I want to use a tow bar to tow a GM K2500 with a GM K3500 from NH to AZ. Does anyone know if there are legalities going across country like this. What can I do or not do. Anything I should know? Tell me your stories of towing vehicles.
As long as the truck is called 4 down towable by GM I see no problem. What is the differance between two truck and a MH and a vehicle. You might check with the states you will be going through. A brake buddy may be in order.
Shouldn't be a problem for you - just make sure it is secured with chains. We just got back last night from Miami with my son's household and towing his Unimog behind my log fb. 65ft oal. No one gave us any trouble. I could have put the Uni on the flatbed, but I would have encountered some bridge height problems.
Be VERY careful on curves with that setup, especially when the roadway is wet. That 2500 is heavy enough it will try to push the 3500 around if you slow down on a curve. I am normally not too concerned with aux braking on a towed, but with one that heavy, I think you had better have brakes. Not so much to keep from running over the car in front of you, but to keep the 3500 from being pushed off the road on a curve.
Be careful out there!
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, Std. cab, LB, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 273,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '06 Jeep Liberty CRD
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
A general rule for trailer brakes is they may not be needed if the towed vehicle weight is 50% of the towing vehicle or less. You are not doing a trailer tow but the vehicle you are towing will probably be 80 or 90% of the weight of the towing vehicle. Without a brake system in the towed pickup I truly think you are going to be a accident looking for a place to happen. A panic stop situation could end up with both wadded up in a big ball.
Jim
Jim, Sharon and Buddy the Yorkie
1999 Gulfstream Sun Voyager 31' ISB Cummins 210 uprated to 275
275 RV injectors
Trippe-Lite 1800w inverter 4-6v GC batteries
3- Kyocera 130w solar panels
1987 Suzuki Samurai tintop Toad w/VW 1.6 turbo diesel power
It can be done. The safety issue is as everyone else said, without brakes, that second truck will want to overtake to first truck, especially when the road is wet. That used to happen to me when I 4-down towed the Bronco with my old dually without brakes for the Bronco. The slightest turn while braking on a wet road sent my rig into a jacknife more times than I care to remember. After those experiences, I bought a flatbed trailer and any cars I tow go on the trailer. No more tow bars for me unless in case of emergency.
bldrbuck wrote: What is the differance between two truck and a MH and a vehicle.
The difference is huge. A motorhome weighs 12-18000 lbs. or more and the towed vehicle is usually 3-5000. A 3500 series truck weighs just a few hundred pounds more than a 2500HD.
I once towed a Ford Focus wagon 4 down with my 2500HD in my signature. During a fast stop the Focus pushed the truck so hard that the truck's rear end started to come around. Thanks to ABS and a little countersteering I got it stopped safely. This is with a tow vehicle that weighed nearly twice what the towed vehicle weighed. A braking system will make it safer, but towing a full size pickup with another will be inherently unstable. Much better to put the 2500HD on a trailer. JMHO.
1998 Gulfstream Ultra B/H Ford E450 V10
2005 Chevy 2500HD 6.0 w/ Maxidump insert
6x12 Interstate enclosed trailer
7x16 Bulldog flatbed hauling a 2006 Kioti CK20 TLB
2003 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer
1998 Saturn SL2 toad
Here's one for the record book, and I ain't proud of it either. I'm surprised we survived. Back when I was young and dumb, I towed a 63 Chevy pickup from SDAK to CA with a.........drumroll...........80 VW rabbit! Almost killed everyine coming down a narrow curvy mountain road in Wyoming at night, in the rain trying to negotiate the curves, plus I had a ton of cars behind me, causing me to push it a little too much.. When we got to the bottom, we pulled into the first motel and waited til morning to get to the Interstate. Really stupid, and not worth the money saved on buying an old farm truck.
1998 Chevy C2500HD Silverado ECLB 75,000 miles 5.7L Vortec 4L80E 3.73 Posi 8600# GVWR
2004 Fleetwood Caravan 25S 6000# GVWR
EAZ-LIFT WDS with EAZ-LIFT anti sway
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