towing a deuce with a tow bar

[miltruckman]

Hi, I have a situation here!

I won (7) M35A2's at the govliquidation sale in Indianapolis.IN.

I really didn't expect them to sell that low or to win that many! But now it is done.

Now how to get them home to Michigan??

Anyone ever tow one deuce with another using the medium towbar?

Is it a sensible proposition on I-75?

Can you pull one with another at a reasonable speed, like above 45mph?

How is turning when one is hooked to another?

I would welcome any advice(or help) offered.

Thanks,

Bill
Michigan

 

[swbradley1]

That explains where all the trucks went.

I don't feel all that safe driving a normal vehicle up and down I-75 let alone a deuce. Although I drove mine home 350 miles on four different interstates I'm not sure I would do it again.

Pick a large state route heading north. You could take 40 over to 127 and run it all the way up to you.

Or you could sell them without picking them up.......

 

[M1075]

Congratulations on the deuces! Spend some time here using the search function and you will learn a lot. Get a couple of towbars and daisy chain those deuces. Here is a pic of my trip last week.

 

[DAVISCURLEW]

ASK FMJ ABOUT THE TOW BAR WE HAVE MOVED SEVERAL IN NM AND NOT OVER ABOUT 50 MPH

 

[miltruckman]

How far did you pull them like that? What is the sign for on the back? Required by law?

Bill
Michigan

 

[LanceRobson]

The biggest safety limitation is the inability of one deuce's brakes to stop two trucks. There was a recent post on slaving the towed vehicle's brakes by hooking them to the towing vehicle. Titled "Airpack modification for towing"
http://steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=24623

Then, I'd guess the biggest braking worry would likely be whether one air compressor will make enough air under all conditions. I'd be darn sure to keep the RPMs up in traffic.

For lights, it should be easy enough to make up a light set with a couple of composite tail lights and "test fire" them before leaving.

There was a thread this morning on towing a deuce: http://steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=24800

There is a TM for the towbar and a copy of the Vehicle Recovery FM in the manuals section. They'll show the correct way to hook up.

It's a pity you are so far away. It sound like it would be a fun trip.

Lance

 

[CCATLETT1984]

just run a air line from the towing trucks brake gladhand to the towed trucks brake gladhand, it will run both trucks brakes.

Are you considering selling one or two of them? Let me know. I have a towbar you could use if needed

Heck, I may be persuaded to get a day or two off of work and pull one back with my deuce.

 

[FormerNewMVGuy]

just run a air line from the towing trucks brake gladhand to the towed trucks brake gladhand, it will run both trucks brakes..

Do you hook it to the service air on the towed truck? I will be doing this soon and would really like to know

 

[miltruckman]

I just posted photos of all 7 trucks over in the transportation needs section.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&p=256730

Bill
Michigan

 

[FMJ]

just run a air line from the towing trucks brake gladhand to the towed trucks brake gladhand, it will run both trucks brakes.

Are you considering selling one or two of them? Let me know. I have a towbar you could use if needed

Heck, I may be persuaded to get a day or two off of work and pull one back with my deuce.

I thought this would only work on 5 tons, and NOT on the Deuce, If I'm wrong someone please correct me. I've towed a few Deuces with Deuces, 45 mph is about tops in my experience, I only have done 50 miles or so.....just not enough balz to tow another 13,530 in my opinion.

Ed

 

[Stretch44875]

The airline to the rear gladhand will not work on deuce's. There is a check valve that prevents the air from back feeding. Only works on 5 tons with front gladhands.

 

[Recovry4x4]

It has to be to a dedicated line to the air pack. Check the links above. The deuce lacks sufficient checkvalves for the brakes to operate from the back gladhand.

 

[miltruckman]

Some of them will be for sale. I'll have to pick out one or two for myself though!!

Bill
Michigan



-----------Original message----------

CCATLETT1984,

just run a air line from the towing trucks brake gladhand to the towed trucks brake gladhand, it will run both trucks brakes.

Are you considering selling one or two of them? Let me know. I have a towbar you could use if needed

Heck, I may be persuaded to get a day or two off of work and pull one back with my deuce.

 

[miltruckman]

If I run a line from my "emergency" connector on the back of my truck to the "emergency" connector on the towed vehicle it will pressurize the air tanks on the towed truck.

now if I want to connect the "service" fitting on the back of my truck to the towed vehicle, where would I tie it into the air system of the towed vehicle for normal break operation. I can make an adapter and all ready for towing another deuce.

Is it to that line that loops around the air pack? or is there a better place for "normal" break operation. Like a trailer would work when towed. I don't have a problem making an adapter I just want to make sure it is in the right place.

Bill
Michigan.

 

[54reo]

Is it to that line that loops around the air pack? or is there a better place for "normal" break operation. Like a trailer would work when towed. I don't have a problem making an adapter I just want to make sure it is in the right place.

Stretch did all of the homework for you!

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....3&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[CCATLETT1984]

I stand corrected on the gladhands for the deuce, thought they were the same. Where in the system are the front lines plummed? would you want to hook the airline from the towing truck up to the airline on the towed truck just before it enters the master cylinder?

 

[FreightTrain]

PM Redass on here.He has a wrecker service and might will give you a good rate to go pick them up and tow them to his wrecker yard so you don't have to do the 1 week bash.Personally,I would NEVER tow any more than 1 deuce with another deuce.Now MAYBE 2 deuces with a 5 ton at slow speeds for a short distance but a deuce has enough trouble stopping on it's own.....plus if you park it on top of someone cause they were and idiot,I can see MAJOR legal and financial problems in the future and possibly criminal manslaughter charges.Just cause it can be done doesn't mean it should or it is legal!3 deuces are 43,000lbs.With legal GVW of only 24,000lbs.

 

[FreightTrain]

oh,Not to mention around 66 feet for the trucks and around 5-6 foot per tow bar that is 76 feet long!That is one heavy and LONG rig that should only be attemped by a trained and experiance professional.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

for Redass and his service. He is a great help and makes recovery of deuces very easy.

 

[rumplecat]

When towed my last deuce from the hog farm we had to have a driver in the towed deuce due to the front wheels wanted to cut to sharply in any sort of turn, they would just lock up to the side and drag side ways!!!!! Do you tie off the steering wheel? I may have a bedless 5 ton to tow about 50 miles, anyone ever used a deuce to this?
James G.