Can I tow this stuff at once

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

ezmobee,I do not even understand your comment but thanks for your insightful input..It has a full steel frame that I am sure would pull a freight train if you wanted to.I am sure it could pull a 350 lb boat without any doubt..Your post was very helpful anyway...Thanks

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I agree with the flat bed trailer idea, put both rigs on the flatbed secure down well and it wouldn't be a problem. With some creativity you could figure out a way to load/unload both in a safe manner. A good winch and a trailer dolly for starters. You could even attach two balls to the trailer floor for an anchor point. You mat even be able to leave the teardrop on the trailer for your outings and only have to unload the boat. Highway speeds with those two light rigs would be scary if you had a problem with either(bearing went bad, blowout, etc.) you would be in a world of hurt until you were able to get it shut down. Good luck with it hopefully you get some solution.

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Thanks fellas,not a bad idea using another trailer to haul both but thats just not financially possible.If I could afford another trailer I would have a Winnebago and a 17 foot Bassboat instead of these,LOL. I am just going to rely on friends to pull the boat when they can or when not the boat will just stay home.

Yes I know it is upsetting to choose a Camper over a boat to take along but the camper is easier to sleep in...

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I wonder if there is any way to legally and safely attach the boat trailer to the teardrop. Like a towbar but not with a ball on the end more like make the two trailers one. It would solve the sway problem, don't know if it is even possible just thinking out loud. like two recievers on the back of the teardrop with two longer tubes on the boat trailer that would slide into the recievers and be pinned in.

 

[q5ka]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I would say try it but dont travel the speed limit. I grew up in Iowa and loved traveling to Nebraska with 65 MPH 2 lane highways. I would take your setup nice and slow. I learned multiple trailer with grain wagons as a young boy. It was always easier to have a train of 4 full grain wagons than empty. Your setup will be light enough for your SUV to take it but then again, not heavy enough to stabilize the whole system. If you keep your speed down and dont turn on the cruse for anything you may be able to do it without an accident. (Note that I did not say safely as I do not know your driving habits or capabilities. That is for you and law enforcement to decide.) Just remember that with multiple trailers, it is so much easier to jack-knife since one trailer is pushing against another and that you can go from great to oh crap with the slightest mistake or misjudgement.

 

[Blujay96]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Modify the teardrop to have a 5th wheel hitch on it. But I am a metal fabricator so that would be what I would do.

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Blujay,modifying the tounge is not a bad idea and would be well within my capabilities to do so but this is a pretty rare old Teardrop probably made in the late 1940s or so and that I could not do to it..Thanks though.

Q5KA,your post made me wander something.You said something about my driving capabilities and such and it made me think that maybe some are getting the impression that I am maybe 20 years old and do not have much experience driving.Well I just have never pulled two trailers behind my personal vehicle.I started driving a Gravel Truck- trailer (pup) to some that are familiar with Gravel hauling when I was 25.Have driven probably close to a million miles in them and tractor trailers.Have driven on everything from mud,dirt,gravel,two lanes,sand roads,hills,mountains,8 lane highways and never one accident.I am 47 years old and and started driving on the farm everything we owned from the age of 7..Like I say I kinda get the impression that some think I am a beginner driving having to ask this question.It just stems from never pulling more than one trailer at a time with my personal vehicle.

I could be wrong but maybe some think I am young and naive or am coming across as such..Thanks everybody though and do not get me wrong I appreciate all of your input here....Bruce

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

fwiw I didn't think you were particularly young or naive ......oh and a 5th wheel hitch would work if you were to also add a few thousand pounds to the trailer along with a heavier frame suspension and tires...

ya know... I was thinking about it and it MIGHT actually be possible but the cost of doing it right could be VERY prohibitive.... some extra heavy anti sway shocks along with brakes on both trailers might make it safe if the total weight was well within the tow capacity of your tow rig.... one thought tho.... your margian for error is very small and once the tail starts to wag it can and does get scary FAST..... If you just HAD to do it you would want two crappy trailers and a junker to pull them and a closed course for r and d.... You don't want to find out whether it works or not on the interstate with your pride and joy and a bussload of schoolkids.

If you were pulling a 20' camper and that boat behind a fullsize (pref 3/4t or bigger) truck I'd be much more positive about it

I remember as a kid working at an amusement park they had trash trailers they pulled behind a pickup... with one you could go any speed and with two 30 was max.. with 3 it was 20 and with 10 of em anything over 10 mph was dangerous

I realize you already chose not to risk it but I just threw that out for discussion

oh and kudos on the cdl

I'm class a dbl trpl tnk and of course 2 wheeler

 

[bitterboater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Dual bumper hitch towing of more than one trailer is not at all recommended. Doesn't mean it isn't done.
The Dual trailer setup seen out there are 5th wheel on primary tow vehicle to bumper on secondary trailer.
I would not do it, under any circumstances.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

there is nothing at all wrong with towing two bumper hitch trailers..... the problem comes from towing two small (short wheelbase) trailers... simple example... with a 53' van (box trailer for those who don't know) on a semi at 70 mph you can swerve hard enough to throw a sleeping passenger out of their seat and the trailer will wander gently but do the same in a car with a 12 boat at the same speed and you can see it out one side window and then the other

the original scenario would likely be just fine at no more than 30 or maybe 40 mph but would get wild and uncontrollable at higher speeds

 

[coastalcruiser]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

what i would do is get a truck and camper this way you can tow your boat and campers are really comfortable + dont require insurance not sure about your state. much better way to camp imo

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I would suggest that the short wheel base on the isuzu will make towing tandem very dangerous. The likelihood of jackknifing seems high in an emergency braking situation.
When I started reading, I thought the OP was starting a joke thread. Sadly, it seems I was wrong.

