Community Forums

dashdriver · 10-07-2011, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Staley

I hooked up the beetle to the mh and the jet ski to my beetle. I went on a 8 mile drive and they pulled excellent! I measured everything this am...68 feet! Ahhhhh! I need to shorten the jet ski trailer by 2.5 and take the 6" hitch extension from the beetle. I think I can make it work!
Thanks everyone for your input!
Mike

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. If towing doubles is legal in TX, ain't no trooper that's going to notice you're 3 ft too long unless he stops you for something else and gets curious about your length and gets out the tape measure.

BABrede · 10-07-2011, 07:42 PM

Staley,
You'll probably be all right and they won't even look twice at you. The problem will come IF you have an accident. Then you better hope that your under 65' and have at least a Class B license, and a good lawyer if you don't.
Remember your following distances, and don't get in a hurry. Be safe and have a great weekend!

Kerry

Luckiest Dreamer · 10-08-2011, 08:41 AM

Back when I was towing a 5'r and a boat behind, I looked into my states law and the states surrounding mine. What I found was laws governing commercial towing (those that do it for hire) and none of the states were paying attention to those of us that did it for our selves. The laws were never written. What I soon found was the troopers did not know the laws either! What they would do, if they thought things were not kosher was to write the ticket and let the courts decide. I pulled that combination for several years without incident. When I set mine up the laws required that each af a double or triple trailer set up,(commercial) the trailers could only be 28ft or less and there was a total length allowed. What I tried to do was stay within the laws govering the big boys and my 5'r was a 28ft model and the boat and trailer was under 28 as well. That would mean the towing unit could easily be under 45ft and still be ok for towing.
As with many people towing their boats and staying within width laws and the need for wide load signage. Many times the boats that have a 9ft beam can be towed with no signs and get away with it! That is until they meet the trooper that happens to own the same model of boat! The laws that require wide load permits are generally covered for State and Federal roads and county and city streets would need permits from another authority. Many cities and counties do not have a department for that and honor the states regulations. Much of that is determined by the width of the roads surface. Wanna bet the first time you cut a corner and hit something, you will be ticketed as being illigal!

burfurd · 10-09-2011, 08:05 PM

Motorhome, truck, & boat.jpg

Was stopped at a roadblock because a truck had wrecked on a hill. Asked officer if we could make it through the detour he suggested. He took a look at the rig and said "No problem, drive safely."

burfurd

gcsprayjr · 10-23-2011, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njs42

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

Here are the laws state by state according to Towing World.

With interest I notice no laws in Texas about brakes? Doesn't mention common sense.

So if you tow two would you have brakes and if so would all units have them or just the tailing unit? Just curious.

When this site lists yes or no to a "triple tow" do they mean a tow vehicle and two trailers, or three?

burfurd · 10-26-2011, 06:16 PM

I take it to mean the motor home + toad + boat or whatever as meaning 'triple tow.' Also have heard some comments somewhere about a lot of these laws being for commercial but as I read them, it specifically means motor homes.

I plan on going another route, I plan next year to construct a rack with ramps to carry my boat, motor, and trailer up on the back of my Ford Ranger. The boat trailer wheels and tires will be just at the back top corner of the bed. Air shocks should keep it level. (See triple hookup in post above).

burfurd

Old Dude 66 · 10-26-2011, 07:16 PM

The maximum lenght in Texas is 65 feet. I was towing a Jeep Wrangler behind my fifth wheel in Kansas and got a ticket for being 3 feet over lenght. Most states are 65 feet but Colorado is 70 feet.

Mr_D · 10-26-2011, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

If your various vehicles all have plates from your state of residence, I'm not sure how the reciprocity rules would be applied. I've seen double tows in WA, but they've always been from other states.

You must comply with the laws of the state you are in, there is no reciprocity on vehicle equipment, just like there isn't any on speed laws.
I WA you can double tow IF the first towed is a 5th wheel or one of the swivel adapters to some truckers use.

Mr_D · 10-26-2011, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burfurd

Motorhome, truck, & boat.jpg

Was stopped at a roadblock because a truck had wrecked on a hill. Asked officer if we could make it through the detour he suggested. He took a look at the rig and said "No problem, drive safely."

burfurd

Must have been legal where you were. Here they make you break it up and tow the boat behind one of the vehicles.

TXiceman · 10-26-2011, 07:32 PM

I would feel better with a tandem axle trailer with brakes and load both the VW and jet ski on the trailer. I don;t know what you would get for length.

Ken

HotMech · 10-26-2011, 08:13 PM

I've read, and heard, that AZ has rules against all double towing for non comercial.
hmmmm, I've been towing my double in and out of AZ and CA. for years with not even a second look. And that includes the State trooper stop, just outside of AZ On I-40 going into CA. they are preoccupied with Zebra Mussels I think.

gcsprayjr · 10-26-2011, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burfurd

I take it to mean the motor home + toad + boat or whatever as meaning 'triple tow.' Also have heard some comments somewhere about a lot of these laws being for commercial but as I read them, it specifically means motor homes.

I plan on going another route, I plan next year to construct a rack with ramps to carry my boat, motor, and trailer up on the back of my Ford Ranger. The boat trailer wheels and tires will be just at the back top corner of the bed. Air shocks should keep it level. (See triple hookup in post above).

burfurd

Many years ago a friend of mine made a rack for his pickup so he could haul his boat and tow his travel trailer. Of course his boat was heavier, a 17 foot probass boat, the truck was a crewcab Chevy dually, and the TT was a 28 foot Terry. It looked sort of like a car hauler mounted to a pickup, and worked well for him. If your boat is not too heavy, it might work hauling it on a Ranger. I would be very careful not to overload the Ranger, as it may become very unstable if it becomes top heavy.