Towing a boat behind a 5th whell

[OTRPU]

BDech makes a good point. My experience, Doubles makes for a waggie pull. Earlier I stated 60 tops, but mostly ran at 55. Both my trailers are tandum axle, even so it waggles. Even slight inputs to the steering are exagerated when you have more joints. Guess I was fortunate, never blew a tire towing doubles. Have several times towing singles though. Can't remember ever feeling or hearing anything when they went. Just happened to be looking in the right mirror once and saw the smoke and pieces fly. Most times a passerby informed me via hand gestures. Too bad about your friends stuff, sounds like he was lucky nobody was hurt. Just driving is perilous, hooking things on behind just affords more opportunity for something to happen. Still think slower is better. If you see or feel the wind, git to heck off. Some guys post they've never felt the wind and no problem. I say if you can't feel the wind you've either never been in the wind, or you got lead in your as$. Pay attention. . . it can hurt.

Presently enroute Bristol, IN to Medford, OR running I-80W, some call it the "Widow Maker". OTRPU could pull this 38 ft 5er over the hills at 85 or 90. . . I choose 60 all 2,350 miles of it. . . less it gets windy.



Cheers,

Steve J.

 

[CLAYTON]

I just pulled a jeep behind my 5th wheel for the first time this week and that thing seemed to be all over the place. It felt good around 55-60 mph. . any faster then that (and down hill) it would sway back and forth pretty good. This jeep was on a trailer. Coming back I switched and towed a jeep that had the hitch attached the the front bumper so all four wheels where on the ground and that seemed to tow a lot better. Over all I didn't like towing doubles.

 

[OTRPU]

Why would it be hard on the third rigs tires? Pulling is pulling right?

____________________________



What I noticed was even with the boat on a tandem trailer. . . second trailer is pretty waggy. Have been pulling commercially last three years. . . I've changed my mind. Doubt I'll haul doubles again without a dolly. Not telling anybody not to, but I tow everyday and I won't.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[Big A]

If you have enough tongue weight on your truck from the 5th wheel, and no more than 10% on your 5th wheel from the third trailer, you should have no sway. I also believe that if your 5th wheel is too light, your chances of sway increase.

Big A

 

[J&LRam]

Glen

we towed a 26ft 5er with a 3500 lb bass boat for eight years and your getting some good advise about keeping your speed down. Also the boat needs 200lbs + on the ball to tow good. We got up to 65 once to get a run at a seven percent grade and after watching the boat waggin' more than I liked I stayed in the 55-60 range. Also gusty 25-35 mph side winds make the back of the 5er wag and that causes the boat to move around a lot. My bass boat had wider trailer profile than the 5er and was easy to see in my mirrows... ... ... ... . JIM

 

[GAmes]

I pull doubles too and I don't experience any wag because I have a sway bar on the boat trailer. Only about $100, what could be simpler? I have also had a blowout on the boat trailer, but it was because the tire was made by Cooper. Even with the tire essentially gone the trailer didn't do anything but stay behind the 5er where it was supposed to be.



My contibution to this thread is to have your hitch fabricated by a pro. It is not a high school auto shop project kind of thing. I have also heard that it is not legal in FL to tow double, but then again, 72 ft isn't legal in TX and I've never been stopped. As Clint would say "Do you feel lucky?"

 

[KcoleKennyc]

I've been told that Florida doesn't allow this with smaller trucks. Had a friend that pulled horse trailers from Oklahoma. He had to drop 1 in Georgia, deliver 1, then deliver the other. DOT told him that he could not pull double in their state. He could cross several states getting there but could not cross the Florida border. I live 20 miles from the Al/Fl line and I see campers pass here with Florida tags pulling boats behind their campers regular, guess it's all in who sees you.

 

[JRichard]

Does anybody know what is legal in illinois as far as this is concerned?

 

[wcoomes]

I've seen a boat behind a fifth wheel in Illinois. I'll be going thru there in June on my way to Minnesota.

 

[Eric_77]

I used to have a link with RV towing laws but have lost it when reloading my computer.

Anyway I know that most states are the 60-65' range without a CDL if they allow it at all, that it was fifth wheel to bumper pull only, and second trailer is a boat only.



Found the link

http://www.rvsafety.com/state.htm which shows a 2005 update

 

[Eric_77]

Opps sorry that link does not have the double info, I'll see if I can find that site that was more complete.



Found this but I know some of the info is old (at least 5 years as it says speed limit is 55 for trailer that I know was gone in 00 for TX)



http://www.boatus.com/towing/towlaw.htm

 

[Tee]

I did it for 2 years. Thats an old 12v. It was 72ft 3in long all hooked together. Had a Utah Highway patrol check me out once in the parking lot in Hanksville but he never said a thing to me about its length or weight. Just said he had followed me for about 5 miles back aways and everything pulled nice and straight.



I was always exhausted by the time I drove that the 300 miles to Lake Powell. If your going to do it keep your head about ya. Keep your speed down and be on HIGH alert.



I now have a 04. 5 and a Lance 845 slide in. That is much easier to handle and I am not near as worn out when I get where I am going.

 

[michigandon]

In Michigan you're supposed to get a "recreational double" or "RD" endoresement on your license. That's about all I have to add on this one.



Don

 

[cyborg]

Eliminator Daytona?

 

[Tee]

Eliminator Daytona?

Nope, Close though



Advantage 22 Sport Cat

 

[surfbeetle]

I had a friend that did this for years. He had a 20 foot MeToo Fifth Wheel and a 25 foot boat. He always complained about the boat going side to side. We finally realized that when the reciever hitch was added to the fifth wheel trailer, they did not perfectly center it on the trailer. This had to have caused some of his problems. Here in California, it's legal up to 65 feet, you need either a commercial or non commercial class A license with doubles and tripples endorsements to do it. You will also need a weight certificate. I plan to pull a small utility trailer or buggy behind my 5'ver.



Just be safe and leave plenty of following distance. The only accident my friend had was because he approached an intersection and the old lady in front of him stopped at a yellow light and he was not expecting that. His chevy truck with a grill guard pushed their trunk into the back seat. He only had some cracks on his grill.

 

[JimScott]

Double towing, Washington State

Here in Washington State you need a tandem axel tow rig to tow a double trailer so our Dodges don't qualify.

Jim