To the people commenting on the truck's power- A friend of mine has an older Chevy dually diesel which I've driven towing his 25' boat and trailer. Around 100k miles on truck. It rides, drives like a Cadillac and pulling the boat you don't know it's back there. Thanks for the video Tiverton. I used to transport 3 and 4 way truck tractors and chassis. Have an old motorhome and wondered about this type of setup.
Thanks for the video. I appreciate seeing how the hitches react in various driving conditions. I don't have a 5th wheel yet, so this helps me out. Thanks.
On a commercial fifth wheel there is very little if any side to side as you seen with this fifth wheel consumer hitch, let alone forward back swivel movement, as I got experience driving 18+ wheelers.
Thanks, I originally made this video for myself. Always wondered how the rig behaved while I'm driving, and what the forces are on different stress points. Now I know.
Thank you for the information. The diesel supplemental manual is something I never received with the truck. We order the truck to our spec... and it was something that we noted as missing when we took delivery. I am now reminded the dealership never did mail us the copy promised. I left them a vicemail today :-) Again great work on the video... just awesome!
Thanks for the video. Kinda nice to see whats going on back there and in an all else fails "recording" of someone getting stupid and causing a wreck (not meaning this driver, but someone else on the road) !!
A superb vid my friend I have had many revs and now being a pensioner have reverted back to towing a caravan, we have had several trips to USA and hiring an rv, would love to experience your rig, well done. Roland Tinkler bury st Edmunds Suffolk England
We used to tow a 5th wheel and a 21ft ski boat behind our 2001 LB7. Legal in Arkansas and Kansas but our trips had ~1.5 hours in Missouri where it wasn't.
The truck came with 2 manuals: Regular and Diesel Supplement. In regular manual, on page 4-55 it says that if you have a diesel, then reference Dmax Supplement for towing limits. In Dmax manual starting on page 4-3 all trucks, including 3500 dullies, have same bumper pull limit of 13,000lb with weight distribution hitch. The only thing that changes per model is 5th wheel hitch limit. My truck K-2500 Crew Cab Standard Box (4WD) is 13,600 K-2500 Regular Cab long Box (4WD) is 15,500 (page 4-5)
Makes sense to me... speaking of the hitch. Is there something you liked about the Reese that made you pick the R16 over other hitch offerings. I am just now looking into the various hitch options. Thanks for any feedback you may have!
Well produced video! I assume your dashcam accepts a second camera for viewing the towed double behind the fifth wheel. Please provide me with the make/model of the dashcam and rear view cameras you used. I searched for CarCam Q2 and don't have confidence in my search results. I appreciate your work. Thank you.
R16 replaced Reese Pro Series 15k sliding hitch. I like that the head of the R16 pivots 5 degrees side to side which is great for turning into gas stations that have sloping driveways. In Pro Series, only the top plate had a few degrees pivot and plate's edges cut into the head as trailer tilted pass the limit. R16's limit bumpers prevent that. R16 also has jaw that surounds the king pin all around preventing any movement greatly reducing chucking (back and forth bouncing over uneven road).
I bought the RV cam online from Tadibrothers. It is the wireless kind with a 7" monitor, although I had to move the wireless transmitter away from camera closer to the front of the trailer to get good reception in the truck. The monitor has a quick disconnect cable so I remove it when not towing. The dashcam is a completely independent and self contained. Originals only sold on carcam ru. they do not deliver to US.You can try other manufactures, but I can't recommend any.
would you mind emailing me the info on the brand of cameras you're using for the dash cam, and where you purchased it? I've been a full time Class C RV'r for 15 years, and am upgrading to a 40ft fiver soon, and want as many safety features as possible! thanks!
I have a 2005 LLY 2500hd we pull a 40 foot bumper pull here in florida weighs in at 12,300 lbs and our truck is lifted on 37s we pull 65 down the freeway easily without pushing the truck at all love my duramax! oh and its at 165,000 the allision is a towing beast
Seems like you don't have to go any wider on turns even with the second trailer which is really nice to see. Have an F450 on order and plan to have a 39ft toy hauler and tandem tow a trailer with a 4 seat rzr behind it (not enough cargo capacity in larger toy haulers and I don't want to take a massive 45ft toy hauler where I hunt so the smaller hauler will be great for that since I can't use the rzr up there anyway, have to use quads). Sorry for my explanation but I know I'll get replies asking why I'm tandem towing a trailer if I already have a toy hauler lol.
Superb video! I own the very same truck equipped in the same way.... heck even the same color. I was wondering where you found the max 5th wheel towing capacity number of 13.5K. In the 2008 GMC trailering guide it lists the 2500HD with Dmax as 15,500 with a footnote to reduce the trailering capacity by the weight of the options installed. I am looking to purchase a 5th wheel very soon and I have no desire to be over weight. Thanks for any details you can provide.
looks pretty easy taking turns seems to follow right along. is that so or is that the illusion of camera? do you notice the second trailer pulling on the first at all?
thestigmach1 The second trailer follows inside the turn of the first one, so no extra room needed to turn. No it doesn't pull on the camper. It's not heavy enough.
tiverton cool I'm thinking of doing the same with a pair of 4wheeler or snowmobile depending on time of year. My camper weighs a lot less than yours so I'm interested to see what happens with 1300lb behind it. Do you have anything on the custom built hitch for the camper?
Knottide64 you made an incorrect statement, I have towed double since 1990 (F250 7.3 diesel, 28' fifth wheel and boat/trailer total length 65') and I called Washington state and Oregon years ago and was told by both state police that if I was seen with that rig I would be ticketed and escorted to the border. They DO NOT have to honor double towing if it is not legal in their state. John Meyer, your point is valid concerning bumper pull double rigs which I would never do either but we both know as do most fifth wheel towers that the fifth wheel set up is WAY more stable than ANY bumper pull trailer.
