A 300 mile drive?

[rboltz]

I drove the first M-151's way back in my Army days in the 60's and 70's. I turned in my old M-38 for a new one!! I am considering adding one to my collection of MV's but I don't remember what a safe cruise speed is (drive train). I would need to drive about 300 miles to get it home, all on interstates, for the one I am serious about. I won't drive my M-715 or my M-37 on the "I" roads due to the 40-45 MPH safe top speeds and less on hills and mountains. Truckers will kill you doing 45 on the interstate.

Would you current owners attempt a trip like that?

 

[NDT]

Nope. Rent a U-haul car hauler and go get it with your daily driver. 50 mph is a good speed for the M151.

 

[Warthog]

Combst32 used to drive them on the Autobaun in Germany at faster speeds. He maybe able to provide stories.

Don't think I would ever do it.

 

[rboltz]

Nope. Rent a U-haul car hauler and go get it with your daily driver. 50 mph is a good speed for the M151.

I agree. I guess even a front wheel dolly would work.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Ugh. I was battalion XO's driver for a while in a 151. I wouldn't want to drive on on an Interstate.




Although, I HAVE driven an M113 on the Autobahn!





In a convoy at about 20 MPH.

 

[combat32]

Combst32 used to drive them on the Autobaun in Germany at faster speeds. He maybe able to provide stories.

Don't think I would ever do it.

Well in my defense I was young and stupid, plus thought I was bulletproof, I have had some M151A2's that would do everything on the speedo and we used to really wind em out on the Autobahn. Now being older(maybe wiser) I would put her on the trailer, espicaly if you don't know the mechanical history of the vehicle.

 

[187]

I have a 151A2. I would trailer it. If something happened to your investment that would be bad.

 

[199th mp]

i routinely drive mine on I-5 in northern california, but i have real nice civilian tires, and i know the mechanical condition. while i can peg my speedo and keep it there, i don't do that, staying at 50 , because these engines aren't designed for that. for a 300 mile trip i would trailer it. even if nothing happened on the drive, it would get a little tiresome.

 

[Aswayze]

I will break with tradition here.

I am just getting my M151 to the mechanical state I generally keep all my vehicles in (I maintain to a very high standard). I have driven mine a good bit on the road now and I would not hesitate one bit to take mine on a 300 mile trip. In fact, I plan to do just that at least 3-4 times per year with it. I do not however plan to do it on the interstate and where possible, I'll be tied in with other trucks in a self supportable convoy. (M151s catch rides in deuces quite easily)

Like I said, no doubt in my mind that mine could do it. No doubt in my mind that mine will do it.

That said, that peace of mind comes from changing:

100% of the propeller shaft joints (all if mine had some visible wear)

100% of the drive shaft u-joints (all of mine had some visible wear)

50% of the wheel bearings new, the other half cleaned and greased.

Rebuilt steering gear.

All diff leaks fixed, full POL change, running synthetic oils in gear cases.

In tank rotary fuel pump conversion.

It was a long road to getting back to "deployable" condition. If you do not know the history on the one you are getting, I would trailer it. A tow dolly is an option ONLY of you take the time to remove the propeller shafts on the axle that is on the ground. You do not want a failed U-joint back there fragging on you and tearing things up on your new prize.

For cruising speed, mine comfortably runs 60 which I consider a minimum to keep up with the Deuces and can dart up to 70-75 for occasional sprints but I do not push it. Noise/comfort is not great but it is not much worse than any other military truck.

 

[nattieleather]

Picking up a new vehicle that you've never driven before (not counting time in service) and not knowing the mechanics on it. i.e. How well it has been maintained etc. I would trailer it back. That being said. If I know the truck and know what it can do I would drive it 300 miles no problem and have done it in the past. Interstate and everything. Even once ended up in Detroit during afternoon rush hour....But I was also 28 at the time. Now that I'm in the 50+ grouping I might not do that. Not because I don't think the M151 can't do it, but because I like my creature comforts...

