Deuce driving tips

[wb1895]

I was just wondering what driving tips/ experience you guys might have to share about driving your deuce/ 5 ton.

Heres a couple that I know of:

1. Dont drive a deuce with your thumbs on the inside of the steering wheel: If the wheel gets away from you it will break your thumbs.

2. Make sure your feet are not under the springer seat as you are driving: If you hit a bump the seat will drop and squish your heels/ foot.

 

[tigger]

Do a pretrip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Keep your elbows tucked, contact with the door takes months to heal.

 

[wb1895]

I was just wondering what driving tips/ experience you guys might have to share about driving your deuce/ 5 ton.

Heres a couple that I know of:

1. Dont drive a deuce with your thumbs on the inside of the steering wheel: If the wheel gets away from you it will break your thumbs.

2. Make sure your feet are not under the springer seat as you are driving: If you hit a bump the seat will drop and squish your heels/ foot.

I should mention that I do have personal experience with both of these issues

 

[pad_cdr]

It won't quite break your thumbs, but it will hurt like he!! for a couple of weeks.

Off road or on mud roads, especially narrow ones, stay on top of your wheel. Unlike a jeep or a 4wd truck, the momentum of a deuce going sideways is hard to overcome. Better to not get going sideways in the first place.

 

[wb1895]

It won't quite break your thumbs, but it will hurt like he!! for a couple of weeks.

Off road or on mud roads, especially narrow ones, stay on top of your wheel. Unlike a jeep or a 4wd truck, the momentum of a deuce going sideways is hard to overcome. Better to not get going sideways in the first place.

My right thumb would disagree with you on that. My first deployment I hit a pot hole while driving a deuce and broke my right thumb.

 

[JOateyNV]

Little cars can't see you. Check and re-check before changing lanes.

 

[sigo]

Plan ahead: turning, stopping, pulling into an intersection, etc.

 

[pad_cdr]

Before you come to a full stop, be sure your front wheels are pointing the way you want to go when you start up. Armstrong steering is not the best when you are not moving.

 

[jrobinson5093]

Depending on if you have a winch or not always mind where your bumper is.

 

[Heath_h49008]

Drive like you don't have brakes... downshift/coast as much as possible up to a stop. Test the brake pedal semi-regularly as you drive.

 

[Rambling Wreck]

Keep your elbows tucked, contact with the door takes months to heal.

I can atest to this as I learned that lesson the hard way.

A few of my own tips:
Be sure to leave yourself plenty of stopping distance.
Always have an out.
Ensure that your tires are properly inflated.
Wear your seatbelt.
Don't forget to turn off your blinker.
Don't forget to release and set your parking brake.
Don't use the throttle control as a cruise control.
Properly secure any load you are hauling.

Oh yeah, and don't "drive it like you stole it".

 

[NDT]

If you are running NDCC tires and it rains, braking on pavement is about the same as braking on ice.

 

[sandcobra164]

Check your brakes before getting underway. Your Master Cylinder is under that little "trap door" on the driver's side, verify that you have BFS in it. Check for leaks to ensure you still have oil in your transmission, transfer case, motor, etc. If everything is dry on the outside, it probably has nothing inside. Close your air tank drains (you drained them when you parked right?) Get in and enjoy the ride. Good tips on the thumbs, following and slowing distances. Lastly, don't get talked into pulling a 23,000 pound load behind you. It has and can do it but it'll be slow going and is more worry than it's worth!!!

 

[Heath_h49008]

Any tire that won't hold air is about to blow.

Any new slight pull in the front end is a tire going flat and getting ready to blow.

Blowing a steer tire on the highway isn't fun.

Start doing upper body weight lifting to control that wheel when it gets a mind of it's own.

Buy and keep a selection of brass fittings and spare line in the tool box as well as cribbing capable of holding the weight of the truck if you go down in soft stuff.

Break all the rear lug nuts loose when you have the time and not the need, so when you get a flat you don't "discover" the rust seized one on the flat you need to take off.

 

[Floridianson]

Always figure that green light is going to go red. If you are in high range comming to a stop just before the tires stop rolling switch the transfer case to low.

 

[m16ty]

Keep your elbows tucked, contact with the door takes months to heal.

For some reason my M932 has a rifle mount on the door. That thing lines right up with your elbow.

 

[135gmc]

Assume that every person driving a car near you is a lunatic - that way, you won't be surprised at about anything they do. Many years ago, I was towing a 155 howitzer, and had just come onto a freeway from an entrance ramp. The person driving behind me HAD to get in front of me. Since the lane next to me was full, the moron decided to pass me on the shoulder.

 

[wb1895]

All of these tips are great!! Keep them coming

For those of you with a winch truck, Make sure the winch is not engaged before you start the truck. The lock out plate has a tendency of flipping up.

 

[jdknech]

if GPS says 4hr trip, plan for 8...