Towing Two Bumper Hitch 8 X 14 Utility Trailers behind pickup truck?

[Foxman]

Poor argument. States legislate individually highway regulations. Examples: varying speed limits and pollution standards.



So your alternate argument is that if a well regulated, regularly inspected, commercially licensed hauler can do it, Joe Schmo with two beat up utility trailers should be able to as well? Remember, you may think your setup is top notch, but any law you think your state should have will include every hillbilly towing whatever piece of crap they can strap one after the other. Are you prepared for that?

Well as far as states legislating differently, I could still argue my case. Like I said, I've seen WAY stupider laws changed because someone threw a fit over the way they originally were.

I think with practice, if Joe Shchmo can do it with a fifth wheel and trailer, which in my opinon, would be even harder to handle, seeing as you can't even use your windshield rear view mirror when towing a fifth wheel RV plus usually not being able to see the trailer behind the fifth wheel in most cases, two low to the ground utility trailers would be easier to handle. Also, you seem to get the idea that I am going to hook together two beat up, rusted, barely road stable, piece of junk trailers together. Why is that? If I fight this little battle, I am going to be buying two brand new utility trailers, and of course, although my lead trailer will look exactly the same as the rear trailer, it would be custom built stronger to handle the weight of the rear trailer. As for hillbillies towing weird combinations, well, as long as they are stable ones and are within the legal safety limits, I don't give a crap what they hook together, as long as they, like me, are willing to accept responsibility for anything that goes wrong. I however, mainly pictured mostly certain businesses towing double trailer combinations if I legalized it here.

[DickWells]

I realize that this isn't exactly what you are proposing, but it's close enough that I think some parallels can be drawn.
Today, I saw, (passed) a rig that was comprised of a large van for a tow vehicle, pulling a small sedan on a stiff hitch, which in turn, had another small sedan on a tow dolley. All wired up with brake lights, and (I assume), brakes?
* The guy at the wheel obviousely had his hands full, allthough he was not ducking and dodging too greatly.
*The car on the stiff hitch was tracking remarkeably well, considering.
*The rear wheels of the car on the tow dolley were tracking fairly well, BUT, the big, wide tires of that dolley were constantly darting side to side, about 4+"! Made the whole package look like a giant snake, going down 77, here in Texas. They were managing about 45 mph, but that was about all they were going to get, without causing a real dust-up.

I couldn't help but think of how closely this settup would resemble a triple tag-along deal.

[Foxman]

I realize that this isn't exactly what you are proposing, but it's close enough that I think some parallels can be drawn.
Today, I saw, (passed) a rig that was comprised of a large van for a tow vehicle, pulling a small sedan on a stiff hitch, which in turn, had another small sedan on a tow dolley. All wired up with brake lights, and (I assume), brakes?
* The guy at the wheel obviousely had his hands full, allthough he was not ducking and dodging too greatly.
*The car on the stiff hitch was tracking remarkeably well, considering.
*The rear wheels of the car on the tow dolley were tracking fairly well, BUT, the big, wide tires of that dolley were constantly darting side to side, about 4+"! Made the whole package look like a giant snake, going down 77, here in Texas. They were managing about 45 mph, but that was about all they were going to get, without causing a real dust-up.

I couldn't help but think of how closely this settup would resemble a triple tag-along deal.

Now, I am NO expert at all, in fact, I'm not even very smart, but I really think that this is quite a different situation. My brother has towed empty car dollies and he has told me that they bounce back and forth into the lanes next to his lane, when towing one. I know there's a difference when the car dolly is loaded with a vehicle on it, but I really do think that a twin tow of two identical (but heavier duty front trailer to handle the weight of the rear trailer) utility trailers would have more stability. I mean a car, with another car on a dolly would seem almost like towing a fifth wheel behind another fifth wheel with the second fifth wheel hooked to a truck bed trailer which is hooked to the rear of the front fifth wheel. But anyway, The situation you described seemed like it would naturally be unstable. Its like there are just too many connections in the combination you saw with the two cars. Seems almost like it would have the properties of a triple trailer setup.

This is a bit off topic, but, one thing I don't really understand, is why boat trailers are stable. I mean, they say to make sure most trailer weight is to the front of the trailer, but with boats, isn't most of the weight at the back of the trailer with the motor/engine? My only guess is that, boat trailers are stable because the wheels are put further toward the rear than from the front. Is that about right?

[DickWells]

That's exactly right. That heavy motor dosn't have enough leverage to yank things back and forth, with all that triangulation ahead of the trailer tires. Shorten that tongue up a couple of feet, with the same weight on, and things would be a whole lot defferent.
Last year, here in Texas, I had to go 50 miles north to pick up a new awning, with weather guard. No weight to speak of, but a little over 20 feet long. Took my neighbor's little boat trailer, with the the boat and motor on it. Just a little 9 horse 4 stroke, on an aluminum 16 footer. Handled well, but that old beat-up wood and al. transom scared the crap out of me, as we drove over all those rough roads. I could see that little motor bouncing up and down, and all I could think about was how much strain that was puting on the transom. The owner wasn't concerned, and we did make it. Strapping that awning up within a foot or so of my tailgate sure did take care of the lenth problem.