Very common throughout the Southwest. Especially, AZ & CA.. Very Cool - Thanks for sharing... FWIW - I "think", you're 'technically' over GVW with your truck. 9,200 lbs max??.. I think it's fair to say that 90% of the 3/4 ton rigs, fifth wheel in tow, rolling down the HWY are over their GVW?? (7700 + 2600+) = 10,200.. I'm LOL because I have the same issue, even with my new 2018 Duramax 3/4 ton.. Again, thanx..
You really are not supposed to. You would have to drop off second trailer at nearest safe spot before backing up fifth wheeler. One of these requires an R or a T endorsement
I'm looking to do same thing to have my boat pulled from the back I'm guessing I need to go get a trailer place to weld a tow hitch on the back is that what you did or did you just Mount one yourself
Jaunt Junkies I added a few pictures at 15:31. Basically I had a welder attach a crossbar between frame rails. (Right side of picture) then he welded a towbar to that crossbar, and secured that towbar to existing L-shape cross member (left side of picture) before existing outside toward the back. All of that is hidden by bottom cover from elements.
At 1:08 the operator put the chains on wrong. ALWAYS cross your chains and ALWAYS put the hooks in from the bottom up. This prevents the chains from bouncing out of the hitch eyes! From the bottom up, the hooks would have to invert 180 degrees before falling out. The way they are done here, they only need to go up.
Hi! I had some questions about your hitch traveling with a Domani. We have one and have been trying to figure out what is the best hitch for this camper. We seem to get more movement than we like, We have a Superslide hitch, but need more cushion for the up and down movement. My husband put more suspension on the back end of his Ford F250, it's helped but not enough. I believe the problems stems from the height of our Domani. Thanks for any helpful tips!
I installed Reese R16 hitch after my Reese Slider 15k failed under emergency braking. The slider disengaged and would not lock, so I could not continue towing. It was fixed later but I lost confidence in it and replaced it. My short bed truck doesn't need a slider to tow Domani anywy. I would highly recommend R16 as it's very sturdy, and is a bit of overkill for Domani which makes for confidant towing experience. I also installed 5th airborne pin box on Domani which considerably improved the ride and almost completely eliminated back and forth rocking when going over uneven pavement, such as expansion joints on interstate bridges. You can see pin box working in some parts of this video. I ordered both from etrailer.com, they have a chart for ordering 5th airborne based on amount of holes and their spacing on original pin box. They have a great customer service and fast delivery. I keep 80 PSI in pinbox airbag, which provides for smooth ride without bottoming out. Hope this helps.
Thank you. I'm not sure my husband can do this type of work anymore, he's had surgery on his spine and can't lift heavey items. We'll have to research to find a reputable company locally that does good work! If you don't mind me asking what happened when your hitch disengaged and wouldn't lock? I can only imagin, we were traveling with our 23 ft boat when the boat came off the ball on the hitch and slamed into the back of our truck doing 60 mi/per hr in the rain!
Jackie sible I was traveling on interstate at 65 mph. The lane to my right was "exit only" and started to back up with traffic. There was a car in my lane about 100 feet ahead of me who decided to cut into the "exit only" lane and left half of his car sticking out in my path. There was a semi to my left so the only option was to brake hard, I stopped inches from his car , as I heard a loud bang in the truck's bed. When I started moving the trailer slid back as slider was now unlocked. I pulled off to the side and was able to get it to nearest repair place slowly. Both front and rear hitch rails were bent, front - down and rear - up. The bed floor was also warped. The rails were connected to frame and both had single bolt in the middle attaching them to bed. Not ideal installation by Carriage dealer. New hitch rails are not only attached to the frame on both ends, but also to heavy duty steel cross bar under bed. This bar insures that rails stay flat under severe stress such as emergency braking. I also now believe in installing hitch components that are designed for much heavier weight than I ever plan to pull. I also have a bad back, when I installed a pinbox on Domani, I had a friend help me lift it on the truck's bed, then we lifted the front end onto the hitch and locked the jaw. I then used truck's jack inside the bed to lift the rear end of pinbox to line up with holes on the trailer and once I put a couple of bolts in, I removed the jack.
Dand Tiverton, you were fortunate it did not come completely loose or your truck cab would have also been included in the damage not to mention you and your passenger(s). Best to go for overkill but be aware of truck weight limit and the weight of the tow device.
Being an over-the-road owner/operator, I have seen this type of combinations over the years. One afternoon while I was being inspected at a Pennsylvania, impromptu, road side DOT check, myself and several officers witnessed one of these combinations pass by in the opposite direction. I asked one of the state police officers if that is actually legal to do? He replied it is if the vehicles "driver" carried a Commercial Drivers License with an endorsement for "Doubles and Triples". After returning from sending an officer to " Check that combination out", he continues that since the state of Pa does not recognize a "Doubles" endorsement on a normal license that he would be required to hold a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) while operating this type of combination in the state of Pa. Even though it me be legal in another state or Canada, while traveling in Pa, it is the operators responsibility to comply with the laws of the state they are traveling in or through. In the situation above, I found out before being released from the DOT inspection, the traveler in question was Canadian, and as told by the officers, cited for unlicensed operation of a combination. A word of advice ... When traveling state to state, country to country, take some time to familiarize yourself with their laws. 15 to 30 minutes spent checking into this might save more money in fines and delays than can even be guessed !
That is true. I never pulled this combination outside of Georgia, where it is legal. However we're moving to Nevada, and while it is legal there with an enforcement on regular driver's license, my goal is to take both trailers to California where CDL with dual/triple trailer enforcement is required. That is why I'm going to get my CDL before we move. $3000 for CDL is worth the freedom and options that this setup offers. I can also tow a single motorcycle trailer instead depending on where we're going.
