I know that this may just be a pipe dream but I'm trying to figure out a way to set up my ultimate tow rig to handle both a travel trailer and a secondary vehicle. My plan is to start with a 1997 GMC 3500HD chassis (10 lug 19.5" rims, 4-wheel disk) that I already have and transplant a 1st gen 5.9L into it (already have the donor motor as well). The truck currently has an 11' service body on it but I need to put a sleeper behind the cab so I'll only have about 7' of space for a flatbed. I'll be towing a 35' TT but I want a way to take along another vehicle. I'm thinking about an '87 VW Golf diesel (98" wheelbase/ 158" overall length) that I already have.

Am I totally insane to think of stretching the truck frame enough to be able to haul the VW while towing the trailer? Can you recommend a smaller car that I should consider hauling?

Help me brainstorm.

 

Build what you are thinking of building and then get or build a 16' car hauler and tow that behind the TT. I see that all the time...
Or... get a motor cycle or 2 and that will fit on the flatbed with ramps off the side just fine.

OG

 

Two bumper hitches in a row is not legal in most states. I would not want to tow it either. There is NO way you will convinse me that ANY hitch you bolt to a camper is gona be suficent to pull a car. Most if not all camper frames are not designed for that kind of load behind them. A guy lost a real expensive boat in the negboring town doing that. He was told buy everyone from the boat sales person to the camper sales person not to do it but he thought he knew better and the boat went for a ride into a building while going threw town one day. Persoanly i would not be afraid to strech the frame and do exactly as you are thinking. So long as a qulified person does the work it will be MUCH safer than towing a car behind a camper behind a truck. Frames get streched all the time to fit diferent service bodies on them. No reason it wont work for you.

 

I'd want to start with a stouter truck to stretch one that much. I think some 5ers could handle a small car trailer behind them, if you could switch to a 5er. I wonder if there is a car that's not over 8' long and drive it onto your truck bed sideways. You wouldn't have to stretch it so much. Craig

 

Now that I think about it... You can make a 14' flatbed with ramps that pull out the end and it should be fine... I service a company that has about a dozen F350-450-550's setup with 12-14' flat beds to haul flat aluminum sheet that weighs much more that VW. Plus they are pulling 24' flatbed trailers loaded down with materials and scissorlifts also.
Install some storage boxes under the deck and a winch on the bed and you will be set.
It would make a nice wind deflector for the TT also.

OG

 

So am I going to regret trying to tow a TT with a rig this size?

 

Not until you get into a tight spot and need to run around... It will take you 2 days to get that thing turned around but you will be able to haul all of your toys with you...
Here is another project for you... hook up a PTO on the VW and run a Generator for your TT.... Quiet & Efficient!

 

I put a 40 inch stinger hitch on my truck. I have a deck on my truck and I braced the stinger back to the top and out on the deck. The stinger was solid. I towed around 3500 lbs with out a load leveler. I sure noticed the hitch point that far behind the rear wheels. I would be very careful how much I weight I towed.
Stan

 

What I would recommend is going with a shorter truck, getting a smart car, putting ramps and a platform over the roof of your truck. It is illegal in most states and most provinces in canada to pull to bumper hitches, and a good number wont allow even a trailer behind a 5er.

It sucks to pull a tt behind a long tow rig.

Kevin

 

A golf can't weigh much,why not just make a deal on your truck kinda like U-haul uses to haul a two trailers,kina just a set of ramps that go up to the top of the truck,as long as you don't corner the way I do you'd be just fine...recommend sway bars

 

Hmm. Interesting ideas. I had planned to put a semi sleeper on behind the cab which would stand about 20" taller than the top of the cab but if I channel that down closer to roof height, I might be able to put the car over the top of it.

SWC, I'd definitely want to stretch the frame in front of the axle to maintain towing capacity.

Thanks. Keep the ideas coming.

 

As far as the sleeper, I have one on my truck... It could have been channeled some more to drop the top down, but the bottom of the sleeper would be making sparks on the road. The sleeper only sits above the roof about 6-8 inches... Check out my gallery... I will say that I like the sleeper as it is quiet and clean. Getting two tool boxes is a bonus... Good luck

 

I see what you're saying Happy. The sleeper that I was looking at had a flat bottom and if I set that on top of the frame rails, I measured nearly 2' higher than the top of the cab but the bottom would be significantly higher than your too. Good to see yours to use as an idea. Thanks.

If I can get the top of the sleeper down enough, the ramp sounds like a doable idea.

Any other suggestions?

 

Toy hauler and an MG Midget? :-)

 

Thats what I was thinking. To heck with putting the car on the truck. Get as small a car as you can find and get one of these camper/toyhaulers with and away you go. That way you got a little room in the back of the toy hauler for other stuff if you want as well.