Can a flat bed towing service tow a 13 ft camper

[rivertrails]

Was hearing on my other post how f a tow company only has a flat bed to send they can't tow a lot of peoples trailers.( seems to be a problem at times with AAA towing service) If it was a trailer just 16 ft. long including the trailer tongue( the camper itself only 13 feet)Can a flatbed tow it? My truck is about if not 16 feet. Is a flat bed only a problem with larger trailers?

[Cecilt]

I have Coach Net and dang glad I do. On summer vacation on the way home we blew a hub in our TT tire. This was on a Sunday. Called CoachNet and within 3 hours they had a 53' low boy at the side of the highway. Was able to drive my truck and camper(total length of 55') onto the low boy. They took me to a CG about 45 mintues away. Dropped me off on the site and a mobile mechanic had all the parts installed Monday morning. So yes, trucks can tow TT's all day long.

[wandering1]

So what are you talking about, a pop up camper, a tent trailer camper, a travel trailer rv or a fifth wheel rv? The only way you are going to get an answer you can depend on is to call a towing service and ask. I am sure some will and some wont.

[mgirardo]

I've had to have our trailer towed twice, but times the problem was with the tow vehicle, not the trailer. The tow vehicle went on the roll back while the traile was towed behind. The first time, time the tow truck had a hitch ball on the wheel lift, the other time it was just a standard ball on hitch.

Both instances we used our AAA service to provide the emergency tow.

-Michael

[comnthru]

Have always had good service from Coachnet. Give them a try.

[calewjohnson]

When my old truck had a major engine malfunction, Good Sam had a truck dispatched out to our location. It was a roll back that had a ball on it. The truck went up and the trailer was towed.

During that same trip, we did see a trailer on a roll back, they were taking every exit, as they were to tall for the overpasses, but I guess they got where they were going...

Cale

[MarkTwain]

I had to have my 34' TT loaded on the flat bed and my truck was loaded up on the bed of the tow truck. The operator towed the truck to the dealer, 1st he unhooked the trailer, then lowered the truck to the ground, then rehooked the TT up and towed me to our RV park , then drove to the RV site and set the TT up. 🙂

[enblethen]

As I said before, roll backs are different that flat beds. Flat beds are commonly used to haul MHs and trailers. Flat beds and low boys are similar. Low boys are with in 2 feet of the ground, but may need an overheight permit in some cases to haul any RV whether it is a MH, 5er or TT.
OP: which are we talking about? Roll backs, flat beds or low boys?
My guess with AAA involved it is a roll back.

[JaxDad]

CJ5 nailed it, in almost every case an RV, be it TT, FW or MH is too tall to go on anything but a special low-bed trailer.

Utility lines, traffic lights, bridges and such are all set with a maximum vehicle height of 13' 6" as a benchmark.

If you reverse engineer that 13' 6" maximum it works like this, typical rollback deck height is 42",that leaves 120" (10') for the RV, but a typical TT (with a/c) is about 11' tall.

Oooops.

[CJ5_jeeper]

If you need to tow a trailer on a flatbed, you have to watch the height. Many drivers are not experienced with high loads, and unless they know the clearances on the road they can end up in trouble. I have hauled many oversize loads from 90' train cars,to 16' wide plane wings, but by far the most problem is over height.

[boogie_4wheel]

I'm a bit confused on the question...

If the trailer is to go on rollback (failed axle, frame issue), the trailer needs to be in the 20's in length max to fit on the rollback (and they do make different bed lengths). The tongue would sit up close to the cab, and the axles need to be on the bed.

If you are needing to tow both the tow rig and the trailer, the TV would be on the bed (most will fit a crew cab long bed truck), and the wheel lift (if the truck has one) will be used to pull the trailer. Any wheel lift I've seen has a tow ball option for a trailer. As for the overhang from a truck bed, just extend the wheel lift for clearance between the downed TV and the front of the trailer.

[enblethen]

Flat bed or roll back?
Roll backs have short bed areas and the trailer must fit with the tongue to rear wheels on the bed and can hang over rear. Some towing services will not do this.
A flat bed is a tractor trailer type set up and can haul nearly every type of rig with no problem.
AAA normally does not have flat bed setups they have roll backs. They contract that to heavy towing companies. These are normally for commercial "recoveries".

[wa8yxm]

Can they tow it... Depends on the drivers.. I know drivers who actually know what they are doing.. I know drivers who .. Well let's just say they have a few problems...

I was (For a short time after I left the State) A tow truck dispatcher. There was more than one time I had to tell a tow driver how to hook a car (or in one case my motor home) to get the job done... Now I know I am good. but the only time I ever drove a tow truck, It was one way (Back to the yard with a disabled driver riding shotgun) and empty. So I should not be able to tell a driver how to do the job (I do admit to being trained in science and electronics, including math and physics, And being able to see in 3 dimensions, which is why I can see how to do it when they can not).

[deleted-2]

Flat beds usually have a ball hitch that extends so they can carry a vehicle and a trailer.

This is if the trailer is safe to tow in the regular manner.

[DaveG39]

Flat beds have carried disabled 35-40 ft motorhomes. Surely can transport that trailer. I would look into Coach Net roadside assist rather than AAA. I think you get more bang for your buck.