Towing trailer behind motorhome

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

oK guys, here we go again....

I have been looking at enclosed trailers to put the car in so it wont get dirty when I pull it behind the coach and

I have a couple of questions that I just know you can answer for me.

1. Our longest car is 19 feet from bumper to bumper. Concerning this, how long should the trailer be to haul this

car? I found one that is 24 feet long and considering I will need to get in front of the car to ''tie down the wheels''

I would assume that I will need one at least this long so I will have some working room between the wall and the front

of the car when I tie it down. MUCH ADVISE NEEDED HERE...

2. I see trailers with a ''front access door''. Do I need one of these to help with loading and unloading and tieing

the car down ?????????????? MORE ADVISE NEEDED HERE..

3, I presume that the ''back door'' on these trailers is the ''ramp'' for loading and unloading the car. If so, will I need to

get help to lower and raise said door?

4. I presume these car haul trailers come with ''pad eyes''. (tie down thingies built into the floor) (pad eyes is a Navy term)

5. Which one of you guys would like to ''halves'' in this trailer so you can use it when I am not using it? (just kidding)

Standard ten cent reward for competent answers.

Standard five cent reward for really good guesses that may not be proven.

Standard dill pickle and crackers for dumb looks and drooling over the questions.

Ill pay you the next time I see you....

Note. If you dont want the money (10 cents) I will give you a ride in the car instead. Your choice...

Seajay the sailor man

[jimbrightly@worldnet.att.net]

Hi Seajay

I use a flatbed trailer for my trail Jeep, but some of my friends had the enclosed type, so I'll try to answer your questions. First, though, I mounted a pickup toolbox on my flatbed's tongue. I mounted it high so that I still had room to use an equalizing hitch--which I highly recommend for a vehicle hauling trailer--and it effectively blocks any road debris from the motorhome's tires. It doesn't keep the Jeep clean in a rain or snow storm, tho.

1. Our longest car is 19 feet from bumper to bumper. Concerning this, how long should the trailer be to haul this

car? I found one that is 24 feet long and considering I will need to get in front of the car to ''tie down the wheels''

I would assume that I will need one at least this long so I will have some working room between the wall and the front

of the car when I tie it down. MUCH ADVISE NEEDED HERE...

I'd say this should be your minimum length. You'll appreciate the room and you may find you need it for additional storage. (I use the extra room on my flatbed for carrying the Jeep's paddle tires when we head for the dunes.)

2. I see trailers with a ''front access door''. Do I need one of these to help with loading and unloading and tieing

the car down ?????????????? MORE ADVISE NEEDED HERE..

Depending on your size, you may find you'd rather have the front door for easier access instead of sliding along the sides of your car and possibly scratching it.

3, I presume that the ''back door'' on these trailers is the ''ramp'' for loading and unloading the car. If so, will I need to

get help to lower and raise said door?

Of the trailers my friends owned, the backdoor was also the ramp, but you shouldn't need help. Their doors had cables and springs to support most of the door's weight.

4. I presume these car haul trailers come with ''pad eyes''. (tie down thingies built into the floor) (pad eyes is a Navy term).

Don't "presume" anything! You know what happens when you assume something. Ask and make sure, they might be selling the trailer as a simple furniture hauler.

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Jim ...... you just qualified for the special ten cent reward as promised by myself in my post.

Be it known that I, Seajay the sailor man, will pay on demand the sum of ten cents to Jim for his advise

concerning trailer towing.......... I will pay him the next time I see him if he will identify himself....

Ok, I am between a rock and a hard place. I am looking at a 24 foot open trailer to pull the car on. One of the

considerations is that I have a ''port a boat'' that I would like to haul with me when we travle and take the car

With this longer trailer I can break the boat down and simply slide it under the car or put it against one of the finders

and tie it down. I can make me

a box for the front of the trailer that will serve two purposes. It will shield the front of the car from stuff thrown

up by the tires on the coach and it will be a good place to store my seats and motor for the boat. I am strongly considering

a trailer made from aluminum so it will be light and easy to pull.

Since I will be pulling this with a 33 foot 'A' class Pace Arrow, should I need a ''special hitch'' of some kind? I dont want the

trailer wiggling all over the road ..........

remember, If you answer another question, I will owe you another dime. (you could get rich just answering questions)

Seajay the sailor man

[wolfe10]

There are several thing that you need to determine:

Coach GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)

Towing capacity-- remember the LEAST strong element determines capacity, NOT hitch rating. It could be brakes, transmission, coach frame or indeed the hitch itself.

Rear axle capacity-- the tongue weight will add well more than its actual weight to the rear axle because it is located so far behind the rear axle. Indeed, as Jim said, an equalizing hitch will help redistribute tongue weight.

You need to weight your coach and verify that with the loaded coach, car and trailer you are considering that you will be under GCWR.

