In California, towing RV doubles DOES require a Class A CDL with Doubles Endorsement.
Some States require an endorsement to the normal Driver's License.
Some States don't require any endorsement.
Length limits can vary from 55 to 80 feet, depending on the State.
Some States FORBID towing RV doubles.
It is up to you to know the laws in every State you enter. Reciprocity probably does NOT apply!
The lists of "Towing Laws" that can be found on the internet are notoriously inaccurate/incomplete. I wouldn't trust them.
Good luck.
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
My buddy tows a 38 foot fiver and a 25 foot aluminum trailer behind it. He hauls his quads and polaris razor when he goes camping. He drove from Rome Ga all the way to Ashland WV and camped next to us a few weeks back. We all had a blast.
Navy Chief
2007 Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie w/6.7 CTD, 6 speed auto, Factory Exhaust Brake.
2007 KZ 41CKS3 Montego Bay Sportster
2006 Kaw KDX 200
2008 Can AM Outlander Max 650
2006 Yam R6
2007 Suz GSXR 600
Golf cart
Bob,
Rather than rehash the OPINIONS of others on safety, California living, professional truck drivers, etc, I thought I would try to steer this back to your question.
It is legal in Utah to tandem tow. You have a limit of 65 feet of total length to be legal. It is also legal to tandem tow in Wyoming - I believe the limit there is 75 feet (someone from Wyoming will come along and correct me on this if I am wrong.) Colorado (if you are ever headed my way) is 70 feet.... My rig in the picture below is 69' 9 1/2" long - I have since replaced the truck with a new 08 model, and the boat with a larger Sea Ray than the boat in the picture (I also tow an ATV back there on occasion.) I have towed as pictured for THOUSANDS of miles, in all kinds of conditions and weather, and over a number of mountain passes that others won't even drive thier class C motorhomes over (no offense meant to you class C owners out there!)
You will notice that the second trailer tracks right behind your fifth wheel - mine is actually right in the wheel tracks. Because of this, I usually recommend you add a camera to the back of your fifth wheel to keep an eye on things. I put some "outriggers" on the back of the boat trailer that are painted red (and are removeable). That way, I can see what the boat is doing back there (in the event of a flat, etc....) I have also added brakes to my boat trailer in the picture (even though they are not required - less than 2000# in Colorado) so I can control the boat braking if I ever want to. I believe in 4 years I have hit the boat brake controller one time...
Keep in mind that you can't back up with both trailers (this has been debated in the past by others who think they can, but trust me, the physics don't allow for it - think of trying to push a rope...) This means you have to plan for how you are going to get into camping areas, and how to fill up at the fuel stations without backing. We always drop the boat on entering, park the fifth wheel, and then go back for the boat with the truck.
Towing my old smaller boat, I could not even tell it was back there (1200#). My new boat is close to 2000#, and I can feel it back there, but only just barely (and only on accelleration.) If you are only towing one ATV, I doubt that you will even know it is back there. Do your weight calculations (if you add the tongue weight to the back of the fiver, calculate what it does to the pin weight of the fiver - keep the pin weight at 15%. I drive with half a tank of fresh water with the new boat to maintain my pin weight. Also make sure your truck is rated for the additional weight - one of the reasons I went with the new 08 F-350 was the big bump in weight capacity.
Good luck, and have fun!
Mark
04 Ameri-Camp F321QBS
08 F-350 CC 4x4 LB PS 6.4
2007 Sea Ray 175 Sport
Honda EU2000I (x2)
RDS 51 Gallon Fuel/Toolbox Combo
Great post MrIcemaker - You hit the nail on the head! I live in Utah and double tow to Wyoming on many occasions. You do not need to concern yourself with a CDL in Utah or Wyoming when double towing. Your only challenge is staying under the 65'legal total length limit in Utah. I tow either a 4 wheeler trailer or aluminum boat behind my 5'er with never a problem. Like MrIcemaker, I have brakes on ALL of my trailer tires. I also don't recommend the second trailer weigh much more than 3000 lbs ( law physics and leverage). A standard 14' atv trailer with surge or electric brakes will allow you to be at or below the legal length and be able to safely stop. Given the highly mountainous regions in Utah and Wyoming, brakes are essential! As for installing the hitch on the 5'er. I highly recommend it be custom fabricated, over engineered, and installed by a professional. I used Pards welding in Murray, UT ( best in the State) but there are a number of other companies that will add some overkill to the design, fabrication and frame support. I use a wireless camera mounted on my 5'er to watch the second trailer from the cab of the TV.
Good Luck and enjoy the ATV.
2003 GMC HD 2500 CC 4x4 DuraMax/Allison
2008 Sundance 2900MK
Like Wolf396, we also live in Kansas. There is no additional requirements of any kind to double tow here other than a 65' length limit(which is totally ignored by law enforcement for RVs). We have been double towing for 10-12 years with three different RVs. Just requires being able to install a sturdy hitch(mine was ordered from the factory on this last RV) and using a little common sense. We double tow 19 out of 20 trips pulling two ATVs or one ATV and a lawn mower to a 80 acre country place 80 miles east of where we live. My wife is a handicap(prosthesis on right leg below knee) and uses her small ATV for transportation, even from one flower bed to another. I do have a rear camera on my fiver and a Pressure Pro system to monitor tire pressures. Go for it.
2008 Ford Super Duty F350 XLT CC 4x4, LB SRW, V10, TorqShift Auto, 4.30 LS, Tow Command, Loaded
2008 Cardinal 34QS
FisHin2Dmax wrote: Great post MrIcemaker - You hit the nail on the head! I live in Utah and double tow to Wyoming on many occasions. You do not need to concern yourself with a CDL in Utah or Wyoming when double towing. Your only challenge is staying under the 65'legal total length limit in Utah. I tow either a 4 wheeler trailer or aluminum boat behind my 5'er with never a problem. Like MrIcemaker, I have brakes on ALL of my trailer tires. I also don't recommend the second trailer weigh much more than 3000 lbs ( law physics and leverage). A standard 14' atv trailer with surge or electric brakes will allow you to be at or below the legal length and be able to safely stop. Given the highly mountainous regions in Utah and Wyoming, brakes are essential! As for installing the hitch on the 5'er. I highly recommend it be custom fabricated, over engineered, and installed by a professional. I used Pards welding in Murray, UT ( best in the State) but there are a number of other companies that will add some overkill to the design, fabrication and frame support. I use a wireless camera mounted on my 5'er to watch the second trailer from the cab of the TV.
Good Luck and enjoy the ATV.
Thanks every body for the input and hi neighbor I changed that short bed to a long box now I have the mega cab comfort for the grand kids and the towing and cargo capacity. I'll cahnge the pic on the profile
Just to stir the fecal material, but I remember their was a post about the Calif. CDL requirement for residents only, but the gentleman from Montana is correct that we should know the State's requirements when towing in them. I'm only towing to Wy on private property. I'd never take an ATV to a RV park I like peace and Quiet
* This post was
edited 07/08/08 04:27pm by rvert10 *
07 Dodge Mega Cab DRW,6spd auto, Exhaust break, 8'bed conversion (Best mistake I've made)
33' Teton Home Experience 3 slides, its not a trailer its a home
5500 watt generator
and a great Co-piolet
I am not trying to side track this thread, but it seems the OP's question has been answered effectively, so I have a related question.
Some of you use cameras on the rear of your fiver. What brand and who sells them, and what brands should I not buy? I bought one from WM and when I got it home I found out that the transmission range was inadequate, at least that is what the web site said, so it went back.
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