Community Forums

Monaco38 · 07-08-2010, 04:16 PM

Where is this combination legal?

...................................Not in Washington State!

DriVer · 07-08-2010, 05:11 PM

Recently saw a p/u truck & fifth wheel towing a golf cart on a trailer here in SC.

TW · 07-08-2010, 05:23 PM

It's not legal in BC, but in ALBERTA it is very much LEGAL!!!!

TW

wa8yxm · 07-08-2010, 05:44 PM

Some years ago I saw a Pickup pulling a 5th wheel pulling a boat trailer and I ask the driver, Nicely. (Don't pay to tick 'em off) He told me it was legal.. So when I got back to work I grabbed a copy of the Michigan Vehicle code and guess what.. He spoke the truth. IT was indeed legal in Michigan at that time.

Since then they have, from what I understand, Modified the law.. MORE LENIENT, the law then specified a boat trailer.. Today they do not specify.

The only issue, which I can not tell from the JPGs is.... How long was that rig.. There is a length limit,

Dick & Pat · 07-08-2010, 05:46 PM

Last I knew it is legal here in Iowa....but you'll never see us trying it

TXiceman · 07-08-2010, 06:45 PM

Just because it is legal, does not mean that it is necessary smart.

Ken

Hitchhiker · 07-08-2010, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monaco38

Where is this combination legal?

...................................Not in Washington State!

The Trailer Life Directory 'Rules of the Road' lists the various states that allow towing doubles (Triple Towing) and the restrictions when doing it. Click this link for their chart.

JIMNLIN · 07-08-2010, 08:31 PM

RV doubles like the "Texas doubles" picture, is legal in many states. Dot/NHTSA/FMCSA definition of doubles is truck pulling a semi trailer/trailer. Tripples is a truck pulling a semi trailer/trailer/trailer. Many RV information based web sites are incorrectly calling a truck/semi trailer/trailer as a tripple tow is misleading.

We see lots of tripples (3 trailers) mostly in the summer, around here as we have lots of COE lakes. Most are a 5th wheel with a boat with a pair of PWC's on a trailer dragging up the rear.

Fall and winter we have a trucks pulling a 5th wheel/horse trailer/trailer full of ATV's going to CO or NM on hunting trips.

To be legal hauler is to be a safer hauler. To infere that towing legally isn't smart is just ............ .

JC2 · 07-08-2010, 08:43 PM

In some cases, the law of common sense should prevail in situations such as this. Unfortunately many people today fail to realize that because they believethat if the law says it's ok, it must be right. To ask any tow vehicle to be able to stop itself + a vehicle it is towing + a vehicle that is being towed behind the second one is really asking for trouble. Most of us that have towed for a number of years know that being legal won't always cover your butt if one becomes involved in an accident with this kind of setup.

When I see the type of setup mentioned, I avoid being around that scenario like the plague.

Monaco38 · 07-09-2010, 02:32 PM

I know this is legal in some states. Just wanted to point out by the post that it is not legal in the State of Washington. Won't comment on the wisdom of this towing combination where it is legal. Could not believe when I saw this that someone would not check in advance if such an arrangement was legal in the states they were going to travel before setting out. Also do not know for certain if this was someone from out of state, or in fact was someone local. Either way...duh!!

Hitchhiker · 07-09-2010, 03:21 PM

I can't help but wonder if the cop parked behind the rig (photo on right) is writing the guy a ticket for his double tow? It looks as if he has been pulled over for something.

JoeT · 07-10-2010, 07:01 AM

Texas calls this "Triple Towing", although to me, it's double towing. It is legal in Texas as long as you don't exceed 65'.

Monaco38 · 07-10-2010, 03:03 PM

Joe, hence the reference to Texas in my thread title as I had heard it was legal in Texas, and yes Richard, I suspect the officer was more than likely issuing a citation. Not seen in the picture were the blue lights. A second officer in a command vehicle arrived on the scene just after I finished snapping these pictures.

JIMNLIN · 07-11-2010, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeT

Texas calls this "Triple Towing", although to me, it's double towing. It is legal in Texas as long as you don't exceed 65'.

yeah, I think where some of the RV webs calling a truck/trailer/trailer a tripple tow is from misreading/misinterpretation of the regs intent. For example TX 621.205 reg says;

Sec. 621.205. MAXIMUM LENGTH OF VEHICLE COMBINATIONS. (a) Except as provided by this section, a combination of not more than three vehicles, including a truck and semitrailer, truck and trailer, truck-tractor and semitrailer and trailer, or a truck-tractor and two trailers, may be coupled together if the combination of vehicles, other than a truck-tractor combination, is not longer than 65 feet."

The reg says "three vehicles" and somehow RV webs get it as a "tripple tow" combination which it isn't.

Oh well, at least the folks that pull combinations understand the difference.