And with a 33' gas chassis coach pulling a 24' trailer, handling WILL be affected.

Brett Wolfe

[jimbrightly@worldnet.att.net]

I would venture a guess that your coach's receiver is rated at 5000 lbs. Make sure of this; it should be written/stamped on the receiver. I towed a 22-ft. 1950 Silver Streak travel trailer with a 1967 Ford Bronco for many years, so you shouldn't have a problem towing a flatbed trailer with a 33-ft. motorhome. However, I strongly recommend an equalizing hitch with a sway control, and you'll need a dash-mounted brake controller for the trailer brakes. If you settle on an aluminum flatbed, you'll save quite a bit of weight (which is good). I also strongly suggest buying an aluminum toolbox--as I did--at Lowe's or Home Depot (Sam's club may carry them as well) rather than building one. They are pretty much weather proof, have locks, and look good. And you can apply the car's product decals to the inside of the lid. If you wait until they go on sale, you can pretty much buy one cheaper than building one.

Seajay, if you keep asking questions, maybe I can work your advice payments up to a cup of coffee--and I mean coffee, not late, not mocha, or any of that kind of stuff. Coffee like I used to get in the Air Force or at Pier 91 in Seattle!

[wolfe10]

I will repeat one more time-- a 5000 pound hitch does not necessarily mean that your coach was designed to tow 5000 pounds.

THE authority on towing capacity is your coach manufacturer. Towing capacity is determined by the LEAST strong component.

Much better to confirm before you spend your money than to find out you are operating dangerously/illegally.

Brett Wolfe

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Wow this is getting complex.

First of all I have hired the accounting firm or ''CATCHUM SKINNUM and RUN'' to handle the complex

nature of exactly whom I owe what for advise and services rendered concerning this project. Those of

you that are giving good advise will receive a ''letter of promise'' from this accounting firm in the very near

future concerning the amounts you are entitled to be paid the next time I see you.

Concerning the coach........ I will call Tom Johnson R.V., the people that sold the coach and ask them to determine

my towing capability. I shall give them ''hitch'' capacity and the approximate weight of the coach loaded for

a trip.

I shall determine the exact weight of the car and trailer combination.

I shall consider an ''equalizer hitch'' and have one installed as necessary.

I shall take your advise concerning the ''tool box'' and use appropriate action.

NOTE..... unfortunately the ''sticker'' with the info about the coach came ''unstuck'' from the wall in the

coach and I think Willa threw it away or one of dogs used it for a toy. Anyhow, there is a blank place

where the sticker use to be.

I will find out all pertinent information and keep you guys advised as to my progress.

Thanks for all the input concerning this project ......

Seajay the sailor man......

[garykd]

Hi SEAJAY,

Even though the reward for this thread has already been won, I'll post anyway. I think you are going to get to the end of this road and find either you can't tow the configuration needed, with your coach or once you try everything out the Pace Arrow will not hold speed even on Interstate overpasses. If you ever pull an actual hill or mountain, you'd need more patience than most of us have. I say this based on my leading caravans with both Gas and DPs. All tow cars four down. On an Interstate highway the gas coaches could not maintain 55 MPH when pulling slight inclines. The DPs never noticed the inclines.

That being said, you are going about this the correct way. First you are determining what your priorities are and working backward to see how they can be met.

This brings me to my recommendation. Consider trading the PA for a DP. If done, the smiles will remain and you will actually get where you wanted to go the dame day you planned to get there.

[garykd]

Hi SEAJAY,

I almost forgot to answer the question about a door. This is the most important question when it comes to the trailer being usable. A door located where it can be used for getting into and out of the car/trailer once the car is loaded is very important. Some climb out the driver's window. Some climb over the open top (convertible). Some have the door placed so they can open the driver's door (just enough to get out), once the car is loaded. The answer to this question is dependant on your agility and how much inconvenience one is willing to put up with.

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Now I am between a rock and a hard place.

I started out figuring I could could get a car dolly and pull the car backwards. this seems like not

such a good idea so I abandoned that.

Then, I started looking into trailers and advanced to a enclosed trailer to keep the car clean while on

the road between here and there.....

This may not be the best idea because of the total weight of the car and the trailer combined.

OK.... Does anyone out there in FMCA land pull a 24 foot trailer with an auto on it behind a 33 foot Pace Arrow

motor home. Mine is a 2000 model with the Tritan V10 engine with a Banks Exhaust system?

At present I pull a 04 Ford Ranger ''flatfooted'' with a port a boat on top of the ''capp''. the back of the truck is used

for a ''portable basement''. It usually has at least 300 pounds of ''stuff'' in it at any given time. An ourboard motor and

gas tank, fire wood, fishing equipment, rocks (we gather them from all over for the rock garden) chairs and all kinds of

''stuff'' that we probably dont need but we cant do without.

