Double towing? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

2fpower

SILVER Star
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Threads
455
Messages
12,375
Location
lenexa, ks
Looks like it is legal to double tow in Kansas and Missouri, so trying to figure out how to do this. I want to pull my off road rig on a standard car hauler, then attach my camping trailer behind it.

Thinking about mounting a trailer hitch on the back of trailer #1 so that I could mount a ball on it and pull the camping trailer. I imagine with the tongue weight of the camping trailer, I might need to add some weight to the front of the car trailer.

Anyone done this before?


1565809310709.png




1565809426975.png


1565809463678.png
 
I've done it with hay trailers. Forward isn't difficult as long as you allow enough turning radius. Backing up will play with your mind.

Did the same thing with cotton as a teenager. I never went over 40 mph getting to the gin. I found it scary as hell especially in the wind, granted these trailers are just giant bricks when loaded and not the greatest trailers at the best of times. I tried backing up once. Things got so squirrely I never attempted it again. The funny part is I did it at the gin in front of a bunch of people I knew so I had to endure ridicule for my skillz for many years. :lol:
 
Well, to do this, I am going to have to weld a receiver to the rear of my car hauler.

@BILT4ME any thoughts?
 
Well, to do this, I am going to have to weld a receiver to the rear of my car hauler.

@BILT4ME any thoughts?


Yes, you need a receiver on the tail of one or the other trailer. Whichever trailer with cargo is the heaviest MUST be in the front, directly to the truck. Yes, you need to add tongue weight to the front trailer to compensate for the tongue weight being attached to the rear because it will offset when hooked up. (I would place a receiver on BOTH so they could be swapped in the event that the front trailer needs to be run empty.) However, do not exceed your tongue weight on the truck itself.

Make sure BOTH trailers have brakes. You MAY need dual brake controllers and have the rear one to start braking first. That's kind of a touchy subject. Too early and they will lock up and the rear trailer tries to pass. Too late and the rear trailer pushes hard on the front trailer and wants to jacknife you.

If both trailers are tandem axle, non-steering trailers, then you can back them up relatively easily with some practice.

If both trailers are 5th wheel, then no because the rear trailer will track WAAAY inside the front trailer in a corner.

Also be cognizant of the receiver height when installed on the rear of the front trailer. It will tend to move vertically MORE than normally attached to a vehicle because the pivot point is at the center of the axles. Go higher than normal.

Tires pressures are CRITICAL when towing multiples. All pressures must be equal across the axles.

When driving across Kansas, wind will be a problem, particularly with the camper in the rear. It will want to whip like a tail because it will be lighter and has the most cross-sectional area. With Foo and/or another truck on the trailer in front, then you have more cross-sectional area and weight in front to stabilize and to cut the wind for the camper into a "slipstream". If the flatbed ends up empty, the camper will whip bad, kinda like driving about 30 ft behind a semi VS being 10 ft behind it.

If you need help laying this out, let me know. I'll stop by if I'm not traveling for work.
 
Yes, you need a receiver on the tail of one or the other trailer. Whichever trailer with cargo is the heaviest MUST be in the front, directly to the truck. Yes, you need to add tongue weight to the front trailer to compensate for the tongue weight being attached to the rear because it will offset when hooked up. (I would place a receiver on BOTH so they could be swapped in the event that the front trailer needs to be run empty.) However, do not exceed your tongue weight on the truck itself.

Make sure BOTH trailers have brakes. You MAY need dual brake controllers and have the rear one to start braking first. That's kind of a touchy subject. Too early and they will lock up and the rear trailer tries to pass. Too late and the rear trailer pushes hard on the front trailer and wants to jacknife you.

If both trailers are tandem axle, non-steering trailers, then you can back them up relatively easily with some practice.

If both trailers are 5th wheel, then no because the rear trailer will track WAAAY inside the front trailer in a corner.

Also be cognizant of the receiver height when installed on the rear of the front trailer. It will tend to move vertically MORE than normally attached to a vehicle because the pivot point is at the center of the axles. Go higher than normal.

Tires pressures are CRITICAL when towing multiples. All pressures must be equal across the axles.

When driving across Kansas, wind will be a problem, particularly with the camper in the rear. It will want to whip like a tail because it will be lighter and has the most cross-sectional area. With Foo and/or another truck on the trailer in front, then you have more cross-sectional area and weight in front to stabilize and to cut the wind for the camper into a "slipstream". If the flatbed ends up empty, the camper will whip bad, kinda like driving about 30 ft behind a semi VS being 10 ft behind it.

If you need help laying this out, let me know. I'll stop by if I'm not traveling for work.

Great info. I might take you up on that. Will pull the trailer out and see where it makes sense to add the receiver.

The first trailer, my car hauler will be about 8k lbs loaded with an 80 and the second trailer is my camping trailer is much less, single axle. My concern is how front heavy that camping trailer is.... may make this unable to work.
 
In CA, you have to have a CDL, your first trailer has to be a 5th wheel/Gooseneck, and then a tow-behind trailer behind that. BUT, watch your overall length/weight.
 
Looks like it is legal to double tow in Kansas and Missouri, so trying to figure out how to do this. I want to pull my off road rig on a standard car hauler, then attach my camping trailer behind it.

Thinking about mounting a trailer hitch on the back of trailer #1 so that I could mount a ball on it and pull the camping trailer. I imagine with the tongue weight of the camping trailer, I might need to add some weight to the front of the car trailer.

Anyone done this before?
Recreational doubles are legal in Michigan:
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom