Pulling a TRIPLE

OK,,,,, I want to pull a triple
Truck -- RV Trailer -- Boat
17ft 22ft 23ft
..62 feet..
legal for TEXAS

Questions:
1.) will a 1/2 ton big V8 handle the job ?

2nd scenario -- if I use a motorhome as the pull vehicle and put a mid-size truck between it and the boat
Can I just put the tranny in neutral on the mid vehicle to pull it ?

Answers /// Suggestions --- to make one of these work,,,,, do not suggest--Don't do it.
Thanks

no on #1 for sure. i would say no on #2 also

..OK so I does one pull a vehicle with an automatic transmission ?

it has been way too many years since I did that,,,,,back when we did not have front wheel drive.
you had to disconnect the drive shaft so the transmissions gears would not turn.
what do you do now days with front wheel drive or direct drive trannys ?

pulling a vehicle with an auto trans and all 4 wheels on the ground is possible with mods, you will need to have a trans fluid pump installed to keep the fluid circulating so you don't burn the trans up. some vehicles offer it as an option. a manual trans will have no issues. now if it's a front wheel drive vehicle, you could always use a tow dolly, or with a rear wheel drive vehicle, you could disconnect the drive shaft

We tow my wife’s Expedition behind our motor home with just a drive shaft disconnect. No trans pump needed because the trans is not turning.

1- what is the big v-8? What truck, gears and what is its combined gross weight rating and what are the weights of your trailers?

2- if the truck is 4x4 you can put the transfer case in neutral to flat tow it I believe.

a 4wd truck with a conventional transfer case and auto trans with all 4 wheels on the ground; yes, you want to keep the 4wd in neutral and front hubs unlocked. the transfer case is basically a chain in an oil splash bath. you still have to have the trans fluid pump added or disconnect the rear drive shaft. it's kinda like a manual trans in between the engine and auto trans

Isnt the transfer case between the transmission and diferentials? If the T-case is in neutral the transmission shouldn't turn.

yeah, it's on the rear of the trans but the t-case only engages and disengages the front driveshaft

Dont forget he also ask about a triple to include a boat.

….I think I got it …
I just need a small jeep with standard transmission to put behind my motor home and attache my boat to the Jeep.
PUT THE JEEP IN NUETRAL AND PROCEED DOWN THE ROAD.
use the jeep to back my boat down the ramp and to run around the area while my motor home is stationary
GOT IT.
otherwise disconnect the drive shaft for an automatic which I am too old to do.....or TOO MUCH LIKE WORK

Check this page out!

Don’t know about number 2, but I would say no on number 1

Im sure some would think im crazy, but with an adequate power plant in the tow vehicle, hemi, 5.7 iforce, 3.5 ecoboost, 6.2 chevy I would definitely consider it. Depending on the trailers he may still be well within the rated capacity of most of those 1/2 ton trucks when properly equipped. My biggest concern would probably be hooking a 23-foot boat to the back of a 22 foot TT, might get a little bit of the tail wagging the dog going on.

YEP, that tail wagging thing is what I am concerned about
I am in Loveland Colorado and they have MANY RV sites. Going today to INQUIRE and ask questions.
I think my truck would pull them ,,,,, just want to be sure I can put the boat behind the RV trailer --- and pull it in safety. I am looking to set land speed records when I do this and it would only be short trips from East Texas to South Texas

Pulling is one thing. Stopping is another. Do it right and get a bigger truck.

I would worry about fish tailing and stopping without duals on the tow rig, especially downhill....

Stopping wouldn’t concern me at all truck travel trailer and boat all have brakes.

No

I have never seen anyone tow like you are talking about . Have seen heavy duty truck pulling a fifth wheel with boat attached to bumper but it can’t be over 65 ft. All I can say is good luck. Hope you can handle a white knuckle ride.

Just saying you are asking for a lot for a half ton truck. It ain’t just about the motor or gears it is the stability of this setup you are contemplating. You could hurt yourself or some other motorist ‘s .
Oh one other thing have you thought of what a good wind is gonna do to this setup?
It won’t be fun.

Make 2 trips

Thinking more about this I believe the combined gross vehicle weight would be over the 1/2 ton max legal limit.

Very bad idea.
If you want to endure punishment, just ask your wife to beat you instead.

What would concern me the most is that the travel trailer probably weighs less than that boat. That as well as the fact that you’d be using a half ton truck just seems like a nightmare.

Winning idea would be buy another truck! This way you have 2 trucks to use when not traveling, when traveling you can drive one while she drives the other and you don't have to make a bunch of potty stops or listen all the way!

1, no. 2, no.

Will never understand why people think their little half ton will pull their house and anything they want down the road. What you are talking about, no. If you mean that you have a 3/4 or 1 ton truck with a big V8 Powerstroke or Duramax, that's no problem. But no, safely, you're 1500 Silverado, F 150, Tundra, Ram 1500, will not haul it. No offense to you at all, cause I see it every time I get on the interstate. Someone has their 2.7 F150 ecoboost with a 10,000lb trailer squating their bumper to the ground doing 55mph with a death grip on the steering wheel. Highly unsafe, just saying that for your own good. If you're going to go through with this rig, GET THE RIGHT TRUCK FOR THE JOB. 2500 Duramax, F250 Powerstroke, 2500 Cummins. Hell, it doesn't even have to be diesel. The point is, you need a 3/4 ton or bigger truck for this load

2, if you have a manual or 4x4, yes. Use the 4x4 to take the entire transfer case out of neutral. 2x4, no. You'll burn the tranny up faster than you'd be able to tow that rig down the road.

Good luck, lets see some pics once you get it all figured out!

