Legal Trailer Length.

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DaveLW

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I am considering getting a Brinkley z 3610 to travel around the US. However my research has highlighted that many states restrict trailers to 40' max. As the Brinkley is 41' 9" surely this is a major downside?

MODERATOR NOTICE:
This thread was created from posts in this thread. It sort of got off track so I moved these to their own thread so the conversations could continue on track in both threads.
 
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DaveLW said:
I am considering getting a Brinkley z 3610 to travel around the US. However my research has highlighted that many states restrict trailers to 40' max. As the Brinkley is 41' 9" surely this is a major downside?
Click to expand...
If you're using AI for your searching, you need to stop. :) I know of no state that restrict trailers to 40' max.
 
Same here I don't know of any also, but if you camp at a state park they might.
 
I hope you are correct, but my research indicates otherwise. I'm from the UK so don't know. However, using Google, reading articles, using AI, using the 2025 North American Campground Guide booklet, I'm seeing about 19 states with 40' max length. Is there anywhere I can get a conclusive answer to this that would provide protection for example in the event of an accident?
 
You can go to campground reviews and type in what campground you want to and then call that number, I haven't had any problems but then again my 5th wheel is 36'. Go to some of the rv's parks and resorts to where you are planning on going and just look at there online websites, like your KOA's campgrounds.
 
DaveLW said:
I hope you are correct, but my research indicates otherwise. I'm from the UK so don't know. However, using Google, reading articles, using AI, using the 2025 North American Campground Guide booklet, I'm seeing about 19 states with 40' max length. Is there anywhere I can get a conclusive answer to this that would provide protection for example in the event of an accident?
Click to expand...
My suggestion would be to join a “Brinkley” group and ask your questions there

This is a grand design group

People with the actual rv you want will always give the best advice
 
You may be seeing the length restrictions camping at State parks. The only restrictions I know of starts at 45' for the license you need to pull that length.
 
MtnGuy said:
DaveLW may be on to something. I had no idea.

RV Size Limits, Required Equipment, Trailer Speed Laws—United States

Comprehensive list of RV size limits, required equipment and trailer speed laws for the USA.
fifthwheelst.com
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure it would have come up before if the trailer length restrictions actually were 40'. :) And if so, semi trailers would be banned since they are all over 40'.

State-By-State Trailer Length & Overhang Regulations | Cowtown Logistics
 
I guess this Brinkley discussion has digressed into a length discussion - at least for now. And I took the bait and went down this "length" rabbit hole. This is what I learned....

One needs to aware that trailers are not fifth wheels. Different rules/laws for each in most states.

For example:
as cited in Florida's laws (https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/proc/tl/tl-13.pdf) there is this...
Travel Trailer: A vehicular portable unit, mounted on wheels, of such a size or weight as not to require special highway movement permits when drawn by a motorized vehicle. It is primarily designed and constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use. It has a body width of no more than 8 1/2 feet and an overall body length of no more than 40 feet when factory-equipped for the road.

Fifth-Wheel Trailer: A vehicular unit mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or travel use, of such a size or weight as not to require a special highway movement permit. The gross trailer area shall not exceed 400 square feet in the setup mode, and it is designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle's rear axle.

A quick calculation of 400 square feet if an RV is at the maximum of 8.5 feet on the outside is about 47 feet. And that is inside, so no accounting for hitches, bumpers, etc. Since most of us have slide outs you can do your own calculations to see what your square feet are.

Does anyone really haul around a travel trailer that is 40 feet long?
 
Just to put this out there: Has anyone, anyone at all, ever heard of someone being pulled over for pulling a trailer over 40'? I've never heard of a single instance. If trailers, whether bumper pull, or 5th wheel, are limited to 40' or less, I simply cannot believe there are no instances of anyone being stopped for over length.
 
MODERATOR NOTICE

The posts, up to this point, have been moved from this thread so that thread can stay on topic while this thread can discuss the trailer length questions that arose in that thread.
 
Seems to me that any trailer over 40' is going to fall in the destination trailer category.
 
I wouldn't put much stock in the 5thwheelst.com website. It shows that TN is like many other of the 40' length states. Here is a copy and past from the TN.gov website.....

TRAILER LENGTH/HEIGHT/WIDTH: (TCA 55-7-201, 202)1.) Trailer LENGTH shall not exceed 48 feet from point of attachment,except those trailers hauling livestock or automobiles, which should notexceed 52 feet in length.2.)
Trailer HEIGHT shall not exceed 13 feet, 6 inches.3.)
Trailer WIDTH shall not exceed 8 feet, 6 inches.
 
traveldawg said:
I guess this Brinkley discussion has digressed into a length discussion - at least for now. And I took the bait and went down this "length" rabbit hole. This is what I learned....

One needs to aware that trailers are not fifth wheels. Different rules/laws for each in most states.

For example:
as cited in Florida's laws (https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/proc/tl/tl-13.pdf) there is this...
Travel Trailer: A vehicular portable unit, mounted on wheels, of such a size or weight as not to require special highway movement permits when drawn by a motorized vehicle. It is primarily designed and constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use. It has a body width of no more than 8 1/2 feet and an overall body length of no more than 40 feet when factory-equipped for the road.

Fifth-Wheel Trailer: A vehicular unit mounted on wheels, designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or travel use, of such a size or weight as not to require a special highway movement permit. The gross trailer area shall not exceed 400 square feet in the setup mode, and it is designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle's rear axle.

A quick calculation of 400 square feet if an RV is at the maximum of 8.5 feet on the outside is about 47 feet. And that is inside, so no accounting for hitches, bumpers, etc. Since most of us have slide outs you can do your own calculations to see what your square feet are.

Does anyone really haul around a travel trailer that is 40 feet long?
Click to expand...
Some of us do
 
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