Towing a stacker with Anthem

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by Gasman 2

Thanks palehorse89,
Should have stated some or most states. Ohio does not have any requirement or special license for a RV.
Don't get me wrong I not saying a motorhome driver should meet the same requirements as a CDL driver.They just need some formal training especially in regards to air brake use and maintenance.
Pa your not to far away.

Agree 110% Gasman!
Aren't you some place warm though, for the winter.........not in Ohio?
If so.......good for you Winter sucks!

For the OP: Here is a Anthem/Stacker in the resort I was in down in Key Largo..............Beast of a trailer......

[Gasman 2]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Actually they do vary by state. OR allows triples, when they get to the WA border they have to break them down since WA only allows doubles. That even applies to Interstates as well as state routes. Each state has to comply with the Federal Bridge Loading requirements but they can also have other restrictions off the Interstate system.

Really talking about the most common commercial combination and that is a 5 axle tractor trailer combination. Federal regulations allows each set of tandems 34k each on the combination for a total of 68k and 12k on the steer for a grand total of 80k the federal limit for national network roads. To get the full 80k you need a minimum 51 feet between the center of the steer axle to the center of the rear most trailer axle. The weight master will turn you down if you offer to hold the smart end of the tape😃.

Yes some states have different rules but they must comply with minimum fed rules on federal control roads or risk losing their federal funding.

[Longshoreman]

Originally Posted by CDBock

Wonder how truckers get away with it. They are 70-80 feet long. I would think that weight is more an issue than length in regards to an accident? Sure wish there were an exact answer to all of this.

Truckers buy permits, extra fees on there license, for over length and over width they pay that for ever state they drive thru I believe we could do that as well but you have to do it in ever state you drive thru weight, width, and length are all looked at in all accidents

[jmcarter]

palehorse89; perhaps my question will assist the OP as well so I'm not highjacking his thread completely but how do search for campgrounds that can accommodate your entire rig? Use bigrigresorts.com or other?

[Green D]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Agree 110% Gasman!
Aren't you some place warm though, for the winter.........not in Ohio?
If so.......good for you Winter sucks!

For the OP: Here is a Anthem/Stacker in the resort I was in down in Key Largo..............Beast of a trailer......

If you dont mind sharing what resort was this picture taken. I too am looking into a 26ft stacker and would love to know places that I could fit into.
Thanks

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

palehorse89; perhaps my question will assist the OP as well so I'm not highjacking his thread completely but how do search for campgrounds that can accommodate your entire rig? Use bigrigresorts.com or other?

Hello Jim, this had ought to fit right in this thread........as it does take some planning ahead.........most of the time.
Like today, going to Petroskey, MI this summer, I am going to call and talk to them, they have long pull throughs at 90' long. A couple of years back we rode through this campground and seen a Cornerstone towing a stacker in one of the pull throughs.
In most places, I have to drop the trailer..........but in the photo above, Anthem/Stacker.........I was at the end of the waterfront row, and stayed hooked up for a month. It is nice to keep the trailer hooked up if possible, As I use it for a work shop/nightly garage for my Harley. When I travel with the trailer, I just call where I intend to go and talk directly to the office, works well for me and no hidden problems when I arrive.

GreenD: This is at "Point of View RV Resort" in Key Largo,FL
The resort is only in its 4th year, owned.built by a lady from Rumania, and last year while there, saw a lot of business people walking about the place, when we returned home, found out she had sold it..........The developer must be having trouble with permits to build a high rise resort in its place............as they have extended their closing date 3 times now...........Open till the end of April '17 as it now stands. Wonderful place, the best vacation/location ever! Caught lobster's right out front of the Coach and swam with Manatees!
Hope this helps out...........
To the OP: Your Anthem will have plenty of power to tow a stacker, enjoy the ride knowing your garage is behind you!

[CDBock]

The RV and trailer manufacturers should get together to get the states to increase their length laws.

[CDBock]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Agree 110% Gasman!
Aren't you some place warm though, for the winter.........not in Ohio?
If so.......good for you Winter sucks!

For the OP: Here is a Anthem/Stacker in the resort I was in down in Key Largo..............Beast of a trailer......

