Towing Doubles

[Phillip]

Ok I'm seriously considering having a lite 7/8 reciever hitch put on the back of my 13' Casita so I can pull my jonboat .. any advice... I plan on having the bumper re-enforced..I don't plan on pulling much weight I realize the trailer is only 2x2 tubing, my jonboat hitch weight cant be more than 50-75# and the entire boat and trailer I would guess at 400-500 #...I can move the boat around by hand.. very easily..

Towing double is legal in Arkansas as long as your under 65 feet which I wouldn't even be close..weight I'm guessing for both trailers would not exceed 1500-1700# MAX
I have never pulled 2 trailers at once but I really want to have my boat along too.. I'm sure there's a learning curve...

I would love to here and advice or warnings or ideas..

I would be towing with a Ranger 4X4 with a 4.0L and the Casita is getting a new axle w/brakes before I Plan on attempting this ..I also figure I can get accessories such as a bicycle rack or storage rack that can also fit the receiver, Just some thoughts.. ...

[Nate]

check for legality, that's all i warn about. I have seen it done in other places i've lived - where it was legal, but not here as it is strictly not legal. back up in the yukon i saw a guy with a fifth wheel and a trailer with two seadoos behind that. he disco'd the fifthwheel and then hitched the trailer to the truck to launch them. My dad drives a b-train, and i asked him how you back those things up, and he replied "as infrequent as possible."

Worth noting is my boler has a square reciever on the back bumper for the spare tire mount. I'm shopping for a hitch mount bike rack too, that's alot better than putting the bikes inside the boler (headache).

[pjanits]

Check again for legality.
Have a frame guy tell you the trailer receiver can tow a trailer ( not likely with the stock frame) MAYBE ok for bike rack.
My Burro has a receiver and it looks pretty solid with added steel, but I wouldn't dream of putting a trailer on it.

Backing up would probably be impossible with the short trailer frame.

If that Ranger has a camper back ,I would put that Jon boat up on my roof.

[Bryan L.]

My 16' Scamp has a receiver on the back of it. The guy I bought it from said that he would do the same thing - tow a small boat with it. I wouldn't dream of it but he didn't seem to have a problem with it. I can grab some pictures of it if you'd like.

[Donna D.]

There are a lot of things to consider, the first is to make sure it's legal wherever you choose to go. You certainly don't want to leave your boat behind in some parking lot! This has been a topic for discussion before. You'll get a number of new responses, however you may also wish to read a good previous topic for other suggestions and ideas: Towing Doubles

[Larry&Carrie]

As long as it is legal--- It's not to my knowledge in WA state, even tho it is for big rigs. ( But, once in a while still see an out-of stater doing it) You'll find out it is impossible to back up more than a few feet, so you will learn to plan ahead...... Also, you will find that the combo will track better and turn shorter than a single trailer of the same overall length. Larry

[Donna D.]

I think this is an interesting topic. Just poking through the WWW, I found that although it may be legal to tow two trailers, in some states you must pass a test to do it! Here's a blip from one site:

We’re not exactly sure why Michigan felt it necessary to allow drivers to live out their Convoy and National Lampoon’s Vacation fantasies without proving their ability to safely drive a 65-foot rig. We’re not even certain of this endorsement’s legality outside of our state lines – [b]Nevada requires a road test, while California demands you attain a full-fledged CDL.

So, I still say.. check with the state(s) you plan to travel. It may be totally legal if the DRIVER of the rig passes a test.

[Rick kl]

Here in saskatchewan the trailer must have two axles or be a 5th wheel, next door in Alberta double rule is 5th. wheel only and it must have 2 axles.

In Alberta you can tow a second trailer behind the holiday trailer, providing the following requirements are met:

The lead trailer must be a fifth wheel.
The lead trailer must have two or more axles in tandem.
The longer trailer must be the lead trailer.
The hitch connecting the lead trailer and second trailer must be fastened to the frame of the lead trailer.

The rules are different everywhere, I would worry about hitch weight on the back bumber.

[Bill F.]

Ok I'm seriously considering having a lite 7/8 reciever hitch put on the back of my 13' Casita so I can pull my jonboat .. any advice... I plan on having the bumper re-enforced..I don't plan on pulling much weight I realize the trailer is only 2x2 tubing, my jonboat hitch weight cant be more than 50-75# and the entire boat and trailer I would guess at 400-500 #...I can move the boat around by hand.. very easily..

