Tow/tow

[poorboy]

Interested in towing a short trailer for golf cart or the Harley behind my 34 ft. Jayco. Can anyone tell me where I can find the legal limits for various states. Thanks in advance.

[timmac]

DutchmenSport wrote:

timmac wrote:

taken wrote:
You could instead use a swivel wheel trailer. The wheels swivel instead of the hitch being the pivot point. Due to it's solid connection to the back of the RV, it's not considered a double tow.

There are more out there but here are a couple of brands to give you an idea.

Swivel Wheel

Idaho Tote

If towing doubles I would use one of these trailers, seems like a better and safer way to do it.

In Indiana its double row. If it has a wheel and it touches the ground it has to be titled, license plates, and have working tail lights. In Indiana it's a trailer. How its hitched is irrelevant. Wheel touching the ground, it's a trailer.

Yes I am aware its still towing doubles but with the swivel trailer its easier to back up and no worry about swaying 2nd trailer, just seems like a better safer way than towing double, that's why I had a open stacker trailer built to carry my Jeep and boat.

[DutchmenSport]

timmac wrote:

taken wrote:
You could instead use a swivel wheel trailer. The wheels swivel instead of the hitch being the pivot point. Due to it's solid connection to the back of the RV, it's not considered a double tow.

There are more out there but here are a couple of brands to give you an idea.

Swivel Wheel

Idaho Tote

If towing doubles I would use one of these trailers, seems like a better and safer way to do it.

In Indiana its double row. If it has a wheel and it touches the ground it has to be titled, license plates, and have working tail lights. In Indiana it's a trailer. How its hitched is irrelevant. Wheel touching the ground, it's a trailer.

[timmac]

taken wrote:
You could instead use a swivel wheel trailer. The wheels swivel instead of the hitch being the pivot point. Due to it's solid connection to the back of the RV, it's not considered a double tow.

There are more out there but here are a couple of brands to give you an idea.

Swivel Wheel

Idaho Tote

If towing doubles I would use one of these trailers, seems like a better and safer way to do it.

[4x4ord]

I tow an 8x14 enclosed motorcycle trailer behind my 36 foot 5th wheel and believe the 5ver tows nicer double than on its own. I can see the need to have laws around double towing such as being required to pass a driving test where you demonstrate that you are capable of backing up a double trailer set up and or being required to have your set up pass an inspection ensuring adequate braking but to totaly ban double towing in a state seems wrong to me.

[fj12ryder]

My point was that your post stated that a swivel wheel trailer isn't considered a double tow. I was pointing out that to make such a sweeping statement might not be the wisest course since it is in fact not necessarily so.

Having a list of states that allow double towing would be wonderful, but since I don't double tow any more I have no real reason to. I would not trust the listings I've seen because they are frequently out of date. According to the DMV's I've asked about swivel wheel trailers, admittedly a very small number, they are considered to be a trailer, not a load bearing part of the original trailer.

The "you" I was referring to in my post was the OP. I have edited the post to make the reference clearer.

[taken]

I live to be disingenuous Howard. That's the only reason I post and have never tried to hide that fact. Wait, I wonder if that last statement was disingenuous? Uh oh....

Perhaps a better reply would be to post which states are those that don't allow swivel wheel decks and if that rule is enforced in the states that don't allow them. Or perhaps just say, good idea! I run one myself and these are the limitations.

[fj12ryder]

To say that the swivel wheel trailer isn't considered a double tow is disingenuous. Several of the swivel wheel trailer builders will tell you right up front that they may be considered trailers in some states.

It behooves the OP to do his own due diligence about the legality in the states to which he would be traveling.

I know because I pulled a swivel wheel type trailer behind our 5th wheel for a few years.

[taken]

You could instead use a swivel wheel trailer. The wheels swivel instead of the hitch being the pivot point. Due to it's solid connection to the back of the RV, it's not considered a double tow.

There are more out there but here are a couple of brands to give you an idea.

Swivel Wheel

Idaho Tote

[poorboy]

Thanks to all for the good advice. The rules are clear for us truckers, but not as clear for us rv'ers. Just might have to change the p/u bed to accommodate my needs, thanks again.

[Bionic_Man]

As a general rule, this forum really hates towing tandem. You will get lots of comments (some already) about how you shouldn't do it, not safe, insurance won't cover in an accident, the list goes on.

If I were you, I would decide which states are most important for you to tow through, and directly research the rules for those states. I would not rely on most of the information that will be posted here, or any on-line listing that claims to have info for every state.

I've towed tandem for over 20 years now, and have well over 100,000 miles under my belt doing it. What I have found is that it is legal in most states - except those on the coasts.

I have taken my rig through 7 mountain/mid-west states, and I am over length in every state (including my home state) with the exception of MT. It is my experience that if your rig handles well, and you are driving safely, LEO does not care about length.

That said, you should still know the laws, and be willing to suffer the consequences if you go outside them and have a LEO throw the book at you.

[Bobbo]

Some states ban double towing. Some states only allow it if the first is a fifth wheel. Good luck.

[DutchmenSport]

Click here. Good source, sound information. Good luck!

According to the detailed information for Delaware on that web site, you will be illegal if you tow a golf cart behind your Jayco.

For Delaware:

TRAILER DIMENSIONS
Total length: 60 feet (65 feet for an RV towing a vehicle); trailer length 40 feet; motor home length: 45 feet; width: 8 feet 6 inches for trailers, 8 feet for motor homes (excluding safety equipment); height: 13 feet 6 inches.

TRAILER BRAKES
Every motor vehicle when operated on a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement, and to stop and hold such vehicle and any trailer attached thereto, including 2 separate means of applying the brakes.

Brakes are required for any vehicle and load with a gross weight over 4,000 lbs.

TRAILER HITCH/SIGNALS
Safety chain is recommended.

TRAILER LIGHTING
Every trailer shall be equipped with at least 1 tail lamp, mounted on the rear, which when lighted emits a red light plainly visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.

TRAILER MIRRORS
All motor vehicles shall be equipped with a mirror placed so that the driver may readily ascertain the presence of any vehicle traveling in the same direction and overtaking the Driver’s vehicle.

TRAILER SPEED LIMITS
No trailer carrying a gross weight of load in combination with a vehicle in excess of 4,000 lbs. shall be operated at a speed over 10 mph unless equipped with suitable brakes controlled by the operator of the towing vehicle.

TRAILER TOWING
No vehicle shall be driven upon any highway pulling more than 1 other vehicle.

The drawbar or other connection between any vehicle and the vehicle it is towing shall not exceed 15 feet in length.

If the connection between 2 vehicles, 1 towing the other, consists of a chain, rope, or cable, there shall be a red flag or other cloth not less than 12 inches square attached to the connection.

TRAILER OTHER PROVISIONS
It shall be unlawful to ride in a house trailer being towed by another vehicle.

[KD4UPL]

You mean two trailers I guess. It's legal in most states but last I checked not in your state of Delaware. Pretty much the entire east coast doesn't allow it.
I wish it were legal in VA. I would love to pull my boat behind a FW camper. My family owns a trailer dealership; they sell horse, stock, flatbed, dump, etc. trailers. The guys that bring the new ones will often tow in from Kansas or Iowa with two. Sometimes they make it without being stopped, sometimes not. In VA if you are stopped you can not move again with both trailers. You must leave on by the side of the road or have someone else come get it. If it were just a ticket I might chance it but there's no way I'm leaving my boat beside the interstate.

[WNYBob]

Doubles are a no no in New York State!