Towing regulations

[Mtdickinson]

A lot of states have length regulations on trailers. Has anyone had issues while pulling a 40+ foot rig through a state that has a 40 foot max law?

[D_E_Bishop]

I believe that in CA, over forty foot are prohibited. There is a name for them like red flag or the like. Ask any CHP officer or look it up on line.

[thomas201]

Notice the exceptions for Interstates and primaries. They were built and maintained with federal money. With this and the full faith and credit clause in the Constitution, on the main roads it is pretty much the same everywhere, except for doubles, which kinda makes sense on the old interstates with the 25 mph on/off ramps

[philh]

allen8106 wrote:
According to RVIA the shortest maximum truck/camper combo is 55 feet for Maryland and the District of Columbia, all other states are at least 60-82 feet for the combo.

It's always best to read the actual published law when understanding how it may or may not impact you.

Maryland's specific passage

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a combination of noncommercial vehicles consisting of a power unit and a travel trailer may not exceed 65 feet in length.

(2) The combination of vehicles exceeding 55 feet but authorized under this subsection may only be operated on:

(i) Any part of the interstate system or other State system highways that are designated by the Secretary in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation; or

(ii) A highway that is the shortest practical route between a designated highway and:

1. A point of origin or destination on a particular day; or

2. For a distance not to exceed 1 mile, facilities for food, fuel, repairs, or rest.

[packnrat]

i can not say for every state but yes 65 feet is max for one trailer/tow combo. but commercial double tow in ca is 75 feet. rv?
just never be even 1/4, one quarter inch over that.
some states restrict wheel base length or king pin to trunion.
max fed dot legal length is 58 flat or box van.--not same as wheel base length--.
longer requires a moving permit.
but unless your are crazy and want to push it, one should never get that long with a rv and a trailer behind.

[js218]

I'm right at 75' with the trailer no problems since I started 10/16, currently sitting at property I own on Lake Tahoe getting ready to head down to Baja Mexico.

[4x4ord]

When I tow double I'm over length and have never worried about it. I'm betting that the officer who stops me will be more concerned about a combination being unsafe than he ever would be about the letter of the law. So far I haven't been measured.

[Bedlam]

At 55’, it would stop many motorhomes towing a car. I’m under that with my truck camper and enclosed trailer behind it, but not by much.

[Grit_dog]

Just don’t toss your empty Budweiser cans out the window and you’ll be fine.

[allen8106]

According to RVIA the shortest maximum truck/camper combo is 55 feet for Maryland and the District of Columbia, all other states are at least 60-82 feet for the combo.

[mkirsch]

Law enforcement generally needs a "moving violation" to pull you over for, such as speeding, or erratic driving, or a tail light out. That's not to say they can't or won't make something up, but length is going to be the LAST thing on the cop's mind as he watches you cruise on by.

The only thing that might change his mind is if your trailer has graphics depicting a 1:1 scale tape measure on the side, clearly showing the length of the trailer, and clearly showing that it is over legal length. In that case you did it to yourself...

[Hoppy220]

burningman wrote:

Hoppy220 wrote:
I couldn't see every RV manufacture blatantly violating the law by selling an illegal product.

I can! Lots of products commonly sold are illegal or improper.
Bike racks with bikes on frequently cover license plates, and that’s illegal.
A 36-foot bumper pull trailer might get hitched to a 40-foot motorhome. That ends up over-length.
RV manufacturers slap together whatever they can make money selling. It’s up to the user to do what’s right.

Poor analogies..... bike racks come with license plate relocation brackets. User is responsible for using the brackets, not the manufacturer. The 36’ bumper pull is legal, the manufacturer has no control of the fact it may be hitched to a motor home, again both examples above are improper usage of a perfectly legal products.

[burningman]

Hoppy220 wrote:
I couldn't see every RV manufacture blatantly violating the law by selling an illegal product.

I can! Lots of products commonly sold are illegal or improper.
Bike racks with bikes on frequently cover license plates, and that’s illegal.
A 36-foot bumper pull trailer might get hitched to a 40-foot motorhome. That ends up over-length.
RV manufacturers slap together whatever they can make money selling. It’s up to the user to do what’s right.

[Hoppy220]

Dont know how factual it is, so I definitely wouldn't use it as a defense, but..... I, at one time, had a LEO tell me that trailer length is measured from the farthest point of the tow vehicle ie rear bumper. It made sense when he said it because the longer 5th wheels are usually right at 44 feet (approx 4 feet over TV) and bumper pulls usually top out in the 36' range (add tongue and hitch). Again, dont know if its fact or not, but I couldn't see every RV manufacture blatantly violating the law by selling an illegal product.

[wnjj]

drsteve wrote:
Cops are generally not going to pull you over just for driving down the road and whip out a tape measure. If you happen to crash and cause serious damage/injury, they might be more inclined to look at possible noncompliance.

Probably not even then. The only time I can see it mattering is if you get yourself wedged in somewhere and can't make a corner and end up blocking a road. Then the tape may come out to question why you didn't fit.