My Double Tow Setup....
11-21-2010, 04:03 PM
#31
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Am I the only one that cant see how this thing is gona flex going threw dips or over humps and such. I realize it will to some degree but any real dips and humps and that jet ski trailer is gona either be wanting to float in the air or take on a lot of the camper weight. To me this contraption is just waighting for a failure from stressing it on uneven ground. Heck I sheared off one of the main bolts in my Equalizer WD hitch this summer and its 3/4" diamater. All I did was drive the front of the truck up a bit of an enbankment and BANG. It sheared the bolt clean off. Good thing there are 2 on it so the trailer dident fall off. To me you are still towing doubles no matter how fancy of a hictch you build.
11-21-2010, 05:57 PM
#32
Administrator ........ DTR's puttin fires out and workin on big trucks admin
.....this is for all the haters who say it can't or shouldn't be done....
Well technically, it's a single articulating trailer.
I used a Rubicon Joint to make the coupler so everything would be "Bolted" together to make one articulating trailer. This way I won't have to upgrade to a class A license. I wanted the tongue a little longer, so after I installed the 2" receiver in the front of the ski trailer, I added a foot to the stinger that holds the 2" ball mount that I use to tow with my pickup.
Measures out 67ft long. I was hoping for 65ft, but that pesky BuckStop winch bumper sticks out almost a foot more than stock so I gave up on trying to shorten things up a bit since 65 wasn't going to happen.
I took it out on a ride tonight after I put it all together with lights and stuff and it tows pretty good. I will likely add a cheapo sway controls to cut down on the wiggle on the bumpy roads. Things may balance out once I put my wife's ski back on there too. I also want to attach the safety chains in one more spot near the center of the coupler in case of a failure, nothing will move far.
I'm also technically 500 lbs. over on my allowable 10,000lb. trailer GVW allowance on a class C license. I guess I'll have to peel off that ski trailer gvw sticker. I will never go over 2,000 lbs anyway. Big trailer GVW is 8,000 and ski will be 2,000.....10,000....legal now? LOL!
Well technically, it's a single articulating trailer.
I used a Rubicon Joint to make the coupler so everything would be "Bolted" together to make one articulating trailer. This way I won't have to upgrade to a class A license. I wanted the tongue a little longer, so after I installed the 2" receiver in the front of the ski trailer, I added a foot to the stinger that holds the 2" ball mount that I use to tow with my pickup.
Measures out 67ft long. I was hoping for 65ft, but that pesky BuckStop winch bumper sticks out almost a foot more than stock so I gave up on trying to shorten things up a bit since 65 wasn't going to happen.
I took it out on a ride tonight after I put it all together with lights and stuff and it tows pretty good. I will likely add a cheapo sway controls to cut down on the wiggle on the bumpy roads. Things may balance out once I put my wife's ski back on there too. I also want to attach the safety chains in one more spot near the center of the coupler in case of a failure, nothing will move far.
I'm also technically 500 lbs. over on my allowable 10,000lb. trailer GVW allowance on a class C license. I guess I'll have to peel off that ski trailer gvw sticker. I will never go over 2,000 lbs anyway. Big trailer GVW is 8,000 and ski will be 2,000.....10,000....legal now? LOL!
Am I the only one that cant see how this thing is gona flex going threw dips or over humps and such. I realize it will to some degree but any real dips and humps and that jet ski trailer is gona either be wanting to float in the air or take on a lot of the camper weight. To me this contraption is just waighting for a failure from stressing it on uneven ground. Heck I sheared off one of the main bolts in my Equalizer WD hitch this summer and its 3/4" diamater. All I did was drive the front of the truck up a bit of an enbankment and BANG. It sheared the bolt clean off. Good thing there are 2 on it so the trailer dident fall off. To me you are still towing doubles no matter how fancy of a hictch you build.
Review the pics again, you clearly see a ball socket placed right where it should be.
11-22-2010, 03:32 PM
#33
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Cool info guys. We now have confirmation that even with Class A, two tag recreational trailers in tow are not allowed in MI,NM,AZ,WA,FL, and OR. Most of the western states do allow it though.
I'm sure there will be many others. If you can back it up with written documentation, please post what is allowed in your state.
