Why Can't We Use Trailers Like This?

[Sawyer Rob]

A guy over this way, was pulling 8 wagon loads of shelled corn down the road with a bigger tractor...and all 8 were big/heavy loads... A cop stopped him and put a stop to that!

I see two quite common and sometimes three, but that's about it around here.

I pulled a trailer with 2 wagons behind, all loaded with logs with my tractor one time, but only that one time and only for a few miles...

SR

 

[sandman2234]

I have doubles and triples on my CDL, and can not legally pull a boat trailer behind a fifth wheel camper in Florida, and a lot of other states. Florida allows doubles but don't think triples, (3 trailers), but only fifth wheel mount and only commercial use. So a pickup pulling a camper and boat is not legal.
I moved a trailer from Lake Park, Ga to Ocala, Fl for a gentleman that was hauling them empty to trailer sales places. He got caught in Florida with double trailers and it cost him $1000 fine, so either making two trips or getting someone to haul the second trailer the last 100 miles was cheaper.
Tourist get away with a little more, but even they catch it from time to time. Don't push your luck!
David from jax

 

[Stimw]

I have doubles and triples on my CDL, and can not legally pull a boat trailer behind a fifth wheel camper in Florida, and a lot of other states. Florida allows doubles but don't think triples, (3 trailers), but only fifth wheel mount and only commercial use. So a pickup pulling a camper and boat is not legal.
I moved a trailer from Lake Park, Ga to Ocala, Fl for a gentleman that was hauling them empty to trailer sales places. He got caught in Florida with double trailers and it cost him $1000 fine, so either making two trips or getting someone to haul the second trailer the last 100 miles was cheaper.
Tourist get away with a little more, but even they catch it from time to time. Don't push your luck!
David from jax

I have seen them pulling triples on the Fl. Turnpike but they had to break them down to doubles at the exits.
I have Doubles/Triples also on my CDL.
IIRC DOT requires King Pin/Converter Dollys in the regs.
When I was in the ARMY in Germany in the late 60's they used HD Straight Trucks with Wagon type trailers, truck and some times two trailers.
A lot of roads were too tight for semi's. We called them "Land Trains".

 

[sandman2234]

I have seen them pulling triples on the Fl. Turnpike but they had to break them down to doubles at the exits.
I have Doubles/Triples also on my CDL.
IIRC DOT requires King Pin/Converter Dollys in the regs.
When I was in the ARMY in Germany in the late 60's they used HD Straight Trucks with Wagon type trailers, truck and some times two trailers.
A lot of roads were too tight for semi's. We called them "Land Trains".

Although I have probably (educated guess) over a million miles just in Florida, you can count the number of times I have been on the turnpike on both hands. Never been all the way from Wildwood to the bottom. Most of the companies I drove for would not pay for turnpike charges, simply because it was too easy to go around. Since I live in Jax, the turnpike is generally heading the wrong way for me, and I do like to go "by the house" whenever possible.
David from jax

 

[vsteel]

I would think if you were pulling something heavy there wouldn't be enough weight on the rear axle and it could get away from you. It is one thing when you have a tractor with a lot of weight on the rear tires but on a pickup pulling say 14K or more it could jack knife pretty easy on a downhill grade. On a semi pulling double or triple it has part of load over the drive axles and it is connected over the axles not far back.

That is my guess anyway.

I have seen my father backup our hay wagon which had a connection like that but he also had 60 years of practice to get it down.

 

[Rara Avis]

Why would that style trailer be any legally different than this?

View attachment 518084

Bruce

Because the Automated Safety Hitch System is USDOT certified, and is in the certification process in the Canadian provinces. Quebec province considers the Automated Safety Hitch System as part of the trailer, and all remaining provinces consider the Automated Safety Hitch System as part of the truck.

The Automated Safety Hitch System literally extends the frame of the vehicle. There is only one pivot point....where the GN trailer attaches

 

[redman135]

vsteel has it right. The weight of the trailer will take over if the tow vehicle is unballasted. A standard trailer putting weight on the tongue solves the safety and traction problem for a lower total weight.
Truck and trailer (class 5/cdl) is the standard construction/ earthworks configuration in new zealand and we load the truck with ballast for safety/ traction when doing machinery shifts.

 

[4570Man]

Backing double trailers is harder than the wagons because the trailer isn't as quick to respond as the wagon hitch. Pushing the wagons with a bobcat is easy.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Backing double trailers is harder than the wagons because the trailer isn't as quick to respond as the wagon hitch.

Maybe for you, but not for anyone I've ever seen here, doing it.

We use both for hay ect., so I've done plenty of both myself...

SR

 

[bigdeano]

I guess the closest we come to towing a wagon type trailer is towing a car with the front wheels on a dolly. The dolly may put some weight on the hitch though, I don't know. Anyway, I can see where it might become a safety issue if loaded too heavy. Thanks for the replies.

 

[AGRIMAN]

At the beginning of peanut season every yr it's not uncommon to see 4 to 6 empty 4 wheel peanut wagons behind a truck headed to the fields . 2 is normal loaded or empty

Same here other than we have pulled 3 loaded. I have pulled 3, loaded 6 wheel wagons. That will make a 1/2 ton truck grunt.

 

[4570Man]

Maybe for you, but not for anyone I've ever seen here, doing it.

We use both for hay ect., so I've done plenty of both myself...

SR

The only double trailer I've seen tried to back was 12' smokers and I couldn't do it farther than a short distance. Maybe longer trailers is easier.

 

[oosik]

I have a ten ton farm wagon. Horst running gear, steerable front axle. One of two things is going on here on this thread - a lot of you guys are throwing a lot of BS or you've got a LOT of time backing farm wagons. I'm telling you - if I can get 20 feet backwards without cramping something - I'm having a wonderful day.

I've found the easiest way to use a farm wagon is to plan your exact trip out in advance. That way the trip ends with you pulling your farm wagon is a LARGE loop and heading on home - never having to back the dam thing up, even once.View attachment 518371

 

[lennyzx11]

Trailers with a steer axle can road walk pretty bad if not properly maintained.

I remember reading something in history about that. RVs were made with a front axle but they wouldn't stay in their lane and were discontinued is what I think.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have a ten ton farm wagon. Horst running gear, steerable front axle. One of two things is going on here on this thread - a lot of you guys are throwing a lot of BS or you've got a LOT of time backing farm wagons. I'm telling you - if I can get 20 feet backwards without cramping something - I'm having a wonderful day.

I've found the easiest way to use a farm wagon is to plan your exact trip out in advance. That way the trip ends with you pulling your farm wagon is a LARGE loop and heading on home - never having to back the dam thing up, even once.

I have the exact same running gear, I have NO problem backing it up, now, add a second one, and it get's MUCH harder to do!

SR

 

[oosik]

Rob - in your case, I would say its due to the experience you have. I know for a fact that I'm short in that area. The good thing is - I can get to all areas of my 80 acres without backing up - if I plan ahead. I bought the Horst running gear - Model 185 -new, five years ago and built up the farm wagon with pressure treated timbers and sheeting. So far it been used to haul large rock and lengths of my Ponderosa pine. And by adding a few bales of straw its a great unit for giving hayrides to the great grandchildren.

 

[Egon]

If you extend the length of the wagon hitch backing up will be slightly easier. Maybe??

 

[CWB Wyo]

I worked for a freight company that that pulled double and triples. The way we would hook a set of doubles was get the tractor and hook to the front box. Then hook the dolly ( gear) to the front box. Then we would back the front box and dolly in to the back box. You could hook a set in about ten minutes or so.

For the triples we would hook the middle box that way to the back box and then do the same thing with the front box. We could do that in 20-25 minutes.

I have seen guys hook the front and middle box together and then hook the dolly up, and back that up to the third box. Never seen anyone do it the first try but seen them do it on the second or third try. Most of the guys could hook doubles that way on the first try.

I could back a set of doubles into the dock but it would take a few try's.

Did that stuff for 8 hours a day for 28 years, so experience dose help a lot.
CWB

 

[oosik]

Like I indicated above - if I'm patient and keep my cool - I can get 15 to 20 feet going backwards in a couple tries. If I get caught in a tight spot this has always been enough to get me out. Planning ahead is always the best idea though. Its probably a might bit easier when both tractor & trailer are on a hard surface thats not full of pot holes and pocket gopher mounds.

 

[PILOON]

In Quebec we see pickups hauling a trailer that hauls a boat trailer all the time.
I do believe that there is a limit to total length however.
Weight would also be a concern as brakes would be needed over a certain weight.

At the start of the construction holidays it was common to see 5-6 per hour going north towards the camp sites.