Community Forums

travelgirl · 11-21-2010, 08:32 AM

Well here we are again onto another subject that my husband and I have questions about. I guess it just part of learning the MH trade.lol.

My husband and I in another thread posted in regards to Weight and Cap. about beefing our hitch up and tires and coach up to carry more weight. We were told that we could do it but we are still taking major risks by doing so. the next question my husband and I have is what is a Trailer toad and what does it do. from the gathering that I got it takes a lot of weight off your motor home axle and hitch but still have the pulling weight just not a lot of strain on your or axle. So the question my husband and I have is our trailer is 30 FT long and has a GCWR of total of 15K and our trailer cap on the hitch too tow is 10K if I load of trailer all of 15 K and put a toad on the trailer what is the out come if I beef the hitch up to 15 K and put 15K put a Trailer Toad on the trailer what is the out come. Because when I read about trailer toads and load bars i'm getting the sense that u can put more weight onto your coach or truck because it takes the weight off the hitch and the coach but to pull the extra weight you still have to beef your hitch up to pull but regardeless ur still pulling weight just less stress on the hitch and coach. I guess the all and all question is this. If we use a Trailer Toad or Weight bars can we pull more and do more and exceed the weight limit by a few without hurting people or someone. We are already having the coach prewired for Elec. brake wiring system for the trailer and prewired to tow the the pick up and trailer we told to add a trailer brake system in our coach to help out.

The Next subject I have spoken to a lot of people in person and in the irv2 chat room and have been advised to get FMCA and be apart of it. One person even told me when my husband and I join to get the MEDEX pacakge and it is free. What is so great and the benefits that FMCA has to offer. What is the difference between FMCA and Good Sam. can you have both. which one is better FMCA or Good Sam. Well I look foward to all of your feed back on this. Happy Holidays to all.

goldwingerx2 · 11-21-2010, 08:44 AM

Lots of good info on their homepage trailertoad.com. Also give Jok a call he is very helpful. We are extremely happy with ours and the results it has given us.

travelgirl · 11-21-2010, 09:58 AM

I ment too add this into my new thread posting-Does a Trailer toad allow you to carry more weight if you only have a 10K or 12.5 K hitch our Mh trailer hitch says 10K but our 30 FT trailer has a Gross Weight of 15,560 lbs to be exact. If my husband buys a trailer toad will the MH be able to handle the weight of 15,560 or do we still have to upgrade the tires and beef the hitch up to break even and balance out.

85Eagle · 11-21-2010, 10:08 AM

"our 30 FT trailer"
If you have a 30 FT trailer and I am reading your signature correct you have a 40 FT Foretravel Motorhome that you will be towing the trailer with. If so you will be over length in most states at 70 plus feet.

travelgirl · 11-21-2010, 10:49 AM

How are we going to be over length most states allow 65FT to 70FT but what I dont get is Tractor trailers are 75 plus feet long on the road. how do they get away with it. and I was also told if ur are hot dogging in the coach and u are over lrngth nobody really going to bother you unless you get into a accident

cb5300 · 11-22-2010, 10:38 AM

One thing you need to keep in mind is if you are over the length limit, and you know it, then you may have issues with your insurance coverage if you are involved in an accident. Don't be surprise if your coverage is denied if you knowingly violate a state or federal law...It's better to just follow the law then to try and beg for forgiveness later...

Also, I believe that most states have a 65 foot length not 70. It also looks like you might be closer to 75 ft instead of 70 ft. I assume that the 30 ft trailer doesn't include the trailer tongue, which would add another 3 to 5 ft of length.

travelgirl · 11-23-2010, 03:20 PM

Thank you for that info what I don't understand and neither does my husband is if tractor trailer are 75 to 80 feet lonf why are we only allowed to be 65 to 70 feet what allows them to be longer and is ther a permit that we can get to allow the extra length.

skigramp · 11-23-2010, 04:17 PM

the towing rules vary greatly by state ...

In Utah, they allow "triple bottom trucks" ... a tractor pulling three trailers ... on interstate highways ...

Wyoming allows folks to tow a boat behind their fifth wheels ...

In Wisconsin they do not allow triple bottom trucks but they allow double bottom trucks (tractor and two trailers) on divided control access highways (and about 5 miles off those roads to a terminal) ... they allow a tractor and 53 foot trailers on state highways ... Wisconsin does not allow towing anything behind a 5th wheel.

Read this

Sportech · 11-26-2010, 07:35 AM

You only have to have a regular drivers license to operate a motorhome. You need a CDL to drive a tractor trailer, so they allow longer rigs.

Triker56 · 11-26-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelgirl

I ment too add this into my new thread posting-Does a Trailer toad allow you to carry more weight if you only have a 10K or 12.5 K hitch our Mh trailer hitch says 10K but our 30 FT trailer has a Gross Weight of 15,560 lbs to be exact. If my husband buys a trailer toad will the MH be able to handle the weight of 15,560 or do we still have to upgrade the tires and beef the hitch up to break even and balance out.

You can tow only the difference between the GVWR and GCWR listed on your MH chassis.

No bigger hitch or larger tires can change that figure.
And that probably is 10,000 lb. And not 15,560 lb.