I run "dash cam" all the time in my truck, especially when towing. People tend to cut you off a lot when you are towing, then they slam on the brakes. I almost ran into the back of a couple of those drivers, so I installed a dash cam that records 8 hour loop at HD quality. If someone cuts me off and I cant stop and hit them I'll have a proof.
There is a Reese's promo video on TH-cam for R16. It performs exactly as described in that video. etrailer. (com) had best deal and great delivery service. Also a great place to research hitches.
At 12;50 you did not take a wide enough turn for the fifth wheel, with a second trailer that size, and the amount of tail behind the axle even with a larger craft or other trailer within length limits, that tail is swinging 1 foot out for every three feet of length from center of both axles to the hitch point so no need to worry about going wider than what the main trailer needs. Other than that you were lucky it was a 4 inch island your truck had no issue climbing over despite your slight mistake there, lesson learned I am sure. Remember its not the tail that you have to worry about unless say there was a vehicle on the outside/swing side of where you were turning, just watch the axle, that is what you want to be careful and where the trailer pivots.
"Manual". If you place shifter on "M" you can limit highest gear the transmission will shift to by toggling a switch on a gear selector. So if you place it on "M" and select 4 then transmission will not automatically switch to 5th or 6th.
You ought to go to a commercial truck dealership or ask a school or someone with 13 or even 18 speed and try out shifting that manually, Not as easy as you think at first. Now a days we got auto 13 and even 18 speed in select vehicles.
You can get a ticket in Fl., I do see it a lot here, but if Barney sees it, he will stop YOU, LOL. Another thing I always wondered, show me ANY RV co. that sells a trailer hitch to mount to the rear of there trailer-??
I have a Class A CDL with double/triple trailer endorsement, so of course I could be stopped, but I will not get a ticket for unlicensed operation of a combination. Most states don't require special license to double tow though. There're restrictions on weight and length, etc. You have to check local laws. Many heavy 5th wheel manufactures offer a hitch on the back of trailers. Here's example: www.redwood-rv.com/standards (look on right side under "Residential Innovations Exterior")
No more sluggish that 5th wheel alone. At 10:00 you can see acceleration with out much effort, gear shifts at just above 2000 rpm, and I keep up with the rest of traffic.
tiverton says the guy towing with an unlevel pickup truck, not only does it not look cool, its slightly less safe than a level towing pickup, I'm guessing you knew that already tho
Impressive. Now if your 3/4 ton can haul all that, then why does our RV dealers here in San Antonio say I cannot haul anything but a crappy pop-up trailer with my F150? Grrr Also, would you recommend a dually over your current vehicle for more stability?
My trailer has very good stability. That was a design feature that Carriage promoted back when they were marketing Domani. The front cap has these "spoilers" on the bottom that cause airdynamic stability at highway speeds. Also those 20 inch American Racing wheels and low profile tires that it comes with are almost double the width of standard trailer tires which provides stability. I didn't want a dually because the bed size would increase on that year's GMC making it difficult to park the truck during every day use and impossible to keep inside the garage.
Ninja, if your truck manufacturer says its rated to tow 10,000 and has the class 5 hitch then forget what your RV dealer says as all they know is what they want to sell you so as not get into any liability battle. This coming from an experienced truck driver (CDL A), do not believe your RV dealer salesman if they tell you your truck is not capable of towing something larger. if its a newer model it is more than safely capable of towing as the manufacturer recommends for max towing. However if you do want to tow max i do suggest if you go with tow behind as that is all they can tow, is get a Weight distribution hitch and learn how to use it. 1/2 ton class trucks if they were set up to tow it they could only be capable of still only 10k with gooseneck, NOT fifth wheel and not exceed 1000 lbs on the tongue or hitch weight.
That's not legal in FL, I've been there & done that, LOL, I know people will say they have done it before in Fl, but a state trooper that's on I-10 will give you a ticket. My 2-cents on the 5th wheels, I use a gooseneck, the 5th wheel is way to big and heavy, you can get a adapter for the RV's, I tow a 40' box trailer & a 39' flat bed.
Most gooseneck adaptors are very dangerous to add to a fifth wheel frame. It changes the stress points. There are a couple of them on the market that keep the stress points the same as the fifth wheel, but do not put one on without checking with the manufacturer of the fifth wheel!
drunkpolak wontreply Depends on the state. Michigan you can be up to 75" long provided the middle trailer is a 5th wheel camper and Mississippi I have heard you can be up to 90" or 99". Not sure about there laws regarding the combo. Only a small handful require the middle trailer to be a 5th wheel
It doesn't matter if it's not legal in all states. As long as his state allows the set up, the rest of them have to honor it while he passes through. If every state could dictate the set up or equipment required on vehicles from other states, none of us could travel from state to state. States can only require equipment or set ups of their own states vehicles, not others.
+edjckmn : Nice observation, but that is normal, people pull into malls hardly pay attention to signs, they think its a privilege or gods given right !
Stop signs on Walmart parking lot is not enforceable. It is located on private property. It's basically asking you to stop, as opposed to street signs that tell you to stop. If you decide to put a stop sign half way up your driveway, who are you going to call if someone drives through it?
I admit I blew through a stop sing on two occasions both in a shopping area roadway, never got pulled over or mailed a warning, never saw them due to the way the lot driveway was designed and built and one of them is a place I go to on occasion and was NOT there before.
tiverton If your state allows it you are fine while in your state. Once you leave your state, you come under DOT rules, are need a CDL for any trailer over 10,o000 lbs. Interstate (Between states) rules are different the intrastate (in your own state), and are not reciprocal between states.
