Pyscokev Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 I'd like to go to the sand dunes in Oregon but I tow a 5th wheel and a flatbed trailer behind it with my toys. I live in CA and have the appropriate license and am the correct lengths. I've alwaya heard Oregon and Washington don't allow double towing but as I researched it found that many people do it in Oregon. Do they just hope to not get caught, get a permit, just not care? I'm looking for anyone with real life experience doing this and why it can or can't be done. Thanka for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deezl Smoke Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 I'll try to provide more info later. Gotta run on errands at the moment. But start here. Quote I'm a work'n on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Heiser Posted June 21, 2020 Report Share Posted June 21, 2020 Oregon does not allow recreational doubles. I too live in California and tow doubles with the appropriate license. I do not tow doubles into Oregon or Washington because neither state allows it for non commercial vehicles. I would like to take my RZR up to the dunes behind my 5th wheel, but it isn’t allowed. I have a friend who used to live in Idaho were recreational doubles are allowed. He tried to cross the Oregon border with his 5er and a utility trailer behind it with his SXS. He was stopped shortly after crossing the border and told to turn around and go back to Idaho. He now lives in Washington so in order to bring his toys, he built a truck capable of hauling them on a flatbed and also tow his 5er (no more doubles for him). Quote 2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift 2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard 2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan 2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage) 2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)My First Solar Install ThreadMy Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the buildMy MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet! chadheiser.com West Coast HDT Rally Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyscokev Posted June 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2020 Thanks for replying Chad, especially since you have knowledge of this. What is the difference in the recreational vs commercial doubles? My truck is technically commercial (I think?) as is my rear trailer since it's over 10k gvwr. Not sure if that makes a difference. Appreciate the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deezl Smoke Posted June 22, 2020 Report Share Posted June 22, 2020 Application and licensing. If you are making money, you are commercial. This includes indirectly making money. If you are say a sponsored rodeo rider, and tow a horse trailer behind an rv. That would a "commercial aspect" and would require all commercial licensing etc. I have had many conversations on the phone with Oregon motor carrier. Use the site ASKODOT.com and they will get back to you with answers. If you leave your phone number, they may even call you for more specifics. One of my questions was regarding how they determine commercial vs. recreational. The official called me on the phone and explained that there are no laws on Oregon (at that time) stopping me from going to town and buying a semi and an A-train and driving it to the beach. Even with a class C license. As long as I am not making a dime, I am not commercial. However, if I stop and pick up a friend and get pulled over, and this is pushing the concept, but for the sake of analogy, the cop asks if my friend is buying lunch for the ride, and I say yes. I am at that point commercial. I'm on the west side of the cascades near Portland. Here, whether or not you get hassled will be a county by county deal. The state troopers are few and far between and usually dont spend a lot of time on the highways unless it is a holiday. IMO Quote I'm a work'n on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Heiser Posted June 25, 2020 Report Share Posted June 25, 2020 On 6/21/2020 at 3:56 PM, Pyscokev said: Thanks for replying Chad, especially since you have knowledge of this. What is the difference in the recreational vs commercial doubles? My truck is technically commercial (I think?) as is my rear trailer since it's over 10k gvwr. Not sure if that makes a difference. Appreciate the help. I posted the legal answer with references on your other thread about this same topic. It is not legal to do in Oregon with your set up. See my other post for the reference link. Quote 2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift 2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard 2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan 2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage) 2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)My First Solar Install ThreadMy Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the buildMy MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet! chadheiser.com West Coast HDT Rally Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted June 28, 2020 Report Share Posted June 28, 2020 (edited) Was hatched in Oregon some moons ago and seems like been on every paved road and 99% of the unpaved roads and have flown aerial natural resources survey over every sq. mile of Oregon more than a few times. ODOT if you ask deep into the agency will mutter that once a RV operator exits the ONLY two freeways (I-5 / I-84) then the roads tend to get fairly narrow and often twisty and steep. Now a bunch of folks here on the forum will say so what .....heck Kalifornia has some steep and twisty roads and so does other Western states as well..... What tends to make things a bit dicey in Oregon is........POWER POLES........Ouch......these are .......POWER POLES but in most states the power poles are poked into a hole in the ground and stand upright with wires strung between the poles........in Oregon many of these ONE HUNDRED TEN FOOT poles are loaded onto bunks on the back of a log truck and it makes for a .......Oh Crap moment when ever you meet one of these rigs coming around a corner and the tractor is in his lane and his trailer is in your lane on a twisty secondary lane........ Sometimes a flag-car will flag you down before the corner but some roads just have warning signs about pole trucks and then if a RV meets the pole truck in the corner then the Law of the LUG-NUTS is applied (the rig with the most lug nuts move forward and the RV gets to back up)...... You see asking the average triple-tow RV operator to back up a narrow twisty road is going to get ugly in no time so Oregon with good reason just does not allow triple-tow RV operations. Some highways in Oregon don't even allow commercial B trains. For the most part Oregon loves RV's but many of the highways are not very well suited for RV's and especially large RV's Drive on.........Keep your eyes peeled for .......Pole Trucks Edited June 28, 2020 by Dollytrolley Quote 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim M Posted August 10, 2021 Report Share Posted August 10, 2021 Well I guess I'll just leave my RZR at home when I go up to Oregon. Since I pull it behind my 5th wheel. ☹ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Schneider Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 Dollytrolly - Triple tow is 3 trailers behind the power unit. Oregon does allow these for commercial units on their 2 freeways. I don't know why people call two units behind the power unit triple towing. That would mean the 3 trailer units would have to be called quadruple tow, a term I've never heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollinbrian Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 You can still put toys behind the 5th wheel just not on a 'trailer'. Google 'freedomhauler' - it looks and hauls like a trailer but is considered an extension of the 5th wheel. The key is that it doesn't pivot on a single point (hitch) and is instead attached at two points with no pivot. It can also be converted back to a trailer for regular use once at your destination. Quote 2017 Jayco Designer 37rs "Fiona" 2007 Volvo 670 "Henry" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 7 hours ago, Lou Schneider said: Dollytrolly - Triple tow is 3 trailers behind the power unit. Oregon does allow these for commercial units on their 2 freeways. I don't know why people call two units behind the power unit triple towing. That would mean the 3 trailer units would have to be called quadruple tow, a term I've never heard of. Lou I am driving my Kenworth around today with no trailer. So I would be “single towing” in the RV dictionary? 🤷🏼♂️🤪 Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Burkett Posted August 11, 2021 Report Share Posted August 11, 2021 noteven, you would be Bobtailing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, rollinbrian said: You can still put toys behind the 5th wheel just not on a 'trailer'. Google 'freedomhauler' - it looks and hauls like a trailer but is considered an extension of the 5th wheel. The key is that it doesn't pivot on a single point (hitch) and is instead attached at two points with no pivot. It can also be converted back to a trailer for regular use once at your destination. Not in my state. The freedom hauler is still an "attachment" and not part of the original trailer. I have never seen the definition of a trailer anywhere that say it has only one attachment point as opposed to two or how it is attached for that matter. Just like a "flip axle" on the back of a commercial semi trailer. It is a separate unit. If it's not permanently attached, its a trailer, IMHO and 34 years of LE experience. Even on their website they tell you on some trailers you may need a hitch (and they recommend the Hensley) to attach it to your trailer in some instances. And if Oregon is as strict as others say here, I wonder what the overall vehicle length for an RV is?? Edited August 12, 2021 by Big5er Quote MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Larry Burkett said: noteven, you would be Bobtailing Ya that's what we would call it in the world of trucking ... I'm still learning all the RV terms 🤣 Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollinbrian Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 5 hours ago, Big5er said: Not in my state. The freedom hauler is still an "attachment" and not part of the original trailer. I have never seen the definition of a trailer anywhere that say it has only one attachment point as opposed to two or how it is attached for that matter. Just like a "flip axle" on the back of a commercial semi trailer. It is a separate unit. If it's not permanently attached, its a trailer, IMHO and 34 years of LE experience. Even on their website they tell you on some trailers you may need a hitch (and they recommend the Hensley) to attach it to your trailer in some instances. And if Oregon is as strict as others say here, I wonder what the overall vehicle length for an RV is?? The Hensley goes in between your pickup and the travel trailer to help with stability since your trailer is now notably longer, not between your travel trailer and the tote. The tote is fixed, does not connect via a ball hitch, and remains in straight line behind the trailer. All of which is out of scope as the original question was about how to carry toys behind a 5th wheel. Watts on Wheels uses one regularly and has some great YouTube videos demonstrating how it works. Quote 2017 Jayco Designer 37rs "Fiona" 2007 Volvo 670 "Henry" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGO Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Is that the same as a Henway? Quote You'd have to see the movie to understand.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 12 hours ago, Big5er said: And if Oregon is as strict as others say here, I wonder what the overall vehicle length for an RV is?? Which makes the whole notion of double towing moot. While it might be okay in a few states, and others do it without getting caught, is it worth the risk? What happens if you're far from home and the nice fellow with the blue lights says you're red tagged? And Argo, a Henway is a whole different animal............ Quote KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 Just to eliminate the confusion about towing configuration, this is the official FMCSA, USDOT towing configuration and designations. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/Vehicle_Configuration_508CLN.pdf Quote 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 7 hours ago, ARGO said: Is that the same as a Henway? What’s a henway? Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 22 minutes ago, noteven said: What’s a henway? 2-3 lbs. Depends on the end use. Roasters weigh more than broilers. Quote I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted August 12, 2021 Report Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 minute ago, Darryl&Rita said: 2-3 lbs. Depends on the end use. Roasters weigh more than broilers. 🤣 Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGO Posted August 13, 2021 Report Share Posted August 13, 2021 Aw, you guys stole the joke.................. Quote You'd have to see the movie to understand.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 On 8/12/2021 at 12:47 PM, Ray,IN said: Just to eliminate the confusion about towing configuration, this is the official FMCSA, USDOT towing configuration and designations. https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/Vehicle_Configuration_508CLN.pdf We aren't subject to the FMCSA regulations or definitions. Quote MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danandfreda Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 I was waiting for someone to ask that question about henway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray,IN Posted August 14, 2021 Report Share Posted August 14, 2021 13 hours ago, Big5er said: We aren't subject to the FMCSA regulations or definitions. Correct! However that is the accepted definitions for towing nationwide. The silly notion towing 2 trailers is triple-towing flies in the face of logic; I wonder how the bloggers define single-towing? How about towing 3 trailers? Some RV blogger made that up and it stuck due IMO to trucker-wannabe's towing RV trailers. You never hear that outside the RV towing sector. Quote 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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