Looking at Goosenecks

lowbudgetjunk · Oct 21, 2014

I recently pulled my buddies trailer and the rental to Harlan, due in part to some janky **** that I call my own. This got me thinking about moving up to a gooseneck, putting my truck camper on it and leaving my Jeep permanently in a state of ready to go. That got me into research mode, safety and legality. In comes this thread.

http://www.hardlinecrawlers.com/forums/index.php?topic=25836.0

I have a 2000 model f250 with a 7.3, auto transmission. I won't get into all of the weights, gvwr, yada yada, quite yet. The question goes back to the later posts in that thread. If I place my Truck Camper on the trailer, what are the requirements to tag the whole set up as an RV? Does this in fact get rid of all the weight restrictions applicable to the trailer? Does the fact that Alabama considers this cobbled together mess of an RV, translate to other states?

I want to be safe, I want to legal and I am struggling through all of this information to actually get the right answer. Once I get the information on trailer/rv specifics, I can start figuring out pin weight on the back of my truck and how to make all of the other combined factors work. I do have a couple of trailers in mind. I would just like to get the one I want, not what I have to get due to legal reasons.

matth_85 · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

I would think for it to fall into the camper status it would have to be tagged and titled as a camper. That's just an opinion though.

onepieceatatime · Oct 21, 2014

Re:

If you get pulled over tell them you just went and picked the camper and jeep up and that's how ya had to get it home.

lowbudgetjunk · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

matth_85 said:
I would think for it to fall into the camper status it would have to be tagged and titled as a camper. That's just an opinion though.

That is exactly what I am trying to accomplish. How do I go about it is my main concern. Local DMV doesn't always steer me in the right direction.

civicmindedex79 · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

I will be watching this thread I have wondered myself. There is a trailer/camper combo on FB that was actually made together from the factory. Kinda (this is a huge kinda, nothing is "like" those bloomer setups) like the bloomer trailers a couple of guys had on here but without the 50 grand price tag.

I did get a lesson from state trooper in Alabama which I posted on here been a year or so ago. I didn't realize that when calculating GVWR it is the total POSSIBLE weight you could haul NOT what the actual weight is of the load.

Toddy · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

This is all FYI. I talked to the head dude of TN troopers a couple years ago before KOH. He told me if I was not hauling commercial that I could be 80k and legal.

Also my father in law pulls his BBQ cooker with a single axle Volvo and J tags. Got pulled over once and explained what he was doing and they let him go.

This is all in TN.

If I was serious I would stop at the scale house sometime and pick their brain.

matth_85 · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

lowbudgetjunk said:
That is exactly what I am trying to accomplish. How do I go about it is my main concern. Local DMV doesn't always steer me in the right direction.

I would think that if it was a custom build you could have it titled accordingly. I would call the state office, not your local branch. Normally get further that way. Post up what you find out. This is a really good idea. You could realistically pay for a trailer by saving on a weighted tag over the years. I know my SC tag is an extra $150 for 15K lbs. And that is probably pushing the limit with a fully loaded down single car hauler and truck.

lowbudgetjunk · Oct 21, 2014

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Maybe the state office is the way to go. I have all intentions of using the trailer as a toy hauler type RV. The easing up on the regulations on the trailers would just be a bonus.

xjkrawler · Oct 21, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

Not to hijack or derail but with the talk about towing laws....what are the AL laws on double towing? As in double axle car trailer and popup camper being towed by 2500hd. I rarely go camp and ride but I would do it more often if I could. Only other option is buy a goose and load rig and trailer on goose.

onepieceatatime · Oct 22, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

I would keep the trailer titled as a trailer in case you ever want to remove the camper to haul something else on the trailer. As far as weights and all that stuff goes if you're not commercial and not giving them a reason to pull you over than more than likely they wont and if they do if your cool they should be too. Troopers wold rather nab commercial drivers because there's a lot more money involved with us. As far as the pulling the doubles/triples I've heard people say that you need a gooseneck as your first trailer but I also had a buddy that called and was given the ok in Ohio to pull a pop up behind his bumper pull. The worst thing about trucking laws is everyone thinks they know them and everybody knows somebody that knows somebody that had a buddy that filled up with the big trucks in the truck stop and talked to a trucker ( who think they know it all ). Best bet is to find a copy of your state laws and read through them and figure it out. Keeping them with you isnt a bad idea either because you can always show the officer why you think you're right.

kmcminn · Oct 22, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

I would just put camper and rig on trailer and rock out. I see people pulling messed up crap down interstate all the time.