George Jr Negative. Your state will dictate on the double\triples. But a CDL is required regardless over 26k COMBINED weight, to include the placard weights. So if you have a 1014 dodge ram dually @14k on the door sticker and an empty flatbed stickered @18k, you need a CDL. Even though the curb weight of the actual rig is under 26k... The 10k trailer rule is ONLY to dictate the difference between class A and B CDLs. If your combined weight is under 26k and your trailer is over 10k NO CDL IS REQUIRED. One more side note, thus is assuming it's all personal gear. If your over 10k and it's a business you defiantly need a DOT number and all driver will be subject to DOT medical and drug testing. Fines for violations are upto, 5k$ and 90 days in jail to the driver and 10k $ to the company. Don't think you can pull the "I don't know card". These violations make the money for new cars, you will pay. Don't let your boss tell you otherwise, drivers accept responsibility of the rig.
FountainVerado, try pulling a trailer more than 10k anywhere in NY and tell me you do not need at least a CDL-C, you can look up the law online easily.
Not true in GA and about 40 other states. As long as it's not done for hire and the total weight and length does not exceed 26,000lb and 65 feet you can do it with regular driver's license. In Nevada. for example, you can get an endorsement for regular drivers license that allows you to pull doubles as long as first trailer is under 10,000lb. All states have different exceptions, some have none. Having a CDL class A with T endorsement and a medical would be the best way to not worry about state specific requirements.
Wrong! If the vehicle is not used for commercial purposes, it does not require a CDL. Doubles don't matter when the vehicle is private. I am a retired director of safety for a motor carrier, and am still very cognizant of the laws. If an individual purchases a commercial sized tractor, purchases a 5th wheel to pull and hauls a car behind it, all are privately owned and hence the individual does not need a CDL. Many of us think differently, but the laws say it is okay. Furthermore, most states, as long as you travel on the major freeway, do not prohibit a trailer from being towed. The issue comes when you get on to the side roads, there it is prohibited.
Paul Dionne I wish that was the case, Paul. Here's a line from CA DMV site: "No passenger vehicle, pickup truck, or RV may tow more than one other vehicle without a Commercial Class A license with the proper endorsement." Here's the link: (the statement is on top of page) www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648pt2.htm Aslo under Class C license towing restictions on that page you will see: "No passenger vehicle regardless of weight, may tow more than one vehicle"
While I do not live there, in NY state and the boroughs, there is NO Double or Triple as they call it allowed at all, and if your trailer is over 10,000 pounds then you are required to get a Class C CDL, Same for MA where I live you can with CDL A haul double trailer with dolly/jeep on Interstate and some cities permit certain areas within the city where there is room to maneuver. Otherwise there is parking lots at and special commercial lots at Tolls on I-90 where the trailers can be hooked and unhooked. Not sure you need the CDL but will still require the endorsement to tow two trailers and not exceed 65 foot lengths combined overall if not operating commercially. UPS in Shrewsbury haul their doubles from the interstate tollway to the their depot with no issues since they're close to a safe route linking their depot within a few miles.
To the people commenting on the truck's power- A friend of mine has an older Chevy dually diesel which I've driven towing his 25' boat and trailer. Around 100k miles on truck. It rides, drives like a Cadillac and pulling the boat you don't know it's back there. Thanks for the video Tiverton. I used to transport 3 and 4 way truck tractors and chassis. Have an old motorhome and wondered about this type of setup.
Probably the best towing video on youtube!
I was sold till you went over the railroad tracks...
Thanks for the video. I appreciate seeing how the hitches react in various driving conditions. I don't have a 5th wheel yet, so this helps me out. Thanks.
On a commercial fifth wheel there is very little if any side to side as you seen with this fifth wheel consumer hitch, let alone forward back swivel movement, as I got experience driving 18+ wheelers.
Loved the video. Great info and terrific video production. Nice work. Thank you
PTC! Couldn't miss that bridge on 54! Happy hauling. Great video.
that was a nice ride I like it I got what you were showing I understand.thank you so much for that. mike
Thanks, I originally made this video for myself. Always wondered how the rig behaved while I'm driving, and what the forces are on different stress points. Now I know.
Thank you for the information. The diesel supplemental manual is something I never received with the truck. We order the truck to our spec... and it was something that we noted as missing when we took delivery. I am now reminded the dealership never did mail us the copy promised. I left them a vicemail today :-) Again great work on the video... just awesome!
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
You did a real good job with the overlaying of the videos and all the different shots. Makes it a lot more interesting to watch :)
Great job capturing and editing all the different videos.
nice setup, the train and cameras!
Thanks for the video. Kinda nice to see whats going on back there and in an all else fails "recording" of someone getting stupid and causing a wreck (not meaning this driver, but someone else on the road) !!
A superb vid my friend I have had many revs and now being a pensioner have reverted back to towing a caravan, we have had several trips to USA and hiring an rv, would love to experience your rig, well done. Roland Tinkler bury st Edmunds Suffolk England
Extremly well done video. Thank you for sharing it.
Very neat. I had always wondered about hitches on the back of 5ers and how they would react. Nicely done.
We used to tow a 5th wheel and a 21ft ski boat behind our 2001 LB7. Legal in Arkansas and Kansas but our trips had ~1.5 hours in Missouri where it wasn't.
So many camera angles! : D
Well done video! The flying Jet-Ski reminded me of Elroy Jetson's scooter.
Very cool!
Thank you!
Thats is the best towing video I've ever seen...
Braver than I will ever be!
The truck came with 2 manuals: Regular and Diesel Supplement. In regular manual, on page 4-55 it says that if you have a diesel, then reference Dmax Supplement for towing limits.
In Dmax manual starting on page 4-3 all trucks, including 3500 dullies, have same bumper pull limit of 13,000lb with weight distribution hitch. The only thing that changes per model is 5th wheel hitch limit.
