Double towing

Well, on my trip from Richmond, VA to Lexington, KY, I passed a camper/boat rig on I-64 in WV. Not unusual.......until I realized that the trailer was a hitch pull and not a 5er
Didn't now that was legal, I have seen plenty of 5ers' pulling a boat......but a hitch pull???? It wasn't a large boat, maybe a 14' - 16'.

Wouldnt be legal in Mexifornia, that's for sure..... most other states have basically the same law regarding double pulls, so not too sure if it was legal, and hadnt been caught yet. Sounds scary though, just thinking of the whipping action it could get going....yeehaa !

It's legal in Nevada.

jetskier wrote:It's legal in Nevada.

Along with a lot of other things; gotta love Nevada. I got nailed doing about 115 on a lonely highway one day, the trooper told me to slow down a little and be careful.

There are certain states that you can double tow,and there are a few you can not.It doesn't matter if it's a 5er or a trailer.I pulled my 14' boat behind my 16' popup,just had to load my popup nose heavy.
Here is a small map of the states that allow it, and the ones that don't.

Leagal in ND too. But, I've heard and seen some bad things with that combo. I've double towed with my 5er quite a bit in the past with no issues but I'd never do it with a travel trailer.

Most of the trailers I have seen with a bumper pull trailer were shorter. They weren't trying to pull a 30ft trailer and their boat. That would be no fun at all in the wind or when a truck passes you.

shooter wrote:Well, on my trip from Richmond, VA to Lexington, KY, I passed a camper/boat rig on I-64 in WV. Not unusual.......until I realized that the trailer was a hitch pull and not a 5er
Didn't now that was legal, I have seen plenty of 5ers' pulling a boat......but a hitch pull???? It wasn't a large boat, maybe a 14' - 16'.

You should have stopped by and said hello Shooter. You drove right past our house.

Its not legal.

Nor is it legal here in WV to tow behind a 5er but that hasn't stopped me from doing it.

I've only done it a few times with my 16' tandem trailer. Hauling either the Jeep or quads and dirt bike to our private camp. I was followed by a state trooper for several miles on a two lane county road once but when I pulled off he kept going.

It is legal here in WV to have passengers in a 5er but not in a travel trailer.

MountainMan wrote:

shooter wrote:Well, on my trip from Richmond, VA to Lexington, KY, I passed a camper/boat rig on I-64 in WV. Not unusual.......until I realized that the trailer was a hitch pull and not a 5er
Didn't now that was legal, I have seen plenty of 5ers' pulling a boat......but a hitch pull???? It wasn't a large boat, maybe a 14' - 16'.

You should have stopped by and said hello Shooter. You drove right past our house.

Its not legal.

Nor is it legal here in WV to tow behind a 5er but that hasn't stopped me from doing it.

I've only done it a few times with my 16' tandem trailer. Hauling either the Jeep or quads and dirt bike to our private camp. I was followed by a state trooper for several miles on a two lane county road once but when I pulled off he kept going.

It is legal here in WV to have passengers in a 5er but not in a travel trailer.

I think it's legal in WV. Look at the code with me....

http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/17c/code/WVC%2017%20C-%2017%20%20-%20%20%204%20%20.htm

Look at §17C-17-4 (D).

(d) A combination of two vehicles coupled together, one of which is a motor home, or a combination of vehicles coupled together, one of which is a travel trailer or folding camping trailer, may not exceed an overall length, exclusive of front and rear bumpers of sixty-five feet.

I interpret this as two separate assemblies.
1) A combination of two vehicles coupled together, one of which is a motor home
2) or a combination of vehicles coupled together, one of which is a travel trailer or folding camping trailer

may not exceed an overall length, exclusive of front and rear bumpers of sixty-five feet.

Looks to me you can do it as long as you stay under 65'. I'd print a copy of this and put it in the glove box for future.

Its legal on the interstate here in WV, but not on some two lane roads according to a friend of mine that works for DOT, but most cops wont say anything to you anyway.

I think the misconception is when someone calls it triple towing when in reality they mean double. Making all those towing tables inaccurate.

I have family that works for the WV DMV. They have told me repeatedly it is illegal to double tow in WV on any road.
The map above says its illegal. Good Sams says its illegal as well as numerous other articles and web sites I've read.

I have a good friend who is a retired WV state trooper. He has told me the same and has written citations for it when he thought it was unsafe.

The article jetskier printed out has me thinking but I can see where it could be interpreted as two vehicles only in the combinations it mentions. Nowhere does it say three vehicles coupled together.

Thanks for the info jetskier. I'll print it out and get with the local DMV office next time I renew license.

In the meantime, I'll double tow when I need to.

Mountainman, I see them on the Turnpike quite-a-bit, most the time its a 5th wheel with a boat, Im sure if it was a problem, they wouldnt let them on the TP

Rusty wrote:Mountainman, I see them on the Turnpike quite-a-bit, most the time its a 5th wheel with a boat, Im sure if it was a problem, they wouldnt let them on the TP

I see them often as well Rusty.

Speaking of turnpike; We just came by your place on Sunday on our way home from South Carolina. I was trying to locate your Wildcat off the Cabin Creek exit but my head kept hitting the roof of my truck on that bumpy turnpike!

My wife said she seen a 5er of some type near the church house. Is that you?

Hope your feeling well.

Mountaiman, That was my buddies Wildcat, I live just below him about 1/4 mile on the same road, you cant see my place from the TP when the leaves are still on the trees, but you were close. I think the TP is ruffer going south, I lost my porch light lens the last time I went to Camp Creek

shooter wrote:Well, on my trip from Richmond, VA to Lexington, KY, I passed a camper/boat rig on I-64 in WV. Not unusual.......until I realized that the trailer was a hitch pull and not a 5er
Didn't now that was legal, I have seen plenty of 5ers' pulling a boat......but a hitch pull???? It wasn't a large boat, maybe a 14' - 16'.

Hope they never had a need to back up. THAT would be a pain!!

TC

TC wrote:

shooter wrote:Well, on my trip from Richmond, VA to Lexington, KY, I passed a camper/boat rig on I-64 in WV. Not unusual.......until I realized that the trailer was a hitch pull and not a 5er
Didn't now that was legal, I have seen plenty of 5ers' pulling a boat......but a hitch pull???? It wasn't a large boat, maybe a 14' - 16'.

Hope they never had a need to back up. THAT would be a pain!!

TC

The tag trailer is about 1400#. I can push it around by hand with the wheel on the front jack. If I need to back up, I disconnect and move it manually so I can back the rest of the mess out. The best thing to do is drop the tag trailer before you're in a predicament.

I see only one person touched on it. If your towing via Interstate, you can double tow port to port.