Towing behind the TT
My TT has a hitch on the back of it that was bolted to.the frame and welded professionally. My question is how do I determine how.much weight can i pull from it. For the last 9 years I have been pul...
Forum Discussion
I don't believe it's legal to double tow with a travel trailer (as opposed to a 5th wheel).
A few issues:
- With a 5th wheel, the trailer is slow to follow when you turn because the hitch is directly over the rear axle. With a TT, the hitch is behind the axle exaggerating the impact of a turn. The 2nd trailer is typically well behind the trailer axles so a quick turn could result in erratic forces (TT are already much more subject to sway issues and this could make it much worse).
- The weight of the 2nd trailer hitch will take weight off the main trailer hitch. With a 5th wheel, you typically start at 20-25% on the main hitch since the 5th wheel axles are around 2/3-3/4 of the way toward the back, the 2nd trailer hitch weight will only take off around 25-50% of the weight off the pin. With a TT, the hitch weight starts at a much more modest 10-12% and the axles are around 55-60% of the way to the back. The result is 70-80% of the 2nd trailer hitch weight is taken off the main TT hitch. The result is a 5th wheel has a lot more margin to take weight off the pin and still maintain a decent percentage of weight on the pin. A TT has a lot less margin to take weight off the ball.
With a very small 2nd trailer, lightly loaded, you may have gotten away with it but as that 2nd trailer gets larger and heavier, you could be creating issues.
A few issues:
- With a 5th wheel, the trailer is slow to follow when you turn because the hitch is directly over the rear axle. With a TT, the hitch is behind the axle exaggerating the impact of a turn. The 2nd trailer is typically well behind the trailer axles so a quick turn could result in erratic forces (TT are already much more subject to sway issues and this could make it much worse).
- The weight of the 2nd trailer hitch will take weight off the main trailer hitch. With a 5th wheel, you typically start at 20-25% on the main hitch since the 5th wheel axles are around 2/3-3/4 of the way toward the back, the 2nd trailer hitch weight will only take off around 25-50% of the weight off the pin. With a TT, the hitch weight starts at a much more modest 10-12% and the axles are around 55-60% of the way to the back. The result is 70-80% of the 2nd trailer hitch weight is taken off the main TT hitch. The result is a 5th wheel has a lot more margin to take weight off the pin and still maintain a decent percentage of weight on the pin. A TT has a lot less margin to take weight off the ball.
With a very small 2nd trailer, lightly loaded, you may have gotten away with it but as that 2nd trailer gets larger and heavier, you could be creating issues.
