When you see this photo you’ll say, no way can this setup work safely, much less can it be legal! That’s what we think anyway.
But the fact is, IT IS real and it was photographed at an Alberta gas station. If you own a fifth wheel, please leave a comment with your thoughts. Is the driver cruisin’ for a bruisin’? Hey, no disrespect to our Canadian readers, but is this some sort of secret towing trick you have up there?
Thanks to reader Wayne Ratzlaff for sending this.
How many of these Alberta towing regulations does this rig brake?
Lead trailer must be 5th wheel (AB specifies “pin & plate 5th wheel coupling mounted over the rear axle”); must have two or more tandem axles; and must be longer than following unit
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AB: A 5th wheel does not require a secondary means of attachment. Other trailers: AB: 2 separate means of attachment required, SAE recommends chains crossing under the hitch and able to keep the unit substantially following the towing vehicle. Each chain must be able to tow the unit if the other fails and keep hitch off the road.
yea same me too i do it sometime up to right way to hook up hitch two way
Hope he has a pull through site, would hate to back that rig in.
That is not legal In the state
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This set up may be a jury-rig version, but keep in mind there is a commercially available version of this where the “dolly” carries the weight of the 5th wheel pin and the tow vehicle pulls. The dolly also has brakes. However as Louie noted, you need to be within your TV weight ratings for towing.
Not so much! The TV does not have the GVWR to be able to tow that setup! The tiny “5th wheel hitch” does not have the weight rating for the tongue weight of the 5th wheel. You’d be pulled over, cited and the vehicle impounded in CA!
It is legal in alberta
I really cant believe this is allowed any where. Tow vehicle might be rated to pull the weight, but the home made fifth wheel dolly is the weak link. If brakes are applied in any emergency situation I can see bad things(unexpected things) happen. Even if all the towed vehicles have electric brakes. The inertia of the last tower vehicle would lift the second tower vehicle off the road and possibly over the roof of the TV.
As for the US. The larger vehicle being towed needs to be attached to the TV with the smaller trailer attached last.
I dont understand where you get your info from, but I can assure you that that setup is legal in Alberta, and the US. I have 5 setups like that. And all the Canadians who say you can’t pull a gooseneck on a bumper pull, really?? Out of all places where grain is harvested? That setup is all around you, I have 5. Google “combine header trailer” .
There is a company that makes a dolly for use this way. Yes it is legal in most of the United States. The dolly that is factory built even has brakes giving better braking. One is Automated Safety Hitch, Inc in Sanger, Texas.
Not legal, not an Alberta vehicle, the plate is wrong. In Alberta you can tow a bumper pull behind a goose neck attached trailer, that’s legal but even in BC, that isn’t allowed. This person is a monstrous hazard to the driving public and surely did not get far before getting pulled off the road.
I absolutely love it. Canada gave us the Crown Vic, and then this marvel of engineering. Bravo.
Down here in the States we should appreciate that our Northern border has people like this standing guard. We will not be invaded from the North. I Love It.
Good morning n yes. That load looks Mickey mouse but it works. That is a home made Jonny but there are actually axles with a hook up they use on transports. It is a JOE DOG. I thought that pic was quite impressive. U don’t want him in the U S. I will take him on the highway any day over some of the ridiculous stuff I see over there in ur knock of the woods.
JUST SAYING
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6GGxG4dd6yXBy4Dc7
He’s probably using the existing receiver/hitch on the truck bed to connect to the existing class 3 hitch on tow vehicle. Then he revesersed the 5th wheel hitch inside the truck bed. Walla, instant tow dolly and no pickup needed to haul a goose neck. . Too funny.
Did anyone notice the rear of the bed is facing the tow vehicle?
Look again. I see tail lights and a hitch ball on the pickup bed. NOT facing the tow vehicle.
Partner you need to get yourself a pair of glasses that truck bed is turned around backwards there is no trailer hitch at the backside of that trailer and there is no brake lights at the backside of that trailer you need glasses very bad
In Michigan this is illegal. You can pull a secondary bumper pull trailer from behind a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer but you cannot pull a secondary trailer behind a bumper pull trailer.
Ups and fedex do it all day long
There are hitches that are purchased that are similar to this. Even large truck companies that transport our goods have this type of dolly. I am looking to purchase one to get my fifth wheel up the mountain where I have purchased land. Because of clearances on my dually fenders I would damage them in places. There are many large dips and valleys that only a flat bed or a dolly similar to this would work.
This is legal. 56’ feet total is the limit. I carry a fifth wheel with a car dolly behind it without a small car on it. Pivots at the fifth wheel, at the rv wheels, at the hitch on back of rv, and at dolly tires. My car front tires also pivot on the dolly tires. I can successfully back all this. It is difficult but with practice is possible. The setup in the picture does work. As long as you have the proper load hitches built into this and safety chains you would have no worry. Even if things come apart chains will safely guide everything to a stop.
This setup is completely illegal and stupid. The type of transport/commercial setups your talking about go through rigorous government testing and approvals. You cannot tow a fifth wheel behind a bumper pulled trailer, however in Alberta you are allowed to pull a bumper pull trailer behind a fifth wheel as long as it is no longer then 65ft and this includes the tow vehicle.
The pin weight is NOT shown but, the back half of many pickup trucks would be sufficient to carry the pin load. I suspect backing up the fifth wheel would be challenging.