Double trailer legal?

lockedup5

lockedup5

overcompensating underachiever
Joined
Jan 30, 2008
Location
Burke County (Hildebran)
I don't know what to really search for and it has probably been discussed before but I'm wondering what the law is on double trailering. Can I legally tow my jeep on a trailer with a hitch on it that my pop up camper is hooked to? If it is legal do I need a special license to do this? Seems like I have seen a setup like this a time or two.
 
Double

I am pretty sure the first trailer has to be either a goose neck or fifth wheel hitch.
 
I had a recently retired highway patrolman work for me a few weeks last year.We got on the discussion when he found out I had recently pulled my M38 and M416 trailer behind my Wrangler.Now a few months before our discussion,I had gone through a late night DWI stop just outside of Biscoe and was pullin the train but didn't get stopped or questioned about it.This is what brought up my question about it being legal or not.He didn't give me any state statute numbers or info like that as proof but according to him,I was illigal.Part of the reason that double trailers are pulled by semi's is the fact if the end trailer was to come loose,the braking system being air operated,will lock the tires up causing it to stop in a shorter distance.My M416 trailer was to come loose,it would slide till it either lost forward momentum or hit something.

I can see the logic in this thinking and pretty much quit pullin train like before.
 
ord.sgt.26NC said:
I had a recently retired highway patrolman work for me a few weeks last year.We got on the discussion when he found out I had recently pulled my M38 and M416 trailer behind my Wrangler.Now a few months before our discussion,I had gone through a late night DWI stop just outside of Biscoe and was pullin the train but didn't get stopped or questioned about it.This is what brought up my question about it being legal or not.He didn't give me any state statute numbers or info like that as proof but according to him,I was illigal.Part of the reason that double trailers are pulled by semi's is the fact if the end trailer was to come loose,the braking system being air operated,will lock the tires up causing it to stop in a shorter distance.My M416 trailer was to come loose,it would slide till it either lost forward momentum or hit something.
I can see the logic in this thinking and pretty much quit pullin train like before.
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That logic applies to both single and double trailers...
 
ord.sgt.26NC said:
I had a recently retired highway patrolman work for me a few weeks last year.We got on the discussion when he found out I had recently pulled my M38 and M416 trailer behind my Wrangler.Now a few months before our discussion,I had gone through a late night DWI stop just outside of Biscoe and was pullin the train but didn't get stopped or questioned about it.This is what brought up my question about it being legal or not.He didn't give me any state statute numbers or info like that as proof but according to him,I was illigal.Part of the reason that double trailers are pulled by semi's is the fact if the end trailer was to come loose,the braking system being air operated,will lock the tires up causing it to stop in a shorter distance.My M416 trailer was to come loose,it would slide till it either lost forward momentum or hit something.
I can see the logic in this thinking and pretty much quit pullin train like before.
Click to expand...

By that logic any trailer without a brake-away setup would be illegal. You cannot compare a tractor trailer to personal trailers. NC has a law allowing tandem trailers with certain restrictions/conditions. The only one I can think of now is you are required to stay on major roadways (in other words keep out of the side streets). Some have said that the first needs to be a 5th wheel or gooseneck, I do not recall that at all.

Here is a list but not sure about the legality of it.
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm
 
you will also need an endorsement on your license and that would be T- twin. i have the endorsement. you will probably ned to get a class a. you have to have a class a license to pull any trailer that has a gvw of over 10,000lbs. even if your total gvw is under 26,000 you still need the class a.
 
bottomland4x4 said:
you will also need an endorsement on your license and that would be T- twin. i have the endorsement. you will probably ned to get a class a. you have to have a class a license to pull any trailer that has a gvw of over 10,000lbs. even if your total gvw is under 26,000 you still need the class a.
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I did not know about the class A for anything over 10K. Thansk for the info.
 
not sure how to go about this. but i do know for a fact that you have to have an endorsement. my grandfather knows a lot about this stuff, so ill talk to him and get back with you about it if you'd like
 
bottomland4x4 said:
you will also need an endorsement on your license and that would be T- twin. i have the endorsement. you will probably ned to get a class a. you have to have a class a license to pull any trailer that has a gvw of over 10,000lbs. even if your total gvw is under 26,000 you still need the class a.
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Effective September 1, a class C license allows drivers over the age of 18 to operate vehicles with a GCVWR of 26,000# or less.
 
