Towing- that can't be right

I know- towing threads are almost as joyful as political threads.

I've towed for nearly 40 years. This one was new to me.

I saw a little convoy of cars heading home apparently from a dealer's auction. Each driven car had a car in tow. They were using tow bars.

Most if the lead cars were mini vans. They had removed the rear bumper wrap, and mounted the clamp-on tow bar to the rear sub-bumper.

The towed cars varied. Mini vans, small SUV's, sedans. They were all clearly marked "In Tow- Caution", and had dealer auction IDs on the side glass.

There were 6 or 8 sets. Traveling on an interstate at the speed limit.

I thought it was an interesting approach to the problem ( although mounting the tow bars looked like a lot of work).

Then I noticed the lead car. It was a Dodge Caravan, towing a Toyota Sequoia, towing a Toyota Camry. Yep, 2 tow bars, 3 cars. 70 mph Caravan hauling 7000 lbs or so with no activated brakes.

Is that legal? Seemed a bit excessive. Hope he doesn't have to stop. Really hope he doesn't have to back up!

The answer is probably "Alabama". And maybe "drunk".

Probably not legal, it isn't here.

A friend goes to the auctions near Carlisle, Pa all the time, they charge $200 to deliver a car. Money well spent if you've ever been on 81 at night, no services, lotsa trucks.

I cannot quote the law but pretty sure if you are towing more than X pounds (I think 3000 or 5000 lbs) you are required to have brakes especially if the tow vehicle is under a certain weight. The towing tandem trailers thing just complicates the issue. Seems sketchy to me at highway speed.

I don't know if it's legal, and I don't care...that's dangerous. I don't need a lawyer to tell me that.

I have seen this type of towing and it is amazing...amazingly unsafe looking.
Where I have seen it is always near the Mexican boarder and it looks to be US cars bought at auction and taken down to Mexico.
I guess I figure that for every train they have two running cars and one non-runner. I am amazed that the lead car will still run or have a transmission by the time they arrive. I figure that if #1 stops running, it is moved to the #3 position and #2 takes the lead.

Many transmissions do not like to be run with the drive wheels down but I can only figure these cars will be sold without disclosure of their history.

I am working on the assumption they were being towed a long distance.

If it was local, it would have been much easier to use a wrecker.

Don't know if legal or not in your state but that breaks common sense/ safe towing rules, I'd never attempt it, that's flat out dangerous.

I live near-ish the Mexican border and see these rigs going south on I-35 very often.

The story i've gotten from asking around is that they are unofficially ignored under most circumstances. How is that fair? It's not. The world isn't fair. I frequently demonstrate that in my posts about towing and driving styles, and it gets even worse if you start thinking about cops.

As far as daisy-chaining 3 vehicles together with tow bars strapped to bumper supports, at least THAT is something i won't do.

I've seen three only once, but two is common here. I see a lot of small trucks in the lead position - Tacomas and such. I also occasionally see cars loaded into trucks that aren't meant to haul cars, like cut out school buses and NPR box trucks. I have a large auto auction about an hour east of me.

The more I learn about flat towing, the more I think there are a lot of cars that have a ticking time bomb for a transmission.

When I lived in Northwest Arkansas, it wasn't unusual to see a convoy of 6 to 10 of exactly what SVreX described, on their way to Mexico. There are a lot of Mexicans in NWA, especially around the Springdale, Lowell, Rodgers area. The folks living in the US would buy used cars, and ever-so-often a convoy of friends/family would come get the cars and tow them back to Mexico.

My friend sold his "hot rod Flincoln," '97 green, silver racing stripes, F150 with Navigator front clip, to a group convoying it to Mexico.

• Lee

On a lighter note, what better vehicle to lead a caravan than a Caravan.

When I went out West a few years back it was jarring to see a van towing a travel trailer which then had a boat trailer behind that, all I could think of was 'hope it doesn't get loose somehow'. I can't imagine a Caravan towing two other cars.