In this configuration with the pick up I can run with the traffic and the coach climbs hills very well when called upon

to do so. In this configuration with the pick up we have logged some seventy thousand miles since 05 on the coach from

North Carolina to about anywhere there is a road. We have been to Alaska to Nova Scotia to Florida to California to Utah

to Death Valley and to Big Bend in Texas... We have been over the meadow and thru the woods across mountains and deserts without a problem.

All things considered, I may just pull the pick up as usual and take a 8 x 10 picture of Willa setting in the ""LUXXOR'' and show

it to people when the conversation turns to cars.

Anyhow, I am still fumbling with this and I will keep you guys advised as to the outcome and the final decision as to

the resolution of this situation.

I really appreciate all the input from you guys and it looks like I owe out about half a million dollars in dimes so if you

happen to see me and I avoid you or I say that I am not me its because I probably owe you money for your input.

Ill keep you posted ...............

Seajay the sailor man..............

at present I am looking into one of those devices that un-hooks the drive shaft on the car and I can put a large

stone guard on the tow bar and pull the car flat footed with a cover over the car. This is still under investigation.

I really dont want to buy a Diesel because my Pace still has a bunch of life left in it.

[jimbrightly@worldnet.att.net]

Hi Seajay

If you're happy with your motorhome's performance while towing your pickup, you're going to be just as happy towing a trailer, especially if it's an aluminum one. I tow a 21-ft Carson flatbed, which is steel with wood planking deck, with a 1999 25-ft Allegro Type A coach with a GM 454 gas engine. On the trailer I haul my 1982 CJ7, which weighs slightly more than 4,000 lbs. If the inclines are 6% or less, I haven't had a performance problem. Over 6%, I have to have patience. But I strongly suggest a good brake controller, like a Prodigy, and an equalizer hitch. The hitch keeps the porposing down, and its sway bar cuts way down on side sway. I would also suggest using a pair of jackstands at the rear corners to support the trailer when loading or unloading the car. You'll love the convenience of a trailer, which you can actually back up into those non-drivethrough campsites. Out here in the West, unlike what folks have told me about other areas of the country, I've never had a problem in a campground because of a trailer.

Send me your email address and I'll send you some pictures of my set-up off-line.

I think I'm up to a half cup so far....

[garykd]

Hi SEAJAY,

One can not beat jimbrightly's experience. I was not aware your coach had Banks installed. That will make a difference. In my previous post, no gas coach I referred to had Banks installed. For me, I'd go with the hands on experience and give the enclosed trailer a try. I have confidence in the Banks Brand.

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Well shux......... I am truly humbled by all the concern and good advise shown to me concerning my

situation of pulling this car. This just goes to prove that if you have a problem (and a lot of dimes)

FMCA people will ''step up'' and help you solve said problems with good advise and various points of view

concerning said problem. It is good to know that Willa and I are part of an organization that will take their

time and experiences concerning our safety and comfort and give their personal advise to help us confront

this situation with to keep us safe and happy while traveling this great nation of ours.

Many words of thanks to you guys concerning this and I will definitely keep you advised as to the final

outcome and resolution to this situation.

As of now I am considering the following .....

A 20 foot aluminum ''Texas Rollback'' trailer if they make one like that.

An aluminum tool box on the tongue of the trailer to help protect the front of the car and to put ''stuff'' in.

Large mud flaps on the rear wheels of the coach and a ''Rock solid'' back flap.

An ''equalizer hitch and tension bar to control sway

A Prodigy control box for the trailer breaks.

Since I owe so many of you dimes for your advise I will state the following .....

If you see a guy with a sign on his 't' shirt saying ''I AM NOT SEAJAY'' then this is not me so you need not

try to collect your dime that may be owed to you for advise. After all, I have car payments (60), trailer payments (48),

tool box payments (18), mudflap payments (12), equalizer hitch payments (24), and control box payments (12) and payments on

other stuff that I shall not mention at this time (lifetime).

my e mail address is

seajaycecil@yahoo.com

if you want to send me pix of your setup.

Thanks again guys......

Seajay the sailor man ..........

ps. I will check with fleetwood concerning the GVW of my coach and its capacity for towing. I will do all these

considerations as to the weight of the car and trailer before going off the deep end.

Be safe on the road guys ....

[garykd]

Hi SEAJAY,

There may be one additional item for you to consider. When the trailer is connected to the coach, visualize the side view. Your nice coach, with a custom car inside the trailer. However, the aluminum colored trailer is shinny. Reflecting the sun as you motor down the road. Depending on the angle of the sun to the trailer, this could create quite a reflecting hazard to other drivers. If parked in a drought stricken area, it could intensify the sun's rays and start a fire! The perfect solution for this is to have the trailer painted like your coach or the car that is inside.

