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Is this feasible? Or just stupid...

Fubeca

Fubeca

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I am moving in a few weeks from Utah to Western Wisconsin. I just found a really good deal on a brand new 7x16 enclosed trailer (~$1,000 off retail). The big trailer is a tandem axle, w/ brakes, 7,000# GVWR. I also have a 7x12 open utility trailer.

Would it be absolutely crazy to try and pull the little trailer (empty) behind the big one using a K5 as the tow vehicle? I would be using a weight distributing hitch and sway control between the truck and the first trailer. Does anyone in CO, NE, IA, MN, or WI know if it is illegal to pull doubles in your state?

I imagine the first trailer will weigh about 5,000# and the little one weighs about 750# empty.

The K5 will be between 4,500# and 5,000# with nothing in it.
 
It is feasible, but it also is a bad idea, esp with a K5.

Just too short IMO. I saw a 6x10 little trailer with a ladder loaded incorrectly (no tongue weight) just about wreck a 2500HD this morning on I-95.

So with a K5, pulling doubles is a really bad idea IMHO.

John
 
So in your opinion is the first trailer too much?

Do you think the emtpy second trailer will really effect things that much?
 
The law in many states is that you can pull doubles if the first trailer is a gooseneck or fith wheel design. The second can be a bumper mount or another gooseneck/fifth wheel when connected to a dolly pulled by the first trailer.
 
As stated above, you could pull doubles if the first one was a gooseneck or 5th wheel. I completely forgot that aspect of the equation.

I think the first trailer is pretty much the limit for your K5. I figure that trailer empty, will weigh about 2000lbs. It will depend on what you put in it from there.

A couple tips:

Go slow
Make sure you have a tranny cooler
Make sure your cooling system is top notch (good rad, fan clutch, hoses, etc.)
Make sure you get a weight dist. hitch with sway control(kinda $$, but def, worth it in a K5)
Try to make your tongue weight at close to 10% of total trailer weight as possible
Make sure the tires are inflated to max on the back of your K5.
Check the trailer tire pressure and make sure they are even. (very important on a double axle, tires will wear fast if not the same pressure)

Now with all that said, you could prolly pull the doubles just fine, in fact I might do it if I were in an extreme pinch. But the legality issue comes up again, and doubles on personal trailers stick out like a sore thumb to the police. You may want to see if you can get someone to help you by pulling your empty trailer for ya. Dunno if this is a possibility.

If it were me, I would try and find a way not to pull the doubles if at all possible. Inconvenience is much better than an accident, possibly hurting yourself and others, not mentioning damage to your equipment.

I do stress, whatever you end up doing, remember that the K5 is a short wheelbase and the trailer can wag those trucks if it gets squirly. Go slow.

John
 
I remember a couple months when i was passing through St. Louis to go get my divorced 205 I saw a one vehicle wreck just ouside the city. A guy had a pick-up truck pulling a bumper mount camper trailer which was pulling a car dolly that had a dodge mini-van on it. The camper was completely destoyed, all of their stuff was thrown everywhere, a complete loss! I bet he wishes he would have had someone just drive the van.
 
Well, thanks for the responses. It is a non-issue now. I sold the little trailer yesterday. So it will just be this:

P38.JPG
 
Holy refridgerators Batman! Thats alot of white! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Yeah, if I wasn't planning on selling it in a few months, I might try practicing my flames /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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