Curmudgeon wrote: When I went out West a few years back it was jarring to see a van towing a travel trailer which then had a boat trailer behind that, all I could think of was 'hope it doesn't get loose somehow'. I can't imagine a Caravan towing two other cars.

When I drove regularly between Alberta and B.C. It was common to see the pickup/travel trailer/ boat combinations pulled over near the B.C. Border as it was legal in Alberta but not in B.C.

Not the best way to start your summer vacation.

bearmtnmartin wrote: When I drove regularly between Alberta and B.C. It was common to see the pickup/travel trailer/ boat combinations pulled over near the B.C. Border as it was legal in Alberta but not in B.C. Not the best way to start your summer vacation.

I don't really care what anyone says about the type of truck they have... in my opinion, towing 53' of anything with a regular sized pickup (even a 1 ton dually) is asking for trouble. Especially through the mountains.

Flat towing is also hella-scary.

I've seen this in Ohio, but only one vehicle towing another. Usually the towed vehicle doesn't have plates, just a placard that says "IN TRANSIT". IIRC, Ohio law says that any vehicle with tires on the ground must be registered and insured, although this may not apply to towing companies, which these clearly were not.

Ohio law also prohibits tandeming like that except on the Turnpike. I think the limit is two trailers for Class 8 rigs with three permitted on the Turnpike. You'll see large parking areas at major interchanges where trailers will sit and be dropped off/collected when converting to and from triple-trailer use.

HiTempguy wrote: I don't really care what anyone says about the type of truck they have... in my opinion, towing 53' of anything with a regular sized pickup (even a 1 ton dually) is asking for trouble. Especially through the mountains.

That reminds me of something I saw near Springfield on I-70. An old box-style S-10 towing a full length flatbed trailer. I have no idea how he was controlling the trailer's brakes. Even not considering that, it looked for all the world like if the guy had to come to a sudden stop, the trailer would keep going until the forward axle hit the trucklet's tailgate.

In reply to Knurled:

I believe they would be both registered and insured as dealer cars in transit

How the hell would you back this up?

In reply to Curmudgeon:

Ha! Unhook it all and turn it around by hand?

Anyway, who cares about a traffic ticket, my concern would be that a jury is going to find me negligent in any accident where I am towing two trailers.

When I lived in Michigan, there was a license endorsement specifically for pulling the camper + boat rigs. It was called "Recreational Double".

these mexi-car transport caravans are a regular thing here in nebraska.

they pay a lot for the cars at the auction. i gotta believe they lose some on the way. i don't know how it make sense. there's no used cars in mexico?

This is an older article but is sort of explains the Mexican car towing phenomenon. Article

I suspect with NAFTA if they have Mexican driver's licensees and it is legal there than it would almost have to be allowed to pass through. And besides, give the driver a ticket and what are the chances he ever comes back to the state?

I've never paid attention but I suppose the car being towed could be idling the whole time to protect the transmission, and if so then it wouldn't take much equipment to rig up a brake setup that works on vacuum like some really old trailer brakes. I suppose even the $800 brake buddy setups would be possible if they did it for a living. I doubt either is the case for brakes, but I can't say for sure so I like to pretend as I give them a wide berth.

EvanR wrote: When I lived in Michigan, there was a license endorsement specifically for pulling the camper + boat rigs. It was called "Recreational Double".

Ya and what's really fun here in Michigan is coming back from "up north" on I75 heading south, driving a Miata and you are surrounded by pick up trucks pulling a camper and a boat doing 85 mph in the slow lane and probably close to 100 mph in the fast lane all trying to get home as fast as possible. Watching those things sway around back there. It's like a scene from Mad Max.

I've seen recreational doubles in a few states. Semi's tow 2 trailers all the time, so it's sort of the same thing. Then again they have better brakes, chassis that are built for said purpose, training, experience....maybe it's not really the same thing afterall.... Change the term to "Wreck-reational double"?