Issues Towing a 24' - 28' Enclosed Trailer

[ispjs]

As we transition from part time to full time not only will we be going from a gas MH to a DP, but we will also be looking for a long enclosed trailer.  We plan on always traveling with our Mini Cooper and Harley Trike, which is about 22 feet of vehicles and just over 4,000 pounds.

My question is for folks who have MH's with tag axles and pull long enclosed trailers.  I have a decent understanding of tongue weight and some other issues involving trailers, but being close to 70' long what other issues is there to contend with?  How does a 20mph cross wind effect you?  I have been in some rest areas where 70' feet of RV or a big truck that long would almost spill over the spaces, is that ever an issue?

I realize there will be many CG's that won't have sites big enough.  I also understand that I'm not going to be whipping around residential neighborhoods easily or pulling into any discount gas stations for fuel.  I'm just trying to get a feel for things I'm probably not expecting by pulling a trailer this long.

 

[obedb]

Sounds like a question for Bill Edwards. He is probably in the boonies in Oregon. He pulls a sizable trailer. Hang in there. Maybe he will chime in.

[manholt]

ISP JS.

What year is your Classic Cruiser?  Also, what make and model is your current gas coach?

[manholt]

Update.  Never mind the coach info...got it on your other post. 

Trailer...get a 14' or 16'  Featherlight Stacker, your bike goes on top and cooper on bottom.  Still leaves room for extras. Easy to tow!

Trike, mine is a 2006 Classic Cruiser Ultra, 96cu, 6 forward no reverse, rear end was done in Troup, TX.  Had I known that HD had acquired Leland and was building their own, I and about 50 other Shriners in Texas, would have waited.   Yes, we did let HD know how we felt....We are now, a big fan of Honda and Kawasaki & get a big discount, plus they don't over heat. 

[ispjs]

3 hours ago, manholt said:

Update.  Never mind the coach info...got it on your other post. 

Trailer...get a 14' or 16'  Featherlight Stacker, your bike goes on top and cooper on bottom.  Still leaves room for extras. Easy to tow!

Trike, mine is a 2006 Classic Cruiser Ultra, 96cu, 6 forward no reverse, rear end was done in Troup, TX.  Had I known that HD had acquired Leland and was building their own, I and about 50 other Shriners in Texas, would have waited.   Yes, we did let HD know how we felt....We are now, a big fan of Honda and Kawasaki & get a big discount, plus they don't over heat. 

I've looked at the Stacker trailers and they are pretty sweet.  I'm probably not going to spend over $20,000 for a trailer.  Harley has been building their own Trikes for awhile now.  Have owned both metrics and Harleys for over 40 years.  The last 10 or 12 years only Harleys, this 2016 being my first Trike.  Ridden all over, much of it 2-up and loaded with extras and never had any type of overheating issue.  

[manholt]

Shriners do a lot of Parades and slow competition riding...we are the guys with the burgundy colored Fez and 22 children hospitals! 

[Lenp]

Keep in mind that 70' is not legal in all states.  And it does not matter where your registered - each state has it's own rules.  Probably never be pulled over but if you are involved in an accident it could become a factor.  The stacker may be a better choice.

Lenp

[manholt]

65 feet and your good to go, in 95% of the Country !   Also, no need to think about the trailer, until you get the coach...think 40 foot minimum...you don't want the tail to wag the dog!

[ispjs]

Actually, some states have a limit of 60' for an RV combination.   Still have to try to position my Harley Trike and Mini end to end and see exactly how long of an enclosed I would have to have.  Maybe with the Trike turned at an angle I could get by with a 18' or 20' trailer, but it would certainly be close.  Even then with a 43' coach I would be over 65'.  As much as it would pain me I may be looking at a stacker type trailer.  

[manholt]

You will find that a stacker is much more stable and easier to drive and turn with.  I had one, when I was the hauler of all the toys for El Mina Shrine, for parades and competition.  I donated mine to the Temple.  I found a used one for $9,300 and used it for 7 years, behind 2 DP's.

