| Author | Message | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 131 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.62.45.179  Rating: N/A |
Hey All, I tow a Jeep Wrangler behind my Crown. I have seen a few times now guys towing boats and the like behind the towed vehicle. I want to put a small covered trailer on the back of the Jeep. Does anyone have a quick link to States guidlines as far as multiple trailers? | ||
| John & Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 435 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 96.42.5.35  Rating: N/A |
Can't help you with that, but we used to double tow a 25' Dutchman tag camper and a 16' Muskie boat behind our pickup. In Wisconsin it cost us $40 a year for the permit and I think the second towed had to be less than 1500 pounds and could only be an RV (boat, 4 wheelers, etc) no cars. Good luck. John | ||
| steve wardwell (Steve_wardwell)
Registered Member Username: Steve_wardwell Post Number: 62 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 75.200.215.194  Rating: N/A |
Try this Http://www.towingworld.com/articles/towingLaws.htm good luck!.........s..... | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 132 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.62.45.179 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Steve | ||
| George M. Todd (George_todd)
Registered Member Username: George_todd Post Number: 1079 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 99.62.7.26 Rating: N/A |
Doug, If you look closely at the mentioned towing arrangement, the first trailer is actually a semi trailer. You can legally tow a fifth wheel trailer, and a "four wheels down" trailer behind it almost anywhere. Two complete trailers aren't legal almost anywhere. G | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 1129 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 67.142.130.16  Rating: N/A |
Sorry, I disagree with George on this one. "Double-towing" is completely illegal in 19 of the lower 48 states as well as DC for private vehicles, even if the second unit is a semi-trailer. It carries various restrictions in many of the remainder, including Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota which are the four states that allow it only if the first towed unit is a semi-trailer. Commercial vehicles, by contrast, are often allowed under STAA guidelines. If your plan is to travel the whole country, you'll need to rethink this. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 64 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159  Rating: N/A |
You may tow in many states this way If you have a CDL and a triples attachment as well as a medical clearance and some only that way. Dave | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 1258 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 99.153.142.249  Rating: N/A |
One big hassle is in many states the length overall is limited to 65 ft. That cuts down on a big string in most places. There are overweight and over sized permits , but I don't think over long is common. FF | ||
| Douglas Tappan (Dougthebonifiedbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Dougthebonifiedbusnut Post Number: 133 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 24.62.45.179 Rating: N/A |
Thanks guys but isn't towing a dolly with a car on the dolly double towing?I know you are a smart guy Sean but is ther a chapter and P/P that supports what your saying? | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 1130 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 72.171.0.149 Rating: N/A |
Towing a car on a dolly made for that purpose is not double-towing. Almost every state has specific language about wheel dollies. These dollies simply create a different sort of four-wheel "full trailer." And, yes, there is a "chapter" that supports what I am saying. Unfortunately, there are 50 of them -- you need to go to each state's code individually to look this up. Outside of STAA-compliant commercial vehicles, there is no universal federal law that covers this -- each state makes its own rules. There are several web sites and publications that attempt to aggregate the myriad state laws into tabular form. Steve Wardell posted one such site earlier in this thread. The information can also be found on the web sites of FMCA, Blue Ox, Brake Buddy, and a variety of other vendors and organizations. Because it is difficult to keep such a table completely up to date and current at all times, you will notice slight discrepancies among them. Generally, though, they are in agreement about most rules in most states. If you look carefully at all these tables you will see that double-towing is outright forbidden in 19-20 states. Four states allow it only if the first towed vehicle is a semi-trailer. The rest all have limitations on length (65' is common as Fred wrote), licensing (some require class-A CDL), or routes (restriction to the STAA network is common). So with a bus as the tow vehicle, you are already barred from doing this in over half of the lower 48, and restricted in most of the rest. Beyond that, I have to say that such towing is problematic at best. You now need to design and construct a system that operates the service brakes on not one, but two trailers upon application of the coach service brake. Both trailers also need break-away systems, and the break-away system on the first trailer needs to operate the brakes on the second trailer. Air brake systems such as those on big rigs do all this automatically, but most hydraulic systems do not, leaving you to solve that problem yourself. Commercially available toad brake systems such as those from Blue Ox and Brake Buddy do not have provisions for a second trailer. No need to take my word for any of this. Most states have their codes on line now, and your local law library will likely have the state codes for all 50 states in printed form. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| Larry & Lynne Dixon (Larry_d)