Towing double is legal in Arkansas as long as your under 65 feet which I wouldn't even be close..weight I'm guessing for both trailers would not exceed 1500-1700# MAX
I have never pulled 2 trailers at once but I really want to have my boat along too.. I'm sure there's a learning curve...

I would love to here and advice or warnings or ideas..

I would be towing with a Ranger 4X4 with a 4.0L and the Casita is getting a new axle w/brakes before I Plan on attempting this ..I also figure I can get accessories such as a bicycle rack or storage rack that can also fit the receiver, Just some thoughts.. ...

Hi Philip,
I talked to a guy about 4 years ago who said he towed 2 Bolers one behind the other for 11,000 miles thru Canada, USA, and Mexico and said no one questioned him in any of the countries. He had a disabled daughter who slept in one trailer and he and his wife used the second trailer. This doesn't make it legal but it has been done. As for backing up drivers back highway trains every day of the week. I sat in traffic for almost 10 minutes recently while a driver backed a fuel train out of a gas station on to a busy main street. My brother in law told me recently there are two local transport companies buiding trains of two 53' trailers for trial runs in non winter weather in an effort to haul more freight with one tractor/driver. Watch out for one way streets!
Bill

[Phillip]

Check again for legality.
Have a frame guy tell you the trailer receiver can tow a trailer ( not likely with the stock frame) MAYBE ok for bike rack.
My Burro has a receiver and it looks pretty solid with added steel, but I wouldn't dream of putting a trailer on it.

Backing up would probably be impossible with the short trailer frame.

If that Ranger has a camper back ,I would put that Jon boat up on my roof.

It is Legal in Arkansas as long as the total length doesnt exceed 65"..I dont need to be tested..

I am having a trailer manufacture here do the work ...when I have it done

I dont plan on backing up ,I will un-hitch the boat 1st ... I can move it around by hand..
its a 14' aluminum jonboat I couldnt load and unload it from the rack on top of a truck ..I weight a whooping 115# at 5'7 aint gonna happen...

I want to do tow a double so I can go by myself and have my camper and boat... if I had to leave 1 and I was alone it would be the camper even with the wife trying off load a 14' jonboat doesnt sound fun plus the motor and seats and poles would all have to stored ..... I bought the camper after the boat ... and I bought this camper with this idea in mind before I bought it.. I saw a picture of 1 on here some where... show us your rig or something like that..it has been done already.. found it ... I have the standard cab pickup and I have a flat bottom other that that its the same as what I'm wanting to rig up..

[Karalyn]

That would be illegal here in the land of 10,000 lakes.
I WISH I could tow both at once. I either camp OR fish, but can not do both

[james kent]

I don't believe it is legal here in Ont. I have seen someone from the USA pulled over and made to park one trailer. I wondered afterwards just how they got the second one home again.

[Roy in TO]

My concern would be that if the Casita has a frame similar to other eggs - the main frame is not continuous on the streetside. I feel they torque enough as it is. Not a risk I would want to take. Have you considered getting something in a car topper?

[Joe MacDonald]

from this site, Ontario towing rules:

Maximum trailer width: 2.6 meters (8 feet 5 inches)

Maximum trailer height: 4.15 meters (13 feet 6 inches)

Maximum trailer length (including load): 12.5 meters (41 feet)

Vehicle combinations permitted (cars/vans/SUV )? Up to 2 vehicles total

Vehicle combinations permitted (motor homes/trucks)? Yes, up to 3 vehicles total (*)

Maximum combined length: 23 meters (75 feet 6 inches)

Lighting: Tail, brake and license plate lights and required, as are reflectors. Turn signals are needed if combination exceeds 6 meters (19 feet 7 inches) in length.

Brakes: Independent braking system required where gross weight equals or exceeds 1,350kg (2,977lbs).

Safety chain(s) required: Yes

Other: Riding is allowed in truck campers. Overnight camping is allowed in restricted areas only.

on edit: I believe the riding in truck campers is now illegal

Additional information:
Ministry of Transportation Information
301 St-Paul St.
St. Catharines ON L2R 7R4

Additional information: www.mto.gov.on.ca

* Per the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, "a three vehicle combination that is swaying excessively, is unstable or has reduced handling capabilities is subject to action by the police as an unsafe combination of vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act"

[Phillip]

Joe, I think those are almost exactly the same laws as Arkansas and most states .. ... http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm