Towing an EMPTY tow dolly behind a Fifth Wheel east coast.

[mobilevagrant]

I have tried to "google" this and can't find any real info.

I will be pulling a 5th wheel from Florida up the east coast soon but I would like to be able to pull my tow dolly behind the 5th wheel. I realize that most east coast states don't allow double/triple towing(however you label it) but a car dolly is usually considered part of a towed vehicle and not separate.

However I can not find out any real information on how a car dolly is defined when it is by itself with no vehicle on it.

I did see a situation near jacksonville fl where someone was towing 2 dolly(s) linked front to back with no vehicles and was curious as to the legality of this.

Anyway, the 5th wheel is only 21' and total length would be between 55-60 feet, and most states seem to have a limit of 65 feet.

Since I probably couldn't see the dolly behind the camper I would probably put a camera on the back of the trailer.

Does anyone here have any idea if this is allowed or not, or where I can check?(other than each state DMV which would be my next step - but probably won't get a good answer there either. Maybe state police?)

[Cummins12V98]

deltabravo wrote:

StonedPanther wrote:
Despite triple towing being illegal in most if not all of the states on your route,

I've never seen it legal to triple tow (tow three trailers) in ANY state. or province.

"Tripple Towing" is NOT three trailers. Some call towing two trailers Double towing or Triple Towing, both are the same.

[deltabravo]

StonedPanther wrote:
Despite triple towing being illegal in most if not all of the states on your route,

I've never seen it legal to triple tow (tow three trailers) in ANY state. or province.

[Cummins12V98]

Give it a shot! Highly doubt they will impound it. Most likely go to next exit and find a place to separate.

I have been towing my 5er and Motorcycle trailer since 2017 thru two 100% illegal states twice a year since then. Not even a strange look. I save over $1,000 in transport fees by doing this every year. I have more than paid for my Kendon MC trailer and have $$$ in my pocket to deal with whatever may happen along the way.

I drive the speed limit and stay in the right lanes.

[JRscooby]

Horsedoc wrote:
"I understand the premise but never seen it in writing from any official site. Do you have any links to this assertion?"

As do I.
Do you think that could be the device the second trailer sits on when over-the-road truckers use? I have seen these towed with the second trailer missing.

Bet if you checked you would find the fright-hauler pulling the dolly behind a trailer is a)running routes/states that allow CMV to tow doubles, and b)the CDL states driver has passed test to tow double/triples. BYW, the endorsement is for doubles and triples. Likely because some state might call the converter dolly a trailer.
And while doing the grape/grapefruit comparisons;

fj12ryder wrote:
The swivel wheel company that I bought mine were very specific about not claiming it "NOT" to be a trailer. They stated that some states considered them trailers, and it was the responsibility of the owner of the trailer to find out the particulars for their case.

Last company I was leased to had what we called a stinger. It worked kinda like a swivel wheel trailer, in that it pined solid to RGN. (Your SWT has load put on it, and pivots up/down so does not lift 5th. wheel. Stinger, OTOH pined solid, no movement between it and trailer. Had no load deck, but was adjusted to take some weight off trailer axles. Less like trailer than the swivel wheel). If the stinger was in place the driver had to have double/triple endorsement

[fj12ryder]

The swivel wheel company that I bought mine were very specific about not claiming it "NOT" to be a trailer. They stated that some states considered them trailers, and it was the responsibility of the owner of the trailer to find out the particulars for their case.

[Horsedoc]

"I understand the premise but never seen it in writing from any official site. Do you have any links to this assertion?"

As do I.
Do you think that could be the device the second trailer sits on when over-the-road truckers use? I have seen these towed with the second trailer missing.

[valhalla360]

bob_nestor wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
FWIW, I towed a swivel-wheel trailer behind our fifth wheel through and in Virginia, and never garnered a second look. But that was about 10-12 years ago. As was said, sometimes you just roll the dice and take your chances. What's life without a little gamble, now and then. 🙂

Ah, but a swivel wheel "trailer" is a platform considered to be an extension of the tow vehicle, not a trailer in the traditional sense - at least in most States. Here in Texas they're not required to be licensed or registered. I towed mine thru a number of States (not on the East Coast though), and never had an issue or got stopped by law enforcement.

I understand the premise but never seen it in writing from any official site. Do you have any links to this assertion?

[bob_nestor]

fj12ryder wrote:
FWIW, I towed a swivel-wheel trailer behind our fifth wheel through and in Virginia, and never garnered a second look. But that was about 10-12 years ago. As was said, sometimes you just roll the dice and take your chances. What's life without a little gamble, now and then. 🙂

Ah, but a swivel wheel "trailer" is a platform considered to be an extension of the tow vehicle, not a trailer in the traditional sense - at least in most States. Here in Texas they're not required to be licensed or registered. I towed mine thru a number of States (not on the East Coast though), and never had an issue or got stopped by law enforcement.

