I can have lights all over my rig, only those required by law must be operational.

true no up grade to drive most motor homes,

but i have never heard of towing double with less than a class A, unless the second is a small light weight trailer. (special for some rv's)

yes some state roads are bad (as in tight. clearances deal), fed regs say 75 ft. but only on the fed hwy system and short off said.

as to "who's going to check?  you want to pay the ticket? it can get costly. and if in a accident you lose in court. will your insurance carrier drop you saying no coverage? not all cops out the are dumb, most do not care about small truck, rv;s.

the lights that are required on all motor vehicles and trailers. you can be sighted for even a lp light out. if just the least it gives a bored cop a reason to pull you over.

 

i was not quoting laws, just giving a general way of things.

do things right, get left alone.

do things in there face, get pulled over.

 

and yes i have been a class A driver for over 35 years, so my thinking does work that way.

 

[oscarvan]

8 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

Good seeing you back on the forums! It has been a while.  

Yeah, life happening at the speed of fun. 4 years to go 'till I retire. Last year we put 13000 miles on the new Moho..... All these projects.... At least I'm not bored!

[oscarvan]

Yeah packnrat, the comments are correct. Every state is different and the commercial rules do not apply to us....

But, you really had to put only one thing down.....

"Show me one fiver or TT with a hitch and a tow rating" (And we're not talking bolt on bicycle racks here).

Everyone out there putting their boat behind their trailer is in (legally) uncharted territory.

[Big5er]

24 minutes ago, oscarvan said:

But, you really had to put only one thing down.....

"Show me one fiver or TT with a hitch and a tow rating" (And we're not talking bolt on bicycle racks here).

There are several on this forum. Almost any Spacecraft 5er has the hitch to do it, probably most of the New Horizons too. 

My DRV is wired to the 2" hitch with a 7way plug, so it's capable of brakes...not sure I would tow much behind it, but I bet it would handle a small utility trailer. Of course since I am already 64ft there is that length issue to consider.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

DRV is 300lbs tongue weight, 3000 pounds towing weight as is.  With DRV's blessing and engineering, the hitch can be strengthened to a 5000lb pull rating.

[GeorgiaHybrid]

11 hours ago, Big5er said:

There are several on this forum. Almost any Spacecraft 5er has the hitch to do it, probably most of the New Horizons too. 

My DRV is wired to the 2" hitch with a 7way plug, so it's capable of brakes...not sure I would tow much behind it, but I bet it would handle a small utility trailer. Of course since I am already 64ft there is that length issue to consider.

You forgot the inches behind your length as in 64 feet, 72 inches long.