Many of the 1/2 tons with the big option motors have more umph than their 3/4 ton counterparts. A half ton is capable of far more than dragging a 14 foot john boat to the lake. All of the big auto makers make a 1/2 ton rated to tow over 10,000 lbs and if the govt will allow you to do it on public roads there is some wiggle room left in there you can bet your life on it. A half ton isn't what a half ton used to be.

I would be less worried about the “power” and more about the handling ability. You might have more power than an older diesel 3/4 ton or even a gas 3/4 ton, but that 3/4 ton still weighs more and still has more stopping power to handle a heavy dual load like that.

Although you've gave me a lot of advice on my Duramax (thanks btw), I'll have to respectfully disagree.

I saw a pic of your Ram 1500 and your boat awhile back, which is a perfect setup. Any half ton will safely tow a bass boat or center console bay boat to the water, around the country, whatever. You can even safely tow some RV's, I towed my 6,000lb with a 5.3 since we bought the RV in 2014 (until I got the Dmax obviously.) It did fine for the short hauls. I'd try to keep the destination within around 100-150 miles though. Now that I got the Dmax, I'll pull that SOB to Alaska, I don't care.

But really, we're talking about a 62ft long apparatus going down the road with a half ton..... It's not about the power, it's about the chassis itself. The power is just what you want it to be. You can put a big Duramax in a half ton Silverado, but you're tow limit will still be the same as a half ton.. You can put a little Prius motor in a big F350, and still pull 25,000lbs or whatever. Not saying it will pull it well, but yes, it will move it.

Not nagging on you at all, but it's not about the motor.. It's about having that 3/4 ton or 1 ton chassis to be able to stop that rig and control it going down the interstate. I guess if you really wanted to push it, you could. But, if one is going to be hauling that large of a rig, why not get the right tool for the job. You wouldn't take a bass boat offshore, would you? Lol

I partly agree. BUT all of the big truck players in the market make a 1/2 ton that has a gross combine rating or tow rating sufficient to be within the rated limits of the vehicle.

There are people that use a truck like mine to hot shot deliver travel trailers (within weight limits) one has over 455,000 miles on his. No its not a 3/4 ton but a modern properly set up 1/2 ton is more than you are giving it credit for.

Not to be a smart [censored] to you whatsoever by any means, but I would also tell someone a Prius can pull 10,000lbs if it would sell quicker. Maybe the weight limits on new half tons ARE accurate, but in my eyes PERSONALLY, anything over 9k behind a half ton is a hell of a rig if you ask me. But what I could be completely wrong! The heaviest I've put behind my 3/4 ton so far is a 8500lb excavator. I'm not saying I felt uncomfortable pulling it because it did better than it should, BUT you could definitely feel it back there. A half ton hooked on to that, I wouldn't feel too holly jolly.

A lot of the half tons are indeed strong enough. And as far as stopping, remember, the travel trailer will have brakes, and likely will the boat (if it's heavy enough to need them). So, stopping may not be an issue. It sounds like you're in the situation I was for a while. I'd pull my travel trailer (30' bumper, 34' overall) and 14' utility trailer with side by side twice a year from or to Rayburn to my deer lease in Fowlerton - south Texas. But I was doing it with a 3/4 ton Duramax long box crew cab. I was way over long -73', but never had a problem. Only unnerving part was not seeing the utility trailer for mile and miles. Your boat will be the same. As far as my stopping, it was not a big deal at all. Nothing nearly as heavy a load as the 75hp Deere on a 20' trailer - both had brakes. I'd just do it, and take it easy with the 1/2 ton. If as you say it's only going to be a 'now and again' thing it's sure not worth buying a new truck over. Make sure all your lights work and you'll probably be OK. Even as long as mine was, I was never questioned.

#1.
hook it all up and get after it.. you'll know 'fore ya get outta town if that's tha right thing ta do....

#2.
depends on tha motor home/bus....($ for tha right one you would be able ta by new truck, camper, boat and all tha gear you need!)

so,,,,,
I think an RV trailer behind my Texas Edition 1500 would be OK within the weight guidelines, which is a little more than normal 1/2 ton
,,,,,
for a bigger RV trailer or triple I certainly need to go 2500 or 3500 diesel with a gooseneck
,,,,,
Thanks for all the input

Correct. And even though I'd highly recommend you get a diesel, a 2500 gas would do you okay if you dont see the extra $9,000 for the diesel.

But... You'll want a diesel.. your balls don't drop until you grab the green handle.. LOL. Trade in and get a new or slightly used 2500 Duramax. You won't regret it

I have tripled with a 5th wheel pulling a relatively light utility trailer without a problem, but I would be reluctant to pull anything behind a bumper pull. If the third item being pulled has brakes, that would definitely help.

jeep trailhawk can be flat towed behind a rv and in front of your boat.

NOT all 4x4 can be flat towed, many have no oiling in the transfer case if its not rotating.


Im going to tow the trail hawk behind my rv with my boat behind it... Ill be OVER length by 4 feet. Im curious how long it takes to get a ticket.

I bought a blue ox 10k tow bar set up and am just waiting on a drop receiver to hit the road. The bar I bought slides into the receiver so your not towing on a ball.

http://www.blueox.com/recreational-commercial-flat-towing/tow-bars/

Yes, you could do this towing a jeep 4x4. The jeep transfer case has a true neutral which does not engage either axle. Thus, the transfer case and transmission do not turn while flat towing a jeep. That's why you'll see so many RVers towing jeeps.

Also, on point #1 - as long as you're under your max towing capacity you'll be fine. Example - my 2007 Tundra crew cab has a tow rating of 10,400lbs (5.7L V8, 2WD). So as long as the combined weight of both trailers doesn't exceed that you could tow it.

Not all jeeps can be flat towed. Anything with a Dana 300 is a no go.