Why Can't We Use Trailers Like This?

[Sawyer Rob]

A guy over this way, was pulling 8 wagon loads of shelled corn down the road with a bigger tractor...and all 8 were big/heavy loads... A cop stopped him and put a stop to that!

I see two quite common and sometimes three, but that's about it around here.

I pulled a trailer with 2 wagons behind, all loaded with logs with my tractor one time, but only that one time and only for a few miles...

SR

 

[sandman2234]

I have doubles and triples on my CDL, and can not legally pull a boat trailer behind a fifth wheel camper in Florida, and a lot of other states. Florida allows doubles but don't think triples, (3 trailers), but only fifth wheel mount and only commercial use. So a pickup pulling a camper and boat is not legal.
I moved a trailer from Lake Park, Ga to Ocala, Fl for a gentleman that was hauling them empty to trailer sales places. He got caught in Florida with double trailers and it cost him $1000 fine, so either making two trips or getting someone to haul the second trailer the last 100 miles was cheaper.
Tourist get away with a little more, but even they catch it from time to time. Don't push your luck!
David from jax

 

[Stimw]

I have doubles and triples on my CDL, and can not legally pull a boat trailer behind a fifth wheel camper in Florida, and a lot of other states. Florida allows doubles but don't think triples, (3 trailers), but only fifth wheel mount and only commercial use. So a pickup pulling a camper and boat is not legal.
I moved a trailer from Lake Park, Ga to Ocala, Fl for a gentleman that was hauling them empty to trailer sales places. He got caught in Florida with double trailers and it cost him $1000 fine, so either making two trips or getting someone to haul the second trailer the last 100 miles was cheaper.
Tourist get away with a little more, but even they catch it from time to time. Don't push your luck!
David from jax

I have seen them pulling triples on the Fl. Turnpike but they had to break them down to doubles at the exits.
I have Doubles/Triples also on my CDL.
IIRC DOT requires King Pin/Converter Dollys in the regs.
When I was in the ARMY in Germany in the late 60's they used HD Straight Trucks with Wagon type trailers, truck and some times two trailers.
A lot of roads were too tight for semi's. We called them "Land Trains".

 

[sandman2234]

I have seen them pulling triples on the Fl. Turnpike but they had to break them down to doubles at the exits.
I have Doubles/Triples also on my CDL.
IIRC DOT requires King Pin/Converter Dollys in the regs.
When I was in the ARMY in Germany in the late 60's they used HD Straight Trucks with Wagon type trailers, truck and some times two trailers.
A lot of roads were too tight for semi's. We called them "Land Trains".

Although I have probably (educated guess) over a million miles just in Florida, you can count the number of times I have been on the turnpike on both hands. Never been all the way from Wildwood to the bottom. Most of the companies I drove for would not pay for turnpike charges, simply because it was too easy to go around. Since I live in Jax, the turnpike is generally heading the wrong way for me, and I do like to go "by the house" whenever possible.
David from jax

 

[vsteel]

I would think if you were pulling something heavy there wouldn't be enough weight on the rear axle and it could get away from you. It is one thing when you have a tractor with a lot of weight on the rear tires but on a pickup pulling say 14K or more it could jack knife pretty easy on a downhill grade. On a semi pulling double or triple it has part of load over the drive axles and it is connected over the axles not far back.

That is my guess anyway.

I have seen my father backup our hay wagon which had a connection like that but he also had 60 years of practice to get it down.

 

[Rara Avis]

Why would that style trailer be any legally different than this?

View attachment 518084

Bruce

Because the Automated Safety Hitch System is USDOT certified, and is in the certification process in the Canadian provinces. Quebec province considers the Automated Safety Hitch System as part of the trailer, and all remaining provinces consider the Automated Safety Hitch System as part of the truck.

The Automated Safety Hitch System literally extends the frame of the vehicle. There is only one pivot point....where the GN trailer attaches

 

[redman135]

vsteel has it right. The weight of the trailer will take over if the tow vehicle is unballasted. A standard trailer putting weight on the tongue solves the safety and traction problem for a lower total weight.
Truck and trailer (class 5/cdl) is the standard construction/ earthworks configuration in new zealand and we load the truck with ballast for safety/ traction when doing machinery shifts.

 

[4570Man]

Backing double trailers is harder than the wagons because the trailer isn't as quick to respond as the wagon hitch. Pushing the wagons with a bobcat is easy.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Backing double trailers is harder than the wagons because the trailer isn't as quick to respond as the wagon hitch.

Maybe for you, but not for anyone I've ever seen here, doing it.

We use both for hay ect., so I've done plenty of both myself...

SR

 

[bigdeano]

I guess the closest we come to towing a wagon type trailer is towing a car with the front wheels on a dolly. The dolly may put some weight on the hitch though, I don't know. Anyway, I can see where it might become a safety issue if loaded too heavy. Thanks for the replies.