driving with one wheel/tire/axle off the ground

[jesusgatos]

I've been thinking about making some type of attachment points to add to the frame and axles so that I could jack-up any of the back wheels/tires (or one whole axle) and use some type of cable/chain/strap to carry that wheel/tire or axle. The point would be that if I could drive with it like that, it would cut down on the number of spares I'll have to carry. I'm outfitting an M109 as a motorhome and will be towing a modified M353 trailer, so I was planning on carrying two spares. But before I go to all the trouble I'd like to know whether it's possible/practical/advisable and if so, has the military already done it? I'd rather not have to re-invent the wheel if I can just use/copy what's been proven to work.

 

[Jake0147]

As it sits, you already have four spares with all of the axles down. If you drive an inner dual up onto a couple of two by fours, you can remove the outer one without ever cranking a jack handle. If you did jack up the donor axle, you could also invert the remaining wheel to keep the wider footprint. Not ideal for the bearings, but not the end of the world by a long shot.
I would not consider driving any distance with only one wheel end chained up. The toe between the tandem axles will be upset. Better to chain up a whole axle.

 

[jesusgatos]

Oh, sorry. I should have said that I was specifically thinking about a singled-out truck. Of course you're right about a truck with duals. Probably right about chaining-up the whole axle too. Hadn't really thought about that.

 

[Hammer]

Chain the rearmost axle up. Fairly easy if you can lift the axle up far enough.
I did it for testing my 16r20's on the back of a truck I am going to bob soon.

 

[jesusgatos]

Oh, that's GREAT. I would like to figure something out so that I could chain-up either axle though (so I don't have to change a bunch of wheels/tires) and I'd rather not have to remove the wheels/tires (because then I'd have to carry them somewhere else). I'd think that the military would have provided for this scenario. No?

 

[tmbrwolf]

Did it for an emergency in the army (busted axle) chained the whole axle up and removed the prop shaft, I would not recommend it otherwise it will put a lot of extra stress on the suspension system in the rear, in operating these trucks in the military I've never had to worry going through that many spare tires, I've only had to change a tire a handfull of times over the 20 years I drove / maintained them.

 

[mudguppy]

... I'd think that the military would have provided for this scenario. No?

they did: they added wreckers to convoys.

 

[tmbrwolf]

Well at least to the last serial of a units convoy! Loved being with the wrecker, both as the operator and as the motor sergeant.

 

[jesusgatos]

So I'm on my own, but there's no reason why this wouldn't work? OK. I'm going to give this some more thought and will post back with whatever I come up with.

 

[scooter01922]

Honestly i'm not sure what the benefits are here. Chain up an axle so you don't have to change tires??? Maybe its me but i really doubt you are going to go through the 2 spares you are planning on carrying. If you do you might just want to avoid singling the truck out so you have more rubber back there to play with. A decent bottle jack and an impact gun and there tires aren't that bad, can't see putting so much effort into avoiding routine stuff.

 

[jesusgatos]

OK, here's the deal: It's not about changing the tires, it's about having to carry spares. I'm building an expedition-type motorhome out of an M109 and I'm going to be traveling through some really remote areas, unsupported, for extended periods of time. I'll be towing a modified M353 trailer (putting a 12ft box on it), and will have 8 wheels on the ground between the truck and trailer (planning to single-out mah deuce). If I can chain-up one of the axles, I can safely get away with only carrying one spare tire (mounted on the trailer, so I can install another fuel tank on the driver's side of mah deuce).

 

[Beerslayer]

If he is going to super singles, the spare won't fit where the original did. From what I -hear- most people who run super singles don't carry a spare. I think the idea was to chain up the axle to get to where you could get the flat fixed. I have seen this idea offered here as a way to get by.

 

[jesusgatos]

Well I think a 14.5 spare would fit, but I might end up going with 15.5's and I'd rather use that space for another fuel tank anyway. The only spare I'd have would be carried on the trailer.

 

[scooter01922]

Yeah i sort of see where you are goin with this and i wish you the best of luck but still not worth it IMO. Personally if it was me and i was going to be cruizing in the middle of nowhere i would stick to the duals. You would really, really have to be trying to blow tires to lose enough of them to have issues. But thats just me. Any reason in particular you want to single it out??? I can understand if you are going to switch to the super singles but you haven't really hinted thats what you are going for.


Oops, looks like you are going with the super singles

 

[wdbtchr]

Sounds to me like another one who has already made the decision to do something and is just looking for validation from the list. It's your truck do whatever you like.

Do you really want to go to a remote area with the minimum?

 

[jesusgatos]

Yeah, super-singles.

 

[jesusgatos]

Sounds to me like another one who has already made the decision to do something and is just looking for validation from the list. It's your truck do whatever you like.

Do you really want to go to a remote area with the minimum?

Oh jeez. Seriously? I've got an idea that I think I can make work. What I was asking is whether it has already been done/figured out, or if there was something I was overlooking. Otherwise, yeah, I'm going ahead with this.

 

[grounded]

why not just run it as a 6x6 i know you dont want to carry more spares then DONT!! but why not still leave it on all 6 tires. then when you have a tire go out. mount your spare. if by chance you have a 2nd go out and dont have another spare. THEN and ONLY THEN chain up the rear most axle, unhook the driveshaft then run it as a 4x4. you will still have essentially 3 spares. but you will more most of the time save alot of stress and suspension issues on the truck. IF YOU pop 3 tires before you get one fixed.... YOU HAVE ISSUES

my

 

[jesusgatos]

why not just run it as a 6x6 i know you dont want to carry more spares then DONT!! but why not still leave it on all 6 tires. then when you have a tire go out. mount your spare. if by chance you have a 2nd go out and dont have another spare. THEN and ONLY THEN chain up the rear most axle, unhook the driveshaft then run it as a 4x4. you will still have essentially 3 spares. but you will more most of the time save alot of stress and suspension issues on the truck. IF YOU pop 3 tires before you get one fixed.... YOU HAVE ISSUES

my

That's exactly what I'm planning on doing. Running it as a super-singled 6x6. I'll have one spare, and will use that if I get a flat. If I get a second flat, that's when I'd need to chain-up the axle. Sorry, was I unclear about that?

 

[emr]

I really think U need to put all that thought to the rest of the truck, U will never go anywhere, not trying to be silly, but u will have no suspension and make a tactical vehicle that is already not the safest vehicle on the road even more unsafe, Now as for unsafe I do mean it is a tactical vehicle and needs alot of things done alot of times to keep it safe, Like the brakes, If U put half that thought in those U will park it forever, I am just saying look at the truck as one whole unit and get good tires and pack all the bearings pull all the wheels and look for leaks also and properly adjust the brakes , that means a major adjustment and a minor in 3 thousand miles and another major in another 3 thou, and replace pads and cylinders as needed. since those will be more troublesome on long trips than the tires, and that is only a few, how about the bolts on the jack shaft, they come loose on long trips, should U change em , or just bring a tool kit and tighten everything now and again, U will get a feul leak and oil too eventually, I am just saying give it a once over and go, U will get more support from this site than chaining an axle will ever do, All the best of luck and enjoy...Randy