My truck K-2500 Crew Cab Standard Box (4WD) is 13,600
K-2500 Regular Cab long Box (4WD) is 15,500
(page 4-5)
another nice video :)
Makes sense to me... speaking of the hitch. Is there something you liked about the Reese that made you pick the R16 over other hitch offerings. I am just now looking into the various hitch options. Thanks for any feedback you may have!
Well produced video! I assume your dashcam accepts a second camera for viewing the towed double behind the fifth wheel. Please provide me with the make/model of the dashcam and rear view cameras you used. I searched for CarCam Q2 and don't have confidence in my search results. I appreciate your work. Thank you.
R16 replaced Reese Pro Series 15k sliding hitch. I like that the head of the R16 pivots 5 degrees side to side which is great for turning into gas stations that have sloping driveways. In Pro Series, only the top plate had a few degrees pivot and plate's edges cut into the head as trailer tilted pass the limit. R16's limit bumpers prevent that.
R16 also has jaw that surounds the king pin all around preventing any movement greatly reducing chucking (back and forth bouncing over uneven road).
I bought the RV cam online from Tadibrothers. It is the wireless kind with a 7" monitor, although I had to move the wireless transmitter away from camera closer to the front of the trailer to get good reception in the truck. The monitor has a quick disconnect cable so I remove it when not towing. The dashcam is a completely independent and self contained. Originals only sold on carcam ru. they do not deliver to US.You can try other manufactures, but I can't recommend any.
I recognize that Sams club. Its just down the road from me. Good vid
awesome
what is your camera setup?
Dose your state require a cel for double tow?
Fun video. Started recognizing landmarks on your way out of PTC...
what brand/model dash cam(s) are you using? Thanks.
BTW...very cool vid!!
would you mind emailing me the info on the brand of cameras you're using for the dash cam, and where you purchased it? I've been a full time Class C RV'r for 15 years, and am upgrading to a 40ft fiver soon, and want as many safety features as possible! thanks!
Not legal in all states. Check your local laws before doing this. Most RV frames are NOT designed for towing another trailer.
Grandview Trailer Sales than why do they have an opening in the back for a tow ball. Mr I know everything
I have a 2005 LLY 2500hd we pull a 40 foot bumper pull here in florida weighs in at 12,300 lbs and our truck is lifted on 37s we pull 65 down the freeway easily without pushing the truck at all love my duramax! oh and its at 165,000 the allision is a towing beast
what size is your bed?
CarCam Q2, records full HD video and audio at 1080i on continues loop - 8.8 hours
How sluggish was it?
Nice setup! "Always leave youself an out" Sucks to have to unhook to get out, but at least that's not a heavy converter dolly.
Where was this at, what city/state?
Legal in Missouri. As long as it's not two bumper pulled trailers.
Seems like you don't have to go any wider on turns even with the second trailer which is really nice to see. Have an F450 on order and plan to have a 39ft toy hauler and tandem tow a trailer with a 4 seat rzr behind it (not enough cargo capacity in larger toy haulers and I don't want to take a massive 45ft toy hauler where I hunt so the smaller hauler will be great for that since I can't use the rzr up there anyway, have to use quads). Sorry for my explanation but I know I'll get replies asking why I'm tandem towing a trailer if I already have a toy hauler lol.
Superb video! I own the very same truck equipped in the same way.... heck even the same color. I was wondering where you found the max 5th wheel towing capacity number of 13.5K. In the 2008 GMC trailering guide it lists the 2500HD with Dmax as 15,500 with a footnote to reduce the trailering capacity by the weight of the options installed. I am looking to purchase a 5th wheel very soon and I have no desire to be over weight. Thanks for any details you can provide.
looks pretty easy taking turns seems to follow right along. is that so or is that the illusion of camera? do you notice the second trailer pulling on the first at all?
thestigmach1
The second trailer follows inside the turn of the first one, so no extra room needed to turn.
No it doesn't pull on the camper. It's not heavy enough.
tiverton cool I'm thinking of doing the same with a pair of 4wheeler or snowmobile depending on time of year. My camper weighs a lot less than yours so I'm interested to see what happens with 1300lb behind it. Do you have anything on the custom built hitch for the camper?
thestigmach1
I just took it to a hitch place that manufactured custom hitches. They figured it out.
good eye!
Lol @ double towing through PTC... skillz.
Knottide64 you made an incorrect statement, I have towed double since 1990 (F250 7.3 diesel, 28' fifth wheel and boat/trailer total length 65') and I called Washington state and Oregon years ago and was told by both state police that if I was seen with that rig I would be ticketed and escorted to the border. They DO NOT have to honor double towing if it is not legal in their state. John Meyer, your point is valid concerning bumper pull double rigs which I would never do either but we both know as do most fifth wheel towers that the fifth wheel set up is WAY more stable than ANY bumper pull trailer.
If you look closer the chains ARE crossed, and hooks have spring loaded latches on them. It is impossible for them to fall out.
what are those LITTLE lacy jewelry necklace chains supposed to do??
Be careful, this is "not" legal in all States.
Daniel Engstrom he filmed it in GA. I recognize the area he is driving in
No, in Georgia you can double tow (not for hire) with out CDL as long as weight doesn't exceed 26,000 lb and length is under 65 feet.
Very common throughout the Southwest. Especially, AZ & CA.. Very Cool - Thanks for sharing... FWIW - I "think", you're 'technically' over GVW with your truck. 9,200 lbs max??.. I think it's fair to say that 90% of the 3/4 ton rigs, fifth wheel in tow, rolling down the HWY are over their GVW?? (7700 + 2600+) = 10,200.. I'm LOL because I have the same issue, even with my new 2018 Duramax 3/4 ton.. Again, thanx..
This should clear it up.
th-cam.com/video/cvNP9OIKNjM/w-d-xo.html
Sorry if it was mentioned before but how do you back up?