Some States and one Canadian Territory that I know about, it's 55 foot.  General rule is 65 and know of no one that has had a problem...

[ispjs]

I taped off two different areas in my garage yesterday, one was 8' wide and 20' long, the other 8' wide and 22' long.  I wanted to simulate the inside of a 20' enclosed and a 22' enclosed.  I positioned the Mini and Trike every which way and there was no way a 20' would work.  A 22' will barely work.

I will keep checking for a used Stacker.  We need to put our 38' gasser on a super pull through site within the next month down here so that we will be in line for their first seasonal cancellation.  I can always pull an empty one if I have to with my gas MH just to get it to the site for now until we find our DP.

 

[manholt]

ISP JS.  your putting the cart before the horse!  Get the coach first, then the trailer!

[ispjs]

21 hours ago, manholt said:

ISP JS.  your putting the cart before the horse!  Get the coach first, then the trailer!

That would probably normally be sound advise to someone who travels part time in their RV.  We are in a transition period going from marketing our home into full time traveling in our coach.  Since we will always spend the winter months in this general area of SW Florida we will need a long pull thru site, 90% of which are already booked for the 2017/18 winter in our area.  With many friends in this area plus all of our Doctors already set up here we plan to spend November to March here.  There are a couple CG's that if we rent a super pull thru site now when they are almost empty they will give us their first winter snowbird cancellation.

Spending six figures on a used DP will have to wait until the house sells, but if I come across a good buy on the right trailer there would be no reason not to purchase it now. 

[ispjs]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 5:04 PM, lenp said:

Keep in mind that 70' is not legal in all states.  And it does not matter where your registered - each state has it's own rules.  Probably never be pulled over but if you are involved in an accident it could become a factor.  The stacker may be a better choice.

Lenp

I wasn't going to post on this statement and another one reference length restrictions.  I know many RVers read what some site posts online on which State allows what length and take it as gospel.   It does get rather confusing traveling from State to State trying to decide what applies and what doesn't.   Generally speaking, any of a State's laws that are regulatory in nature, like speed limits, safety belt use, all that is enforceable of course no matter where your vehicle is registered.  Then there are some of the equipment laws such as tinted windows and a few others that a State you are visiting can not enforce on you if you are registered in another State.  Also, there are Federal laws/guidelines that regulate commercial trucks which in no way apply to the RV world, like pulling into that weigh station.

This brings me to the point of what is the legal length limit for a motorhome pulling a trailer.  If you do a search online you will not find a correct answer IMHO.  Most of the RV "experts" that have put those state-by-state lists on line never mention anything about what class highway they are talking about.   If they would divide it out into Class I designated routes and compare that to Class III routes you would see a huge difference in requirements.   So in other words, if you have a 45' motorhome and you are towing a 28' trailer (76'-77' total length), and you are willing to stick to all designated Class I routes (Interstates and most National Highways), and never venture more than 5 miles off, then you will never get pulled over and seldom be in actual violation anyway.

I am basing this on my experience/training in my career as an Illinois State Trooper.   You may or may not agree with my opinion on this RV length subject.  Everyone should decide for themselves what length they think is legal and are comfortable with.   

 

[rsbilledwards]

 

 

You have the right guy  give me a call if you like Colorado  Yes I do tote a big trailer 24 foot Featherlite about 8000 pounds last year and use a "Trailer Toad" trailertoad.com 3500 pounder.It works great. I also converted it to disc brakes for incredible stopping. The trailer brakes will stop the coach at lower speeds and work great all around. Yes have had a few times where the length was an issue. i am a driver and can back up and have numerous times to great amusement of bystanders..