Thanks for the pics Palehorse

[CDBock]

Originally Posted by Longshoreman

Truckers buy permits, extra fees on there license, for over length and over width they pay that for ever state they drive thru I believe we could do that as well but you have to do it in ever state you drive thru weight, width, and length are all looked at in all accidents

Oh no, wouldn't want to have to get into buying special permits for each state. Truckers have to go thru alot to be legal.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Gasman 2

Kind of depends on what you are driving. If you are driving a commercial vehicle than weight and length laws do apply nation wide on the US Interstate system of Highways.
You can't have multiple laws across the states applying their own laws to interstate commerce..
If a trucking company is moving freight in multiple states, and they do, how would it work if the regulations change at every state line?
Of course speed limits are control by local and state agencies.
When I step out of my motorhome and into my truck I'm in a whole different world. I can drive my motorhome hours on in and be legal but in a truck I'm limited on hours of service, in the truck I need a special license with the appropriate endorsements like air brake, combination vehicle, tanker, hazmat, and a medical certificate every year. When I renew my license every four years in order to get the hazmat endorsement I need to be figure printed for a security background check.
Of course the truck has a whole host of regulations to compile to.
Has anyone here had a DOT inspector roll under their coach to check your brakes, happens all time with a truck.

A RV is not a commercial vehicle so most of the regulations that apply to trucks do not apply to a motorhome.

I do think folks that drive these large motorhomes should under go some testing to qualify them to drive it.

In the commercial world you need a CDL for any vehicle over 26,000 lbs GVW. But a person with no experience at all can step in Diesel pusher that has a GVW north of 50,000 and drive off into the sun set legally.
I'll get off my box now.
Richard

Gasman;
Great post.

I have pondered the same thoughts about the differences in commercial and non commercial applications for a while.

You make great points about the level of training, testing and review of OTR vs MH drivers. I am not aware of any jurisdiction that requires as high a standard for MY licenses compared to OTR licenses. Some jurisdictions require an "enhanced" license for MH which does not allow OTR.

It makes me nervous when I read posts that suggest lengths, axle weights, speed are all optional for MH.

IMO it may not be long before the standards are applied to all heavy vehicles.

[Gasman 2]

IMO it may not be long before the standards are applied to all heavy vehicles. __________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/inTech Stacker


Gordon,


IMO
If we as owners and drivers of these coaches drive and act responsible we may never come under the same rules and regulations as the OTR driver, at least I hope not. As a aged population it becomes more difficult to pass the medical part of the CDL requirement and who want to stop at every scale house and be subject to a DOT inspection and carry a log book to make sure you are in compliance with hours of service.


So I think we are in charge of our own distantly on this issue. The trucking industry was required to use self adjusting brakes on tractor and trailers in the mid 90s because of the high number out of services violations do to brakes being out adjustment.
So if we fail to regulate our self the government will step in and do it for us, and that's not good for us.


From what I understand the RVIA lobby works hard to see that these rules do not apply to RVs.


Richard

[Gary.Jones]

I have been to two RV parks that I can think of where long motorhomes are pulling long stackers and trailers and stayed hooked up. Now, the most recent one was in Tucson and that motorhome trailer combination in a pull through was hanging out seriously into the roadway in the back and the nose of the coach was sticking way out into the roadway in the front. The other one I don't remember where it was, but it was a similar problem.

My point is that coaches with toads had a very difficult time getting around the coach/trailer combinations and my opinion was that the owners were being very disrespectful to everyone else in the RV park who had to try to maneuver past them. I was not sure who to be more angry with.... the owner or the RV park manager who permitted it.

There is a tendency for people with very long rigs to simply not care a lot about how it works out for anyone else, and as long as it makes it easier for them, good enough. Sorry.

There are others who recognize that traveling with that long a rig is going to cause problems for them and everyone else, and simply put up with the extra effort and do what needs to be done to not inconvenience everyone else by connecting and disconnecting and arranging a proper place to put them.

Gary

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Gasman 2

IMO it may not be long before the standards are applied to all heavy vehicles. __________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/inTech Stacker


Gordon,

IMO
If we as owners and drivers of these coaches drive and act responsible we may never come under the same rules and regulations as the OTR driver, at least I hope not. As a aged population it becomes more difficult to pass the medical part of the CDL requirement and who want to stop at every scale house and be subject to a DOT inspection and carry a log book to make sure you are in compliance with hours of service.

So I think we are in charge of our own distantly on this issue. The trucking industry was required to use self adjusting brakes on tractor and trailers in the mid 90s because of the high number out of services violations do to brakes being out adjustment.
So if we fail to regulate our self the government will step in and do it for us, and that's not good for us.

From what I understand the RVIA lobby works hard to see that these rules do not apply to RVs.

Richard

Richard;
I agree wholeheartedly.

Best thing is to keep a low profile, advise everyone to adhere to the specifications and be as safe as possible.

Our government had a great move to privatization. The trucking industry had long lobbied to self administer their industry so government let them. A rash of accidents and infractions quickly removed the self administration.

[DiAngelo67]

I've heard this EZ tow or EZ haul thing works great with a stacker....Kinda looks like a front jet wheel that goes in the a frame of the stacker