Can I tow this stuff at once

[carbineone]

Hi everyone,I have a question on towing.My tow vehicle is a 95 Isuzu Rodeo with the V6 and a manual 5 speed trans.I am wanting to know if I could pull my boat and camper safely at the same time.Camper is a little 4x8 foot Vintage Teardrop and weighs around 600 lbs maybe with everything in it.The boat is the 10 foot GW invader and weighs in at around 350 maybe.I will include a couple pics to see what you think of towing them both.I am not concerned about the power to pull them but more importantly could it be done safely or would it even be legal?I know I run the risk of annoying some here with this post but.....I of course would place the boat behind the camper by attatching a hitch to the rear of it. Thanks

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Cool little camper, and boat

I wouldn't feel very good about towing two trailers...but I've never tried and maybe it's safer than I am assuming.

Just seems like asking for trouble to me, even though you have a hell of a vacation planned and clearly need both with ya

 

[boat1010]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

There are a lot of states that will not let you double tongue. Most will if it is a fifth wheel and a boat. But the problem I see is that the boat is almost as heavy at the trailer. I pull a 27 foot fifth wheel that is around 10,000lbs and a 24 foot boat that is about 5,000 lbs. If I get hit by a cross wind and it gets the camper to swerve then the boat starts to take the camper with it. The camper doesn't seem to be heavy enough to stop the boat from making the camper swerve. Besides Not sure you have enough tow vehicle to do that either. Then you have to worry about brakes. Do both of them have brakes? There are just a lot of things involved in a situation like that. Best of luck. Hope that helped a little..

 

[kamby]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Depends on you state. Tentatively yes you can pull doubles. Usually its done with a full size truck pulling a 5th wheel camper with a hitch on the camper pulling a smaller lighter trailer. If you are unsure ask your DOT or law enforcement agency. I've seen it done though. Saying that ive also seen two harbor freight trailers bolted together towing a car.

Dont forget the leading trailer has to take the weight and force of the other trailer, then you have to mount a hitch onto one trailer to hook up another, its a mes. Then your higher risk of swaying in the wind, harder to back up. Not to mention wider turns needed. Just look at the semi trucks towing doubles even triples.

Im not saying this to be mean but i wouldnt attempt it unless you have a commercial license and used to towing long rigs even a double or triple trailer endorsement would be advised.

 

[clarkbre]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

What state are you in? Some states allow dual trailers on non commercial vehicles but I think in most states you're limited to one trailer per vehicle.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I have seen it done in some states.I would check the local law on that.
It would be the sway factor that would worry me towing it with a short wheelbase vehicle.If it started swaying you would not recover it.

I have pulled double semi trailers before and it can get scary.
Always have the front trailer loaded heavy and the rear trailer lighter.

There was a guy going down the freeway last fall near me that had about a 30 ft camper and about a 19 ft boat all hitched to a Chevy 2500 pickup.
Looked kind of wild..

 

[kamby]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I have seen it done in some states.I would check the local law on that.
It would be the sway factor that would worry me towing it with a short wheelbase vehicle.If it started swaying you would not recover it.

I have pulled double semi trailers before and it can get scary.
Always have the front trailer loaded heavy and the rear trailer lighter.

There was a guy going down the freeway last fall near me that had about a 30 ft camper and about a 19 ft boat all hitched to a Chevy 2500 pickup.
Looked kind of wild..

True since im sure neither of those trailers have brakes to help stop the swaying.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I asked about this a while back on a GM message board I'm on. I wanted to tow my Capri and the Jet Skis with my '74 Buick LeSabre. The car itself wouldn't give a flip but it's not legal, at least in Michigan, to tow more than one "bumper hitch" trailer. If it's a 5th wheel it'd be ok (like a 5th wheel travel trailer and a boat behind that, common sight around here in the summer).

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

I double tow often but I wouldn't even consider it with that combination..... Two short trailers can get really scary fast and that isuzu isn't near heavy enough to deal with it.....

Example... Years ago I towed a jeep wrangler and a sand rail on tow bars behind a 3/4 ton longbed ex cab 4x4.... they pushed me all over the road on the downhills... there were times going down the first hill that the buggy in the rear was swaying 4-5 feet side to side..... couldn't slow down because that made it worse..... just had to ride it out..... on the next downhill I slowed down to 35 mph and rode on the shoulder...
On the other hand pulling my 38' 5th wheel with the jeep on the towbar behind it is rock solid with no sway at all....

If you were going a short distance at 30 mph then maybe but if that were the case then two trips would be easier

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

thought I had a pic with the old 3/4 ton but....

