M989 vs M989a1

[Mullaney]

We've all done some crazy things in the past that we wouldn't do again, but yep that wouldn't be safe.
I bought a Deuce once that had a froze up air pack that I didn't realize until I tried to stop. Did make it home the 50 miles. Flat towed a M1009 with another M1009, made it home with that one too, but would never do that again.

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Yes Sir!
We have all done things like that...

 

[2deuce]

You can let the lock pin drop in place and stiff arm back it up alot easier than fighting the farm trailer way ! If its not loaded very heavy it will scoot pretty easy with the steer tires locked straight worked better for me ! I dont miss that trailer at all ! lol

I imagine backing one of these trailers is like backing a vehicle on a tow bar without anyone holding the steering wheel of the towed vehicle.

 

[2deuce]

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Yes Sir!
We have all done things like that...

I remember that M1009 felt like it had 4 wheel steering, but I only had control of the front wheels that I didn't dare turn. I passed that exact same spot on the freeway yesterday(I'll never forget it), and there were 4 crosses there with fresh flowers.

 

[98G]

I imagine backing one of these trailers is like backing a vehicle on a tow bar without anyone holding the steering wheel of the towed vehicle.

Nope. I've done that. These are worse.

 

[2deuce]

Nope. I've done that. These are worse.

Worse?? They must be incredibly bad! What are the mechanics that are going on with them? I understand they can be pinned like a shelter carrier dolly. I thought that would make backing them easier than something on a tow bar.
What was the tow vehicle you were using?

 

[98G]

Worse?? They must be incredibly bad! What are the mechanics that are going on with them? I understand they can be pinned like a shelter carrier dolly. I thought that would make backing them easier than something on a tow bar.
What was the tow vehicle you were using?

I've attempted to back them with an M35A2, an M925, and my 1ton pickup truck.

The least difficult method was to connect it to the front bumper of my pickup. It's still borderline impossible.

Pinning the draw bar only helps when you can slide the front wheels and when you're going in a perfectly straight line.

If you tow one of these, plan your trips to exclude backing. It's difficult to overstate just how bad they are. If you get pulled in somewhere tight and have to back up, you're going to have to drop it and drag it backwards.

And to add insult to injury, it's possible to turn tight enough going forward to cause the cursed thing to make contact with a 939series cargo truck bed (ask me how I know!!)

I'm not a novice driver. I've had a class A CDL. I can back an M1101 behind a 5ton without seeing it. I can back semi trailers no problem, even doubles for short distances. I've pulled into a parking lot with a tractor trailer and they were unexpectedly working on it, requiring me to back up around 3 sides of a square - no problem. But these M989A1s are a different animal entirely.

 

[Mullaney]

I've attempted to back them with an M35A2, an M925, and my 1ton pickup truck.

The least difficult method was to connect it to the front bumper of my pickup. It's still borderline impossible.

Pinning the draw bar only helps when you can slide the front wheels and when you're going in a perfectly straight line.

If you tow one of these, plan your trips to exclude backing. It's difficult to overstate just how bad they are. If you get pulled in somewhere tight and have to back up, you're going to have to drop it and drag it backwards.

And to add insult to injury, it's possible to turn tight enough going forward to cause the cursed thing to make contact with a 939series cargo truck bed (ask me how I know!!)

I'm not a novice driver. I've had a class A CDL. I can back an M1101 behind a 5ton without seeing it. I can back semi trailers no problem, even doubles for short distances. I've pulled into a parking lot with a tractor trailer and they were unexpectedly working on it, requiring me to back up around 3 sides of a square - no problem. But these M989A1s are a different animal entirely.

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Verily I say - Amen!

 

[Jbulach]

Worse?? They must be incredibly bad! What are the mechanics that are going on with them? I understand they can be pinned like a shelter carrier dolly. I thought that would make backing them easier than something on a tow bar.
What was the tow vehicle you were using?

They are wagons with a tongue thats too short. Backing a truck on towbar is “easy” comparatively. Backing a wagon with a farm tractor is an art, (back in the day my dad made it look easy) backing one attached to the rear of a big truck is near impossible. Same as 98G mentioned, I can back a wagon decent hooked to the front hitch of my tight turning old Bronco.

 

[2deuce]

They are wagons with a tongue thats too short. Backing a truck on towbar is “easy” comparatively. Backing a wagon with a farm tractor is an art, (back in the day my dad made it look easy) backing one attached to the rear of a big truck is near impossible. Same as 98G mentioned, I can back a wagon decent hooked to the front hitch of my tight turning old Bronco.

I don't have the experience backing like you guys do. Backing a truck on a tow bar is very difficult by yourself sometimes the vehicle doesn't even want to follow when going forward if you turn from a stop, tow bars have been a pain for me.
I won't have the backing problem bringing it home cuz it will be on a trailer, but when it's home, I will need to back it. I know wagons are tough to back, but it must be the short tongue on this thing. I intended to tow it with a HEMTT, and they are not agile either. This sounds like a problem! Now I'm questioning how well it will follow the HEMTT.

 

[98G]

I don't have the experience backing like you guys do. Backing a truck on a tow bar is very difficult by yourself sometimes the vehicle doesn't even want to follow when going forward if you turn from a stop, tow bars have been a pain for me.
I won't have the backing problem bringing it home cuz it will be on a trailer, but when it's home, I will need to back it. I know wagons are tough to back, but it must be the short tongue on this thing. I intended to tow it with a HEMTT, and they are not agile either. This sounds like a problem! Now I'm questioning how well it will follow the HEMTT.

