deuce flat tow question

[gijoe]

My commerical f550 4x4 wrecker is gvw at 17,500 and i do tow duces with it but i am picking up the front end and once i had to pull a ammo trailer with it because the witch at GL said i had to get it out of there that day or loose it, but it is plenty for it down the highway. Oh my f550 weighs 13,000 pounds empty. I once pulled a 6500# trailer home when i weighed it with my 1/2 ton 4x4 chev truck, but should i say it drove me and i almost lost it coming up to the express way. I had no idea it weighed that much and didn't do my home work either.

 

[stampy]

Well apples and oranges. Flat towing a m35 behind a 1 ton (without brakes on the m35) is NOT THE SAME THING as towing on a trailer with brakes and a center bed mount that distributes the load evenly on all 4 or 6 tires of the tow vehicle. in a panic stop the load shifts forward and the trailer brakes assist the towing vehicle (which has increased pressure over the center of gravity on the hitch mount) , thus allowing more contact (at a higher Psi) on the road surface and a more even distribution of the weight on the towing vehicles tires and better braking when you flat tow all the braking force is on the rear tow mount (or hitch). Depending on the configuration of the tow bar (the best is flat as nose high or low can cause scary situations with unloading the front or rear of the tow vehicle in a panic stop. You can flat tow with it but I wouldn't. I have towed a few deuces with military towbars without incident and that in my opinion is one of the safer ways to handle it( the safest being to hire a recovery truck)

 

[TacticalDoc]

Is there a TM for 5 ton towing a 5 ton? As I read through this post I still have questions. If I'm towing another M923 that has power steering how do I tow it? I have medium military tow bars with feet for the bumper. Do I keep the rear truck off without steering and wheels straight? Do I need someone in the rear truck with it on? What if I cant attach the tow bar to the bumper and have to use the axle clamp...other than having to go slower and not as safe do I have to do anything different? wouldn't it be better for someone to be in the rear truck so he can put the breaks on when the front truck slows down?

 

[zebedee]

Is there a TM for 5 ton towing a 5 ton? ?

You are in the DEUCE forum... try searching same in the 5 ton forum - there is a bazillion related topics there. But so as not to appear snide and sarchastic....

TM 9 2320-260-10.... 2-90

As I read through this post I still have questions. If I'm towing another M923 that has power steering how do I tow it?

It only has power steering if the engine is running but if your question is related to effect of forcing the casualty to turn... then no it will not prevent turning or 'hurt' said casualty.

I have medium military tow bars with feet for the bumper. Do I keep the rear truck off without steering and wheels straight?

...?

Do I need someone in the rear truck with it on?

Absolutely not

What if I cant attach the tow bar to the bumper and have to use the axle clamp...other than having to go slower and not as safe do I have to do anything different?

Why can't you use the bumper? but no, nothing is different other than the length of the towbar - though it's not as rigid as fully collapsed.
TM 9-4910-593-12&P

wouldn't it be better for someone to be in the rear truck so he can put the breaks on when the front truck slows down?

If you are towing a 5 ton you can hook up the brakes to the towing vehicles "glad hands" Red and Yellow air connectors back and front.

 

[TacticalDoc]

I did a tow search for a 5 ton and this is the only tow bar post I could find

 

[zebedee]

Didn't look at any of these specifically - just copied the shortcut from the 5 ton forum, search "towing" results...

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?95473-Towing-a-5-ton-behind-a-5-ton&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ification-questions-opinions&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?111996-Neutral-tow&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?92012-Anyone-towed-a-M-54-with-a-M-52&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?96386-Towing-a-M146-with-a-M931A1&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93395-Flat-towing-M923&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93637-Can-an-M923-pull-this&highlight=towing .......?
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93316-M915A1-Truck-Tractor-gladhand&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93361-towing-an-M923A1&highlight=towing

 

[TacticalDoc]

Didn't look at any of these specifically - just copied the shortcut from the 5 ton forum, search "towing" results...

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?95473-Towing-a-5-ton-behind-a-5-ton&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ification-questions-opinions&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?111996-Neutral-tow&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?92012-Anyone-towed-a-M-54-with-a-M-52&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?96386-Towing-a-M146-with-a-M931A1&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93395-Flat-towing-M923&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93637-Can-an-M923-pull-this&highlight=towing .......?
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93316-M915A1-Truck-Tractor-gladhand&highlight=towing
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?93361-towing-an-M923A1&highlight=towing

these posts didn't answer my questions. i'm looking at the tm but still don't thing im ready to do a 5ton tow just by reading,

 

[zebedee]

these posts didn't answer my questions. I'm looking at the TM but still don't think I'm ready to do a 5 ton tow just by reading,

OK - so other than your questions in post #43 - which I tried to cover in post #44, what else are you unsure of that wasn't covered in either the TM or the other threads in the 5 ton section?