towing behind fifth wheel

berghild · 12-11-2008, 11:27 AM

while here in the southwest I have seen some towing behind the 5er. one fellow from idaho says he goes everywhere while towing his ATV on a 16 ft trailer behind his Montana 5th wheel. ' heard it was common way up in Minnesota. Another says "don't even think about it in Washington, they whill nab you for sure! Another says just don't exceed 65 ft. Another with a motorhome says he is 75 fet and never been stopped. We are just thinking of that 20 ft aluminum boat we keep having to leave behind or follow with the jeep. Would love to take it east in 2010

billr · 12-11-2008, 02:54 PM

There is loads of discussion on this "Double Towing" on several forums. Here is one that you can run a search on and find a lot of info.

http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?s...6&showforum=32

layne · 12-11-2008, 04:37 PM

Seems to me there is still a lot of uncertainty about this topic. For one thing, on the site where it lists states and their rules, it refers to "triple towing" rather than double towing, so that's already puzzling. We have towed our ES with car on a tow bar in TX, our ES with our motorcycle trailer in TX and all surrounding states with no problem. We are over 75' from bumper to bumper, but we hear that if measured, it's supposed to be from front axle to back axle. Again, no real information on that. Then there what we read and hear about having to have a CDL with doubles and triples endorsement, etc. I think it's all interpreted pretty loosely and we just try to make sure we aren't doing something else to get stopped for. If we were to have an accident, I guess the law might be interpreted strictly, we just don't know. I don't think we'll try eastern states with two trailers, nor Washington because of what we've heard, but we'll just stay in other states and drive over into those other states if we have to. Actually, we'll probably just stay out of them altogether. If we find something that specifically says two trailers are not allowed, we'll just stay out of those states.

Motor31 · 12-12-2008, 11:22 AM

We tow a Jeep Cherokee behind the trailer. We have also gone through Washington driving both the length and width of the state last Summer and had absolutely no trouble doing so. Then again we have plenty of tow vehicle to handle the load. We hit every state west of the Dakotas as well as Texas, NM and Louisiana last year all towing the toad. A couple friends of ours have had a toad for over 3 years in most of the states and not had any problems either.

Neither they or I have anything to do with California but we have been told they are very strict on the length issue. Since we are less than 65' without the toad I think we could take the rig but would have to drive the toad separately.

berghild · 12-12-2008, 04:13 PM

i too think it is the truck that they are watching, in addition to the length. the boat itself is no very heavy...aluminum 20foot with 50 hp motor....but it is the length. I wish we had the money to buy a bigger truck.
I guess we are just gonna have to give up on this idea. It didn't sound like much fun anyway....all that length!