It'll follow the HEMTT just fine in the forward direction. I dont think you’ll have issues with it hitting the bed on a HEMTT either.I think you're going to have extreme difficulty backing it in anything other than a straight line.

I spent 3 hours with my pickup truck backing one into the driveway in Tucson. That was enough to convince me 'never again'.

You'd think if you go slow enough and pull forward any time it starts to misbehave that that would be sufficient. It's not.

 

[2deuce]

I have a hitch extension for my pickup. It allows you to tow something behind a long camper in the bed. I wonder if that would help my pickup back it up by increasing the distance from the rear wheels to the pintle hook?
Where ever I store this trailer it will need to be backed by something, and not only in a straight line.

 

[Coug]

I have a hitch extension for my pickup. It allows you to tow something behind a long camper in the bed. I wonder if that would help my pickup back it up by increasing the distance from the rear wheels to the pintle hook?
Where ever I store this trailer it will need to be backed by something, and not only in a straight line.

All I can say is good luck with that. I doubt the hitch extension will make any sort of positive difference, and might make it worse.

If you're going to try parking it somewhere it has to be backed into and not in a straight line then I really hope for your sanity sake you also have some type of a plan B available for parking it as well. The tongue is just too short and goes out of alignment so quickly that you can't really correct for it before it's too far gone to just countersteer.
About the only way I can think of to get it moved backwards and turned would be to use ratchet straps to adjust the tongue angle to where you need it to be to steer the tires and hold them in place, and then use something to drag it from the rear, rather than try to push it with the tongue.

(I also have a class A license and had to back doubles A train and you spend more time going forward to straighten it back out than you gain in reverse much of the time)

 

[Nasher]

If you are parking on asphalt or concrete and you pin the tongue, it pushes the front wheels Across the ground when backing up. So you’ll tear the tread off the front tires very very, very very very quickly. if it’s loaded, you’ll need a set of tires probably after the second or third back in, hopefully you don’t sheer the pain that locks the front end in. So yes, you can back these up but at what cost.

 

[2deuce]

Where it needs to go there is no way to pull it from the rear. There is no asphalt to worry about. I might need to load it on a trailer, and roll it off the back where I need it, what a pain that would be. What I really need is a drive thru spot. I will need to work on that idea. I appreciate all the advice you guys are giving.

 

[2deuce]

Are there rules here about talking about active auctions on GSA? If there aren't I would say more trailers are up in Cali.

 

[Mullaney]

Are there rules here about talking about active auctions on GSA? If there aren't I would say more trailers are up in Cali.

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We can definitely discuss an active auction - under the rules - here is the info:

Auction Postings:
Please abide by the following rules concerning the posting of auction information in the forums:
• You may post links to auctions. However, you MUST observe the previous rules about collusion. Any discussion about bidding and the thread will be deleted and infractions given.
• Keep in mind, if it's a active auction and the bids are low, bringing it up to everyone's attention might very well turn that low bid into a high one.

Collusion:
Collusion between members will not be tolerated in the SteelSoldiers.Com forums. The following could be construed as collusion and will be deleted:
• Sharing of bidder ID numbers or names to avoid bidding against another member
• Sharing of auction numbers or lot numbers to avoid bidding on the same item as another member
• Any other arrangement between members that serves to keep auction prices low in favor of the member bidders
First time offenders will be warned. Second time offenders will lose posting privileges for one month. Third time offenders will be banned.

YES, you could post a link to an active auction.
Based one the above, it might make the bid go higher.

 

[2deuce]

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We can definitely discuss an active auction - under the rules - here is the info:

Auction Postings:
Please abide by the following rules concerning the posting of auction information in the forums:
• You may post links to auctions. However, you MUST observe the previous rules about collusion. Any discussion about bidding and the thread will be deleted and infractions given.
• Keep in mind, if it's a active auction and the bids are low, bringing it up to everyone's attention might very well turn that low bid into a high one.

Collusion:
Collusion between members will not be tolerated in the SteelSoldiers.Com forums. The following could be construed as collusion and will be deleted:
• Sharing of bidder ID numbers or names to avoid bidding against another member
• Sharing of auction numbers or lot numbers to avoid bidding on the same item as another member
• Any other arrangement between members that serves to keep auction prices low in favor of the member bidders
First time offenders will be warned. Second time offenders will lose posting privileges for one month. Third time offenders will be banned.

YES, you could post a link to an active auction.
Based one the above, it might make the bid go higher.

I don't any interest in owning another one but if somebody wants one for cheap look in GSA California. They must have more than you can shake a stick at down there. They might need to start paying people to take them, lol

 

[2deuce]

I got mine home a couple days ago. It fit perfectly on my trailer. I had them load the tongue to the front so I had no hang over in the rear. My pickup towed it nicely, but only got about 8mpg, it's not light. I'm painting the wood deck, it was sun baked to the extreme. Then I'll move it to where I'll park it, so it's still on the trailer right now. I'll report back when I have it parked. I would keep it at home if I could back it into a parking spot. I'm still undecided on where it's going to go.