Is this towing combo even possible?

[LeavingAK]

We are looking to sell off everything and full time for a couple of years. Our truck/trailer combo is a Dodge 1 ton mega cab with the cummins diesel and the 346lbq mountaineer.

When we leave the state we want to take my SUV as well and park it at my in laws house in NC (a 5k mile trip from our house) while we do our traveling.

We wondered about just towing the car behind the 5th wheel on a dolly, but didn't know if towing a "double" was even legal through all the states (Canada as well since we are coming from Alaska) versus both vehicles having to be driven.

Do you think such a combo is possible, or is that a nightmare just waiting to happen?

Then yet another question, for those of you that tow vehicles, how much damage to they get as far as paint chips, etc? The SUV is my baby and I'd hate to have any significant damage done to it in the towing process. I've discovered that if the car requires any repairs, it'll cost me 10 times what it does for any other car on the market LOL I just had the windshield replaced at the tune of $1,800 bucks! So I'd like to minimize as much damage as possible.

[racerjoe]

For the expense or the worries, I would put it on a truck carrier and have them haul it to where you need it to go.

[BB_TX]

Most of the eastern states do not allow towing a second trailer. Many midwest and western states do. Here is a table of towing laws. Look under the column labeled "triple tow". For some reason, they use the term "triple tow" to mean 3 vehicles, a tow vehicle and two trailers. The footnotes also give the max. allowable length. You should probably check each state's DOT you may pass thru just to make sure.
I have seen lots of people towing fairly large boats behind a 5er, but only one towing a car on a trailer. And he was pulling with a Freightliner MDT as I recall. Don't remember the brand of 5er.

[hookman]

Double towing is not allowed in British Columbia. It would be safer to put it on a auto hauler if they are insured for damages. Your SUV is probably to heavy for towing behind the Mountaineer.

[LeavingAK]

Yeah, I'm not sure on the weight. It's not a super large SUV, but it is large enough to have a third row with some good distance behind that when that row is up, so I'd venture to say a comparable size model would be slightly smaller than a Ford expedition??

I checked with auto haulers and they want $3700 to go from Anchorage to NC. That is when I made the decision that we would just drive it. But then thought "hmmmm wonder if we could tow it... towing might be even less expensive than fueling both rigs" But also wondered about the safety aspect.

I think I'll probably stick with the driving it... we'll just go straight from Anchorage to NC when we leave, drop the car and then start our fulltiming trek across the US from there

[helmick]

Towing could cost you a lot more than $3,700.00 in over weight tickets.

[NCFischers]

The Mountaineer isn't rated to pull a car on a dolly behind it. If something happened, you would void your warranty. That is a whole lot more than $3700.00.
Where in NC?

[Art-n-Marge]

I don't believe there are many 5ers rated to have a vehicle towed behind it, in fact not more than 1,000-2,000 lbs and then the bracing welding for the hitch might cause problems.

I also believe Montanas of any kind are not allowed by Keystone to tow and will void any warranty.

Some have gotten away with boats, but even some boaters have damaged their Monty's with a toad. Besides with an extra vehicle being towed you will probably exceed the Megacab's Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Plus, many states require a (non-commercial) Class A driver's license of some kind and in getting this license you'll learn you don't want to exceed weight ratings.

I might suggest a caravan - the Dodge towing the 5er, then follow behind and keep in contact with 2 way radios. I have seen many full-timers with 5ers caravanning this way. This way their drive around is not a big truck and it also acts as a backup vehicle if the truck has a problem.

Good luck on this one. Let us know how you do.

[LeavingAK]

Yeah Art, I think that is going to be the plan (I love the wealth of knowledge on this place!) I'm probably just going to drive behind him and we'll make our route straight to NC, drop the car and then take off on our travels. I have zero desire to continue the caravan with both vehicles. We are so used to driving the truck every day that it won't bother us at all. I just want to get my "baby" down there and into the garage until we settle on where we want to live, then I'll come retrieve him again I'll miss driving it, but I'll live! (I think???) I wish the American automakers engineered trucks as good as the german's do on cars LOL THAT would be a slice of heaven if I could get our truck to ride like my car LOL (and no, I'm not being serious.... prior to having my daughter, I was an engineer... I understand the physical reasons it's not possible)

Jim, I'll be leaving the car in Elm City (I guess it's near Wilson?) I've never stepped foot in the state, so I don't have a clue! All of my husbands family now lives there (his dad grew up there and they just moved back after spending the last 35 years in Los Angeles area)

[NCFischers]

You will be about 1 1/2 hours from us. By following the Monty, you can run interference and make it a lot easier to change lanes. Like Art said, get a good set of walkie talkies or CB radios and keep in touch with each other. I moved here 12 years ago after living in norhtern California for 20 years.