towing a m818 with a deuce

[SgtHatred]

......... but I will have to go through Chicago, even If I go through at an off peak time of day, I still have some worries and questions.

I've driven thru Chicago at 1am and there was still alot of traffic. And, from what I remember there were toll boths every few miles. So, expect to be stopping alot.

Good luck either way.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Weight of the 818 wo/w is 20,290#. Depends on how your deuce runs. I drug my deuce wrecker home 340 miles with my deuce tractor. The wrecker weighs just short of 20,000# but I had enough tools and crap to eclipse the 20,000 mark. Ran 55 -60 all the way home. Getting up to speed took a couple of miles. Just last month I drug Bruce Kubu's M109A3 shop van from Camilla GA to Union Point GA on mostly 2 lane roads and very hilly. His shop van probably weighs 16,000 with those big tires. Did this with a cargo truck. Some of the hills drug me down but it was doable. It can be done but you need to be comfortable with what you are doing, if not, don't do it. I will warn you about this though. You're first mile or 4 you will be asking yourself, "What in the hell am I doing?" Once you get used to it, it's not that bad. Roll the hills, plan 4 or 5 moves ahead, keep a gap at any cost, and be alert of everything and you can do this. If you're deuce is marginal in the power area, maybe not.

 

[papabear]

please...do not tow a 5ton with a deuce....even if folks have done it before!!!!!!

 

[m.walker]

Yes it can be done , but all you need is one idiot in a car in front of you to do something stupid and it turns into a big mess . I drive a semi for a living and almost every time there is a situation it's someone in a car violating your safe stopping distance in front of you . No matter how careful you are it's usually someone else that takes you out . Believe me there are a lot of those drivers in the chicago area , I've been through there a number of times . Have it fixed there drive it back and be able to enjoy the trip , not having to white knuckle it . Either way good luck to you !

 

[OldGoat]

Fix or ship it. This is one of those situations that is ripe for failure. For your own safety & peace of mind fix it or ship it. That's just my opinion of course, but that's what I would do.

 

[sermis]

DO IT, DON'T DO IT, DO IT, DON'T DO IT.opcorn:
I know I would do it but I have a tendency to try almost anything. Most can be done safely if done slow. I do think it would be better to drive the 818. Float the gears and drive. You could even pull the M35 behind it if needed. Unless the throw out bearing has come apart and lodged in the clutch it should not be that big of a problem.

 

[saquishmike]

The D.O.T cops will love to see you tow it home. Your wallet will want you to have it shipped.

 

[toddm]

I would have it fixed and then drive it home, better safe than frustrated or sorry. Just my input. Todd

 

[FreightTrain]

wonder how a M35A2 with S280 would do towing a M543A2....300 miles......hee hee hee.Hey,wrecker,wanna go on a road trip......I ain't scared!.......and you aint' got no sense......sounds like a perfect combo!

 

[Chevytruck]

if you do so document the adventure and teach us all a either good or bad lesson about what happened

 

[Recovry4x4]

Sounds like a low range adventure. Let me know when you go so I can take my family on a cruise.

 

[Chevytruck]

Sounds like a low range adventure. Let me know when you go so I can take my family on a cruise.

good point!

opcorn:

 

[ASH]

You can shift an 818 without a clutch no problem at all I drove the old 818’s in Germany for a lot of miles and had to bring my truck home with a trailer on with no clutch and did it just fine

 

[reb87]

Well this is probably all done by now but towing a five ton is as safe as towing a deuce in my opinion just because you can hook up the brakes on the 5 ton to the towing vehicle. Then you are just towing a 10ton trailer with brakes. I wouldnt do it unless the brakes worked though. The lights are easy, just unscrew the turn signal wiring harness and then run wires from your deuce trailer hookup to the corrisponding wire on the m818 trailer hook up behind the cab. The wires are numbered so use a volt meter to find your brakes and parking lights and hook them together. I had to unhook my headlights as well as they come on with the parking lights.
Ross