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Why not double tow Smartcar


GlennWest

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Just thinking out loud. What if one singled a truck and shorten rails. Truck would be much more friendly in rv parks. It would be close to same length as a dually. Tow Smart behind. Now I know double towing not allowed in all states but many do it. As we have them, truck always take up space for Smart due to the length is added to truck. Then Smart also takes up space. So my scenario saves room. Thoughts. 

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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Yes, the reason I posted this , we have some problem with finding parks we fit it. Some are just dead set against the HDT but others just don't have the room. I'm still working so jobs dictate where I stay.

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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COE

Shorter than PU.......

Just don't leave the Big-Gulp-Dr. Pepper on the dash when you tilt the cab.........

Drive on........(Short.......sometimes size matters.......)

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44 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

That adds to the problem. Now a trailer 

According to their site it only qualifies as a "trailer" if used with the central pivoting hitch like a conventional trailer. If used as an extension they claim it doesn't have to be registered with a separate tag. 

I tossed it in the conversation because I know RVH lifestyles uses them on occasion to allow putting a smart car sideways behind the trailer instead of putting the car sideways behind the truck cab.

Doug
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Occasional poster
First step towards the RV setup complete: 1 smart car

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1 minute ago, GlennWest said:

You misunderstood me. Extra space needed at rv park.

Ah. Gotcha. Yeah, it makes the whole thing longer. And another piece of equipment to deal with. I was thinking of the convenience factor vs. flat towing the car. A lot easier if you have to back the combo and allows for a shorter truck wheelbase so it maneuvers better. Always a compromise somehow, eh?

Doug
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Howdy Glenn,

Just my opinion but other then having a bit more maneuverable truck I don't see any gain and a few detriments to either flat towing the Smart Car or using something like the Freedom Hauler, thingamabob. Wear and tear on the Smart Car if its being towed, another braking system to buy and maintain, darn near impossible to back up, and your over all lenght isn't going to change much if anything.  Using the Freedom Hauler, again your over all length isn't going to change much, more tires and bearings to be concerned about.  Add in the cost of shorting the truck, buying-installing all the other needed equipment to either flat tow or use the Freedom Hauler, it would be hard for "ME" to justify the cost for the possible benefit gained. 

I know you can do most if not all of the work needed to address this issue, still it looks like a good outlay of money that would be very difficult if not impossible to recoup when you eventually sell the truck-trailer.  Your truck is now worth more and is more saleable as it can carry the Smart Car, when I was in the process of selling my Freightliner, the biggest draw back to it being sold was that it wasne't able to carry a Smart Car.  Just somethings to think about.  Good luck and safe travels which ever path you choose to follow.

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

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My biggest issue is my work locations. There can be lots of rv sites but they fill fast. Unless I am one of the first hired, I have to take the left overs. Like I originally stated just thinking out loud. My original thoughts was a 610 or 630. It would be a little shorter. I love my setup but it can be a pain finding a place we fit. 

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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I used to double tow my Jeep and never had any issues doing so.  I like my short wheelbase truck and wouldn’t trade it for a longer wheelbase.  There would be nothing wrong with double towing the smart as long as you set it and the trailer up properly.  In my opinion there are some definite advantages of a short wheeelbase HDT, but I will admit I am somewhat biased toward a short wheelbase.

Obviously there are some states that don’t allow double towing and there can be length issues depending on your set up.  Since smarts are no longer sold in the US, they are not necessarily the best way to go anymore and there aren’t really any other cars that can be hauled crosswise the same as a smart.  Double towing some other vehicle may be what people have to switch to in the future unless a smart replacement hits the market (or you want to go with an electric smart- assuming they continue to be sold).  Eventually, used smarts willl become as scares as hen’s teeth as there weren’t a lot of them manufactured in the first place.  

The only other answer is to go even longer with the HDT and haul a vehicle lengthwise.  This obviously is possible and being done, but it does exacerbate the truck length issues you are already lamenting by hauling a smart crosswise.

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Well I'm 62 so I don't believe they will run out of Smarts in my traveling life. Short truck be easier to back to. I had a lot of seasawing back and forth to get in this space. Just not enough room for this long length.

2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1

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6 hours ago, GlennWest said:

Well I'm 62 so I don't believe they will run out of Smarts in my traveling life. Short truck be easier to back to. I had a lot of seasawing back and forth to get in this space. Just not enough room for this long length.

Howdy Glenn,

Just a thought, as your truck is now setup to carry a Smart Car, have you looked into selling your truck as is, and buying one that has already been shortened as you would like a tow vehicle to be?  Or have you considered making some sort of trade to someone who has a short truck for your truck, MANY folks want the truck already setup to carry the Smart Car, I found that out when I sold my Freightliner.  I have noticed over on facebook, I don't do facebook but I lurk under my wife's account that there are quite a few trucks for sale some short, some long and folks are looking for trucks that can carry a Smart Car.

When I decided to carry the Smart Car, on the truck rather then haul it in the toy hauler I figured out what it would cost to redo my Freightliner to make that possible, way to much money and money that I would never recover when the truck was sold.  In my case it worked out better to sell my Freightliner as it was, a turn key truck that was suited to the needs of anyone who didn't have a need to carry anything larger then a full size motorcycle on the truck itself and then build a truck to suit my needs as I wanted it.

I fully understand how a persons NEEDS change, but you should think carefully about the cost to do what you want to do to your truck verses selling, buying, trading for something that will suit your present needs.  As I said earlier, your truck as it is now, capable of carrying a Smart Car, is worth more and will be MUCH easier to sell then if you shorten it.

Dave

2001 Peterbilt, 379, Known As "Semi-Sane II", towing a 2014 Voltage 3818, 45 foot long toy hauler crammed full of motorcycles of all types.  Visit my photo web site where you will find thousands of photos of my motorcycle wanderings and other aspects of my life, click this link. http://mr-cob.smugmug.com/

IMG_4282-600x310.jpg

 

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