[Foxman]

Okay, this is probably a very stupid question, and I would NEVER attempt it, but what would happen if someone did hook up a fifth wheel to a pickup truck, then a pickup truckbed trailer to the rear of the front fifth wheel, then hooked another fifth wheel to the pickup truckbed trailer? I for one, have ALWAYS thought this would be a suicide mission, as I feel that the rear fifth wheel, being hooked to just another trailer, would go flying back and forth, and probably eventually throw the whole rig off the road. This is why I'd never even be stupid enough to try it, but I was just curious as to how this rig would act on the road. I'm talking mainly about fifth wheel rv's here, but I do know that there are also fifth wheel cargo and other types of fifth wheel trailers that would do the exact same thing.

I do know of some construction trucks that tow two fifth wheel dump trailers, but THAT is a whole different ballgame, as the second fifth wheel hooks to the rear of the other fifth wheel, and NOT to just an ordinary bumper tow trailer behind a front fifth wheel.

[JohnC]

The problem as I see it with all these bumper hitch setups is the tongue weight of the second trailer. All tandem truck rigs I've seen have tow bars that don't put any weight on the rear of the towing trailer.

[DickWells]

One fifth wheel, behind a regular tag-along hitch, is a proven way to go. The set of dolleys to do this is a well published fact, and many owners have gone this way. Lets them use their pickup bed for what it was made for. But I've never seen, or heard of, anyone trying to tow something else behind the 5th wheel. That's something that I wouldn't even think about going to the expense, and risk, of doing.
I've been full-timing now, for about 9 years, and I've never been tempted to buy a 5'er. Why give up my pickup bed for the privelage of climbing up a set of steps to bed every night, (or, in some cases the John). I don't have to be concerned about jamming up my cab from turning too close, either. Handling? It's all in the hitch. My dual-cam hitch is head and shoulders superior to a regular weight transper set-up. I wouldn't tow a 5th wheel with a SRW pickup. I've had two of these rigs pass me, over the years (SRW's), and lose it, big time. Neither one of them rolled, but they both slowed down and fought it down to less than my speed, and then, I just drove on by. Had a guy with a big Ford and a blown dual tell me that he wouldn't be in that rest area in GA, talking to me, if he'd had just one tire on that side. It ain't worth it. I get to take my current toy with me (ATV, bike, and now, my Spyder), along with about 500 lbs of tools, etc, all under my PU cap, without having to have a toy hauler. If I ever go for a toy hauler, it'll be a tag-along. My rig handles just as well as any gooseneck that I've pulled, and that's quite a few. No problem with anyone else pulling a 5th wheel, but it ain't for me.
I'll never be able to afford a motor home, but if I could, it would be one with a ramp in back, and room for the toys in there. Won't pull a dingy. I want to be able to back into any location without un-hitching. Just me.

[Foxman]

Actually, my grandmother told me that she knew of two people that had fifth wheel campers, and had them tip over, taking the pickup truck with them. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

Oh, and by the way, as I said, I was planning on stashing away $50,000 for if I fight to legalize bumper-to-bumper towing in my state. Now, does anyone here think that is enough, or is it just "a good start?" I can't imagine it being much more than $50,000 to fight a law even all the way up to the Supreme Court, do you?

[richp]

Hi,

I've not seen a fifth wheel trailer take its truck over, but theoretically I suppose it could.

However, I did once see a regular travel trailer and its tow vehicle laying on their side one windy day on I-25 just north of Colorado Springs. The hitch and spring-type equalizing bars were still in place, and it looked to me like the trailer had flipped, taking an old-style big Jeep Cherokee with it.

FWIW.

[Yukon6.2]

Hi Foxman
I'v been following your thread since you first posted.
Are you independently wealthy? I know that if i had 50k extra i sure wouldn't be spending it to fight some law that i wouildn't benifit from.
I say take your 50K and buy yourself a nice used 1 ton truck and the nicest trailer you can find to tow behind it,it could even be a triaxle,then you could haul more than you ever could on two trailers.
I think that you will piss away 50K so fast it will make your head spin.Our family had to fight the B.C. goverment when they took our gold mine away and made a park of the area,cost of fighting them topped the 500k mark and 10 yrs.In the end the goverment judge offered my dad 65K and said if you don't like it here's a date on the court calender in ten years you can start all over again.He was 75 at the time and tired so he took it,he passed about 3 yrs later.
Bottom line,to fight the government is a losing battle,you have one bottom feeder and they will have more and paid for by you.
I can't tell you how to spend your money,but there has got to be a better way to spend 50 K,hell send it to me and i'll send you pic's of what i did,and promise to send birthday ,christmas,and any other important day cards to you .
Seriously ther has got to be better windmills to tilt
Thomas

[christophersond]

Foxman

I agree completely with Yukon6.2 on this situation. You need to put this
issue to rest, and do what you've gotta do--be done with it.

[DickWells]

Amen, brother!