Toy hauler or tandem tow with 5th wheel???

Iron Horse Racing · Jan 23, 2013

Heard alot of rumblings over the open concept trialers, re banning them in Canada....as some have so much gas smell, ie not sealing gas tanks on atv's...heck when we startyed racing we were sleeping on cots in the race trailer.....if you seal things up thet're fine...

Have pulled tandems and actually got decent at backing both trailers up short distances (somtimes ) then went to the 40' tailer with a 12' garage....it was the cadilac...when we used it just for camping we used the garage as a wet room. Even hauled our street bikes in it and camped and rode day trips....with 4 kids it worked out great...

Now with the kids all on there own...we went back to a 10.5 camper and bumber pull 20' trailer, to haul sleds in the winter, quads and bikes in the summer.....this allows us to haul the boat and or the horse trailer.... and with a side wall push out it really has lots of room and comfort for just the two of us....solar and built in gen as we avoid actual camp grounds as much as possible....

Was never a fan of motor homes, as they dont go where we like to camp, and then theres the run into town have to pack up the motor home thing....which is why I've stayed away from even campers, but with the electric jacks, we will unload the camper lower it to the ground, if we need to use the truck, it only take a couple of mintues....

Lots of choies out htere, and really not one works for everything solution, you just have to look at the type of camping and who and how your going to use....good luck..

JDen · Jan 23, 2013

I've been towing 2 trailers for the past 2 summers, it's what works best for me. We wanted a toyhauler, but pricewise and sizewise, we would need to go huge to be able to haul what we needed and also have lots of living space in the trailer. This way, if we're just camping, we still have lots of room in the camper but it's also not a huge pain to park it in smaller sites. Twice now I've towed the bikes and quads behind the camper from Saskatchewan, through Alberta, Montana, and Idaho to get to the St Anthony sand dunes, and haven't had any issues. One thing to note though, is I can't break any speed records with this because that little trailer is hooked so far behind my camper axles that it does a lot of whipping and bouncing around way back there if you're really trying to make time or if its a rough road. Each to their own, but this is the cat's azz for me. :beer:

JDen · Jan 23, 2013

One other thing to note, I take this unit to most of the quad rallies in the summer, and the quads are disgusting, and there would be no way in h#ll I'd be putting them inside of a toy hauler. With this, its straight to the car wash, open deck trailer gets sprayed off at the same time and it's simple. I have been looking into swapping out the open trailer for an enclosed so I can use it or sledding in the winter time also but am undecided if I want to add more wieght back there, but thats a whole other deal.

tex78 · Jan 23, 2013

My quads in my trailer 3 hrs tops.

Load it... Drive to where u staying. Unload it.

Go to go home. Load it ( full of mud ect )
Get home unload it and wash when ever.

No one can tell me the ones with garages are sealed up 100 %

So y not have huge room without waisted space with a open one ???

Only time quads are inside is the drive to and from.

Ours is 36 feet. But feels like a 42 foot inside without the waisted garage.

The toy area with the bottom bed down and the backs set up is like one big living room or theater room.

Can seat 10 adults in a round circle if wanted.
Thought of playing poker on a crappy night even.

from my HTC

Pistonbroke · Jan 23, 2013

teeroy said:
I can back 'er into some pretty tight spots. should have bought one a long time ago

Yeah, but this comes from the guy who can parallel park a B-train in a space marked "small vehicle only"

arff · Jan 23, 2013

Last season I purchased a 60 gallon water tank for the truck box. Having a bumper pull toyhauler I now use the pressure washer and wash before I load up.

Get 80 percent of the mud off before I head home.

Whatever works for you that's great.

most important get out and ride with your family....

Iron Horse Racing · Jan 23, 2013

JDen said:
View attachment 147706 View attachment 147707I've been towing 2 trailers for the past 2 summers, it's what works best for me. We wanted a toyhauler, but pricewise and sizewise, we would need to go huge to be able to haul what we needed and also have lots of living space in the trailer. This way, if we're just camping, we still have lots of room in the camper but it's also not a huge pain to park it in smaller sites. Twice now I've towed the bikes and quads behind the camper from Saskatchewan, through Alberta, Montana, and Idaho to get to the St Anthony sand dunes, and haven't had any issues. One thing to note though, is I can't break any speed records with this because that little trailer is hooked so far behind my camper axles that it does a lot of whipping and bouncing around way back there if you're really trying to make time or if its a rough road. Each to their own, but this is the cat's azz for me.

Not that I care, but I was stopped and measured twice, while we were pulling tandem trailers.....are you within the 20 meter (65.6 feet) limit...the picture looks like your over....

JDen · Jan 23, 2013

Iron Horse Racing said:
Not that I care, but I was stopped and measured twice, while we were pulling tandem trailers.....are you within the 20 meter (65.6 feet) limit...the picture looks like your over....

