Fifth wheel shopping question, rear tow hitch

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:
You also need to consider overall length in many States.

B.O.

I've always found these rules to be confusing. According to the AAA log of state towing laws 36 of the 50 states have max lengths of 65' or under, and many are under 55' You'd be hard pressed to stay within those limits with a fifth wheel and 18-20' of boat trailer behind it.

Then again, in both Massachusetts and Michigan (where I have resided) I have registered our travel trailer that it above their stated legal length. Many people with just a truck and a trailer are over the max length of many states (I pull to MI, where I am over length, every year).

What I'm saying is that I really don't know what to make of these laws and how applicable/defensible they really are. My guess, however, is that a triple-tow set-up is probably a lot more likely to get dinged for being over length. It is something to be aware of, but I've had trouble getting a good sense of whether or not it should be a determining factor in one's decision.

Not only that, but what's even a "trailer" differs from state to state. Some states, a swivel wheel tote is a "trailer", and may or may not be legal, while in others it's considered an "extension", so would fall under OAL guidelines.

FWIW, in AZ it's legal to tow doubles if:
1. First hitch is a FW; second hitch is ball, pintle or clevis and must have safety chains, lights and must have brakes if 2nd trailer is > 3k lbs GVW.
2. OAL is 65' but a 10' "overhang", measured from center of rear axle to tip of "overhang" is allowed, giving a total of 75'.

Lyle