Registered Member Username: Larry_d Post Number: 264 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 71.117.168.182  Rating: N/A |
Years ago when I was working the highway in Oregon it was against the law to tow two trailers.semi or with dolly, with passenger or P/U tow unit. Commercial had to have special permits with which special specification on the tow unit. We were to park offending vehicles. one good example is passenger or P/U with tow tlr or fifth wheel, towing boat. | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 298 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 99.23.138.140  Rating: N/A |
The law is one thing and very important Additionally There will be nothing fun about pulling 2 trlrs. Not ever, at any time. I hated it when I was being paid to do it and would not even consider it behind the bus. | ||
| Ralph Peters (Ralph7)
Registered Member Username: Ralph7 Post Number: 135 Registered: 3-2004 Posted From: 75.195.207.205 Rating: N/A |
Several years ago, on a forum this was discussed. We do see it, and as one of the posters stated he would not do it agsin, they had a MTD truck,5th wheel, and jeep. The whip effect or ????? and they watched the jeep tumbling,rolling, etc, till the jeep stopped. Think they were going down a hill out west. Yes I have seen MH on I-81 in Pa., 5th wheels with cars,or boats etc., in Kansas also. Why not a short car trailer with a storage box like local short track racers use? Also there is a way to mount a small trailer to the Crown, cause it has a frame, I have seen it done on a big truch/5th wheel setup and he has a jeep on the truck, takes time to offload jeep. | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 578 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 68.33.63.79  Rating: N/A |
"Joe Camper" said "I hated it when I was being paid to do it and would not even consider it behind the bus." "Ralph7" said "they watched the jeep tumbling, rolling, etc, till the jeep stopped." Yes, THIS is the kind of experienced comment that I was hoping to hear. Not that I ever considered towing a trailer behind a trailer (or behind a toad), but these voices of experience, I listen to. Thanks. | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 674 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.215.163  Rating: N/A |
I see this all the time here in Texas. We just had a 5er pull up next to us that has a trailer behind it. The 5er looks to be about 30' or so. It scares the living daylights out of me to even think about it. If you have to stop, it'll be like an accordion on steroids! | ||
| Debbie and Joe Cannarozzi (Joe_camper)
Registered Member Username: Joe_camper Post Number: 299 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 99.23.138.140 Rating: N/A |
I doubt if electric brakes have the same charicteristics as air but with doubles with air brakes and even worse on tripples there is a delay in the responce on the brakes to the 2nd and 3rd trlrs when you both apply AND release the brake pedal. When you quickly go from the brake to the throttle, for a second, till those rear brakes release, it feels like you have an anchor dragging behind. I pulled a "Michigan Train" for better than 5 years. Another ting that is for real.Combining different trlrs creates very different pulling charicteristics even different trlrs, but of the exact same type. Once we found a set that pulled good togeather that was golden. If you are pulling 2 and wobbling it may not be you it may be the 2 trailers you combined are not real compatible. I also found with any combination of trlrs, that if I loaded the front of the lead heavy and the rear of the pup heavy that also aided in a straight comfortable pull. If you are going to do this put as much tongue weight on the first trlr as you dare and put as little tongue weight on the rear as you can. Usually that would go a long way to help keep an incompatable set from the wiggles. (Message edited by Joe Camper on August 01, 2010) (Message edited by Joe Camper on August 01, 2010) (Message edited by Joe Camper on August 01, 2010) | ||
| Tom Christman (Tchristman)
Registered Member Username: Tchristman Post Number: 237 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 66.218.33.156 Rating: N/A |
Double towing usually applies to towing a trailer behind a 5th wheel. Personally-would not want to tow a trailer behind a trailer-just too many joints to worry about. Good Luck, TomC | ||
| JC Alacoque (Jc_alacoque)
Registered Member Username: Jc_alacoque Post Number: 92 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 207.34.166.7 Rating: N/A |
I see them frequently in Alberta. It is not allowed in BC. JC |