[Bionic_Man]

4x4ord wrote:
You could just tow it. Probably not legal ….. you probably won’t get stopped. If you do get pulled over you might be fined and or have to unhook the dolly.

X2. My opinion is if the trailer isn’t bouncing all over and if you are driving responsibly it’s unlikely you would run into any trouble.

[Bird_Freak]

According to my buddy a Ga State trooper. It is legal here to tow a trailer behind a fifth wheel.

[RCMAN46]

bukhrn wrote:
I can't tell you if it's legal or not for double/triple towing, but having towed one empty for only a few miles behind my pickup, I surely wouldn't want to do on an Interstate or other main highway, if you've ever seen one being towed empty, you probably wouldn't want to either, it bounced and swayed terribly, the tires were Off the ground as much (or more) than they were on it.

X2 and I suspect if a patrol officer saw one bouncing all over the road behind a trailer you will probably be stopped for unsafe towing.

[JIMNLIN]

Having towed non rv trailers for a living I've found its best to contact a state troop command post and ask those that do the enforcing how they enforce your questions. Do not assume the way you interpret a code is the way it will be enforced in that state. Do it wrong can be a expensive gamble. Do not assume just because your towing a rv trailer you will never be stopped for a violation.

And of course when talking with a dot officer/DMV person/etc use the correct terminology. Your asking a double tow...not a triple tow. Refer to a triple tow then of course the answer will be "no triple towing allowed".

Good luck

[valhalla360]

mobilevagrant wrote:

KD4UPL wrote:
I would say it's a trailer and therefore not legal up the east coast. I'm in VA and have looked into double towing a lot. The DMV doesn't really know, you need to talk to Commercial Motor Vehicle Officers. I have specifically asked several in VA and they all said absolytely not in VA.

I think the main issue is that it's likely a state trooper or cmv officer would actually do a traffic stop where a county/city/town officer/deputy would not. Most of the regs I have seen about tow dollies seems to be about when actually towing a car and not when unloaded.

Code of Virginia 46.2-1116. "Vehicles having more than one trailer, etc., attached thereto; exceptions.

Except as provided in this section and § 46.2-1117, no motor vehicle shall be driven on a highway while drawing or having attached thereto more than one motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer unless such vehicle is being operated under a special permit from the Commissioner of Highways. "

Code of Virginia 46.2-1119. "Tow dolly and converter gear.

No axle-like device, commonly called a "tow dolly," used to support the front or rear wheels of a passenger vehicle or pick-up or panel truck for towing purposes, and no axle-like device, commonly called "converter gear," on which is mounted a fifth wheel used to convert a semitrailer to a full trailer, shall be considered vehicles. Either such device, when used on the public highways, shall be equipped with a safety chain or chains of a strength to restrain the device and vehicle being towed, should the connection fail. In addition, either device, when moved on the public highway, shall be equipped with rear marker lights or reflectors when towed without a load. When a tow dolly or converter gear is used to tow a vehicle, the towed vehicle must comply with all requirements of law pertaining to towed vehicles."

Clear as mud isn't it? Looks like a "tow dolly" is not actually considered a trailer but IANAL.....

Several sites say that there is no state on the east coast that allows multiple trailers, but have seen others that say that Maryland, NC and SC allow it if under 65 foot long.

Seems pretty clear to me. I'm not seeing anything that suggests it's not a trailer. Even if it's not a trailer, you can't tow more than 1 motor vheicle, trailer or semitrailer, so it's irrelevant what you call it.

Unless it looks dangerous, unlikely they will bother you but once they do, you may as well pay the ticket as driving back to fight it in person will likely cost far more than the ticket.

[Grit_dog]

bukhrn wrote:
I can't tell you if it's legal or not for double/triple towing, but having towed one empty for only a few miles behind my pickup, I surely wouldn't want to do on an Interstate or other main highway, if you've ever seen one being towed empty, you probably wouldn't want to either, it bounced and swayed terribly, the tires were Off the ground as much (or more) than they were on it.

Hence the previous tire pressure comment. Although it seems weight and tire pressures being a very simple concept with an almost wholly linear relationship are a mystery to most (and to you) (and apparently to the NHTSA who mandated WAY too much pressure for the tpms thresholds on 3/4 ton trucks…lol).

[Grit_dog]

Tyler0215 wrote:
It's not illegal till you get caught. Then the dolly will be loaded on a tow truck, and held until you pay tow a storage charges.
Also a low empty dolly behind a large trailer will be practically invisible to brain dead drivers following you. An accident waiting to happen.

Well the first part is reasonable. The second part, roflmao. Who cares? By that logic , every motorcycle and small car is an accident waiting to happen. Don’t be paranoid.