TBItoy · Oct 22, 2014

Re: Re: Re: Options on trailers and towing

kmcminn said:
I would just put camper and rig on trailer and rock out. I see people pulling messed up crap down interstate all the time.

X10

When I traveled for work all the time, I spent a LOT of time on the interstates in KY TN MO AR TX and you will see some janky ****.

I've seen Mexicans pulling 3-4 vehicles in tow behind a mini van with tow bars in between each one...

Double towing is actually pretty common from what I've seen, lots of camper/boat and camper/ATV trailer doubles.

When I used to duck hunt a lot we pulled a boat and ATV trailer double all the time, all over west TN and AR.

lowbudgetjunk · Oct 22, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

onepieceatatime said:
I would keep the trailer titled as a trailer in case you ever want to remove the camper to haul something else on the trailer. As far as weights and all that stuff goes if you're not commercial and not giving them a reason to pull you over than more than likely they wont and if they do if your cool they should be too. Troopers wold rather nab commercial drivers because there's a lot more money involved with us. As far as the pulling the doubles/triples I've heard people say that you need a gooseneck as your first trailer but I also had a buddy that called and was given the ok in Ohio to pull a pop up behind his bumper pull. The worst thing about trucking laws is everyone thinks they know them and everybody knows somebody that knows somebody that had a buddy that filled up with the big trucks in the truck stop and talked to a trucker ( who think they know it all ). Best bet is to find a copy of your state laws and read through them and figure it out. Keeping them with you isnt a bad idea either because you can always show the officer why you think you're right.

This brings up another, for me to figure out question. I tow with my work truck that carries commercial insurance and is 3/4 ton. Am I required to put Not For Hire on it to avoid getting hassled by the man? I used not to care as much about the legal side of it, but riding in other states puts me in the, "Well how am I gonna get this **** back now, mode?" Plus the thoughts of tickets and insurance and being the company ride, deter me from being uninformed. No tickets since 2003 feels nice.

wont work · Oct 22, 2014

Re: Options on trailers and towing

lowbudgetjunk said:
This brings up another, for me to figure out question. I tow with my work truck that carries commercial insurance and is 3/4 ton. Am I required to put Not For Hire on it to avoid getting hassled by the man? I used not to care as much about the legal side of it, but riding in other states puts me in the, "Well how am I gonna get this **** back now, mode?" Plus the thoughts of tickets and insurance and being the company ride, deter me from being uninformed. No tickets since 2003 feels nice.

What little I did tow with my service truck and worked for another company with their name on my door I had a white magnet that would cover theirs when I worked for myself. They asked me one day why I covered theirs up and told them real fast they didnt pay me to work for them 24/7 and it was my truck. You could do something like that and have not for hire on the magnet.

lowbudgetjunk · Nov 5, 2014

Changed the name of the thread, but still looking to title as an RV.

I am dead set on a gooseneck, just uncertain on the length. Bigger is better to an extent. I was thinking around the 30 foot range to keep it manageable for the truck. The goal is to be able to put my CJ5 crawler, a SXS for my wife and one child, plus my truck camper.

Anyone towing a similar set up please weigh in. I have been checking on weights, lengths of everything and a 28 foot seems to be a little tight. I think I am going to be close on weight it the only issue I can see.

big ford · Nov 5, 2014

Just stay within the weight that the truck can pull for your safety. I'm a owner operator and get stopped all the time at scale houses and on the road and the laws are alway different and changing depending on your state, so I'm sure you will cross state line and rules are different per state, don't dig to much just load the wagon and ride.

wannabe · Nov 5, 2014

The weights have changed regarding laws in alabama. It's no longer what your axles are rated for but what your **** weighs.

1tfrot · Nov 5, 2014

been there done that in IL. plated it as a recreational trailer and called it a day.

grcthird · Nov 5, 2014

Why not buy an enclosed or toy hauler and leave the Jeep inside? I've thought alot about this lately, if I got to look at another trailer in the yard, buggy might as well be in there and out of my garage. Seems like it might be easier for titles and DOT bs.

lowbudgetjunk · Nov 5, 2014

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I already have a TC paid for...jeep will be a little wide for an enclosed as well. That would also leave me having to build a living space inside of it. I don't know, I just like being a little different and it would solve two problems for me.

Eric Hagan......I mean Kel Lawrence