Flat towing M923

[smittyjr355]

Well I bought 2 M923's in ohio and am going to flat tow one with a towbar behind the other to save on having to drive two of them home. I am currently getting everything around to make a tow bar and all the other stuff needed. I have never towbar towed anything before so this will be a learning experience. Figured I would see if anybody has any input or good tips when towbar towing. Also what is the highest (safest) speed that you tow at?

Thanks, Matt

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Use a good heavy tow rate for the truck (M923 23000lbs), use safety chains and use the two air hoses for the brakes.
Go a safe speed.
Some say to tie the steering wheel, when we towed my 923a1 we did not tie the steering wheel. Workd fine.
Get some tow lights.

I removed the drive shafts from the front and rear axles.

Good luck and be safe!!

 

[smittyjr355]

Yeah since I am building a towbar and also being a engineer I'm sure that it will be overkill and will probably be impossible to pickup by myself! Better safe than sorry. I would like to tow down the e-way since it is a long trip. Is 50 mph to fast?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Unless you have the steel laying around, and tons of 'free' time, meaning you don't care about the time and it is worthless to you, purchasing a true military towbar for a couple hundred bucks would be 1- easier 2- probably cheaper in the long run 3- safer.]

as m35a2 AZ mentioned, get a couple of hoses with glad hands at each end for the brakes, a couple of good safety chains, and some tow lights.

 

[M1075]

There is no way I would fabricate a tow-bar for use with a five ton. I have only ever seen one homemade bar that looked up to the job and was as good or better than the mil-spec one.

 

[M1075]

Speed will be based upon the road and traffic conditions. On level ground, you may be able to sustain 55 or 60 mph. That is way fast, though, if something goes wrong!

 

[ARYankee]

Read the Operators TM on how to tow a M923 that will give you some good insight. I would say 50 mph is pushing it for what I would call "safe" towing. Now that is just my opinion. I would be sure to have a chase vehicle following a safe distance behind. For my first towing experience, it was with my M923 towing another M923. I was white knuckled the whole time which was about 30 miles or so. Take it slow and easy at first so you can get used to how it handles.

 

[smittyjr355]

I would consider buying a tow bar but since I have all supplies to make it will be cheaper! I think 4" x 4" x .375" walked square tubing will be up to the challenge. I will post pics when finished. I do appreciate all the tips!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Cheaper doesn't always = safer.

If you are confident in your welding skills and believe that the steel and welds will hold up to the forces you will/might place on it, and are willing to bet your life and the lives of others on the road with you on said skills and structual strengths, then go for it.

Just don't use the "I was just trying to save money" excuse at the trial if that second m923 comes loose and takes out a minivan with a family in it.

Reading the TM and the recovery TM will provide you with all the book knowledge you should need to make a successful recovery.

 

[indy4x4fab]

Where are you picking yours up from? I could loan you one of my heavy duty mil. spec. tow bars if your going to be doing a pick-up in my area.

 

[Recovry4x4]

My humble thoughts. Maybe you can arrange a short tow off site and store truck 2 for a while. I'd think it was important to get some seat time in the 923 before you go attaching another 923 to the back. Learning the nuances of a new truck while towing a similar truck may challenge most folks learning curve. Are you certain that either or both of these trucks are up to the task? Were you able to start them when you previewed them? The flat tow is possible but I'd sure want to be certain about lots of unknowns before taking on the challenge. I litterally have thousands of miles towing via the towbar and each and every time I tow with it, I get nervous.

 

[smittyjr355]

Where are you picking yours up from? I could loan you one of my heavy duty mil. spec. tow bars if your going to be doing a pick-up in my area.

I am picking up in Columbus Ohio.

 

[indy4x4fab]

I am picking up in Columbus Ohio.

I'm thinking I'm a bit out of the way then.

 

[smittyjr355]

Both trucks run and are in good shape. If I have to I can back road it home if things get a little hairy. Have to just see how everything unfolds I suppose. I want to just make one trip out of this so if I have to go slow than so be it. Not to worried about the towbar holding up. I have welded for quite some time and my buddy who is helping is a Millwright. I do understand my most of you say to just buy a towbar, but due to time and the price of them I can make one as good if not better!

 

[Csm Davis]

Flat towing a same weight truck can be tricky don't tie of the steering, if the alignment is close it will follow just fine. Be very cautious in tight turns if you are slowing down to make a turn the back truck will try to push the rear of the front truck sideways and because they weigh the same it can! As to a safe speed you will probably be limited by the trucks themselves in most situations but open flat road or down hill I would say 45 max or less depending on road and conditions. As to your homemade Towbar what are you using for pins and feet? Please read about the pins on this site, you might can make a towbar that will hold up to the loads but not pins and I would not trust a homemade foot. These parts go through extreme pressures and shock loads that most people even an engineer would not see as forthcoming. Not knocking your skills, just a heads up a medium duty Towbar has been redesigned by engineers at least twice I know of because of failures.

 

[smittyjr355]

Flat towing a same weight truck can be tricky don't tie of the steering, if the alignment is close it will follow just fine. Be very cautious in tight turns if you are slowing down to make a turn the back truck will try to push the rear of the front truck sideways and because they weigh the same it can! As to a safe speed you will probably be limited by the trucks themselves in most situations but open flat road or down hill I would say 45 max or less depending on road and conditions. As to your homemade Towbar what are you using for pins and feet? Please read about the pins on this site, you might can make a towbar that will hold up to the loads but not pins and I would not trust a homemade foot. These parts go through extreme pressures and shock loads that most people even an engineer would not see as forthcoming. Not knocking your skills, just a heads up a medium duty Towbar has been redesigned by engineers at least twice I know of because of failures.

Well for the pins I will be using drawbar pins used for farm machinery. As for the feet I will be fabricating these as well. I understand where your coming from and I appriecate the heads up!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Shortly into my MV hobby affliction, I almost bought the farm. I was towing a M37 behind a deuce! I went to make a left turn onto the interstate and the M37 wanted to go straight! My rear tires on the deuce were 1-2ft off the ground on the driver side. If I hadn't have done exactly what I did to get out of it, I would have rolled her.

That was 6 years ago. I still get a piece of canvas from you know where occasionally.

I now have many thousands of miles ah la Recovery4X4 towbaring MV trucks. I even lost a pin once on my way to Clinto's, so I know the pucker factor 10,000.2 feeling of seeing a deuce at 50mph riding in THE OTHER LANE. That incident happened just a couple of years ago when I had much more experience. Probably replenished some of the canvas up my bum too.

Please please PLEASE get pins rated for 100,000lb shear, AT LEAST. I'm not so sure farm pins are rated that high. There are lots of forces involved. The older medium towbar is rated for 83k, so the pins and bar must be 100,000lbs at least with the over engineering.

It has happened to me so I don't want it to happen to anyone else.

 

[Csm Davis]

Don't use farm pins they are most grade five or less and even if you find the grade eight pins that is still less than real tow bar pins. Please do the reading on here about Towbar pins.

 

[smittyjr355]

Are shackles pins and tow bar pins same strength?

 

[Csm Davis]

Nope come on do some searches and reading