towing a car behind a Fifth wheel - Montana Owners Club

richfaa · 08-28-2005, 07:54 AM

I know there was a topic similar to this awhile back but I think this is a bit different.Yesterday Helen asked me "can we tow a car behind a fifth wheel" ...Now I wanted a motor home and Helen's argument was..well we will need to tow a car anyhow so why not get a fifth wheel and we will have the truck..Now I have been married to this fine lady for a very long time and to scream "SAY WHAT" is not a viable option.. So have any of you done this, know of it being done or think it can be done. If you would tow the car on a dolly then hitch weight, weight distribution, Etc would come into play BUT if you pull with all 4 wheels on the ground it would seem that there would be Little hitch weight???? The camper would be a Montana 3670 and the car would be a 04 or maybe 06 honda Civic.

dsprik · 08-28-2005, 08:12 AM

Good question, Rich. I asked about towing boats behind a 5ver and I was told that you need a special license to do that. I'm not sure if that's just MI though. I will be interested in the answers here, too.

Parrothead · 08-28-2005, 08:56 AM

There are some counties in California where you can't do that. There is probably some restrictions in other states as well. I guess it depends on where you are going.
Happy trails......................

Dave Anderson · 08-28-2005, 09:09 AM

Cant do it in WA> or OR., can in AZ. Dont know about other states

sreigle · 08-28-2005, 09:25 AM

In most places you don't need a special license but you do have to meet all the laws. That varies by states. That includes overall length laws, which is the one I'd be concerned about.

I used to tow a bassboat behind our earlier non-Montana fifthwheels. With a 19' bassboat on trailer and a 25 1/2 foot fifthwheel (not sure actual length) plus truck total length was 64' 10". Legal for doubles in Kansas is 65 feet. Some states that number is less but only a few allow more.

Total weight is the other concern I would have. Your truck, with passengers, gear, and full fuel is probably about 8500 lbs. The Montana will be somewhere around 13,000 is not too heavily loaded. That puts your total around 21,500 or more. If you have the Tow Boss package on your Ford then your GCWR is 26,000 and you'd have up to maybe 4500 lbs for the car, which is plenty. If no Tow Boss, then GCWR is probably 23,000 and you have 1,500 lbs for the car. Subtract from those numbers if I underestimated weights of the truck or Montana. What is the tow rating on your particular truck? I don't have the charts in front of me but it's probably in the 16k to 17k range? Or up to 19,200 if Tow Boss?

richfaa · 08-28-2005, 10:00 AM

Tow rating on my TV is GCWR 23,500 Tow rating 16,100 (it's a V-10 with tow boss). .Max length is a concern..Here in Ohio it is(I think) 72 or 73 Feet..My Tv is 22 feet,The 3670 is listed as 36.6 less what is over the truck (@3 feet) and the Honda Civic is @ 14ft over all + the length of the hitch??? so we are toying with the max length. The laws I can research I was more concerned with the effect on the Fifth wheel of towing a car and has anyone actually done it or seen it done. I can't recall that I ever have??? The ship weight on the truck was listed as 6404 add @ 333lbs for fuel and @ 300lbs for Helen and I plus all the camping stuff, tools, hitch, and god knows what and we are at maybe 7300 to 7500 lbs for the truck..

Sunshine · 08-28-2005, 10:19 AM

Trailer Life Campground Directory lists Rules of the Road and Towing Laws for all the states and provinces. You'd have to check with your own state regarding driver's license requirements. You can't tow all wheel drive and some other vehicles other than on a dolly or you'll ruin the transmission, unless you disconnect the driveline. We saw a boat being towed behind a Montana when we went through Idaho one time, and we've seen similar set ups in our travels. Personally, 36' of trailer behind the pickup is plenty for us, even though hubby drove big rigs for a lot of years.

Dave Anderson · 08-31-2005, 11:11 AM

We bought our monty from a couple that towed a VW with it!!!
got a ticket when they entered Oregon but made it to thier home in Washington without getting nailed. Probably one of the reasons we ended up with a cracked frame!

richfaa · 08-31-2005, 11:28 AM

It was a idea but not a good one..I think that if properly set up you could do it ok..but...would exceed the length limits in most states.Ex; Truck 22 feet, camper 37 feet, Honda Civic 14 feet that is 73 feet not counting the hitch which I guess would make the whole thing about 75 feet long..Oh well..if you don't ask the question..you will never get the answer...

Chester · 08-31-2005, 02:23 PM

Besides the issue of towing capacity for the TV I would expect that towing a car might exceed the capacity of the Montana frame. I know that Keystone says they will void any frame warranty if a hitch is installed. I would think the Montana frame can handle a hitch and lighter weights but a car might be pushing your luck.

richfaa · 08-31-2005, 03:37 PM

If you are towing 4 wheels on the ground there would be minimal hitch weight.If you were on a dolly..different story. Moot point anyhow..to long...

Virgil · 08-31-2005, 04:09 PM

I wonder how the car would pull behind the Montana with the bounce, the swing outs of the rear end on turns etc. There are lots of semis pulling 2 trailers but the wheels are at the back of the trailers and not in the mid area. My concern would be in turning with the Montana swing, especially in tight turns. Maybe it wouldn't matter but just seems it might be scary.

melnjoy · 08-31-2005, 04:29 PM

I don't think that I would even try. Frist it is not legal in that many states and you might want to try to back the whole thing, you might find it almost impossible to do. It will void the warranty on the Montana Frame. I am sure it would twist the frame if towed for to long over some back roads.
Just another thought
Mel

ronstan · 08-31-2005, 05:46 PM

Keystone does not want you to even put a hitch on the back to carry bicycles. What do you think they would do if you were pulling a car. Not only that but how would you stop all that weight.

You may also like: