Can I tow a M989a1 with a civi pick up?

[Jbulach]

Hey all,
I have a similar issue.
View attachment 739257
Bought a M9889a1 in GREAT condition on Craigslist. Paid a tow semi to get it home. Now I'd like to move it across the yard and am having trouble. I know nothing 'bout air-brakes other than internet reading....

I didn't want to mess with caging the brakes, so I jury-rigged an air compressor splitter to pressurize Service & Emergency air lines from a regular garage air compressor. Got everything up to 120psi on the compressor, but couldn't budge it with a Durango. I gotta be missing something, eh? Durango should tow it empty on pavement. I dont' need to cage the air brakes when both systems are pressurized, correct?

Only charge the red side to release the spring brakes, putting air on the blue side applies the service brakes.

 

[crcarson26]

I picked up my M989A1 from the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong CA.. towed it back to Reno NV with a 2005 F-350 Crew Cab Dually.. it was very Sketchy.. took everything the truck had to get it going and to get it stopped.. However if that’s your only option it is possible.. Just plan on going slow and having white knuckles..

 

[98G]

I picked up my M989A1 from the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong CA.. towed it back to Reno NV with a 2005 F-350 Crew Cab Dually.. it was very Sketchy.. took everything the truck had to get it going and to get it stopped.. However if that’s your only option it is possible.. Just plan on going slow and having white knuckles..

If someone pulls out in front of you you"ll kill them. Unbraked heavy trailer and it doesn't even transfer weight to the tow vehicle because there's no tongue weight.

There is no stopping it in a hurry.

 

[Floridianson]

A point to bring up is what is correct and what might be done. Myself I would not tow something like that without a truck that could apply the trailer brakes without applying the truck/tractor brakes. This is how you stop the wagging instanly without applying the truck brakes. Yes a air service truck will work. Yes I towed one home down I75 246 miles and I used my M915A1 tractor. I don't like to take chances with other peoples lives or lawyers.

 

[porkysplace]

I picked up my M989A1 from the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong CA.. towed it back to Reno NV with a 2005 F-350 Crew Cab Dually.. it was very Sketchy.. took everything the truck had to get it going and to get it stopped.. However if that’s your only option it is possible.. Just plan on going slow and having white knuckles..

If it's your only option you shouldn't have bought it.

 

[crcarson26]

If it's your only option you shouldn't have bought it.

Haha yeah good call I hear ya.. I needed to pick it up before I incurred fees, and my M1088 had an unexpected CTIS problem. I was definitely going slow pulling it behind my Ford.

 

[Tinstar]

I picked up my M989A1 from the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong CA.. towed it back to Reno NV with a 2005 F-350 Crew Cab Dually.. it was very Sketchy.. took everything the truck had to get it going and to get it stopped.. However if that’s your only option it is possible.. Just plan on going slow and having white knuckles..

I’m just shaking my head at this post.

Towing an 11,000 pound wagon style trailer, without working brakes, with a pickup.

I hope you bought lottery tickets after you parked it, because you are one extremely lucky individual.

 

[FloridaAKM]

I was going to buy one of these trailers when they released them from Camp Blanding here in North Florida, but the only way I had to get it home was to pull it with the Deuce. The trailers were in good condition & went for $600.00 to $800.00 each. I passed on them due to the recovery issue, even with the Deuce since the weight ratio is almost 1 to 1, the trailer brakes would have helped out, but I still don't want to kill someone trying to get a new trailer home.

 

[98G]

I was going to buy one of these trailers when they released them from Camp Blanding here in North Florida, but the only way I had to get it home was to pull it with the Deuce. The trailers were in good condition & went for $600.00 to $800.00 each. I passed on them due to the recovery issue, even with the Deuce since the weight ratio is almost 1 to 1, the trailer brakes would have helped out, but I still don't want to kill someone trying to get a new trailer home.

Deuce pulls it just fine. The trailer has excellent brakes and a deuce actually stops better with it than without it. Pulling that trailer also alleviates the risk of failure associated with the deuce's single circuit brakes.

 

[Floridianson]

Also with a air brake trailer / truck hooked up correctly if there was a complete break away the trailer parking brake would stop the trailer.
There are things you take a chance at in life. One being do I eat the gas stations frozen meat burritos? The other is do I chance killing someone and my azz owned by the lawyers? If I was a law officer I would not care if you were pulling it 5 miles or 500 I would be writing a ticket and locking the trailer up with a red tag plus a DOT inspection. Come back and get it when you have the proper truck and all is correct on the truck and trailer.

 

[Michael]

If I was a law officer I would not care if you were pulling it 5 miles or 500 I would be writing a ticket and locking the trailer up with a red tag plus a DOT inspection. Come back and get it when you have the proper truck and all is correct on the truck and trailer.

I bet there would be many tickets and they wouldn't wait on you to come back with the right truck. I bet they would call the on call heavy wrecker. There is no telling what it would cost in the end. I just love these can be done vs should be done discussions. In 2019 you also have to consider what you can get away with now vs what you used to be able to get away with.

 

[crcarson26]

Well now that I've taken my brow-beating I figure I'd share that fact that I do have an appropriate rig to tow the M989A1. Should be fun this summer!!

 

[Floridianson]

OK but where is the pic of the truck and trailer? Oh wait now I see it next to the girly girl.
Yep tow rig looking good.