 

[q5ka]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Sometimes it is not age but experience along with knowing limitations. It would not matter if you are 20 or 60, if you dont know your limitations, you are a danger to everyone around you. That is why your driving abilities are between you and law enforcement and not for me to say. I also wanted to point out that high speeds with this type of configuration is not ideal. High speed in this case would be the speed limit just due to the speed limits in Nebraska are much higher than east of there. It seems that you have made your mind that you are going to do it since it is legal, which is fine. I would just recommend slow, short trips to start it off. Go somewhere close (30 minutes or hour away) and see how it works out for you. If you have a problem, you just drop the boat or camper in a parking lot and make two trips. You also can see how it handles in different weather conditions (windy, sunny, rainy, etc) with different speeds. I would also make one point, get brakes working on each of those trailers. I did not remember if you said they have them or not but as a tractor trailer driver, you see the importance of tailer brakes vs pushing on the tractor. Have fun and be safe.

 

[199q]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

If you are confident the Izuzu has the power, I would suggest a single flat trailer with brakes. Put the camper and boat on the trailer and lock 'em down. Pull the loaded braked trailer with the Izuzu. No worries.

This is exactly what I would do.


IF you are into making things yourself (and good with a welder) you could make a neat trailer that held the boat in back and tear drop trailer up front.

I have always wanted to do that, it would be cool!!!

your 4900 pounds you are looking at are what the max the car should ever weigh including passengers, gear and tongue weight.

I would be worried about the sway. also, if you are towing triples your insurance might not cover you. might check that!

 

[gunplumber7]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Caribine1, Do you remember what website you went to to find out the legality of this setup? I have a 16 ft aluminum bass boat I pull behind my Durango. It tows like a champ, but I screwed up and bought a 1984 21 ft coachmen camper. It is heavy and has electric brakes and I have the heavy duty hitch with bars and a stabilizer bar. I asked DOT here in Ohio and was refered to ask the sheriff for they didn't know the regs??? They are DOT?????
Anyways, while in Arizona I often saw BIG Winnibego's pulling 30 ft campers behind them and boats and vehicles on tow bars behind that. Those snowbirds would bring everything they could with them for the winter months. I gues it mostly depends on terrain (level vs mountainous), weather(not recommended through the valley in California where the windmills are). wide mirrors (old fender mount type) would be a must. Someone following with comunication would be a plus too.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

gunplumber.... I would suspect that you could legally tow that camper and boat in most states..... I know it would be fine in indiana... But you probably need a heavier tow vehicle than a durango....

for laws google "double tow" and "rv towing laws"

 

[sc_shane]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I feel pretty confident most people would agree, tandem towing in this kind of non-standard setup should be left to pros. That being said, since you're a CDL holder, and may have tandem'd before, or at least pulled large trailers, you might be okay. All up to you and your ka-hoonas size. Here in SC, it is illegal to pull tandem.

Sounds like you called the DMV and assured it was legal - that's the first step for anyone considering this.

I'd also llike to give props to the guy who suggested a flat bed trailer and dumping both of them on it. I can so see an Isuzu pulling a big ole flatbed trailer - is you zoo?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Like a few folks mentioned, double trailer towing is difficult, and darn near imposable to back up.

How about getting a long trailer that both the boat trailer and the tear drop trailer will fit on? Then you can tow both, and unload them when you get to your destination. Just a thought.

 

[ClassyGlassy]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

My father tows a 19ft Prowler, bumper tow, and then a double sitdown jetski trailer behind that with his 2002 F250 Super Duty ALL the time!!! BOTH bumper pulls.......

We live in Colorado and he pulls this combination all over during the summer here in Colorado, and then 1 time each year to Nebraska for our family reunion at Lake McConnaughy, which is 600 miles round trip. We have NEVER had any problems towing this combination!

He has pulled his camper and my 15ft Invader to Pueblo, CO from Colorado Springs,CO twice as well with no problems....which is about 60 miles one way!

What you need to remember is what others have touched on......the middle one should be our trailer as it weighs more than the boat. Best bet would be to take them and have them each weighed individually and decide which one weighs more fully loaded and put that one in the middle.......if your state allows 2 bumper pulls of course. This all depends on how far you'll be towing as well. I'm confident it can be done safely.........

 

[kriegersa]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

i know down here in alabama you can tow 2 behind a vehicle. cause i saw this one guy pulling a pwc and atv. he nearly lost control and the atv trailer was about a good foot from me before it cut the other way.

I think what had happened was he was hit by some cross winds or he hit a pot hole that he wasn't expecting. so i know you have had experience just be safe we dont need to loose a fellow boater on the road