wrecker 816 vs 936 whitch is better

[area52]

I have a question regarding the wreckers......Ive never seen one - only in pics....but from what I can see they appear to be rotating CRANE trucks .....Im not seeing any underlift or anything else to keep a towed vehicle - in tow-

all I can see is a crane hook -what am I missing?.....how do you keep the towed vehicle under control ?

Most of the time, the military towed trucks two ways:

One is using a "whiffle tree bar" which hooks to the bumper and using the crane picks the front of the truck off the ground, then a towbar is hooked to the front axle with axle clamps.

Two is just using the towbar to the front bumper and not using the crane at all.

there are quite a few threads on here of people towing with wreckers. Works good with military vehicles, not quite as good with civilian vehicles.

 

[doghead]

Yes, they are rotating booms. Very usefull.

Not really the best "towtruck/wrecker", but very very versitile.

 

[73m819]

ON the wreckers, the front tends to go lite on a heavy lift tow, I was real surprised/ happy when I found out that the 819 (tractor wrecker) didn't seem to go lite like the other wreckers

 

[Jersey4x4]

ok, since we are on the wrecker subject. I just replaced the gladhands on my M816 and noticed the front and rear are backwards. When towing another MV do the air lines cross from wrecker to towed vehicle? Same as safety Chains?

 

[jrobinson5093]

I have also wondered about how they actually tow. I figured it would be similer to my holmes 600 with a big truck bar, but in all the pictures I seen I never saw one on a 5 tonwrecker. I just dont see how it could move somthing that was disabled and would not roll.

 

[Andy1234]

Here's a few pics.

Andy

 

[jrobinson5093]

ok I see now. just seems different from most other wreckers but i guess they didnt really need a decitated tow truck.

 

[Welder Sam]

multi-tasker. i love my 816

 

[73m819]

The bad thing about lift towing with a TB, is you have TWO pivot POINTS, at the hook and the PENTEL, unfortunately these points are NOT close, during a sharp turn thay fight each other, putting a TREMENDOUS stress on the TB and ATTACHING points.
The pic below shows the TWEAKING that is caused by the different pivot points

The trick way to fix this is to turn the TB around, with a pivot second pivot at the lift hook

 

[Jersey4x4]

Nice pics, I dont see air lines though?

 

[73m819]

no need for air lines, none working brakes, the 819 brakes was way more then enough to stop the whole mess, the 818 did NOT even KNOW it was there

 

[doghead]

The bind can be minimized by keeping the boom as high as possible. The idea is to have a long cable, so it can swing easier. Far from perfect, it but helps.


I plan to fab up or find a sling, eventually. Might even add an under lift, that is lifted by the hook(no hydraulics).

I better put the pipe down now...

 

[Andy1234]

Nice pics, I dont see air lines though?

For a 1 mile tow, there were no air lines.

Andy

 

[73m819]

Way hook up air line, 1---when the deuce does not call for air line hookup, 2----the brakes are history, 3----truck has been sitting for many years, flat tires ect., 4---5 mile slow haul, 5--- truck is so light, that the 819 didn't even feel it back there, both starting/pulling and stopping

 

[466Navastar]

thanks for the pics - Ive been scratching my head wondering for a while now how towing was accomplished....the pics REALLY cleared that up.........only the govt would use a system that binds up like that....the engineers must have been on vacation when that was approved.

A simple heavy duty - crane lifted- underlift that swivels at the point the towed vehicle is secured to it would be SO much nicer

do the wreckers come with the tow bars and that gizmo that hooks to the towed vehicle for the crane hook?.....or are they usually gone from GL vehicles

at 36-38000# the M936 wreckers must not be able to get out of their own way - has anyone ever swapped in a Big Cam 400 from a M915 series and had any success with the rest of the drivetrain holding up ?

Lastly - what makes the M936 SO much heavier than the M923/925.....other than the obvious weight of the rotating crane ?......Ive heard that its double framed.....anything else more heavy duty?.....from pics its just kind of hard to believe the rotating crane weighs 15,000#

 

[spicergear]

The bad thing about lift towing with a TB, is you have TWO pivot POINTS, at the hook and the PENTEL, unfortunately these points are NOT close, during a sharp turn thay fight each other, putting a TREMENDOUS stress on the TB and ATTACHING points.
The pic below shows the TWEAKING that is caused by the different pivot points

The trick way to fix this is to turn the TB around, with a pivot second pivot at the lift hook

...kinda, ...sorta, looks like maybe the truck has the tandems on the curb?

 

[73m819]

...kinda, ...sorta, looks like maybe the truck has the tandems on the curb?

kinda, ...sorta, looks like maybe -NOPE, NOT ON CURB, couldn't, a fence gate pole was there,,besides that would have been a VERY JUNIOR move, and if true , you would NOT post a pic of that JUNIOR move

 

[gimpyrobb]

,,besides that would have been a VERY JUNIOR move, and if true , you would NOT post a pic of that JUNIOR move

So you KNOW he has plenty of them!

 

[73m819]

thanks for the pics - Ive been scratching my head wondering for a while now how towing was accomplished....the pics REALLY cleared that up.........only the govt would use a system that binds up like that....the engineers must have been on vacation when that was approved.

A simple heavy duty - crane lifted- underlift that swivels at the point the towed vehicle is secured to it would be SO much nicer

do the wreckers come with the tow bars and that gizmo that hooks to the towed vehicle for the crane hook?.....or are they usually gone from GL vehicles

at 36-38000# the M936 wreckers must not be able to get out of their own way - has anyone ever swapped in a Big Cam 400 from a M915 series and had any success with the rest of the drivetrain holding up ?

Lastly - what makes the M936 SO much heavier than the M923/925.....other than the obvious weight of the rotating crane ?......Ive heard that its double framed.....anything else more heavy duty?.....from pics its just kind of hard to believe the rotating crane weighs 15,000#

The #36000 819 will do 65 on the tach, 60 easy just down from tack, the OM 1200s help,

Not only double/triple frame, the wrecker bed is a LOT heavier than a cargo bed, plus the walking beams alone are close to #600, then all the BII recovery gear, 300' of 3/4 cable weighs just a bit, a second fuel tank, a set of cutting tanks, weight adds up quick

 

[STSCSS]

So which one is the best for maintence work?