Triple towing vs double towing — it’s all in understanding the terminology.
When it comes to an RV towing more than one trailer behind it, oftentimes there is confusion as to what to call it.
So let’s compare commercial trucking terms to RV towing terms…
Commercial Trucking & Double Towing
In the world of heavy-duty trucking, the common term referring to 1 semi-tractor pulling 2 trailers is a double-bottom configuration.
This can mean anything from belly dump trailers (as seen in the previous link) to short dry van trailers (similar to what UPS or FedEx use to transport packages long-distance between terminals).
It can also include the rare 2 full-sized semi-trailer combination:
Not to be confused with the road trains of Australia, which can stretch out to ridiculous lengths and contain 4 or more trailers:
RV Triple Towing
In the RV world, triple towing refers to 1 tow vehicle pulling 2 trailers.
RV towing of this sort involves 3 pieces linked together.
The most common configuration is a pickup truck pulling a 5th wheel RV and a second trailer (for the boat or ATVs) at the end:
Here’s everything you need to know before you pull 2 trailers behind your RV.
As an RVer, these are just some of the things to keep in mind before triple towing:
- Triple towing isn’t legal everywhere; every state is different.
- There is usually a maximum length requirement, which varies between states.
- Backing up with such an arrangement is impossible; don’t even try it.
- Don’t exceed the CGWR (Combined Gross Weight Rating) of your tow vehicle.
- Make sure all portions of your combination have the proper safety equipment in place.
I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
