Double tow thru Canada & Alaska?? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

endless travels · RV-Dreams Community Member

Double tow thru Canada & Alaska??

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

British Columbia is very hostile to double towing. They have signs at the border with Alberta with pictures that say no doubles. Sorry, but that is what I saw. Here is a link to their towing info - http://www.britishcolumbia.com/information/details.asp?id=6.

Some details:
Vehicle Towing Regulations: When a vehicle or trailer weighing 1,400 kilograms (3,087 pounds) or more is towed behind a recreational vehicle, the towed vehicle must be outfitted with functional braking and emergency breakaway devices which apply the brakes at the end of the axles. Additionally, one or more safety chains that can hold the weight of the towed vehicle must be attached. A towed recreational vehicle must not exceed 12.5 meters (41 feet) in length. The maximum combined length for a recreational vehicle and trailer is 20 metres (65.6 feet).

That 65.6 feet is going to get you.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:

{Edit}
Some details:
Vehicle Towing Regulations: When a vehicle or trailer weighing 1,400 kilograms (3,087 pounds) or more is towed behind a recreational vehicle, the towed vehicle must be outfitted with functional braking and emergency breakaway devices which apply the brakes at the end of the axles. Additionally, one or more safety chains that can hold the weight of the towed vehicle must be attached. A towed recreational vehicle must not exceed 12.5 meters (41 feet) in length. The maximum combined length for a recreational vehicle and trailer is 20 metres (65.6 feet).

That 65.6 feet is going to get you.

Bill, what do you know about this part of the rules as pertains to 5’ers with traditional king pin (not gooseneck) hitches.
“Vehicle Towing Regulations: When a vehicle or trailer weighing 1,400 kilograms (3,087 pounds) or more is towed behind a recreational vehicle, the towed vehicle must be outfitted with functional braking and emergency breakaway devices which apply the brakes at the end of the axles. Additionally, one or more safety chains that can hold the weight of the towed vehicle must be attached.”
I’ve been all over the Canada RV websites and (and a lot of others). The listings I have found don’t specifically exempt 5’ers from safety chains in all provinces, just some provinces. Safety chains on 5^th wheels are really strange, hence the question.
So, do have a definitive word, other than “the internet?” I am specifically interested in Alberta, BC and YT for a little 14,000 mile trip we’re planning.
Thank you.
Bill

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Alberta and Yukon don't seem to care but British Columbia had so many accidents due to inadequate braking they cracked down on recreational towing. I do know they are about the only place on the continent that have checked that motorhomes towing cars had auxiliary braking. They have not checked often, but enough to spook some people. I know I do not know anyone who was checked in 2005 or 2006, when we traveled in BC, but have talked to others who did know people checked in previous years. BC has lots of mountain passes.

The drawings at the border between Alberta and BC showed a truck, 5th wheel, with a boat trailer behind with a big red circle and slash over it saying "not allowed" plus a couple more similar examples. This is from memory, it has been since 2006 where I saw the signs. I know people who have towed about the largest 5th wheels you can get through BC and they did not have safety chains. I suspect the safety chain issue is not something that shows up often, if ever. But we saw no one towing doubles. The signs were on TC16 west bound, since Alberta does allow double towing. Washington State does not normally allow double towing, but is not known to enforce it much. I think if you have a CDL you can double tow in Washington if your home state allows it, so they don't want to stop you and find out you were OK.

Yukon about anything goes and they have so few police that they don't worry about much, including people boondocking on the side of the road where it says not to. As long as you don't look like you are camping, they drive on by and often they drive on by anyway.

Edit: We have Canadians here and some are very familiar with BC, so why am I playing expert? I drive a motorhome.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 10th of January 2010 06:30:58 PM