 

[gungearz]

Don't chance it... Trailer it. It might be cheaper in the long run, especially if you break down...

 

[Al Harvey]

I'm had mine on the Hwy at 55-60 but that was only on 20 mile trips. I wouldn't risk it for 300 miles. Also the dolly is a bad idea unless you want to remove the axles. I've actually lost a U-Joint in a rear axle going down the highway, if your in a tow vehicle you probably won't hear it until it tears up something. I just pulled over on the side of the road and pulled an axle from the front and put it in the rear. Renting or borrowing a trailer is the best way, at least until you can get it home and go over the whole jeep to ensure everything is good and tight and not showing any major wear.

 

[rboltz]

Trailer it is. I have a 12' x 6' trailer that would work for a short trip but I'm up against the 3,600 limit (Truck + Trailer weight) so don't want to tow 300 miles worrying all the way. So, if we make a deal, I'll rent a trailer. Thanks for all who responded.

 

[Al Harvey]

What 3,600 limit are you talking about? Is that the towing recommendation for your truck?

 

[Aswayze]

If you happen to have a deuce, I can tell you with some certainty that an M151 rides easy as can be in the bed of a deuce.

I've piggy backed my M151 this way many times.


All you need to do is go scout out a spot that can pass as a loading dock somewhere on either end of the trip. On the house end here, there's a retaining wall at a disused factory complex nearby that works lovely. On the other side, there is a nice creek bed I can drop the deuce into and just drive the 151 right on out of. I have an A1 so I have the best results backing the M151 in and then running my recovery chain that's usually lashed to the front bumper of my deuce under the troop seats, down and around the front of the bed then attaching it to each of the 151's rear wheels with a shackle. Then on the front I just using ratcheting tie downs slipped under the tailgate to the deuces rear shackles from the front shackles on the M151. That keeps it tucked up pretty secure and doesn't take much time or effort to do. Without an antenna, you can even fit the cargo cover over it but darned if I want to slither around under all of that in the summer heat.

 

[rboltz]

What 3,600 limit are you talking about? Is that the towing recommendation for your truck?

GVW of the trailer and load. The trailer I have is rated 3,600 lbs TOTAL weight. The M-151 is about 2,600 +/- alone. The trailer is about 1000 empty.

 

[Al Harvey]

If you load the jeep nose first onto the trailer then you should be okay. That would help share the weight of the jeep onto your tow vehicle. Just watch how much your tow vehicle squats. Try and get a good balance where you can see the tow vehicle start to squat that way you know the weight is being shared between both the vehicle and the trailer. Also I do hope you have a towing hitch on the tow vehicle and not just a bumper pull. Other then that I wouldn't be too worried because trailers are usually able to handle 500lbs over their rating. The rating is set up just like a speed limit, they put it lower then the actual limit, knowing your gonna exceed it. lol

 

[ODFever]

Does your trailer have electric brakes? If not, I would STRONGLY advise against using that trailer.

I had a scare many years ago on the way to a rally. I was driving my M1009 with my wife and 2 year old daughter, and I had my wife's M422 Mighty Mite on my 18 ft steel deck double axle car hauler. The Mite weighs about 1700 lbs, and the trailer weighs about 1600 lbs. The trailer has electric brakes, but I didn't have a trailer brake controller wired into my CUCV. I was in the left lane on a 6 lane divided road traveling through Leesburg, FL. There are a series of lights stacked very close together, and have very short yellow lights. The light quickly turned red and I could not stop. In front of me were 3 cars, so I knew I couldn't go through the intersection. The cars had already stopped. I remember screaming "I need an out!!!", whipped the steering wheel hard right and ran the truck up onto the curb. Thankfully I stopped before I hit a power pole. The curb slowed me down enough for my truck brakes to work. I came very close to turning a red Honda Civic del Sol back into the tin can it came from. Scared the cr@p out of me. I vowed never to haul her precious Mite again without functioning trailer brakes. Before the next rally, I rebuilt the trailer brakes and had a high-end brake controller unit installed.