Researching the purchase of a Toter

[Yotacrawler]

I'm estimating weight to be around 25k. That would include the trailer and 3 rigs on it plus some spare parts/tools/etc.

 

[neetchracer]

Whoa, heavier than me...lol. As long as you don't look commercial you shouldn't have any problems, but I'm guessing you will have a tough time keeping a single axle under 20K with that kinda weight.

 

[Yotacrawler]

i personally don't think it would look commercial seeing how it would be 3 beat up rigs on a trailer that don't really look street legal. lol

you think it would have 20k on the rear axle?

 

[neetchracer]

Well, goosenecks typically are designed for 20% on the ball. So, at 25K#, you would have 5K# on the ball(on paper) My rig was 15K# with an empty trailer and no water, food, half fuel. I would think you will be over. My truck is rated for 22+K#'s though, but federal laws say 20K#. Probably won't have an issue with the law though if you don't look like your making money.

 

[Yotacrawler]

What do you mean federal law says your rig is 20k?

 

[neetchracer]

Federal Bridge Law. Probably should Google to understand fully.

 

[neetchracer]

Actually I meant everything pertaining to the rear axle weight I was talking about. Sorry, I get in a hurry while working and don't explain things properly.

 

[neetchracer]

I may be wrong. I thought federal weight limits were 20K, but now I see where it states "if less than 40" from another axle"

 

[Yotacrawler]

No worries, thanks, i know there is a lot of info out there that i don't yet know so i'm all for finding the laws that would pertain to this scenario.

 

[neetchracer]

Basically, for the 40-50K we will be hauling, I was only concerned with keeping the rear axle under 20K, and the rest of the axles under rated capacity.

 

[Yotacrawler]

That certainly makes sense there, thanks for the info!

 

[Yotacrawler]

I know this is a more complicated solution, but have you though about a longer MH that has a garage as part of the RV box portion? Then get a two-car tag trailer to replace your three-car gooseneck trailer. Once at your location, the vehicle in the garage stays outside and you can use the garage for sleeping area. Lot of toy haulers use fold-down bunks, you could do similar or just an air mattress.

I've actually been giving your suggestion a bit more thought and the more i think about it, the more i like the idea. Enough so that i think this is the route that I'd prefer to go for several reasons really.

One, this would give me more sleeping space as you mentioned. Two, by fitting one rig inside the garage, that will allow me to use a shorter trailer (thinking max of 32' tag trailer) which should put me closer to being at the length limit. Three, if i want to just take a trip wheeling by myself, i don't have to haul a trailer at all. There were a couple other reasons i like this better but as i sit her in front of the keyboard...I'm drawing a blank. go figure. lol

The one question that i do have about the Toters with garages; what are the dimensions of most garages? I know that is a hard question to answer, but I've seen a few that are 16' long which is great, but my concern is the dimensions of the door. The rig that will be going into the garage is 92" wide, 80" tall, and just under 15' long.

I do have a set of smaller rollers that i could throw on the truck to fit it within the width of the garage opening, but that'll be a bit of a pain to swap out each time i go play. On hindsight, that's not much of a difference than what i had to deal with when i had my diesel drag truck. lol

Another question for those "in the know", any idea why someone would have a Toter build with a garage but not put a rear entry door to drive a vehicle inside? I recently found one out in SC that looks beautiful and like it would work, but there is no way to get a vehicle inside short of cutting the back wall off and building a door myself.

 

[bushpilot-TC]

I know this is a more complicated solution, but have you though about a longer MH that has a garage as part of the RV box portion? Then get a two-car tag trailer to replace your three-car gooseneck trailer. Once at your location, the vehicle in the garage stays outside and you can use the garage for sleeping area. Lot of toy haulers use fold-down bunks, you could do similar or just an air mattress.

we do this at the track
I occasionally pull a buddies car trailer & have used it for over flow lodging, or more comfortable sleeping for folks that didn't account for sleeping in a non-air conditoned tent...In the heat and humidity.

....we added LED strip lighting in the trailer and a 15k BTU AC unit to the his 20' trailer...only need 15A to run the trailer AC unit (30A is a luxury)....It makes for some REALLY comfortably cool (potentially frigid) and very dark sleeping.

 

[asitool]

I've seen garage units done two ways... one is to build the whole thing on top of the frame, the other is do a step-down on the frame and build the floor of the garage after the rear wheels. The 2nd method is easier to load but it takes some engineering to make it strong enough to pull a trailer and you will get rear swing with the wheels so far forward. If you use the 2nd method you will need bulkhead / gusseting to give it lateral strength, or you will need to incorporate the rear ramp as part of the structure when closed.

 

[Bottomland4x4]

I looked at garage units before I bought my latest renegade. The biggest drawback that I saw was that most of the garage units do not have a large hitch, most just had what looked like a 2 inch receiver. Two rigs on a 32 foot trailer would be a load on a 2 inch receiver.

 

[solo318]

Not to be a wet blanket, But having read you're from florida. Florida is Hammering all the guys with "toter" homes. The law actually reads that if any weight from the trailer is supported by the tractor it can NOT be registered non commercial. You CAN register a class 8 box truck as a MH. but not anything with a Gooseneck or 5th wheel. So if you are going to register it as a MH you need a "garage coach" or a truck conversion/tag trailer. Hopefully this helps, If not PM me and I can walk you through the detalis as I have a class 8 with a MH title.

 

[40's rock]

I found a 32' international on racing junk in 2012. We have been slowly upgrading it . We use pull a 24' trailer with an FJ40 and a mini truck to play
Perfect set up for us. I can sleep 6 comfortably and 10 if we fold out the sleeper chairs and futons.
(40's rock on IH8MUD)

 

[40's rock]

At 63' tip to tail, we can still get in and out of off-road parks easily. We even ran it out to the Rubicon and got down into the parking area easily.