towing a Deuce with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

[bugei]

there is discussion about towing dueces with pickups being "acceptable". can you do that for 450 miles? or should i just drive the bad boy and keep the towing in case of "misshap"? thoughts?

new to me truck, seems to run great, all brakes work, just done by trustworthy mechanic.

i am new to this, i just dont want to be walking or trying to push my new duece off the road by hand.

all comments appreciated.

thanx
dan

 

[WillWagner]

RE: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

Ida know, 13K rolling weight with no brakes doesn't sound fun to me. If all the mechanicals are good, brakes, steering, tires, etc, i'd drive it and have the p/u as a chase vehicle. Bring earplugs

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

Well.. Guys have done this and been successful.. Someone towed a couple deuces home with a 715 with a V8 in it. I dont think they had to tow them that far though. I personaly would not tow a duece that far with anything else but a deuce or bigger.
Your looking at a 13k pound truck that in a pinch you will not be able to stop.. My drive it. If it breaks down then cross that bridge if and when it happens.

 

[mangus580]

RE: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

I would strongly advise against it. Drive the deuce, tow your pickup (or something else) behind it for a 'backup' vehicle if you are worried about it.

Also, see the FAQ's on the left, and add your location please...

 

[FreightTrain]

RE: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

Get a goose neck trailer with brakes and your all set....Flat towing....Ummmm,Not just no but HELL NO!Maybe 5 or 6 miles with a CoPilot in the deuce but flat towing 450 miles........You would have a 7K truck towing a 14K truck.AKA,14K of rolling brakeless weight shoving that toy truck all over the road.Personally,My towing ratio(without trailer brakes) is 1 to 1.AKA deuce pulling Deuce or Dually pulling a dually or less.

 

[steelsoldiers]

RE: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

If I had a big modern turbo-diesel dually and goose-neck trailer with at least 2 axles and electric brakes, I'd haul one. I'd rather haul one with a medium duty like a F550/650. I wouldn't want to flat tow one anywhere except across the yard with a pick-up.

 

[Banshee365]

Someone once tried towing a deuce with a ranger and the results weren't all that positive. Drive it! Drive it off roads a little to get used to the shifting and brake way ahead of time and you'll be fine. Make sure all the lights work.

-Kelly

 

[gimpyrobb]

With the info you have provided, DRIVE IT! The chase truck can pull the deuce to somewhere safe if it breaks down. You don't have to go, but you have to stop. If the truck has good brakes your biggest worry is covered. 5:1 odds that you make it home fine. Got picks?

 

[Westech]

I had my M220 on a try axle goose neck and pulled that with my 2500 duramax 350 miles. the truck was happy at 60 mph and it did great. Flat tow a deuce? no F-IN way!!!!! when I was flat towing my M220 with my M35 it was pushing that all over the road. I can just see someone getting killed really fast doing that.

 

[M1075]

Re: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

can you do that for 450 miles? or should i just drive the bad boy and keep the towing in case of "misshap"?

Can you do it = yes. Should you do it = no.

 

[Westech]

RE: Re: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

I know some girls like that

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: Re: towing a duece with a 1 ton or 3/4 ton pickup

I was going to type something here, but I'll leave it alone...

 

[Ferroequinologist]

It has been done- Dad towed a M211 about 20miles with a dodge diesel 2500- not to bad, never went over 45 though. I've also towed the M211 with an M35- at 55mph about 70miles. Did just find, don't remember feeling anything except slower to get up to speed and more stopping distance. Made lots of shape turns, and stop and go town traffic and everything. Even went off road towing it.

Also towed a M109 with the same M35 about 300 miles, again, don't really feel it was a problem.

Some guys would say don't others would say go ahead. Having done both, if the truck runs, DON'T flat tow it with the pickup. Too far, too may problems. As you have heard, you can have trouble even if the towed vehicle weighs the same as the towing vehicle.

I would do it if it was around the corner, but 450miles? Nope, especially with you being unfamiliar with the truck.

 

[Barrman]

I am probably the one written about above who flat towed a M35 with a M715. I had 2 715 stock engines in the bed and a bunch of tools. The lifting shackle mounts were gone from the M35 so I attached the towbar to a set of military axle wrap adaptors. That made the tow bar angle down from the 715's rear pintle.

My avatar is of that day. I had no trouble going or climbing hills. I did have troubles going down hills and around turns. 26 mph was the speed I learned to climb hills at and then let off before the crest to let it bleed down to about 20. I had to brake aggressively to keep it below 25 going down hill. I live in Central Texas, the flat part of Central Texas. What I am calling hills most of you everywhere else would call a dip in the road. Any faster on the speed and the Duece decided where we would go. It just moved the back of my truck and we went where it wanted.

I was visiting with Spicergear about it last month and he had the same thing happen when he towed his Duece home with his 715. Only he used the M35 shackle mounts for the tow bar. That caused his rear 715 tires to come off the ground enough so he couldn't go up hills or around turns.

I only had to go 40 miles, I had two chase vehicles, drove well paved back roads and didn't go through any towns.

A modern Dual rear wheel 1 ton with a lot of weight in the bed would probaby do a lot better than my 715. Another member used one to drag one down the East Coast a while back.

I would suggest to you that it is possible, but not the best option for you. Drive it, trailer it and then if you have to, flat tow it. You are never going to set any speed records with a M35. So, pull the top off, fold down the windshield and catch bugs in your teeth going 35-50 mph the entire drive home. You will feel like a kid again I garauntee.

 

[ida34]

Kenny. You silent on this one. I think he towed one home 500 -600 miles with a dually one ton. Maybe I am wrong but I thought he did so from Columbus to FL.

 

[doghead]

Dan, where are you located? Maybe one of us guys with a deuce or bigger could help(follow or tow).

 

[bugei]

i see the obvious trend here, but i loved the "can you do it = yes, should you do it = no" that is THE definitive answer; i am going to borrow that, ok?.

i think i will just go up there and drive the bad boy back, following with a 1 ton "just in case" i need a short drag. it seems obvious when i see it in type that the issue is "simple physics" 13,000 lbs vs 7,000 lbs, i don't even need to do the experiment to predict the outcome, even if the hauling truck is 700+ horsepower 557 ci ford stroker (the duece is not my first act of stupidity, not even my second, i am good at being stupid), all that is FORWARD horsepower, no bonus in a stopping maneuver. this whole 52 mph thing, i don't know, but i do have a big, make that BIG stereo ready to be mounted when i get it here. until then, i will be i-poding. i love engine noise though, but even for a noise lover 9 or 10 hours is a tolerence test.

i have my duece it checked and rechecked by good mechanics and just had all the brakes INCLUDING the parking brake redone, so the "i shoved a ranger into another time zone" thing should not occur (i HOPE).

btw, the trip is bend oregon to reno nevada, so if anyone in bend wants a trip to reno, let me know, we can talk.


thanx, i promise you a unique truck. see this gallery for my last "project"

http://www.rswarrior.com/Gallery/bugei.aspx

 

[rizzo]

we can talk.

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

I've done it before but I have a 9 ton trailer with fully working electric brakes. I am not sure what my F350 is rated at but my brother drove my fathers F550 from here in SC to Mississippi and back with a gross weight of 35,000 pounds when we did Katrina relief. When he got above 70 mph he said you could see the fuel gage move. Here's my set up that I would have no problem driving. Of course my rig is in top shape and I drive it every day and know what I'm doing. Your results could vary.

Joe Trapp, driving fool.

PS. A winch truck would not fit on my trailer. I would have to borrow my dad's trailer which is 4 feet longer.

 

[Westech]

Your results could vary.

Now thats funny!!