towing 2 trailers

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 13:53
ThreadID: 53701 Views:13337 Replies:12 FollowUps:11
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O.K. this should get somebody going.Does anyone know if you can legally tow more than 1 trailer,E.G campertraler and a boat trailer

Cheers
Richard
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Reply By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:09

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:09
RTA NSW Regs for towing

Page 3 of this link says it is illegal in NSW. I think you will find similar regs exist in all states.

Apart from that it would be very unstable and unsafe at any speed above very slow I would think.
AnswerID: 282693

Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:36

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:36
Thanks Norm the regs is what I was looking for
However set up correctly with appropriate hitchs I believe this could be done quite safely........a road train on much reduced scale
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Follow Up By: LZ_Pan - Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 at 21:06

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 at 21:06
Har Har Har, such set up up is not unstable, i have seen pickups in canada cruising at seepds in excess of 120km/h with 5th wheel trailers (these things are twice the size of 2 aussie utes put together) and either a car, a 4wheeler, a boat, or bike trailers behind them. No probs with such setup at all. However, it is illegal in Oz, full stop. Cheers
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Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:18

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:18
Richard,

I don't think that they make a rated tow bar for a camper trailer. The camper trailer does not have a tow rating as far as how much it can tow with or with out brakes.
That would be on of the reasons for not being able to tow two trailers.

Wayne
AnswerID: 282697

Reply By: Gronk - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:23

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:23
Ha Ha Ha , it will get some going !!!!!!!!!!!

Would it be called a 4 double ??? or a 4x4 double ?????
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Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:38

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:38
Gronk.........4x4 double sounds good
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Reply By: Member - Brian (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:49

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 14:49
I Have seen it done in the back blocks. Guy use to tow his van
with a boat behind. He never went far maybe 15 km, but saved him two trips. NOT saying it's legal, but have seen it done.
Brian
AnswerID: 282702

Follow Up By:- Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 15:03

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 15:03
G'Day Brian,

Saw a similar thing on a station along the Darling

Ute and 2 X 6' X 4' trailers towing behind.

Used them to collect and store firewood without double handling

Rolande
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Reply By: baldman - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 16:41

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 16:41
Surley they wouldn't exaggerate or lie in a TV commercial.

Can't remember the make of 4wd but the general gist of the commercial was the tradie packed up the site and took off with the box trailer, followed by another one with his ATV, then the boat trailer, and then the cement mixer all in tow.

Couldn't you just double tow and then plead ignorance and tell the boys in blue you saw it on TV.



AnswerID: 282715

Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:44

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:44
Baldman.....yes that is the "Quick Hitch System"......trailers are specially designed to direct couple to towing vehicle via a special rail system thereby allowing towing of a normal trailer as well.
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Reply By: Member - BIGDOG G (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:06

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:06
You may laugh.........but I have actually seen a rig here in WA.
It was on A current affair.......Cant remember the tow but he was dragging a van and boat.......Had engineer certs and had to get a roadtrain licence. Lives up exmouth way I think

Cheers............BIGDOG
AnswerID: 282719

Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:48

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 17:48
Hey BIGDOG........now thats what i'm after....already have MC license......don't suppose you can remember how long ago you saw programme and what channel?
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 18:18

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 18:18
Seem to remember reading somewhere that the definition of a B-Double was that the prime mover had to be no less than 4.5t and the trailers had to share their weight with the prime mover (ie the "A" trailer) and the "B" trailer had to share it's weight with the back of the "A" trailer.

Other than that, so long as you possess the correct licence and have the correct braking capability etc etc, then why shouldn't you be allowed to drive with 2 trailers. The difficult thing would be having the prime mover rated at 4.5t (eg: a converted Patrol or Landcruiser into a 6x4 wheel configuration or a Ford F250 or F350 etc)
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Follow Up By: Member - Graeme (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 20:58

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 20:58
Not a V8 Nissan Patrol double cab???? I am sure it will be heavy enough :-)
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Reply By: Dion - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 21:26

