Tandem towing with 65' Max - anybody enforcing this?

Txsurfer wrote:
I see that almost all states west of the Mississippi allow tandem towing. I am planning to upgrade to a 5er in a couple of years and I like the option of pulling a small utility trailer in tandem. Looks like 65" is pretty standard. I am thinking that a shortbed , 38-40' 5er, and a 12' utility may be slightly over. Is anyone really regulating this rule out there?

I am sure the "rules" are being enforced, doubt you would be pulled over just for the length (unless you are obviously way too long)..

However, most likely would be enforced if pulled over for other moving violations and fined for it..

Do be aware, that the possibility is real that you may have to drop and leave one part or your entire rig until you are within legal limits in some states..

Also, while PA does allow doubles, they only allow on major Interstate roads and only SOME secondary roads, many smaller secondary roads that have an intersection with Interstate roads often WILL have signs posted stating no doubles if restricted..

If your going to roll the dice, better study up well on all the states you plan to pass through..

sgip2000 wrote:
Is it better to be over max length but have a more stable tow vehicle by having a longer wheel base or is it better to have a less stable, shorter wheel base and be in compliant with the max length?

A longer wheel base will always be more stable when coupled with whatever people want to tow which should not result in a total length greater than what is allowed. I've never understood why some folks cannot/will not do what is expected/required in these situations but instead spend their time trying to bend the rules. :h. It's called personal accountability folks and is what a lot of us were taught.

Would you be pulled over for being over length, probably not, however if you were pulled over for some other reason such as speeding, tail light out, etc. the LEO might decide to measure. The other remote possibility would be if you were in an accident and sued in civil court the Lawyer for the plaintiff would certainly bring up that you were illegal.

Is it better to be over max length but have a more stable tow vehicle by having a longer wheel base or is it better to have a less stable, shorter wheel base and be in compliant with the max length?

I've towed tandem thousands of miles, through MO, KS, NE, CO, WY, MT, UT. With my old truck, trailer, and boat I was about 72'. Then I moved to a long bed, probably closer to 75'.

LEO never gave me a second look.

I've never heard of someone with first hand experience of someone being ticketed for over length. Not saying it won't happen, but I don't think it is common either.

You will likely hear some "fish stories", where a friend of a friend's neighbors...... got pulled over. I am sure some of them could be true.

There are a lot of laws on the books that seem to never be enforced but they are out there. It is what it is. All it takes is someone who doesn't like something and they decide to enforce it.
As said by others "you take your chances".

Michigan allows 65' max also but it's for the licensed in-tow items rig not for the cargo on the licensed trailer length as it can extend another up to 3' on the rear before needing red flags attacked daytime and an oversized load sign attached or working running/stop/turn lights on the rear with other restrictions. As for example: With a boat longer than the trailer which meets the entire 65' max, up to 3 feet of the outboard motor extending or the I/O outdrive in trailering position. A total of 68 feet of rig length. I learned this when talking to a state police captain. Don't know if other states have this same definition though. Only problem we ever had was in the Florida keys on US-1.

We were stopped in 1993 as I remember and the sheriff used his measuring wheel from his trunk to measure us twice. Asked if we knew how long we were and I said 64'11" and the Florida max is 65 feet. stood for a couple minutes and said "have a nice day", got back in his vehicle did a "U" turn on the bridge and away he went. Did even notice my leased company truck had expired plates as the leasing company had forgotten to send them to us and I hadn't noticed it. Called the lease company after the sheriff left and they sent the new plates to us in overnight mail. No other problems ever even when towing thru Georgia, Alabama, or Florida as they had a couple years later banned double towing.

Agree, you take your chances and what your state of registration laws are seems to make a difference we have certainly noticed and heard from others double towing thru some of these banning states s we see lots of double RV rig tows when in Florida.

I've NEVER talked to anyone that was stopped with a camper for over length. Lakes around here are full of long bed trucks pulling a 36 ft. fifth wheel and a boat or a trailer with a golf cart.

Not saying it can't happen, but I've not seen it.

Because y'all all drive the speed limit..right?

For a truck/trailer/trailer combo in Montana the maximum allowable overall length is 75 feet. See MCA 61-10-104.
I have no idea as to the enforcement on RVers.