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Thanks everybody for the insight so far.Sounds like most are not in favor so far.Funny you should mention CDL as I am a truck driver with a Class A CDL.But that being said that gives me no experience in this situation though,as I am still not familiar with small vehicle towing even with a CDL.I am in Nebraska and would be pulling here and in South Dakotoa.I can definitley check the local state laws pertianing to Nebraska and South Dakota..

I really would like to be able to do this without relying on
someone else to pull the little
boat.
Mostly we go camping as a group of families and friends but when me the wife and little guy

go alone it would be nice to take them both on occasion.Most times a friend could pull the boat I guess...Like I say most times someone could pull the boat for us...Bruce

 

[blairjbyrd]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Sounds like trouble to me. I would not want to do it.

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Looked it up on a internet site and it is legal to pull two trailers at once in Nebraska and South Dakota among many other states.

The Isuzi Rodeo is not really a lightweight vehicle.It weighs 4900 lbs and is a 4 wheel drive.Only mentioning this because
a 4 wheel drive
weighs more than a two wheel drive and has a heavier suspension.The camper when I pull it pulls beutiful and is not unstable at all and even in strong winds it will not sway.Trails very nice.Just thought I would add this info...As you can see the camper has the axle way to the rear of it and that makes it very stable back there when towing it and it makes it virtually impossible to sway and such...The reason they did this with the axle so far to the rear is the beuty of these back then in the 40s is you can pull one with a VW Bug if you want to..These teardrops were designed to be pulled with the smallest of vehicles...Thanks everyone...Bruce

 

[northernmerc]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

We sometimes pull a boat trailer behind a 28 foot 5th wheel camper. The dual axle 5th wheel trailer, which has brakes, is heavy enough to act as a good anchor point for the boat trailer. One problem though is that one cannot see what's going on with that back trailer; you may not know that you have a problem until things go terribly wrong.

Your set up would scare me, especially at highway speeds. You also must have some doubts or you would not be asking the question. I also have a CDL 1A license, and close calls pulling both light and heavy trailers have taught me the need for caution.

 

[clarkbre]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

The reason they did this with the axle so far to the rear is the beuty of these back then in the 40s is you can pull one with a VW Bug if you want to..These teardrops were designed to be pulled with the smallest of vehicles...Thanks everyone...Bruce

The reason they put the axle so far back on those trailers is due to balance, small tow vehicles have nothing to do with it. Teardrop trailers are naturally unbalanced trailers. Most times the sleeping quarters are up front and the kitchen area is in the rear. With that comes coolers, food, and stored water that tends to weigh a lot. So, in order to get the correct tongue weight, the axle needs to be moved towards the rear of the trailer. No matter what size car is towing it, if the tongue weight is too light, the trailer will track funny.

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Yes I do have some doubts myself.I can manage getting them both there with friends help so it is not as big a problem since I have the option.If no one can pull the boat at times it will just have to stay home I guess.

I do appreciate the input from everyone too. I too think the most worrysome thing would be like you mentioned.Not being able to see the far rear and observe things back there..I guess I will take everyones advice and not attempt it.That is why I asked to see what your opinons are and overwelmingly it appears do not do it so I will not.You will all be safe now,LOL.Well unless the wife is driving,Just kidding ladys...Thanks

 

[roscoe]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

The Isuzi Rodeo is not really a lightweight vehicle.It weighs 4900 lbs and is a 4 wheel drive.Only mentioning this because

Curb weight of the 4x4 is 4000#

SPECIFICATIONS:
1995 ISUZU RODEO LS 4WD SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE


Base Price $ 26,260
Price As Tested $ 27,930
Engine Type V-6, sohc - 24-v, mpfi
Engine Size 3.2 liter/193 cid
Horsepower 175 @ 3200
Torque (ft/lbs) 188 @ 4000
Wheelbase/Length 109"/185
Transmission four-speed ECautomatic w/overdrive
Curb Weight 4000

 

[carbineone]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

Hi,thanks for the spec infn the inside sticker by the drivers door it says GWVR 4900 lbs,so thats not the vehicle weight? What is that GWVR reffering too then? Thanks

 

[wrvond]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

If you are confident the Izuzu has the power, I would suggest a single flat trailer with brakes. Put the camper and boat on the trailer and lock 'em down. Pull the loaded braked trailer with the Izuzu. No worries.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Can I tow this stuff at once

My concern would be the sturdiness of the camper to tow the boat. (ok, I lied, that would just be one of my many concerns )