towing with skoolie -

[turf]

i want to set up a car to tow behind....and wondering how many people do that and what their experience is.

even more... i want to triple tow... my bus, my dinghy tow, and a trailer w/atv.

im guessing about 5000 lbs for the car, and 2000 lbs for the atv....not more than 7000 total towing
the bus has the cummins 5.9 with the allison 540 tranny....weight wise i'm am ok..... just don't know about the wisdom of it

any thoughts and experiences on the topic appreciated

 

[ol trunt]

Sounds like a Slinky to me I'd guess the bus would be a little stressed under the load but even if it can do the work, as far as I know, the only place it is legal to tow more than one trailer like that is on a few Federal highways. I'm sure there is some way to find out for sure but I've never thought about looking into it. Jack

 

[r_w]

Either tow a trailer that can hold both or flat tow a truck with the 4 wheeler in the bed. Triples SUCK

 

[lornaschinske]

I find it amazing to watch a double/triple tow flip over. We've seen it happen a few times. Everything looks like it is in slow motion when the things go airborne. We would only do it in case we had to leave in a hurry due to a disaster (fire or hurricane) and we would not be moving very fast either. Ofcourse we no longer have to haul the food cart around with us so we do not need to triple tow.

We tow a 5,500 lb Jeep Grand Cherokee with our BlueBird FE (40 ft). David says you can't feel it back there. We use an older Stowmaster 5000 towbar that is rated for 6000 lbs (I think the newer ones are only rated to 5000 lb). David didn't feel it when the Jeep blew out a front tire and dragged it long enough to chew up the fancy rim ( ) before I could get him to pull over (I was following in the old Class C).

We have added a 150cc touring scooter to our mix and will stick it on a hitchmounted motorcycle rack mounted on the back of the Jeep.

Many campgrounds will charge you extra to store your car trailer or a dolly. We thought about buying a pickup truck and putting a flat bed on it so that we could haul a trike. We got the scooter instead.

 

[Stu & Filo. T]

You would have to get a multiple trailer endorsement on your license

 

[turf]

hmmmmmm

reading more about weights and trailers........

if i get a car hauler big enough to carry both, that gonna add about 4000 lbs (the trailer) to the towing weight, putting me up around 11 or 12k towing. yikes!

locally, the triple is legal. here is a blog post about tripling rvs.

http://bishsrv.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/triple-towing-what-you-need-to-know/

the more i read the more im confused!

 

[Pops-SKO]

I flat tow a '69 bug (1800 pounds). Hardly know its back there.

 

[Crazy]

In California, I think a Class A with an endorsement for doubles. Be prepared to get pulled over by cops that don't know what's legal and by cops that do for fishing. Not worth it. I say long trailer for both or change car to truck and put ATV in back.

 

[Crazy]

Or this.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-rigs-trailers/1037478-open-deck-stacker-trailer-build-3.html

 

[Skunky Bus]

I flat tow a '69 bug (1800 pounds). Hardly know its back there.

I'll drink to that; less is more at least for vacation travel. I'd like to get a new Fiat 500 'cause they're cute. Second choice is a Bug like yours. Either one painted like a skunk of course.

I've heard that the problem with excessive weight isn't so much about inadequate "get up and go" but inadequate ability to stop!

 

[bansil]

To me biggest issue is what tranny he has, 545 maybe if your real anal about gages and don't mindunhooking for big up and downs

 

[Redbear]

Re: Triple tow (actually double tow)
I have a doubles/triples endorsement. I passed the written endorsement, but have never used it in real life. Three trailers behind the power unit is verboten everywhere in the state, cross-country rigs must drop the third trailer before crossing the state line.

Long doubles (tractor and two semi-trailers) are only legal on the Thruway ($$$$), plus a couple dozen named exits so you can reach a truck stop, or designated parking spot where you leave the rear trailer for later pick-up. Apparently, there is a law allowing short doubles on other roads. I have seen semis towing two mini-trailers (micro-trailers?) on freebee interstates, as long as the overall length of the combination is under some limit.

Talking to the DOT guys and the troopers, towing two trailers with bumper hitches is not legal even with the CDL endorsement. You have to have a front semi-trailer (fifth-wheel "5R" trailer would qualify), and they say that the rear trailer MUST have the front weight rest on a dolly pulled by the front trailer. You MIGHT get away with an MDT towing a 5R on the king pin, with the 5R towing a boat, toad or toy hauler if you had a doubles CDL and were under the shorties overall length, but don't count on it. A skoolie bumper-towing a 4-down toad towing anything behind it would be a fail.

Other states might not be so "lenient."

 

[turf]

double or "triple" is relatively common out here......

i will pay closer attention to the rigs i see doing it. however.....


rechecking the weights of the bus..... the scale says 18k.... the gvwr is 26.5k

weight wise..... i think one at a time is all she can handle legally.

 

[Locutus]

Get a 2WD pickup (2WD can be towed 4 wheels on pavement, depending on the model. Check with manufacturer.) Put a rack on it. Put your ATV in the truck bed, and your dinghy on the rack. Tow the truck 4 wheels down.

 

[Das Mel]

(2WD can be towed 4 wheels on pavement, depending on the model. Check with manufacturer.)

I didn't think a 2WD anything could be towed four-down without a disconnect for the tranny.

 

[r_w]

Some can. Stick shifts can, some of the newer autos can.

Driveshaft disconnects are stupid expensive, trading in for a 4wd is a better option in most cases. Or buying a flatbed...

 

[Das Mel]

Some can. Stick shifts can, some of the newer autos can.

Stick. Of course. I forgot about stick shifts.

Driveshaft disconnects are stupid expensive, trading in for a 4wd is a better option in most cases. Or buying a flatbed...

Unless you can't afford either one.
I refuse to trade in my car for another one. Claudia is getting a disconnect switch for her tranny unless I go the trailer route (and I have an idea that my mother is just gonna HATE for it, too. I enjoy giving my mother headaches).

 

[r_w]

Yeah, everyone forgets about sticks--because they don't really make them anymore.

Do you have a lead on a cheap disconnect? The ones I have found cost more than a trailer by the time they are installed.

Disconnect and tow bar (and brake buddy) are crazy expensive, even if you can find used. I find it a little crazy to spend more on connecting the vehicles than the vehicles themselves. :-?

 

[Das Mel]

Do you have a lead on a cheap disconnect?

Autozone has a disconnect switch for, like, 60$? Been a while since I looked. Will probably get it cheaper off* Amazon (it's AMAZING how much of my car stuff I've bought off Amazon because it's cheaper) and install it myself.

I'm the one that fixed the transmission in the RV. Pretty sure I can figure out how to install a disconnect on the Jeep's driveshaft. No prob, I've screwed around with the driveshaft before (granted, that was ALSO on the RV and was a pain in the hand, was easier to reinstall than take off).

*ETA: I cannae spell today. Too much marker fumes. Brain no thinky.

 

[Locutus]

(2WD can be towed 4 wheels on pavement, depending on the model. Check with manufacturer.)

I didn't think a 2WD anything could be towed four-down without a disconnect for the tranny.

If it's a manual 5 speed putting it in neutral disengages the transmission. I forgot to mention that. You wouldn't want to try this with an automatic transmission in your towed vehicle.