On another note the weight rating comes into play as mainly a civil penalty and thats why you have to pay for a weighted tag. We pull a 34 ft trailer with two jeeps on it using a f350 ford. It weighs 23,000 lbs all together. We have a weighted tag for that amount.
 
you still have to have a class a if you are pulling a trailer with a gvw over 10,000 pounds. the only exemptions are rvs and trailers with living quarters. class c license is for up to 26,000 single vehicle or combined when towing less than 10,000.

if you haul your jeep on a gooseneck trailer that has a gvw over 10,000 and you do not have a class a license you could be parked and a class a licensed driver will have to come and drive your vehicle away. it does not matter that its not "for hire". i got stopped about 2 weeks ago by a dmv and he only wanted to see if i had a claas a for my gooseneck. it is 14,000 gvw.
 
bottomland4x4 said:
you still have to have a class a if you are pulling a trailer with a gvw over 10,000 pounds. the only exemptions are rvs and trailers with living quarters. class c license is for up to 26,000 single vehicle or combined when towing less than 10,000..
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Session Law 2008-221

Here is the bill info that took effect on 9/1/08:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascrip....pl?Session=2007&BillID=S1695&submitButton=Go

Text of 1695:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1695v9.html

Relevant text (highlighted) of 1695:

SECTION 1. G.S. 20‑7(a)(3) reads as rewritten:

"(3) Class C. – A Class C license authorizes the holder to drive any of the following:

a. A Class C motor vehicle that is not a commercial motor vehicle.

b. When operated by a volunteer member of a fire department, a rescue squad, or an emergency medical service (EMS) in the performance of duty, a Class A or Class B fire‑fighting, rescue, or EMS motor vehicle or a combination of these vehicles.

c. A combination of noncommercial motor vehicles that have a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds but less than 26,001 pounds. This sub‑subdivision does not apply to a Class C license holder less than 18 years of age."
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My only complaint is that my trailer is just a hair over 10k lbs with the 715 and camper loaded on it. I cannot legally pull it, but my wife can. She has a class C. I have a class B CDL. In order for me to be legal, I gotta test and get a class A CDL to do the same thing she can do with a regular class C. :(

edit: I'll also add that if you are towing out of state, where you'll be depending on national reciprocity of DL's, and are over 10k....you may want to think about getting a new license made...IIRC (I don't have a "C"), it is listed on the back as 10k towed maximum.
 
Hmmmmm.....if I'm driving my wife's Toyota, pulling a lawn mower trailer, my GCVWR will definately be LESS thank 10k (and not "of more than 10,000 pounds but less than 26,001 pounds"). :D
 
bottomland4x4 said:
you still have to have a class a if you are pulling a trailer with a gvw over 10,000 pounds. the only exemptions are rvs and trailers with living quarters. class c license is for up to 26,000 single vehicle or combined when towing less than 10,000.
if you haul your jeep on a gooseneck trailer that has a gvw over 10,000 and you do not have a class a license you could be parked and a class a licensed driver will have to come and drive your vehicle away. it does not matter that its not "for hire". i got stopped about 2 weeks ago by a dmv and he only wanted to see if i had a claas a for my gooseneck. it is 14,000 gvw.
Click to expand...

i have pulled this trailer numerous times since 2004 and only recently have i had any problems with the dmv. i was told by the last oficer that they are going to be cracking down on people with gooseneck trailers not having the proper licensing. now each time i have been pulled it was with equipment on the trailer and not my jeep. so you may be ok if it doesnt look commercial. they may leave you alone if you only have a jeep or camper. i have been stopped 3 times in the last year.
 
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