Deuce tow rating

[benand117]

Ok I understand that the tow rating of a deuce is 10,000 lbs. I'm just wondering why. Is it based solely on the lack of power? I would just think that with size of the vehicle the tow rating would be higher. Large frame heavy truck and the hitch looks to me like it could handle over 10,000 lbs. I don't know if it's the low power output or did the government just under rate them? Just looking for some opinions.

 

[doghead]

Do you need to tow something, or just interested in debating the design limitations?

 

[area52]

you will find most military ratings are under rated.

 

[benand117]

Never planned on having anything hooked to that truck. It's Curiosity*that killed the cat.

 

[EWhytsell]

I'm gonna guess the military spec'd out a truck to fill a need of a 2.5ton cross country capability and the duece filled the need. Remember its an army truck so if the situation calls for a smaller or larger vehicle they have it ready and hand.

Of course its overbuilt for the task, but that is just good engineering practice and an especially good idea for a war machine.

In modern times they are severely underrated which is why they are all but gone from military duty and several modern 1/2 ton pickups have more "rated" capacity from a legal point of view.

 

[willy]

I believe the ratings are ment for off road
Hence you may double the capacity on the Hwy
A 1 1/2 ton trailer could easely carry or hold 3 ton on the Hwy
Willy

 

[goatijoe]

It probably thought of so they would not over do it. Look at a truck the same size and see what its rated. Its kinda like your buddy's around aw come on it will pull it just fine. Even if it is overload.

 

[Bob H]

Brakes!
and the 10,000 is the on road tpw rating of an A2

 

[EWhytsell]

I've always felt that when towing, a trailer should have brakes capable of stopping its own load. I usually let the trailer stop the whole rig when towing my mudder with my civy pickup. The pickup's brakes only get used when I need to stop a bit faster. I try to be a very safe tow'er with probably way to much distance for stops.

Brakes!
and the 10,000 is the on road tpw rating of an A2

 

[benand117]

That's what I was thinking. Any large trailer should be able to stop itself. That's what trailer brakes are for. Plus I don't see how that brakes on a deuce are that inadequate. A couple of vehicles that might be in the same class

International cxt- 40,000lbs
GMC topkick- 15,000lbs
F-650- Up to 20,000lbs

 

[doghead]

Deuce brake shoes are tiny, in comparison to those trucks.

 

[benand117]

He'll you're telling me a f-450 should tow more than a m35a2?

 

[doghead]

Where was an F-450 mentioned?

We've all seen 5 tons move houses. So yeah, the trucks can be used under the right conditions for almost anything, if you want to.

There's just too much variable to consider.

 

[73m819]

Not ALL military trailers have brakes, also the weight rating is there so when going around corners the trailer does not push the truck. Just because a truck can pull a lot of weight does not mean you want it hooked to your 6

 

[benand117]

I'm going to have to argue with you on that one. Im going to say a single axle f-650 and a tandem axle deuce have that same brake shoe surface area. I've had them both apart and the f-650's might be larger but the deuce has twice as many. And bringing it back to the fact that a good trailer brake setup should be able to stop it's own load.

 

[m16ty]

He'll you're telling me a f-450 should tow more than a m35a2?

If you are talking about hwy pulling power, then yes. A powerstroke f450 will run off and leave a deuce on the hwy grossing the same weight. Off road at slow speeds a deuce should have the advantage.

The most I've ever towed with a deuce on-road is another deuce (around 13,000 lbs). It's about all the old girl wants on the hills. If you get much above 13K towed load it's going to be painfully slow on hills.

 

[jrobinson5093]

I pulled a trailer house across a field that had flat tires once with my deuce. It pulled it fine, it will move almost any thing at slow speeds but like stated before my 3500 chevy will out pull the deuce on the highway. I have hooks the same 34 foot gooseneck to both trucks if I wanted to move a bulldozer half a mile across a field I would choose a deuce but for anything else I would use the 3500

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I pulled about 290,000lbs of locomotive and loaded stone cars once...

When I moved from VA to SC I pulled a m146 trailer with a dolly behind the deuce, 39,000lbs total. But all axles had good working brakes, and most of the weight I put in the back of the deuce. would do 55mph on the flats, but boy you knew when a hill was coming up!

 

[quickfarms]

I've always felt that when towing, a trailer should have brakes capable of stopping its own load. I usually let the trailer stop the whole rig when towing my mudder with my civy pickup. The pickup's brakes only get used when I need to stop a bit faster. I try to be a very safe tow'er with probably way to much distance for stops.

That is a good way to cook your trailer brakes.

The duece brakes are very small. My guess is that a modern class 8 truck has more brakes on one axle then the entire duece.

 

[crazywelder72]

I figured since you all are talking about towing this is a good place to ask.

What is the p/n of the tow bar for a deuce and what is a good price to pay for one?