You really are not supposed to. You would have to drop off second trailer at nearest safe spot before backing up fifth wheeler. One of these requires an R or a T endorsement
I'm looking to do same thing to have my boat pulled from the back I'm guessing I need to go get a trailer place to weld a tow hitch on the back is that what you did or did you just Mount one yourself
I had welder do it at a hitch place.
I have a domani as well how did you install your hitch?
Jaunt Junkies
I added a few pictures at 15:31.
Basically I had a welder attach a crossbar between frame rails. (Right side of picture) then he welded a towbar to that crossbar, and secured that towbar to existing L-shape cross member (left side of picture) before existing outside toward the back.
All of that is hidden by bottom cover from elements.
At 1:08 the operator put the chains on wrong. ALWAYS cross your chains and ALWAYS put the hooks in from the bottom up. This prevents the chains from bouncing out of the hitch eyes! From the bottom up, the hooks would have to invert 180 degrees before falling out. The way they are done here, they only need to go up.
Hi! I had some questions about your hitch traveling with a Domani. We have one and have been trying to figure out what is the best hitch for this camper. We seem to get more movement than we like, We have a Superslide hitch, but need more cushion for the up and down movement. My husband put more suspension on the back end of his Ford F250, it's helped but not enough. I believe the problems stems from the height of our Domani. Thanks for any helpful tips!
I installed Reese R16 hitch after my Reese Slider 15k failed under emergency braking. The slider disengaged and would not lock, so I could not continue towing. It was fixed later but I lost confidence in it and replaced it. My short bed truck doesn't need a slider to tow Domani anywy. I would highly recommend R16 as it's very sturdy, and is a bit of overkill for Domani which makes for confidant towing experience.
I also installed 5th airborne pin box on Domani which considerably improved the ride and almost completely eliminated back and forth rocking when going over uneven pavement, such as expansion joints on interstate bridges. You can see pin box working in some parts of this video.
I ordered both from etrailer.com, they have a chart for ordering 5th airborne based on amount of holes and their spacing on original pin box. They have a great customer service and fast delivery.
I keep 80 PSI in pinbox airbag, which provides for smooth ride without bottoming out. Hope this helps.
Thank you. I'm not sure my husband can do this type of work anymore, he's had surgery on his spine and can't lift heavey items. We'll have to research to find a reputable company locally that does good work!
If you don't mind me asking what happened when your hitch disengaged and wouldn't lock? I can only imagin, we were traveling with our 23 ft boat when the boat came off the ball on the hitch and slamed into the back of our truck doing 60 mi/per hr in the rain!
Jackie sible I was traveling on interstate at 65 mph. The lane to my right was "exit only" and started to back up with traffic. There was a car in my lane about 100 feet ahead of me who decided to cut into the "exit only" lane and left half of his car sticking out in my path. There was a semi to my left so the only option was to brake hard, I stopped inches from his car , as I heard a loud bang in the truck's bed. When I started moving the trailer slid back as slider was now unlocked. I pulled off to the side and was able to get it to nearest repair place slowly. Both front and rear hitch rails were bent, front - down and rear - up. The bed floor was also warped. The rails were connected to frame and both had single bolt in the middle attaching them to bed. Not ideal installation by Carriage dealer.
New hitch rails are not only attached to the frame on both ends, but also to heavy duty steel cross bar under bed. This bar insures that rails stay flat under severe stress such as emergency braking. I also now believe in installing hitch components that are designed for much heavier weight than I ever plan to pull.
I also have a bad back, when I installed a pinbox on Domani, I had a friend help me lift it on the truck's bed, then we lifted the front end onto the hitch and locked the jaw. I then used truck's jack inside the bed to lift the rear end of pinbox to line up with holes on the trailer and once I put a couple of bolts in, I removed the jack.
Wow!
Dand Tiverton, you were fortunate it did not come completely loose or your truck cab would have also been included in the damage not to mention you and your passenger(s). Best to go for overkill but be aware of truck weight limit and the weight of the tow device.
You can do it with a CDL and dual trailer endorsement.
Being an over-the-road owner/operator, I have seen this type of combinations over the years.
One afternoon while I was being inspected at a Pennsylvania, impromptu, road side DOT check, myself and several officers witnessed one of these combinations pass by in the opposite direction. I asked one of the state police officers if that is actually legal to do? He replied it is if the vehicles "driver" carried a Commercial Drivers License with an endorsement for "Doubles and Triples".
After returning from sending an officer to " Check that combination out", he continues that since the state of Pa does not recognize a "Doubles" endorsement on a normal license that he would be required to hold a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) while operating this type of combination in the state of Pa.
Even though it me be legal in another state or Canada, while traveling in Pa, it is the operators responsibility to comply with the laws of the state they are traveling in or through.
In the situation above, I found out before being released from the DOT inspection, the traveler in question was Canadian, and as told by the officers, cited for unlicensed operation of a combination.
A word of advice ... When traveling state to state, country to country, take some time to familiarize yourself with their laws. 15 to 30 minutes spent checking into this might save more money in fines and delays than can even be guessed !
That is true. I never pulled this combination outside of Georgia, where it is legal. However we're moving to Nevada, and while it is legal there with an enforcement on regular driver's license, my goal is to take both trailers to California where CDL with dual/triple trailer enforcement is required. That is why I'm going to get my CDL before we move. $3000 for CDL is worth the freedom and options that this setup offers. I can also tow a single motorcycle trailer instead depending on where we're going.
PA is one of a small handful of states where you actually need a CDL to double tow. It's just the bullshit of commonwealth-ism.
You could always use a toy hauler version of this. That way know doubles are needed.
RyanFGNM you cant put a boat in a toy hauler safely it just to tippy or top heavy
+tiverton Even with CDL, it is illegal in a bunch of states without a dolly between the trailers.
