I'm looking at towing my buddies small 3000 lbs gross single axle travel trailer behind my flat bed car hauler, the car trailer gross with my jeep on it would be 8000 lbs. I have brakes on both axles of my car hauler and his travel trailer has brakes, but I was wondering if I should hook up the brakes on the travel trailer with the brakes on the car hauler, or should I need a separate controller for the camper, or not even try using the brakes on the camper?
Is you travel trailer a 5th wheel? I think theres only 2 states in the US that allow bumper-bumper towing (double).
I believe Woods may be right. Not sure of the number of states, but definitely check the area you are traveling in or through. Most do not allow it. Some do..
I'm almost sure that it's legal here in Missouri I've seen it all to often, but I'm going to double check with relatives that work for the highway patrol. My main concern is the brakes at this point.
I live in Missouri and its NOT legal. I have a HWP and DOT buddy that have confirmed it. Yes some get away with it, but if something happens, they are legally toast. I've also seen it done, one setup was towing pretty straight, the other was in a ditch.
That's funny I spoke with the same people and they told me it is as long as it's not over the 65 foot law.
I would have to find where its written, again. Took me a while, but I found the Missouri law that states no bumper to bumper pulling. The reason I asked what because of the rig that I saw in the ditch. Most MO HWP or DOT don't know, they have to look it up. Like I said, you could probably get away with it, until something happens, or a trooper knows the law. I had another issue where two Missouri state troopers gave me different answers. I called Jeff City and got it in writing. Kept a copy in the glove box, just in case.
I under stand were you are coming from, and I appreciate your answer and concerns. I spoke with a couple of troopers that I know at the local HQ and also the DOT and the the Main Head quarters in Jeff City and they all said that is no longer illegal just have to stay under the 65 foot law. The only other thing left is the getting it writing.
I've never done it before, but if I was going to I'd would wire up a second controller and run it to the second trailer. Mainly because if the second trailer does not have as good a set of brakes as the car trailer, it will try to pass the first trailer if they are given the same voltage from one controller. You will need to find a huge open area and experiment with the two controllers to get both trailers to stop equally, or to at least make the second one stop quicker so it will not try to overtake the first trailer and try to push it around. That would be a very dangerous condition and almost surely cause you to loose control.
tandems I have seen it done a lot, in many different states. Most times I see a 5th wheel/bumper pull combo, but I have seen some bumper/bumper combos as well. Some states have a 50 ft law, not sure on the brake issue. I would talk to a good trailer shop, camper dealer, or try woodalls. The DOT cant seem to make the rules very clear, if they did, they wouldnt make as much money handing out tickets. I have been told that In OH. your total rig length cannot exeed 50 ft, and the second trailer cannot exeed 3000 lbs, but it can be a bumper/bumper combo.