 

Since you have not bought th DP yet have a look at a 2001 Safari Zanzibar I have for sale at RVT,com 2001 Safari Zanzibar

It has 50 k on it 2 slides and powerd by CAT 330.  It was a great coach still is but I bought another Safari. It is their top of the line in 99 with 12K on it. The RVT site has a link to a hundred photos

 

Regards,

 

Bill Edwards

 

J Please send me a note from another email address other than outlook as it is not deliverable back to you from any that I have all go into a error mode.  I will send you my number

[ispjs]

Thanks Bill, I resent an email to you, still trying to get used to a new computer with windows 10.  

[rsbilledwards]

J answering your questions here  from my point of view. Carl has a point but I have not pulled a Stacker and won't in the near future. He drives a coach the is almost as tall as it is long so the Stacker has air broken in front of it. My coach a lot older is only 11 feet 9 inches tall without the frontal area Carl has at 13 something. I want the coach to break air for my setup, a 24 foot Featherlite. It however has a cabinet in front that takes up the best part of 2 feet and the pointy nose. I think the pointy nose is important in air control and the dissipation of the  engine heat. Featherlites are not easy to come by and always seem to bring minimum of 50% of new regardless of age. When I bought mine it was 10 tears old, loaded and i paid $9,500 and another 1500 having a side rehabbed.

 

Tongue weight is another thing because the builders expect you to put the weight over the wheels and you are going to distribute it completely different way...ask me how I know. The tongue will be greater than you think. Now that has to go somewhere and these coaches generally have a long tail and a lot of weight back there. The coach will suffer over time with that load whacking away on the ball and hitch as you hit bumps and poorly designed bridge abutments. As you can see from my profile i probably look at these things a little differently than most. I am not an engineer but am of that ilk. There is a solution to the problem and to mitigate the weight addition to the coach that I mentioned in the previous post. The other issue is stopping and the combined weight of the Mini, the trike and the trailer are surely going to be greater the 4,000 pounds you estimate. The drum brakes on the trailer are little more than "WHOA" brakes, there is better out there and another conversation. I might add that my coach is not a tag axle coach but it does have a really big power plant equal to MR. Carl's big buggy.

 

How does a cross wind affect you? Yes it will some and you will be concentrating and busy. This will certainly depend upon the coach you select, its suspension, and tires. Some are going to be a lot better than others for sure unfortunately there are no manuals to read for help.  Parking in rest areas no problem all the lanes are longer than you are. Getting fuel, i have been in absolutely crazy places and have always been able to get myself out...my better half thinks I am really nuts sometimes but it has always worked out. That isn't to say i have driven past still looking. Buying fuel at Pilot or flying J is the crazy thing to do and I know a lot of folks make that their easy place, in and out and pay for the convenience....it is not for me. To use your words I "whip it around" a lot.

Camp grounds that is again another story. East it is a problem, but it depends where. Around Gettysburg, plenty of room to leave the trailer and park the coach in a designated spot other places, "are you kidding how long?" West of the Mississippi river less of an issue and the Western states Colorado West not much of a problem and Arizona big coaches abound.  We are dry campers and look so as not to spend. BLM has thousands of acres to explore and little to no facility charges. Most of the time no water or E juice just free space and sun. 

Just off hand I think you are expecting more hassles than you will find.If you come West the mini will be the limiting factor as to what you see and can do, ask me how I know. First time I went to Arizona I went with a VW Corrado and a Honda 500 Rubicon turned sideways in front, this time a Chevy Tracker. The tracker was not my first choice but what I got away with as there are two of us in this party.

Look forward to talking with you   Bill Edwards 

 

 

[ispjs]

Good info Bill, and thanks.  My estimated 4,000 pounds of towed weight would be the Mini and Harley total, not inclusive of the trailer weight.  I'm not sure how I will be limited by having a Mini Cooper and a Harley as our two modes of general transportation?

We have just officially listed the house with the signs going up Friday.  Depending on how quickly that goes will determine how quickly my search for a coach increases.  I will probably reach out to you with more questions.

[obedb]

Knew Bill would offer lots of info. Met him in Gettysburg. Walking encyclopedia.😊