I'm sure there will be many others. If you can back it up with written documentation, please post what is allowed in your state.
11-22-2010, 04:40 PM
#34
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In Michigan, recreational doubles require a special driver's license endorsement. The first trailer MUST be a 5th wheel. All info I've ever seen does not consider a gooseneck trailer to be close enough.
I've attached a .pdf file from the MI state government site.
I've attached a .pdf file from the MI state government site.
11-22-2010, 05:11 PM
#35
Registered User
I think what is at question here is can you pull a three axle articulating trailer with one vin number and one license plate?
This set up does not use a ball hitch but it does have 2 vin numbers and plates but if it was changed and the hitch pins changed to bolts would it be allowed?
Scratch the bit about pins, I see they ARE bolts
This set up does not use a ball hitch but it does have 2 vin numbers and plates but if it was changed and the hitch pins changed to bolts would it be allowed?
Scratch the bit about pins, I see they ARE bolts
Last edited by Busboy; 11-22-2010 at 05:16 PM. Reason: Pins to bolts
11-22-2010, 06:56 PM
#36
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Guys and i`am some glad that NOT everybody can pull that weight and configuration behind ? I have a class 1 with air in Canada and I know you can not bumper pull and tow two trailers. NEVER. It will snake. Now a dually and a real fifth wheel you could tow here with wheels on the hitch and another fifth wheel pin and hitch. Trains are legal here under . I think its all in weight to configuration as to what you can haul. We have set laws everywhere except Quebec and that province is different ( french) .
11-28-2010, 10:53 PM
#38
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Not Sure it was legal in Ok, but this weekend I saw a E-150 van pulling a 5er pulling a boat. Yes I said a van pulling a 5er. There was a dollie thing used like a semi used when pulling tripples like roadway or ups uses. I think he was using a pintle (sp?) hook not a ball. Technically speaking it was a 5er with pulling the boat which is allowed in OK, but the dolly thing threw me off. Must not have been to bad because he was pulling on the Turnpike section of 44 between Tulsa and Mo.
11-28-2010, 11:41 PM
#39
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Not Sure it was legal in Ok, but this weekend I saw a E-150 van pulling a 5er pulling a boat. Yes I said a van pulling a 5er. There was a dollie thing used like a semi used when pulling tripples like roadway or ups uses. I think he was using a pintle (sp?) hook not a ball. Technically speaking it was a 5er with pulling the boat which is allowed in OK, but the dolly thing threw me off. Must not have been to bad because he was pulling on the Turnpike section of 44 between Tulsa and Mo.
12-08-2010, 03:34 AM
#42
I've looked at this some here in CA as well and best as I can discern, you can pull a train including any number of trailers as long as the total length of the train does not exceed 65 feet if any of the trailers exceeds 28'6", or 75 feet if none exceed 28'6". Consensus seems to be that a fiver does not need to be at the head of the train either. The code is silent on it, apparently. (Note the qualifiers. I'm not a LEO).
You can get a non-commercial Class A license with the doubles endorsement.
I'll concur that you'll have a hard time getting a LEO to buy off on the one trailer deal with two VINs.
Be real careful with that combination. I've got a sense that Physics are accumulating against you with the bumper pull, vastly different "Trailer" lengths, no brakes on the watercraft "extension," and perhaps most importantly, wildly different wind profiles on the two trailing bits plus the truck.
Given your fabrication skills, how about modifying a commercial snow machine deck that sits above the bed of your truck to add bunks for the watercraft and a boom to launch and recover them. Take advantage of the bumper pull freeing up the truck bed.
You can get a non-commercial Class A license with the doubles endorsement.
I'll concur that you'll have a hard time getting a LEO to buy off on the one trailer deal with two VINs.
Be real careful with that combination. I've got a sense that Physics are accumulating against you with the bumper pull, vastly different "Trailer" lengths, no brakes on the watercraft "extension," and perhaps most importantly, wildly different wind profiles on the two trailing bits plus the truck.
Given your fabrication skills, how about modifying a commercial snow machine deck that sits above the bed of your truck to add bunks for the watercraft and a boom to launch and recover them. Take advantage of the bumper pull freeing up the truck bed.
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