With the tiltdeck trailer, I'm "almost" bang on 65 ft, but yes, a little over. With the boat, ya it's over, however, I'm in Saskatchewan and I'm allowed 75 ft here. Idaho allows 75 ft and Montana allows 70 ft, so it hasn't been a concern of mine as of yet, but I'm sure the time will come when it might be a problem. ....Good eye though!

subzero · Feb 16, 2013

buddy of mine was double towing - was at 67 + feet ..
had a small accident 4-5 k damage to his and about same to other unit..
other unit in wrong ...
but other guy smart and told cop to measure length ....
well over length ... NO insurnace ...
insurance paid for other guys ...
but not his ...
and then dropped him like a rock ...
he said that followed him around ... while he was trying to get insurnace ..
he has never had a claim in over 10 years ...

Hefe04 · Feb 16, 2013

I think there is a devise that connects to the second trailer to keep it inline with your fifth wheel for backing up, not sure what it is, but I have heard of it, might be worth looking in to if a person has concerns.
For me I use the tandem system and it works really well, I can back up a little ways, but once the little trailer takes off I'm screwed and can't get it back. I have a 2 place feather light trailer and with 2 4x4 quads on it placed properly i can usually hand bom it if needed.
Also did have a buddy of mine get measured by DOT not far from Red Deer, he was ok but it was the only time I had heard of someone being measured.
One problem I find is you cannot see the load on the small trailer behind you and I am always stopping and checking it.

Highfly · Feb 21, 2013

I also have towed tandem. Nothing crazy. 22.5' fifthwheel and a 12 foot flat deck with a dunebuggy on it. Usually because the last trailer is the shortest it will track very close to the same as the first trailer so if you can get one trailer through they will both go through. This would obviously depend on both trailers lengths. My rear trailer would track with in one half of a tire width of my first trailer. Just make damn sure you can get the first trailer through as backing them up is a challenge. You have to "chase" the rear trailer with the front trailer. it is doable.... I went down a dead end street with both and had to back both trailers into a side street to get turned around. No i did not get it right the first time ... or the second.... or the third...... but I got them turned around. I believe I remember my neighbor telling me there is a maximum speed limit for pulling two trailers.... but I cant find any info to back that up...

I took the liberty to do some research for anyone that is interested in regulations for tandem towing. See below....

From AMA site...

In Alberta you can tow a second trailer behind the holiday trailer, providing the following requirements are met:

The lead trailer must be a fifth wheel.
The lead trailer must have two or more axles in tandem.
The longer trailer must be the lead trailer.
The hitch connecting the lead trailer and second trailer must be fastened to the frame of the lead trailer.

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType41/Production/recvehtowguide.pdf

Each province regulations....(be sure to check out the brake requirements tab)

Found this info on a forum. It is Alberta regulations.....

Trailer towing prohibitions
9(1) No person shall, on a highway, operate a vehicle that tows a trailer

(a) that exceeds 2.60 metres in width, or

(b) that exceeds a height of 3.85 metres as measured from the road
surface,

unless the trailer is a mobile home that does not exceed 3.05 metres in
width.

(2) No person shall, on a highway, operate a combination of a towing unit
and one or more trailers that exceeds 20 metres in length in total unless
the person operates a combination of a towing unit and more than one
trailer.

(3) A person may operate on a highway a combination of a towing unit and 2
trailers if the combination meets the following requirements:

(a) the lead trailer must be towed by a pin and plate fifth wheel
coupling mounted over the rear axle of the towing vehicle and fastened to
its frame;

(b) the lead trailer must have 2 or more axles in tandem;

(c) the longer trailer must be the lead trailer;

(d) the hitch connecting the lead trailer and the 2nd trailer must
be fastened to the frame of the lead trailer.

(4) This section does not apply to a combination that

(a) is being operated for commercial purposes, and

(b) is carrying a load.

Trailer attachments standards
10(1) No trailer shall be towed unless there are 2 separate means of
attachment to the towing vehicle and the trailer is so attached that the
failure of one attachment does not permit the trailer to become detached
from the towing vehicle.

(2) Each means of attachment must have sufficient strength to pull all the
weight towed by it.

(3) The secondary means of attachment must be designed to be capable of

(a) towing the trailer so that the trailer substantially follows in
the track of the towing vehicle, and

(b) preventing the drawbar of the trailer or the primary means of
attachment from contacting the road surface.

(4) Subsections (1) to (3) also apply to a combination of a towing unit
and 2 trailers and, for the purposes of those subsections, the lead trailer
in the combination is the towing vehicle for the 2nd trailer.

(5) Nothing in subsection (1) requires a 2nd separate means of attachment
in the case of a fifth wheel trailer.

