Tow results ...

[piper guy]

Well, I know this will start a long thread ....... lol 😂

Pictures below, better ones will folllow next time we are hooked up and moving next week. Towed the Focus about 300 miles yesterday. Absolutely no drama, only way to tell its back there is look in camera. In straight tows I can't see it in mirrors, only when we make a turn. As I was told by an experienced driver, making the turn is no problem. The Focus follows almost exactly in the path of the truck tires. When the trailer swings out around the corner, the hitch pulls the car wide and the result is that any corner that the trailer will turn, the car will clear with no problems.

For those interested, I've got it set up with a Blue Ox towbar system, a SMI Stay in Play Duo onboard proportional brake system, and a rear view camera. All of the hitch assembly including the drop adapter is bolted in place and has no play or slop. Coach has MorRyde IS suspension, disc brakes and H rated Sailun S637 tires. Truck has Max Tow package, Comfort Ride Hitch 24k hitch, Airbags for suspension control. MorRyde pinbox on trailer. Braking is every bit as good as before, if not better. I'm thinking the car actually stabilized somewhat the back of the coach as virtually nothing moved around inside and we were on some of the really great sections of I 95 in Maryland and Virginia.

As far as length overall ..... don't know, haven't measured, don't intend to. Have checked with Maryland Motor Vehicle and also DOT officers and a good friend who is a Motor Vehicle Enforcement officer for Maryland. Surprise, surprise, I am totally legal in Maryland. We have no length restrictions on private vehicles, double tow is permitted as long as equipped right (I am) (RV's especially). Since I have a Class A non commercial license, the back of it says "any non commercial motor vehicle ". When I asked the DOT officer about doubles or the 65' he told me that only applies to commercial license and commercial trucks. It was his opinion and and also the motor vehicle officer's that we should be legal in other states because of reciprocity laws. Guess we'll see on that but can say that yesterday I passed or was passed by Maryland State Trooprs, Maryland transportation authority officers, Virginia Troopers and North Carolina troopers. No issues and two of them gave me a thumbs up !

More to follow as the adventure progresses.

[atom ant]

Very nice! Need to get you a Union Pacific logo for your truck!

Did you beef up the Redwood hitch, or leave as is? That was one decision I never finished making on ours.

[RWJSIM2003]

Nice setup. Thanks for sharing

[Jim & Mary]

Vaughan

Did any of the officials you talked to mention the bikes covering up the viewability of the Redwood license plate. I traveled 10 K miles this summer, never had a problem, but it's been a thought in my mind.

[piper guy]

Brad - I haven't changed the hitch any. Friend who is a welder looked at it and didn't think anything was needed because of virtually no tongue weight and the brake system on car.
Jim - I moved the license plate and a light to the ladder a couple of years ago. Also mounted the camera on ladder as I wanted a better view of the left lane behind me.

[atom ant]

I put a second license plate and light down on the hitch on my Redwood so I could haul bikes. I had the license plate and a moniker plate and would just swap them around depending on what I was doing.

Vaughan, sounds good. The Redwood hitches were nicely installed anyway, better than some others. I just was worried about exceeding the 3,000 lbs.

[piper guy]

Here are som pictures of the hitch and tow setup for those that are interested. The bungee cords stabilize the bicycles somewhat from side to side.

The bungee hanging the towbar is just used when we unhook. It's easier to do that than take bikes off and swing it up into the lock.

[piper guy]

Stupid iPad - no idea why they're sideways - or how to correct.

[brenkco]

Vaughn,

The way I solved the sideways pics is to open them on the Mac or pc, rotate and post. I couldn’t see how to change them on the iPad either.

Ken

[atom ant]

The best way to avoid that is use a Samsung

[Highcountrybarry]

Go to iPad photos, click the photo of choice, touch edit at top right. Look on left side for tools available. Touch two little offset corners with a little arrows symbol. Then look up beside word “done” and touch the white box “rotate” icon. Then touch done.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[brenkco]

Brad,
Show off!! 👏👏👏
I can just see this post taking off just like, well, weights or trucks🤔

Ken

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by brenkco

Brad,
Show off!! 👏👏👏
I can just see this post taking off just like, well, weights or trucks🤔

Ken

The third most popular controversy!

[piper guy]

We won't even tom there !! Thanks Brad

[danrn]

Nice set up. I am planning on triple towing my Polaris RZR on a 10 foot trailer this summer. In Colorado we are allowed 70 feet, so I should be pretty close to 70 feet. I'll have to measure on day. Now if I go to Utah which has a 65 foot limit.....well I will be taking my chances. Most RV'ers I have talked to have said that as long as you don't draw attention to yourself, most police won't mess with you, but if your in an accident, or stopped for some other reason they may measure you, and if your over, well then there may be consequences. One of which would be they make you disconnect one of your trailers (after you get a ticket)....now that would be a real pain

[piper guy]

Dan - the more I researched this (double or triple tow, depending on state definition), the muddier the waters get.
I am registered in Maryland. In Maryland I am totally legal as verified by both a State Trooper DOT enforcement officer and also a County ( big department, over 300 officers and larger than a lot of state depts) Motor Vehicle Traffic Enforcement officer. The County cop in fact, is a good friend who is known as a walking encyclopedia of traffic and motor vehicle regulations.

They both said that yes, Maryland has a 65' limit. That applies to Commercial, single units (tractor and one trailer). Any double will be over 65-70' no matter what they tow. Having said that, commercial laws do not apply to private (RV's etc) at least in Maryland. They both said Maryland has no length restriction on private vehicles nor is there any type of "doubles" certification for a non-commercial license. In their opinion, I should be legal in any state due to reciprocity laws since I am legal at my home state. Same thing as driving a vehicle from Maryland, which has no inspection, into PA which has a very tough annual inspection.

We will have to see on this one as right now we are in NC and headed to Florida. Georgia and Florida are known to be PITA as far as vehicles. Tracy is an attorney, so if we do get a ticket, we will come back to court to "discuss" it.

One thing that both officers said is to makthe sure the rig has all the safety equipment needed (I do) and also to not even consider it unless you have the proper drivers license (class A non-commercial).

[atom ant]

In my research I learned length and number of trailer laws have no reciprocity. Reciprocity agreements are limited to license and registration.

[piper guy]

You're just full of good news Brad ! Lol
I'll let you know how we make out. At least the good part with towing a car is that if the officer is a PITA we can unhook car and drive it out of jurisdiction.

[atom ant]

That's very true Vaughan - with two drivers you are in better shape to handle that over those pulling a boat or ATV trailer.

I have no experience out in the Eastern seaboard but out here you don't get hassled unless you are taking more lanes than you should to get down the road, and it's happened in our group. The only state we wouldn't tow was California, as I heard they have no tolerance.

[markw]

I see many double tows in an out of our park in Florida every year.

Mark