LOADS, brakes, power...

[spicergear]

Okay, but what else could happen. Lot's of people overload their truck and there are a plethora of reasons from 'because it can take it,' to 'I only had to go a little ways,' ...etc. Now we've all heard Ace (the dreaded tomato guy ) and others thoughts on over driving what the demands of the brakes can handle. What type of power the engine can produce to haul that load. Even concerns of steering with such heavy loads.

Well...those guys are all right. But... (easy fellas) I was under my truck and got to looking at the rear suspension. It's a link suspension, yes. Hot rodders are familiar with link suspensions but usually hot rodders have a panhard bar to locate the rear from side to side. Even some OTR tractors have that panhard bar. Our deuce suspensionnnnn...does NOT. If you're not exact mental image with your eyes closed sure of what the suspension looks like, go study it. It's quite neat. But does show some limits that I've not seen disclosed here anytime lately.

Since there's no panhard bar to locate the tandems side to side there are loose fitted spring pockets bolted to the axle tubes. The ends of the leaf springs are captive in these pockets. The inverted arch set up of the spring arches down against the weight of the truck trying to bend them back up. There are two U-bolts per side that hold the spring packs to their fulcrum point at the bottom center of the main (cast) suspension mount.

Make a turn with your truck and look at how the rear axles become uneven with each other as the forward tandem is dragged to the side visually lagging behind the turn. Now (what I've take way to long to get to) picture that with a 10ton load on it. ALL that down force applied is solely relying on those four suspension bolts to hold the overloaded leaves in line to keep the axle in line. Lets not forget about the leaves either. Sure spring steel is tough by design but it's going to fatigue. Loads at or near the bump stops are not okay. Bump stops aren't load helps.

The tandems axles are rated for a lot of weight but for hauling a lot of weight, compare the spring packs between deuce trucks and 5 ton trucks to see what real load hauling meat is.

 

[badgmc56]

I agree with you 100%. Just because we own MILITARY VEHICLES does not mean you can load them till the springs bottom out. My GMC is rated at 10000 lbs highway and 5000 lbs off road.Now if you want to overload your truck off road thats up to you.The only thing it will hurt is your truck.But if you overload on public roads,there are a lot of things to consider.First off.seriosly injuring or killing someone because you could not stop.Civilian vehicles are no match for our trucks.Second, in my state CT DMV is really cracking down on trucks in genral because of quite of few accidents with fatalities involving trucks.I would hate to see a military vehicle be the cause of an accident like this because it was overloaded and could not stop or make a turn.Just what the bureaucrats need to pass a law banning use of our trucks for recreation.May sound far fetched but dummer laws in this state have been enforced.I run a fleet garage and talk to inpectors all the time.The fines for overloading are huge.Also weigh stations are all over the place.

 

[m-35tom]

add to all that, if you have historic tags, some or most insurance companies and some states say that you cannot haul anything. nothing. no load or trailer. so if you are involved in an accident and there is a claim, you will be paying out of YOUR pocket for everything and that could be a lot.

 

[jasonjc]

Here in Arkanasas with historic tags you can haul a woping 1,000lbs , but no trailer. But the good side is it only a one time $7.00 fee If you a caught over the limit you lose the tag and pay a big fine + then you have to get the big$$$ tags.