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Towing Tripples

Baconator

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2020
Member Number
1740
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314
We are planning our summer camping trips, and Id like to take a trip to Ouray, which is about 5hrs from me with our 33' 5th wheel and 4 seater RZR.
Only way to get the RZR there without taking a second truck is to put it behind the 5th wheel.
I tow trailers pretty much every day, but have never towed a triple, it looks like a pain in the ass.
How does maneuvering around things like a fuel station or campsite go? I have a 2021 GMC 3500 that loves the Diesel, so it would need to make a stop or 2.
Anything else I should know about it? It is legal in my state.
 
hooking up a trailer to your fiver makes it doubles, not triples

some states will require a CDL with doubles/triples endorsement. i know legal in your state, but will it fly with a regular license?

it takes a minute to unhook from the fiver, so i dont see how fuel stops are an issue. Just use a truck stop.

and keep her steady
 
Clb said:
:lmao:
popcorn time
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:confused:

I see it every now and then, usually a boat behind the fiver. Its one of the reasons I am leaning towards a fiver vs conventional trailer, the legal ability to pull doubles
 
I have a cdl.
​Love watching the mall crawlers try and be truckers!
​​But it just takes care and practice.

Op
Please see your dot officer in your state FIRST.
 
Like they said, use truck stops, try to avoid backing up.

If it were me, I'd make sure I could hitch the rzr trailer to the rzr. Say you get in a shitty spot. Unload rzr, un hook trail, turn truck and 5th wheel around, the hook trailer to rzr and tune it around. Seems easier than un hooking the 5th wheel and hooking the tow rig to the rzr trailer.

Edit: you really need to make 2 fuel stops on a 5 hour trip? Does it get horrible mileage or just have a tiny tank?
 
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When I lived in Nevada there was a Non Commercial class A license and a double / triple endorsement was available.
 
There's already too many UTVs in Ouray... and where are you going to camp with that thing, in town?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Like they said, use truck stops, try to avoid backing up.

If it were me, I'd make sure I could hitch the rzr trailer to the rzr. Say you get in a shitty spot. Unload rzr, un hook trail, turn truck and 5th wheel around, the hook trailer to rzr and tune it around. Seems easier than un hooking the 5th wheel and hooking the tow rig to the rzr trailer.

Edit: you really need to make 2 fuel stops on a 5 hour trip? Does it get horrible mileage or just have a tiny tank?
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Yea, this pig gets terrible fuel mileage. Im averaging 7 mpg pulling an equipment trailer around right now. 36 gal tank, so a range of like 250 miles. Im a little pissed about it, my 02 Dmax never got under 10mpg pulling the same trailer. Plus it burns DEF at like 5% of fuel rate.
 
Baconator said:
Yea, this pig gets terrible fuel mileage. Im averaging 7 mpg pulling an equipment trailer around right now. 36 gal tank, so a range of like 250 miles. Im a little pissed about it, my 02 Dmax never got under 10mpg pulling the same trailer. Plus it burns DEF at like 5% of fuel rate.
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How heavy?
That does sound disappointing though.
 
Baconator said:
Yea, this pig gets terrible fuel mileage. Im averaging 7 mpg pulling an equipment trailer around right now. 36 gal tank, so a range of like 250 miles. Im a little pissed about it, my 02 Dmax never got under 10mpg pulling the same trailer. Plus it burns DEF at like 5% of fuel rate.
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Is that normal for that engine?
 
I tow my 5th wheel with my 12’ flat deck behind it all over the place. I’m in California and been through Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

I don’t unhook for fuel and can back up pretty damn far before I get all outta wack.

My 5th wheel is 15k and the 12’ usually has a 4 seat rzr and a quad or 2, wife’s 1 ton jk, or the old crawler.

Never once been fucked with. Hell, I’ve had chp drive by and give me thumbs up.

At the Denny’s in tehacapi had a dot cop ask me how long I was and how it towed while on our way to koh a couple years back. The trip, I was pulling my buddies 40’+ toy hauler, rzr and quads inside with my crawler on the back. Way too long:lmao:

The one thing I will say is that I personally find it no harder doing doubles, than a standard single trailer. but make sure you’re legal.

I am licensed, my truck has the appropriate weight tag and my insurance company will cover me. My front trailer has brakes on every wheel and the rear trailer is a surge setup.

The frame on my 5th wheel is an 11” beam design, front to rear. I made the hitch and where it attaches, it runs 5’ up each side to spread the load as best as possible.
 