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 21:26
I do this quite often when collecting firewood. I have two 7'x4' tandem axled trailers both with receiver hitch towbars on each. Each towbar also has the 7 pin plug so even the third trailer has it's tail, stop and indicator lights working.
The third trailer only gets added when off road, into the paddocks and into the creeks where the firewood is cut. On the highway, you do not notice the second trailer, the whole combination behaves almost as one. Maintaining speeds of 110km/h is easy, even with both trailers loaded with cut, stacked redgum, maintaining 100 - 110km/h is ok with good stability.
Several years ago, Alan Nixon "The Uteman" put me and pictures of my utes towing three trailers into his Vol 4 of his ute books. I have also had a photo published in 'Truckin Life' magazine of ute with two trailers.
One of the 7'x4' trailers was converted to a tandem after several years as a single axled trailer, that was the second best thing done to that trailer after putting the towbar onto it.
Usually the third trailer behind the two 7'x4's was a 6'x4', but I have also had a 6'x5' and an 8'x5' as the third trailer.
Considering the highway that this does get used on is also a gazetted Road Train route, I rarely get a second look as the combination tracks and behaves so well.
Is it legal, who knows? I know of two others in this town that also have a lead trailer each as well, although they don't have plugs on the rear of theirs for the second trailer.
That Nissan Navara add uses some good trick photography and filming, although the towbars I use on my two trailers are the real deal.

Cheers,
Dion.
AnswerID: 282790

Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 22:08

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 22:08
Dion......when you say receiver hitch bars are you refering to the pin and eye set as on trucks?...if so did you have special bars made and also does the leed trailor have a 5 wheel set up
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Follow Up By: Dion - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 17:21

Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 17:21
Richard L,
I used the terminology Receiver Hitch towbars to indicate removable box tube tounge with standard 50mm towball fitted. These type of towbars are also generically known by the name of one of the major manufacturers with the initials of H.R. However I'm sure as H.R. don't actually manufacture a towbar for the application I am using one for, they probably don't endorse or condone my endevours. Therefore I am careful in my terminology. Both (lead) trailers are standard 7'x4' tandems with 50mm ball couplings and standard large 7 pin round plugs and sockets, and can tow anything behind them that are fitted with a 50mm coupling, or anything else that I can change the hitch over for, pintle hook or any other size ball. The trailers are nothing special really except they have both had towbars fitted.

Cheers,
Dion.
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Follow Up By: Member - Richard L (WA) - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 19:11

Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 19:11
Thanks for that Doin.........Cheers Richard
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Reply By: Crackles - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 21:59

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 21:59
Must be some special permits available as you often see outback road crews tow a water cart & a caravan behind graders.
Fairly impractical though for touring as it would be near impossible to reverse & the turning circle particually in town or camp sites would be a pita.
Cheers Craig................
AnswerID: 282799

Reply By: pop2jocem - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 22:45

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 22:45
Just a thought, what about a fifth wheel caravan with a boat or whatever behind that?

Cheers Pop
AnswerID: 282811

Reply By: Willem - Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 23:40

Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 at 23:40
Well, maybe not in Australia but in South Africa it is quite legal.

When I was visiting there in 2005 and cruising on the Highway at the legal limit of 120kmh a BMW 7 series overtook me towing a 18-20ft van and an even longe lookingr Trailer/Sailer hitched up behind. He must've been doing 130-140kmh.

It is quite common for holidaymakers to tow their caravan and then have a small trailer hitched to the back of that tp carry whatever.

I do believe it may be possible here in Aus provided the you follow all the right hitching rules and have a Road Train Licence...:-)


Cheers
AnswerID: 282816

Reply By: Member - Matt (Perth-WA) - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 13:39

Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 13:39
This was done for years in the Army...all trailers had a rear pintle hook attached and could be "daisy-chained' togeter to allow one vehicle to move multiple trailers. The trailer even had pug connections in the rear so the lights would operate as designed.

This was stopped about 10 years ago and I believe due to the Army having to adhere to the civil heavy vehicle road standards and not their own SOVOs.

As a few have said the engineering of the trailer would have to incorparate the towing capacity at the rear of the trailer but also the tow weight and capacity of the vehicle. ie does the combined mass of the two trailers still meet the max tow capacity of the tow vehicle? Brakes?

Oh and its illegal

But all the best
Matt.
AnswerID: 282885

Reply By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 13:51

Monday, Jan 21, 2008 at 13:51
As otrhers have stated it can be done when you adhere to the ADR and also the traffic regulations for road trains. I have researched this 2 years ago before I decided to import an American Slide-on with a decent truck, so that I can still tow a boat. There is no Australian solution with any good creature comfort and decent size boat. The limiting factors are the vehicles here.

good luck
gmd

AnswerID: 282886

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