Little · Feb 21, 2013

We actually tried several different ways of doing this. First was a Dutchman 27' and tandem car trailer. This worked great, even with the boat behind the Dutchman. Then we used the 'family' motorhome with an enclosed 28'. Great. However $150K tied up in MH. to use for a few days a yr. Stumbled onto a 2009 Attitude toyhauler 40' with a 14' garage. It has the power down Queen beds/couch in the garage. Welded a hitch on the back and away we go. Dodge with a chipped 6.7. 7 mpg and no power to spare, so we tried our Freightliner on it. Worked awesome, but we lost the back seat the Dodge had. So we replaced the FLR farm truck with one with the ext. cab and seats in the back.
We still pull the car trailer behind some but not often. (77 ft) The garage has lots of space. (Can haul the YJ) Trailer has 200 gal fresh and 100 each of grey/black so extra for washing. I love the thing. 13ish mpg. lots of power and handles well in the wind.

A draw back is accessing the high country with less than good roads. Used chains twice last spring get in to staging areas with skidoos. Once there it was real nice. We stored some water in the garage for kitchen/bathing and ran a 2200 watt genset for power to the heater and inverter. If the outside temps would stay at or slightly above freezing one could use the on board water and things would be perfect. We plan to take this to Castle this spring.

This may not be cost effective if we didn't use the truck for bales, and moving machinery as well as a camper puller.

I also learned today that I need to keep log book and daily inspectios if over 4500 kg. GVW and a farm/commercial truck. Private passanger vehicles exempt. Heads up those with F plated trucks.

teeroy · Feb 21, 2013

Little said:
We actually tried several different ways of doing this. First was a Dutchman 27' and tandem car trailer. This worked great, even with the boat behind the Dutchman. Then we used the 'family' motorhome with an enclosed 28'. Great. However $150K tied up in MH. to use for a few days a yr. Stumbled onto a 2009 Attitude toyhauler 40' with a 14' garage. It has the power down Queen beds/couch in the garage. Welded a hitch on the back and away we go. Dodge with a chipped 6.7. 7 mpg and no power to spare, so we tried our Freightliner on it. Worked awesome, but we lost the back seat the Dodge had. So we replaced the FLR farm truck with one with the ext. cab and seats in the back.
We still pull the car trailer behind some but not often. (77 ft) The garage has lots of space. (Can haul the YJ) Trailer has 200 gal fresh and 100 each of grey/black so extra for washing. I love the thing. 13ish mpg. lots of power and handles well in the wind.

A draw back is accessing the high country with less than good roads. Used chains twice last spring get in to staging areas with skidoos. Once there it was real nice. We stored some water in the garage for kitchen/bathing and ran a 2200 watt genset for power to the heater and inverter. If the outside temps would stay at or slightly above freezing one could use the on board water and things would be perfect. We plan to take this to Castle this spring.

This may not be cost effective if we didn't use the truck for bales, and moving machinery as well as a camper puller.

I also learned today that I need to keep log book and daily inspectios if over 4500 kg. GVW and a farm/commercial truck. Private passanger vehicles exempt. Heads up those with F plated trucks.

what is your max allowable length in sask? a 40' toyhauler with a trailer behind is legal there?

Highfly · Feb 21, 2013

teeroy said:
what is your max allowable length in sask? a 40' toyhauler with a trailer behind is legal there?

teeroy · Feb 21, 2013

23m, or 75.5'

Little · Feb 21, 2013

No we are too long, that's why we seldom use this setup. The trailer is good by itself, but it's nice to haul the YJ on the trailer and the rzr and a dirt bike inside.
I've never been stopped with the 'combo' but my turn is coming.

Spanic · Feb 21, 2013

I tandem pulled for 3 years. 26' trailer and 14' quad trailer and let's just say that the toy hauler is the way to go. We just bought one, no packing Jerry cans, built in genny, all in all less packing more riding.

Little · Feb 22, 2013

Ours has a built in 10k genset and about a 20 gal. tank, but it burns a gal. an hr. so we took a small 2.2 for constant run. It only uses a couple of gal a day. Leaves some gas for the quads etc. Just a thought. Also can use the garage for dining/sitting area as well. Room for 10 or more in the rain. Wife loves it, mud can be kept in the back, (our Dutchman was always full of mud) with enuf room in the living area for 2 couples and kids, plus the drop down beds will take 4 adullt size or a raft of kids. Often build a fire at the back and some can sit inside and others out.

Downfalls are the size and weight. I scaled the trailer full, with Spyder and and RZR, water full, sewer empty. 18,300ish pounds.

goodngrubby · Mar 4, 2013

Just do both. Don't worry about the cops, they just want to stop and tell you how creative you are.

campingnut · Mar 4, 2013

Saw that picture yesterday and was thinking now that is how I can get all my stuff out camping and put no mileage on my truck.

Toy hauler or tandem tow with 5th wheel???

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