Not all but most...even Illinois let’s you do it now.
all good to tow stuff like that with a gooseneck , try hauling a several tank water trailer with a gooseneck, it sucks.
I run "dash cam" all the time in my truck, especially when towing. People tend to cut you off a lot when you are towing, then they slam on the brakes. I almost ran into the back of a couple of those drivers, so I installed a dash cam that records 8 hour loop at HD quality. If someone cuts me off and I cant stop and hit them I'll have a proof.
There is a Reese's promo video on TH-cam for R16. It performs exactly as described in that video.
etrailer. (com) had best deal and great delivery service. Also a great place to research hitches.
Atlanta, Georgia
At 12;50 you did not take a wide enough turn for the fifth wheel, with a second trailer that size, and the amount of tail behind the axle even with a larger craft or other trailer within length limits, that tail is swinging 1 foot out for every three feet of length from center of both axles to the hitch point so no need to worry about going wider than what the main trailer needs. Other than that you were lucky it was a 4 inch island your truck had no issue climbing over despite your slight mistake there, lesson learned I am sure. Remember its not the tail that you have to worry about unless say there was a vehicle on the outside/swing side of where you were turning, just watch the axle, that is what you want to be careful and where the trailer pivots.
Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and what does the "M" stand for?
"Manual". If you place shifter on "M" you can limit highest gear the transmission will shift to by toggling a switch on a gear selector. So if you place it on "M" and select 4 then transmission will not automatically switch to 5th or 6th.
tiverton
Good to know. Thanks.
You ought to go to a commercial truck dealership or ask a school or someone with 13 or even 18 speed and try out shifting that manually, Not as easy as you think at first. Now a days we got auto 13 and even 18 speed in select vehicles.
do you ever double tow to the lake and can you do more videos of you double towing please
That looks like Overland Park Kansas to me.
You can get a ticket in Fl., I do see it a lot here, but if Barney sees it, he will stop YOU, LOL. Another thing I always wondered, show me ANY RV co. that sells a trailer hitch to mount to the rear of there trailer-??
I have a Class A CDL with double/triple trailer endorsement, so of course I could be stopped, but I will not get a ticket for unlicensed operation of a combination. Most states don't require special license to double tow though. There're restrictions on weight and length, etc. You have to check local laws.
Many heavy 5th wheel manufactures offer a hitch on the back of trailers. Here's example: www.redwood-rv.com/standards (look on right side under "Residential Innovations Exterior")
Jayco installs a hitch on their 5th Wheel. I have one on the 2015 28.5 RSTH
+tiverton The license means squat.
Depending on state, you generally need a dolly between the two for it to be legal.
You don't know what you're talking about.
rvlife.com/rv-triple-towing-laws/
now thats a toy hauler
They have an iPhone app for that. Shows speed as well.
Do you normally record yourself running stop signs and not using turn signals
Put a lock on the lever on the side to make sure it doesn't move if some idiot tries to pull it in a parking lot
No more sluggish that 5th wheel alone. At 10:00 you can see acceleration with out much effort, gear shifts at just above 2000 rpm, and I keep up with the rest of traffic.
The law reverts back to the state in which the vehicle is registered.
yes 6
quanto custa um quite deste?
I round down to 13.5 cause the hitch itself is at least 100lb.
i was just about to say the same thing
No air bags on the rear axel of the pickup?
No
tiverton thinking about it?
Patrick Pikulski No, it seems to be doing fine with out them.
tiverton says the guy towing with an unlevel pickup truck, not only does it not look cool, its slightly less safe than a level towing pickup, I'm guessing you knew that already tho
+Patrick Pikulski The truck is level. Everything is set up with maximum precision for towing with emphasis on safety. Thanks for your concern.
i used to live in Fayette county
Impressive.
Now if your 3/4 ton can haul all that, then why does our RV dealers here in San Antonio say I cannot haul anything but a crappy pop-up trailer with my F150? Grrr
Also, would you recommend a dually over your current vehicle for more stability?
My trailer has very good stability. That was a design feature that Carriage promoted back when they were marketing Domani. The front cap has these "spoilers" on the bottom that cause airdynamic stability at highway speeds. Also those 20 inch American Racing wheels and low profile tires that it comes with are almost double the width of standard trailer tires which provides stability.
I didn't want a dually because the bed size would increase on that year's GMC making it difficult to park the truck during every day use and impossible to keep inside the garage.
+Ninja 87 and the dealer where you are are smart cuz ford sucks
chris voutsinas nice lame troll comment...
+Ninja 87 Engine size, engine type, suspension, frame, sometimes length, heavy duty tow package, transmission radiator,
Ninja, if your truck manufacturer says its rated to tow 10,000 and has the class 5 hitch then forget what your RV dealer says as all they know is what they want to sell you so as not get into any liability battle. This coming from an experienced truck driver (CDL A), do not believe your RV dealer salesman if they tell you your truck is not capable of towing something larger. if its a newer model it is more than safely capable of towing as the manufacturer recommends for max towing. However if you do want to tow max i do suggest if you go with tow behind as that is all they can tow, is get a Weight distribution hitch and learn how to use it. 1/2 ton class trucks if they were set up to tow it they could only be capable of still only 10k with gooseneck, NOT fifth wheel and not exceed 1000 lbs on the tongue or hitch weight.
The weight of the jet ski and it's trailer are negligable. I have a Sea Doo that weighs 400lbs(wet) and the trailer is less than 200lbs.
seeing as its a yamaha SHO per the cover its not hard to look up and realize the ski alone is 850 lbs.
MF11283 That is correct. I listed all weights in video description. Jetski, fueled, on trailer is about 1300lb.
That's not legal in FL, I've been there & done that, LOL, I know people will say they have done it before in Fl, but a state trooper that's on I-10 will give you a ticket.
