TOWING A TRAILER BEHIND A 5TH WHEEL

[ARTICWING]

I WOULD LIKE TO BUY A 04 CEDAR CREEK 5TH WHEEL(37FT) AND PUT A RACK OR PULL A TRAILER THAT WOULD HOLD A 1500 GOLD WING. DOES ANY ONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. THE MANUFACTURE DOES NOT RECOMMEND IT. ANY INSIGHT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU
ARTICWING

[ARTICWING]

I WOULD LIKE TO BUY A 04 CEDAR CREEK 5TH WHEEL(37FT) AND PUT A RACK OR PULL A TRAILER THAT WOULD HOLD A 1500 GOLD WING. DOES ANY ONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. THE MANUFACTURE DOES NOT RECOMMEND IT. ANY INSIGHT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU
ARTICWING

[RustyJC]

First, welcome to iRV2.com. We're glad to have you join us.

I and many others here can relate to your situation - in my case, I have a BMW K1200GT that I would like to take along but haven't come up with a method that I consider acceptable.

I would suggest that there are several factors that need to be considered.

1. If the manufacturer doesn't recommend it, it may be because the 5th wheel frame hasn't been designed to take the static and dynamic towing forces of the bike and trailer. The 5th wheel frame members may be too small or fragile (i.e., insufficient wall thickness of rectangular tubing) to accept a trailer hitch or receiver.

2. Can you tow a 37' 5th wheel, the motorcycle trailer and the motorcycle within the ratings of your tow vehicle and 5th wheel hitch?

3. Towing double is illegal in many states. Check the laws of the states where you'll be traveling - in some states, towing double may be legal, but special driver license endorsements are required. There are also legal limits on total combined length - will your rig satisfy these?

Racks are a completely different matter. If you'll use the Find function on the toolbar above to search for "motorcycle carrier", you'll find lots of reading material.

Since you haven't bought the RV yet, why not consider a toyhauler?

Rusty

[Ray,IN]

Rusty said: "Since you haven't bought the RV yet, why not consider a toyhauler?"

Come-on Rusty, That no fair using logic.

[NLOVNIT]

ARCTICWING,

Yes, welcome There's a wealth of information & friendly folks to help you out.

Since you like the Forest River brand, maybe one of their toyhaulers would fit your requirements. Might be worth checking into since there are a lot of restrictions as well as outright prohibitions on double towing.

L-

[L. Rome]

Tandem towing, as that is called, is not really a big deal. When we go camping we have a golf cart that we take quite often to get around the parks. With my old trailer, which was a fifth wheel, we would tow a 12' utility trailer behind the trailer. This was actually very easy to handle when on the road and I did this with a 1/2 ton truck (my fifth wheel only weighed 4200 lbs.).

The thing to consider is the allowed length of your unit. In Louisiana, for example, a truck is allowed to be up to 70' when tandem towing. That means that truck and both trailers combined can not exceed this length. With a 37' fifth wheel, you may have difficulty with that. I know that Mississippi allows up to 65' because we occasionally take trips there.

With my new travel trailer I no longer do this and load the golf cart in the bed of the truck, but the new trailer is 33' and a bumper pull. I am not sure how a trailer would handle behind the bumper pull or even if that is legal. Good luck in whatever you decide, but for a trailer that long, I would probably purchase a toy hauler. I am not certain that you will be able to meet the requirements of the states in which you tow otherwise.

[450Donn]

Another thing to consider. If and I say IF you were able to attach a frame/carrier on the back of a fifth wheel and actually get that 800 pounds of Honda on the back, you then must consider what happened to your pin weight. Considering leverage and all I would suggest that the 3000 pounds of pin weight without the Wing would probably go to 1000 pounds or so with it attached. Would make for one ugly tow IMHO. Toy hauler is a much better option.

[ChiefJohn]

IMO, although pricey, the Idaho Tote is one of the best options for what you are considering. The 'trailer' actually becomes an extension of your 5th wheel with an attachment that is welded on your 5th wheel and the Idaho Tote bolts to this attachment. There is no fish-tailing and you can back-up without unhitching. Again, IMO, one of the best ideas to come down the pike -- now, I need to convince my DW that I can get one??

[Panbob]

I met a gentleman many years ago that did this, I beleave he said he had to register his tow vehicle as a commecial combination vehicle. He was towing a boat behind his 5th wheel. I'd also bet not all states would allow this. Good luck!