Double towing in GA and FL (update)

[RomperStomper]

Alright everyone, for those of you who might have been wondering how my trip double towing the 5ver and a motorcycle (79 Shovel) to Daytona for bike week went, wonder no more. It was a great trip except for breaking down at the Flying J truck stop on exit 2 in GA. Long story short the truck blew the high pressure fuel line that runs off the pump to the back of the motor and dumped probably a 1/4 tank of fuel for about 20 miles before I stopped at my usual stop for gas. Man, it was all over everything! It took me about 5 hours to figure out the issue, tear the engine apart to get access, locate the line,(the 1 time the stealership came through, no one else had the line or could make one)unload my bike, ride the 40 miles round trip to get the line, get back and install, pack up, eat, and get back on the road. The trailers pulled great at a cruising speed of 70mph and as fast as 80mph passing. I had a cop in Florida follow behind me going through the Ocala National Forest with no issues. I left at 3am and arrived at the Cackleberry CG at 3pm. It was a long journey! The way back only took about 6 hours and was event free other than loosing a taillight and the tongue jack wheel to the motorcycle trailer. My buddy following me ate that. I also had about 3 other cops in GA tail behind me with no issue. About 750 miles round trip. Not bad for the 1st time. I will definitely double tow again. Funny thing is this trip I didn't see anyone double towing. Go figure! Also if anyone is wondering I mounted my GoPro on the back of the 5ver and it worked like a champ using the app with my phone mounted to the dash.

[Wadcutter]

Montara24d wrote:

bucky wrote:
Montara, what was overweight? And was he tagged in PA?

Yes tagged in Pa. Overweight for the gross combined weight rating of the truck which was a 2014, Ford, diesel DRW.
John

Oh please! At least make it a believeable story. Anyone who knows anything about weight laws can see its a crock full of stuff. Obviously if you believed it then it's clear you do not know anything about weight laws.
I taught truck weight laws for a lot of years. I was recognized by the courts as an expert witness in truck weights.
Point # 1.
Max gross weight will be 80,000 lbs. No way he's anywhere close to that with a 2014 Ford diesel pulling any make/model of 5er and a MC trailer. A DRW Ford will weigh about 8500-9000 lbs. A really heavy 5er will be 15000-17000 lbs. A full dresser bike goes in around 1000 lbs. Bike trailers are light, not even 1000 lbs.
Point # 2.
The gross weight rating by the manufacturer is not a legal weight limit. Anyone who knows anything about US weight laws knows that. Manufactures do not set weight limits. Weight limits are set by state statute. Pretty much nationwide weight limits are 20,000 for a single axle, 34,000 for a tandem axle, and 80,000 gross. There are some exceptions for roads that have reduced limits due to construction, size, or route.
The stickers on the vehicles are not enforceable limits because they are not law.
If you're going to tell a story then at least make it somewhat believeable. That one isn't believeable in any way, shape or form. Another campfire story, nothing more.

[fj12ryder]

Montara24d wrote:

bucky wrote:
Montara, what was overweight? And was he tagged in PA?

Yes tagged in Pa. Overweight for the gross combined weight rating of the truck which was a 2014, Ford, diesel DRW.
John

Overweight for his GCWR or his licensed weight rating?

[Montara24d]

transamz9 wrote:
PA is a state I called to ask this question and the simple answer is no it's not allowed. Most states I've called actually didn't really know if they allowed it or not but PA didn't even have to think about it or look it up. It was a very polite no.

If you can find a road atlas, in a truck stop, geared towards over the road trucks, each States regs, including double towing, will be found in the front of the book.
John

[Montara24d]

bucky wrote:
Montara, what was overweight? And was he tagged in PA?

Yes tagged in Pa. Overweight for the gross combined weight rating of the truck which was a 2014, Ford, diesel DRW.
John

[RAS43]

Cummins,
I double tow with a 5th wheel and a boat trailer so I can't answer directly but in Colorado and Nebraska I see many 2-ball double tows and they seem to get by okay as I never have seen any pulled over by LEO's or observed any accidents involving them. However, I wouldn't do it as the first coupling could be stressed a lot. JMO

[Cummins12V98]

To me towing a standard tow behind and another standard tow behind that would equal a very sketchy ride???

[Bird_Freak]

He broke no laws double towing in Ga. It is legal as long as first trailer is a fifth wheel.

[transamz9]

PA is a state I called to ask this question and the simple answer is no it's not allowed. Most states I've called actually didn't really know if they allowed it or not but PA didn't even have to think about it or look it up. It was a very polite no.

[GrumpyandGrandm]

Montara24d wrote:
My buddy was double towing on the PA. Tpk. towing a MC trailer behind a fiver. Got stopped by a state PD.

They have religiously enforced that law on the PA turnpike for decades.

[bucky]

Montara, what was overweight? And was he tagged in PA?

[fj12ryder]

^^^^Yeah, it be a bit inconvenient and cost you a few bucks, but in the overall scheme of things, pretty small potatoes.

[Montara24d]

My buddy was double towing on the PA. Tpk. towing a MC trailer behind a fiver. Got stopped by a state PD. who had him follow to the next truck stop, & put the rig on a scale. Gave a summons for double towing, & over weight. Then told him "you can move it when it's legal" Lucky not too far, I met him & towed the MC trailer home.
John

[RomperStomper]

Unless your way overloaded, blowing out tires from going too fast should be the last of your worries! I don't think anyone would be hitting top speeds with a heavy load anyways. I think anyone that's been towing even for a little while knows the limits of their rig. I always check the psi anytime I tow anywhere. Blowing out tires from going too fast, yea right GET REAL!

[MFL]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Only reason I "WILL" know how my MC trailer with two bikes tows is I will have friends traveling behind me for a while so they can report how well the trailer is towing.

I have towed our MS at 75 for many miles in the Freedom States with no issue. I will be towing at 55-60 in CA and when in AZ will bump it up to 65 since the Maxxxis tires on the MC trailer may not like more than 65. Thoughts on that?

Thoughts....Since your MC trailer tires/wheels are larger they will not be rotating that much faster, than rest of rig. If you are well under tire max load, they should run cooler than near load limit. I can't say going faster than rated is OKAY, but in hindsight, I can say you should have gotten Providers, or Carlisle HD, rated 81 mph.:B

Jerry

[Cummins12V98]

Only reason I "WILL" know how my MC trailer with two bikes tows is I will have friends traveling behind me for a while so they can report how well the trailer is towing.

I have towed our MS at 75 for many miles in the Freedom States with no issue. I will be towing at 55-60 in CA and when in AZ will bump it up to 65 since the Maxxxis tires on the MC trailer may not like more than 65. Thoughts on that?