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Towing a M35A2

armyvet67

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What is the correct way to tow a M35A2 with a 5 ton wrecker (M816) I think. Do you lift the front end of the M35A2 off the ground with the wrecker and connect the tow bar to the top of the front bumper of the M35A2? I have seen other options but would like to hear from others that have towed the M35A2 with the 5 ton wrecker.

Thanks.

Harold.
 

319

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I seem to recall reading that if lifted off of the ground you would attach the tow bar to the front axle via axle clamps. Use the whiffle (sp?) tree attached to the bumper to lift the truck. If flat towing, attach the tow bar to the bumper. Flat towing procedure is in the -10 manual.
In either case, be sure to use safety chains.
 

armyvet67

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Thanks 319. Does the whiffle tree come with the 5 ton wrecker? I have a lot to learn about towing with the 5 ton wrecker. Can you use the whiffle tree to lift the duece off the ground if you connect the tow bar to the top of the bumper? I don,t guess I have ever seen a WHIFFLE tree.

Thanks very much 319.
 

319

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Thanks 319. Does the whiffle tree come with the 5 ton wrecker? I have a lot to learn about towing with the 5 ton wrecker. Can you use the whiffle tree to lift the duece off the ground if you connect the tow bar to the top of the bumper? I don,t guess I have ever seen a WHIFFLE tree.

Thanks very much 319.
Pretty sure the tree was standard issue but if you get a wrecker don't count on getting a tree with it, or much of anything else usefull. I don't think the tree and bar can attach at the same time since they attach at the same point. I'm looking for photos to post.
 

armyvet67

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Great photo and a big help for me to see them. I did some towing with the wrecker back in 1960 when i was in Germany but i have forgot most of it. A lot of water under the bridge since then. But the photoes bring back a lot for me. Fort Knox had two 5 tons wreckers for sale last week and they looked like new trucks. They went for $10,000.00 plus. I sure would like to have one in good shape.

Thank for your help.

Merry Christmas.
 

Barrman

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Besides lifting the front end of a damaged truck. The front end of a non air shift, sprag transfer case truck needs to be either lifter or have the front hubs removed. I have flat towed my sprag equiped Gasser M35 by spending about 5 minutes with a 3/4" socket pulling the hubs.

A regular air shift truck with no damage can be flat towed by pretty much just putting everything in neutral, using pins that have clips like tractor hook ups and not pins like bailing wire to hold the tow bar feet to the mounts above the bumper. Then, just make sure the front tires of the towed truck have at least 40-50 psi of air in them and drive careful. The hardest part is getting the tow bar assembled and attached because it is so heavy. I use a 2x6 cut to just the correct length that will allow me to back up to an assembled and hooked up tow bar. Then I just need to kick the board out, close the pintle top, run lights and chains before I drive away.

My 12 year old did this in about 10 minutes from start to finish Tuesday before dragging a truck 130 miles behind my Whistler. Read the -10 for the truck and the recovery manuals, under stand them and drive like you have a cargo of priceless eggs at all time.
 

Floridianson

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I use axle clamps and run wiffle tree. Just don't tighten up on the crane line to tight. This will act as saftey along with chains. If you realy want to be safe you run a chain from the boom end hole with a shackle to the wiffle tree loop. Now you have axle clamped, wiffle tree atached to bumper shackles and chain from wifflel tree to boom end and chains from spring hanger to back of 816.

Also I have found if you install axle clamps on top of axle it might intrefear with the stearing arm on the passinger side. If I flat tow I put the axle clamps on from the bottom. If lift tow you can run them on top as the TM 9-4910-593-12&P states.

Keep tow bar short. Last hole is fine just no right angle turns.
If your are buy yourself use crane hook and chain to hold tow bar up and at the right hight while makeing connection. Ps Take a friend !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Last edited:

emr

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A sprag means absolutely nothing in a flat tow, Military has done it for a few million miles, and i have a few thousand easily, U just need to read the manuals, a lift tow is only for off road towing OR a damaged vehicle , otherwise a flat tow is always recommended big time.
 

Dhallftworth

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*Reviving a dead thread*

i was told that it might be a good idea to leave the tranny in 5th gear, so that fluid will continue to circulate, while flat towing. Does this sound correct?
 

doghead

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Try reading the manual?
 

swbradley1

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*Reviving a dead thread*

i was told that it might be a good idea to leave the tranny in 5th gear, so that fluid will continue to circulate, while flat towing. Does this sound correct?
Ordinarily I'm not prone to outbursts but who in the Sam Hill told you that? Must have been someone with an IQ south of the interstate speed limit in 1978.


Unless of course tranny means transvestite in which case yes, leave them in 5th.
 
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