My 2-cents on the 5th wheels, I use a gooseneck, the 5th wheel is way to big and heavy, you can get a adapter for the RV's, I tow a 40' box trailer & a 39' flat bed.
Most gooseneck adaptors are very dangerous to add to a fifth wheel frame. It changes the stress points. There are a couple of them on the market that keep the stress points the same as the fifth wheel, but do not put one on without checking with the manufacturer of the fifth wheel!
Is that leagal?
No
Yes as long as its under 20m (65')
drunkpolak wontreply Depends on the state. Michigan you can be up to 75" long provided the middle trailer is a 5th wheel camper and Mississippi I have heard you can be up to 90" or 99". Not sure about there laws regarding the combo. Only a small handful require the middle trailer to be a 5th wheel
Wrong, depends what state you are in . AZ no CDL needed, must be under 65 feet with fifth wheel.
It doesn't matter if it's not legal in all states. As long as his state allows the set up, the rest of them have to honor it while he passes through. If every state could dictate the set up or equipment required on vehicles from other states, none of us could travel from state to state. States can only require equipment or set ups of their own states vehicles, not others.
Peachtree City Ga???
i would have gotten a f 450 powerstroke dually
try towing that way in NY. You won't get very far.
Yup, it is Prohibited to tow doubles (triple as they refer to it) in all of NY.
It's also illegal to not stop for 'STOP' signs. Video time @3:50
+edjckmn : Nice observation, but that is normal, people pull into malls hardly pay attention to signs, they think its a privilege or gods given right !
+edjckmn mall roads are private property....making stop signs there a recommendation
Stop signs on Walmart parking lot is not enforceable. It is located on private property. It's basically asking you to stop, as opposed to street signs that tell you to stop. If you decide to put a stop sign half way up your driveway, who are you going to call if someone drives through it?
I admit I blew through a stop sing on two occasions both in a shopping area roadway, never got pulled over or mailed a warning, never saw them due to the way the lot driveway was designed and built and one of them is a place I go to on occasion and was NOT there before.
RVs cant not double tow in FL you well make is a few 100 miles in befor you get stoped but you well
Shouldn't you also need CDL with a double/tripple endorsement and a Medical Cert. or it's a regular Driver Lic.
In some states yes, in some no, in others you can't double tow even with CDL.
tiverton
If your state allows it you are fine while in your state. Once you leave your state, you come under DOT rules, are need a CDL for any trailer over 10,o000 lbs. Interstate (Between states) rules are different the intrastate (in your own state), and are not reciprocal between states.
George Jr
Negative. Your state will dictate on the double\triples. But a CDL is required regardless over 26k COMBINED weight, to include the placard weights. So if you have a 1014 dodge ram dually @14k on the door sticker and an empty flatbed stickered @18k, you need a CDL. Even though the curb weight of the actual rig is under 26k... The 10k trailer rule is ONLY to dictate the difference between class A and B CDLs. If your combined weight is under 26k and your trailer is over 10k NO CDL IS REQUIRED.
One more side note, thus is assuming it's all personal gear. If your over 10k and it's a business you defiantly need a DOT number and all driver will be subject to DOT medical and drug testing. Fines for violations are upto, 5k$ and 90 days in jail to the driver and 10k $ to the company. Don't think you can pull the "I don't know card". These violations make the money for new cars, you will pay. Don't let your boss tell you otherwise, drivers accept responsibility of the rig.
FountainVerado *2014 dodge ram.
FountainVerado, try pulling a trailer more than 10k anywhere in NY and tell me you do not need at least a CDL-C, you can look up the law online easily.
squidbillies truck boat truck lol
doubles=CDL=med. card=any state
Not true in GA and about 40 other states. As long as it's not done for hire and the total weight and length does not exceed 26,000lb and 65 feet you can do it with regular driver's license. In Nevada. for example, you can get an endorsement for regular drivers license that allows you to pull doubles as long as first trailer is under 10,000lb. All states have different exceptions, some have none. Having a CDL class A with T endorsement and a medical would be the best way to not worry about state specific requirements.
Wrong! If the vehicle is not used for commercial purposes, it does not require a CDL. Doubles don't matter when the vehicle is private.
I am a retired director of safety for a motor carrier, and am still very cognizant of the laws. If an individual purchases a commercial sized tractor, purchases a 5th wheel to pull and hauls a car behind it, all are privately owned and hence the individual does not need a CDL. Many of us think differently, but the laws say it is okay. Furthermore, most states, as long as you travel on the major freeway, do not prohibit a trailer from being towed. The issue comes when you get on to the side roads, there it is prohibited.
Paul Dionne I wish that was the case, Paul.
Here's a line from CA DMV site: "No passenger vehicle, pickup truck, or RV may tow more than one other vehicle without a Commercial Class A license with the proper endorsement."
Here's the link: (the statement is on top of page)
www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648pt2.htm
Aslo under Class C license towing restictions on that page you will see: "No passenger vehicle regardless of weight, may tow more than one vehicle"
No CDL needed in Arizona.
While I do not live there, in NY state and the boroughs, there is NO Double or Triple as they call it allowed at all, and if your trailer is over 10,000 pounds then you are required to get a Class C CDL, Same for MA where I live you can with CDL A haul double trailer with dolly/jeep on Interstate and some cities permit certain areas within the city where there is room to maneuver. Otherwise there is parking lots at and special commercial lots at Tolls on I-90 where the trailers can be hooked and unhooked. Not sure you need the CDL but will still require the endorsement to tow two trailers and not exceed 65 foot lengths combined overall if not operating commercially. UPS in Shrewsbury haul their doubles from the interstate tollway to the their depot with no issues since they're close to a safe route linking their depot within a few miles.
Would have been better if the gmc was a dully
and even better if it was a dually
Charles Rhinesmith Lol I messed that up