Lastly, there is an image one must consider. You have a classy coach and car. The total package needs to reflect your good taste and status. I will contribute to you having the trailer painted by donating all dimes I am owed because of my thought provoking posts.

[seajaycecil@yahoo.com]

Gary......

I am totally underwhelmed by your thoughts and your generous ''give back'' concerning amounts owed for your

advise on said subject. I will state that your generosity is only under shadowed by your good looks and your

reported sexual prowess. I here by take back some of the bad things I have said about you in the past

and I can assure you that you are not the scoundrel people have reported you to be, YOU ARE OK IN MY BOOK..

I stand by these and other statements I may or may not have said about you in the past and in the future also.

I will contact you later about how much you donated toward the custom paint job.

Seajay the sailor man ....

[jjgnn@yahoo.com]

One consideration I had when going though this thought process - if you buy a trailer, you will have more weight to consider, and more expense than configuring any towed for four down travel. And the main thing that convinced me, you will have to store that trailer when not using it. As I am a full timer, that tipped the scales toward four down, and frequent washing of the towed vehicle.

Oh, and the comment ..... "If parked in a drought stricken area, it could intensify the sun's rays and start a fire!" ....... is either a joke or a comment by a graduate of our public school system. I would not worry about that.

No charge - my comments are worth what you paid for it already.

[tbutler]

Hey Seajay,

You really opened a can of worms! Sounds to me like you could use Ockham's razor or sometimes known as Occam's razor. There are two parts that are considered the basis of Occam's razor, and they were originally written in Latin:

* The Principle of Plurality - Plurality should not be posited without necessity

* The Principle of Parsimony - It is pointless to do with more what is done with less

You've probably heard it before: The simplest explanation is usually the right one. Detectives use it to deduce who's the likeliest suspect in a murder case -- you know, the butler (Hey, who put that in here?) did it. Doctors ­use it to determine the illness behind a set of symptoms.

Credit for the above to http://people.howstuffworks.com/occams-razor.htm/printable

In short, what is wrong with your tan under road dust 2004 Ford Ranger? Does Willa really need to have the fancy car on a camping outing? Why not leave it home for the running around in good weather car and use the old beater (oops, I didn't mean that!) for the camping outings! Simple might just be better in this case.

But what would I know, I am a product of the public school system.

[Guest 2driftrs]

Hey, Seajay, here's something else to think about. Most states have total length restrictions. Here in NC it's 60 feet unless you've got a class A cdl (commercial drivers license).

[garykd]

Hi Jack,

Don't worry about my starting a fire comment. That post was part of my dry humor. SEAJAY understood and responses accordingly. I am a product of the public school and university system. It provided me a good foundation, which lead to a very successful career.

[truckr44@yahoo.com]

Seajay,

I am also wanting an enclosed trailer, but it would be towed behind a 45-foot coach. I have seen them on the interstates and wondering how they are getting away with the length law each state has. The combined length has to be at least 70 feet.

[Guest 2driftrs]

Here's most of the answers about length restrictions, license required, etc.

http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

[tbutler]

My take on this is... No one gets stopped for being over length unless... you are involved in an accident or other traffic violation. We have traveled all over New England and have never been stopped with our 40' rig, 20' toad add in tow bar length and our bicycles hanging on the back of the toad and we're regularly measured at 65' at ferry crossings. Now, that's not as obvious as 80' but we've traveled in states with 55' limits and no stops. However, I always figured that if we caused an accident in one of those states we would be ticketed by the enforcement authorities and would have problems collecting on our accident insurance. So I was taking a giant chance to do so. If you go to 80' you would likely be taking that same kind of chance except in most every state. I suspect most who travel with those rigs are oblivious to the possible liabilities.

There may be some provision in the law of which I am unaware. There are provisions for reciprocal laws, the laws where you are licensed apply wherever you are. Drivers licenses are that way. If your drivers license is legal in the state where you are licensed, then it is legal anywhere in the US and Canada. States that require special licenses for driving large vehicles such as motor homes will not stop or hold you if your state doesn't require such a license. I don't think this kind of provision relates to weight and length restrictions but I could be wrong.

[wolfe10]

There are provisions for reciprocal laws, the laws where you are licensed apply wherever you are. Drivers licenses are that way. If your drivers license is legal in the state where you are licensed, then it is legal anywhere in the US and Canada. States that require special licenses for driving large vehicles such as motor homes will not stop or hold you if your state doesn't require such a license. I don't think this kind of provision relates to weight and length restrictions but I could be wrong.

Tom,

You are correct. There IS reciprocity of licensing requirements for drivers. So if you are licensed in your home state, you are OK in other states and Canada.

But, as you suggest, each state has its own weight, length., speed limits, etc. One is subject to the laws of the state one is driving in for these issues.

Brett Wolfe