When you tow a car behind a motorhome it is considered a trailer and all the applicable state trailering laws apply.  As stated previously, each state sets the laws on when a trailer requires brakes.  It is usually by the weight of the trailer.  It is a safety issue and states do not want vehicles towing heavy loads without supplemental braking.

I have heard the argument that it is a towed vehicle and not a trailer.  Most motorhomes have a max towed weight that is unbraked.  The motorhome has no way to determine if the 4000# load is a car or a load of bricks on a utility trailer.  It is a towed load and thus all the states laws apply.  Some states have  unbraked load limit as low as 1500#.

Ken

  On 10/16/2019 at 8:19 AM, TXiceman said:

I have heard the argument that it is a towed vehicle and not a trailer.  Most motorhomes have a max towed weight that is unbraked.  The motorhome has no way to determine if the 4000# load is a car or a load of bricks on a utility trailer.  It is a towed load and thus all the states laws apply.  Some states have  unbraked load limit as low as 1500#.

Ken

My understanding of this rule is if the combined weight of the rv and towed vehicle doesn't exceed the gvwr of the rv.  Therefore the rv is rated to stop up to the gross vehicle weight. I don't imagine many rvs have 4 or 5 thousand pounds of spare unused weight capacity, but I guess there might be some. That is one advantage of using a dolly. The dolly has the brakes on it. 

Edited October 17 by Muskoka Guy

  On 10/17/2019 at 4:45 AM, Muskoka Guy said:

My understanding of this rule is if the combined weight of the rv and towed vehicle doesn't exceed the gvwr of the rv.  Therefore the rv is rated to stop up to the gross vehicle weight. I don't imagine many rvs have 4 or 5 thousand pounds of spare unused weight capacity, but I guess there might be some. That is one advantage of using a dolly. The dolly has the brakes on it. 

Guy, irregardless of your reasoning about GVWR and such, a state law will supersede that.  As noted, many states require brakes on a towed load over 1500#.  And as an RVer you are required to follow the laws of the states you travel through for such items as speed, length and weight.

Ken

Yes required. But more importantly it is just the right thing to do. So that you have an emergency braking system in the event that the toad separates from the MH, it will stop before taking out oncoming traffic.

  On 10/17/2019 at 4:56 AM, TXiceman said:

Guy, irregardless of your reasoning about GVWR and such, a state law will supersede that.  As noted, many states require brakes on a towed load over 1500#.  And as an RVer you are required to follow the laws of the states you travel through for such items as speed, length and weight.

Ken

 

I have just read that some where. Very doubtful anyone would or could use that as justification for not having brakes. The laws are different everywhere. Safer to just have them, and avoid getting a ticket.

I cannot understand the thought process that they buy a $100K plus motorhome and an expensive towed vehicle and then can't justify the $$$ to safety connect and control the towed car.  If the auxiliary bakes in the car can stop you 6 inches shorter, it can be the difference between a safe stop and a wreck.

Ken

  On 10/17/2019 at 5:16 AM, filthy-beast said:

Yes required. But more importantly it is just the right thing to do. So that you have an emergency braking system in the event that the toad separates from the MH, it will stop before taking out oncoming traffic.

 

Yes. I agree. But these are two different things - one progressively applies the brakes on a toad to assist with braking and the other aggressively applies the toad's brakes if it separates from the toad vehicle. I believe the latter is required by law everywhere, as it should be.

For years I used my under 3,000 lbs Chevrolet Cobalt as a tow vehicle to tow an Aliner that weighed around 1,700 lbs (over 1/2 the weight of the tow vehicle). In many states this light of a trailer would be exempt from a law requiring brakes, however considering the ratio of tow vehicle to towed weight I would have been foolish to tow it without electric brakes and a good proportional brake controller.

Now I have a 22,000 lb MH with excellent ABS brakes on 6 braking wheels (the tag axle has brakes too) and am towing my little, under 3,000 lb Cobalt (that was my old tow vehicle) without brakes (other than a safety brake system that pulls a cable to activate its brakes in the unlikely event that the toad breaks free from the MH.) Again, I think it is the ratio of TV vs toad that is important.  My toad is about 13% of the weight of the tow vehicle, not 58% as it was when I was previously towing with the car.

Would progressive brakes on the toad stop the rig in less distance than not having them? Certainly, by a small amount - about the same as travelling empty as opposed to fully loaded. You can decide to either pay the $1,500 for a good progressive brake system on your toad or drive a little slower and leave a little more stopping distance between the car ahead. I'll choose the latter now that I'm retired and just seeing the sights with no hurry to get anywhere. If I'm doing 55 mph in a 65 mph zone just pass me if I'm too slow for you. If traffic is starting to back up then I'll courteously pull over and let them by.

Now, If I were towing a 5,000 lb toad rather than a 2,900 lb one, or I had a significantly lighter TV, or one with marginal brakes or no braking tag axle, then my answer would be completely different.   

Chip

Tag axle on a 22K motorhome?  How unusual.

I didn't know you could put a break-away system on a toad without also having a regular braking system. You should have both.  My point was even if you think your MH can handle stopping both vehicle just fine add a full braking system for the safety of the rest of us on the road.