Uneventful M35 towed recovery with M818 (pics)

[70deuce]

We had one of the easier recovery missions here in Colorado club members have in awhile. Towed a deuce to its new home in Elizabeth, CO from the Black Forest area. About a 45 mile jaunt. Real nice winch truck with hopefully just a minor transfer case problem (reason for the tow). Truck was dropped off by a towtruck facing wrong way. Chained pulled it for repositioning it for towbar hookup. M818 pulled the deuce happily at 50mph on semi-level roads at 6000' msl only losing speed on some pretty steep hills that run through this area. Water temp never over 190 degrees.

 

[Hammer]

Did he ride/steer in the M35 the entire trip?

 

[70deuce]

Yes he did. We had alot of very tight turns getting out of its location and in to its new home so he rode back there for the whole trip and steered for the tight turns. Wasn't a long trip. I think I even heard him back there making engine noises

 

[Recovry4x4]

I'd like to ride back there once, that must be cool. I little trick I use for towbar hookup since I'm a one horse show. I have a fiberglass stave from unk vehicle. I' cut it about 36" in length and use it to hold up my towbar while I back the truck into it.

 

[70deuce]

Great idea on the towbar support. Hooking these things up solo with these type towbars is definitely a challenge.

 

[beaubeau]

If a tow bar is used and adjusted right, the vwhicle should tow fine without a driver. Thats what a tow bar is for. In some states it is illegal to ride in a Towed vehicle. 40 -50 miles is a short distance.I have towed Tractor trucks with a tow bar pulled behing a 3/4 ton pick up. I have 8ft tow bar for easier towing of larger vehicles. I find longer is better. I towed my M818 500miles with my Deuce, alone, and all went well. Good job getting it done safely! Good Luck, Phil

 

[Elwenil]

If a tow bar is used and adjusted right, the vwhicle should tow fine without a driver. Thats what a tow bar is for. In some states it is illegal to ride in a Towed vehicle. 40 -50 miles is a short distance.I have towed Tractor trucks with a tow bar pulled behing a 3/4 ton pick up. I have 8ft tow bar for easier towing of larger vehicles. I find longer is better. I towed my M818 500miles with my Deuce, alone, and all went well. Good job getting it done safely! Good Luck, Phil

Not to put you down or anything but the TM says to keep the tow bar as short as possible. In the extended position, the towbar has about 1/4 of its capacity that it would have in the retracted position. I also think that a second driver is recommended by either a TM or a bulletin in PS magazine. I think the laws about being in a towed vehicle apply more to a camper trailer than an individual riding in the driver's position of a towed vehicle with it's own braking and steering systems. I liken it to the rear steer position found in some large cranes and ladder trucks. YMMV

 

[M1075]

I am almost certain I have seen TMs conflicting on the issue of a driver in the towed vehicle. Maybe one superceedes the other. I think the more recent one indicates no driver in the towed vehicle. Must have been some mishaps along the way.

 

[70deuce]

I don't what the deal is with towing these trucks but my experience with towing deuces with long, short in between length towbars is that they don't follow the tow vehicle very well at all. Wide turns, tight turns whatever they have their own mind for where the front tires will point during a turn. Increased tire pressure has made no difference. I have not towed a 5 ton but towed many smaller vehicles (smaller than a deuce) with no problems. The vehicles track nicely behind the tow vehicle and you can watch the steering wheel in the towed vehicle go with the turn. The handful of deuces that have been towed by our guys never tow the same. Most of the time the front end tracks straight ahead even during a wide turn and you end up pulling the front tires sideways with corresponding scrub marks and smoke. I have had the front tires turn opposite to the turn the tow vehicle is doing. Most of this stuff seems to be more apparent at slow speeds. Bottom line is being safe when towing these guys.

 

[rosco]

I thoroughly agree with the above - Especially with tight turns, no telling where the steering tires will go. The extra driver could do a lot to minimize wear & tear on the turns.

Is that an air line running back there to the towed?

Lee in Alaska

 

[Hammer]

Correct, it was the older TMs that suggest using a second person to steer/brake the second/towed vehicle.

As for laws, they state if the trailer is connected by a 5th wheel, and there is communications between the two vehicles, it is ok to have a passenger in the trailer.

As for towing vehicles, in at least CA, it's illegal to ride in the vehicle being towed.

On the other hand, if you are in camo type clothing, I doubt any cops would pull you over.
Or as my wife said, it would be easy enough to duck any time you see a cop....

One other question, did you pull the drive shafts before towing?

I was thinking about just tying a rope to the steering wheel that allows the wheel to turn some, but not go too far.
I know in the tow truck, I have to strap the steering wheel down so the wheel will NOT turn.

 

[70deuce]

No air line connected to the deuce and the all driveshafts were in place. 24 volt magnetic towing lights were in place on the rear of the truck. Probably would be a good idea to make up an air line that would reach from the tow vehicle to the rear service brake connection on the deuce as much as we have been moving vehicles around here.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Hooking up to the rear service brake glad hand will offer you nothing in the form of braking. The line needs to be run to the back of the can on the airpack to effect braking. I've got thousands of miles towing deuces on a towbar and here are my observations. Older deuces flat tow better. My 1952 M275 and 1953 M108 both will track with the towing truck turning in either direction no matter how sharp. Perhaps this has something to do with different caster adjustments (which have great bearing on towed vehicle steerability). The newer deuces seem to go fin down the road but are questionable on corners and soft ground. I find that they will follow me under most circumstances except sharp turns which are almost always right handers. I've certainly had my share of jumpouts to correct the direction of the front wheels on the toad. I towed one from Wayne Harris place to home without any steering wheel. It sucks trying to straighten out the wheels on a deuce using vice grips.