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:flipoff2:
Licensed, and dot legit....
git thee phawk outta here'
I thought this place was "we don't need no stinking papers"!
:lmao:

BTW
O.P.
Brakes (and enough of them) are really GOOD!
 
Sterlingfire said:
How heavy?
That does sound disappointing though.
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Trailer is around 20k loaded, 7k unloaded. Miles so far are a 60/40 split of loaded/unloaded.
Mileage is really disappointing, I was expecting a little hit, but not this significant.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Is that normal for that engine?
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I hope not, but sounds like it will be. A friend with a 2019 gets 12 with his on nearly 100% highway, I figured the new 10 speed should do better but really hasnt.
 
Baconator said:
Trailer is around 20k loaded, 7k unloaded. Miles so far are a 60/40 split of loaded/unloaded.
Mileage is really disappointing, I was expecting a little hit, but not this significant.
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Damn, i have been dreading getting a 20 or newer gm hd pickup...i think they're ugly, and now to find out the new duramax is getting that bad of mileage is a big disappointment.
 
Baconator said:
Trailer is around 20k loaded, 7k unloaded. Miles so far are a 60/40 split of loaded/unloaded.
Mileage is really disappointing, I was expecting a little hit, but not this significant.
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​​​​​​Ya, I mean that's worse than my 6.2 gas company truck got towing 15k.

Baconator said:
I hope not, but sounds like it will be. A friend with a 2019 gets 12 with his on nearly 100% highway, I figured the new 10 speed should do better but really hasnt.
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They'll probably come out with a ecu flash to help.

What's weird is the duramax has always done well on fuel through the dpf/Def shit. I remember back before Def, our company 6.4 would get like 10 empty and the duramax would get high teens.
 
Sterlingfire said:
Damn, i have been dreading getting a 20 or newer gm hd pickup...i think they're ugly, and now to find out the new duramax is getting that bad of mileage is a big disappointment.
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I dug around on a few DMax forums and it looks like the new norm. Most guys were comparing unloaded mileage and SRW trucks, but they were in the 14-15 range. A few guys said they hit 20 on the highway, I usually dont believe the high MPG claims on the internet though.
Mine is rarely unloaded, so who knows how it would compare.

My 02 gets 17-19 unloaded, and usually never got below 12 loaded heavy, even fighting a strong headwind with a big enclosed trailer doing 75-80 it was still getting 10.

I am running winter fuel, but I cant imagine that is effecting it more than 1mpg
 
Baconator said:
Havent been, thanks for that suggestion though
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If your coming in from the north the turn in is real sharp. Off on the right hand side there is a dirt lot that would be good for that. There is a day use parking lot farther up but it isn't real flat and may not have enough open spacers.
 
Baconator said:
I dug around on a few DMax forums and it looks like the new norm. Most guys were comparing unloaded mileage and SRW trucks, but they were in the 14-15 range. A few guys said they hit 20 on the highway, I usually dont believe the high MPG claims on the internet though.
Mine is rarely unloaded, so who knows how it would compare.

My 02 gets 17-19 unloaded, and usually never got below 12 loaded heavy, even fighting a strong headwind with a big enclosed trailer doing 75-80 it was still getting 10.

I am running winter fuel, but I cant imagine that is effecting it more than 1mpg
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Huh, weird it would drop so much from one gen to the next. My 18 gets high teens dead heading, even almost 20 if i stay out of the kitchen(but that's ghey i like to cook:laughing:) while towing i can get up to 14-15 depending on wind and weight. On average though, towing my 12k trailer fully loaded on the bumper it gets anywhere from 9-12 depending on weather and how much of a hurry i am in to get there :lmao:Never gotten an average in the teens with that trailer on. I suppose if i drove 55 everywhere it might, but again, the kitchen comes into play.
 
Sell 5th wheel. Purchase Toy Hauler with 14+ foot garage.

Problem solved.

Another advantage is a toy hauler gives you steerage class sleeping arrangements for drunks / children / etc.
 
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FordFascist said:
Sell 5th wheel. Purchase Toy Hauler with 14+ foot garage.

Problem solved.

Another advantage is a toy hauler gives you steerage class sleeping arrangements for drunks / children / etc.
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LOL. Have you priced a toyhauler lately?
 
How about a DMax into a lighter chassis like a square body SRW or DRW.

My 85 and 86 square body chevys all weigh in the area of 6K lbs, thats about 2500 lbs lighter than my 07 duramax truck.

How much does weight factor in on fuel mileage?
 
CO allows 70ft total. Which way are you coming to Ouray? Red mtn might get a little western but shouldn't be to bad. Just got to plan ahead when pulling into things like gas stations and down side streets.
 
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