MWMULES, thank you

[71DeuceAK]

Special thanks to Dave. We'd been talking for years but I finally happened to meet you at KAMO this year. You then proceeded to invite me to tag along to the GA rally a week later.

Thanks for being willing to drag my irritating personality halfway across the United States and back, arrange lodging for me at the end of the trip when downtime was abundant, and teach me quite a bit about various states I'd never been to. Learned a lot about the background of Steel Soldiers in the process.

It was actually quite fun. Thanks again!

 

[MWMULES]

Only took 2 pictures at the Ga Rally and one turned out to be your smiling face. For those not in the know Oct 11 John 98G and Andy showed up at the KAMO rally after 3+ hours of intense trailer backing. Having never met Andy, I offered to pick him up the following Tuesday 15th from 98G 2 hours west of me and have a co-driver for the 2 day trip East to Ga Rally. Who knew Ed would say yes! It was fun having the views of a 21yr old for the next 7 days. One & 1/2 days were spent helping me at various MV storage locations till I dropped the Kudzu Kid (still working on a nick name) off at KCI in the afternoon of the 22nd for the return trip to AK!

 

[71DeuceAK]

Finally made it home yesterday. Whew. 20 days straight of you fellow crazy army truck enthusiasts, what a trip! Ex-motorpool neighbor who we had over for dinner last night was shaking their head in a belly laugh at the "trailer" story. It has become more and more apparent to me that Steel Soldiers and the people thereof have found their way into every nook and cranny of my life, a first world problem I am actually quite thankful for.

 

[MWMULES]

Taking Andy to the airport!


​

 

[Guyfang]

Well, lets hear the trailer story. I still have nightmares from my first trailer backing disasters. Scarred me for life.

 

[marchplumber]

Ya never know what'll happen, till ya try................guaranteed failure if NO attempt is made!

I'd like to hear the story too.............3+hours? Whooooaa

 

[98G]

Well, lets hear the trailer story. I still have nightmares from my first trailer backing disasters. Scarred me for life.

An M989A1 just can't be backed, especially around corners. It's not my inability or inexperience. It just can't be done.

I say this, and I've had a class A CDL. I can parallel park a tractor trailer. I can (and have recently) backed a gooseneck around 3 sides of a square when a narrow motel parking lot didn't wrap completely around the builiding.

This particular fiasco was caused by GPS. M925 with the M989A1 down a mile and a half of narrow winding dirt road to a dead end. (I called before making the cursed turn and confirmed I should proceed - wrong).

 

[71DeuceAK]

An M989A1 just can't be backed, especially around corners. It's not my inability or inexperience. It just can't be done.

I say this, and I've had a class A CDL. I can parallel park a tractor trailer. I can (and have recently) backed a gooseneck around 3 sides of a square when a narrow motel parking lot didn't wrap completely around the builiding.

This particular fiasco was caused by GPS. M925 with the M989A1 down a mile and a half of narrow winding dirt road to a dead end. (I called before making the cursed turn and confirmed I should proceed - wrong).

View attachment 781457

Oh and some of those roads just plain sucked anyway...

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Oh and some of those roads just plain sucked anyway...

Um....

Need we remind you that you're in a very capable 6x6 military vehicle dragging an equally off-road capable trailer......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3AfIvJBcGo


But FENCES.... And TREES.... Now THEY can be obstacles !

 

[71DeuceAK]

Tree branches and cargo covers and soft tops, ya know...not always the best combination

 

[marchplumber]

Tree branches and cargo covers and soft tops, ya know...not always the best combination

There was a member that had a tag line something like this.........................

Every ship can be a minesweeper........................ONCE

Every truck can be a dozer..........................once

LMBO

 

[98G]

I'll back this -



And I'll back this -



This-


This -



This -



This -


And if really needed I'll even back THIS-



But under no circumstances will I ever willingly back this -

 

[71DeuceAK]

I've since wondered: Would a "truck" GPS not have led us down some of those crazy roads? I mean there's gotta be ways for truckers in the 21st century to avoid scenarios such as we experienced...

 

[royalflush55]

I've never done this but would a "push" bar mounted on both sides from corners of truck bed to corners of trailer bed some how allow trailer to back straight up?

 

[marchplumber]

Didn't/don't farmers back grain/hay wagons? I have NEVER backed one, so have NO experience or "wisdom"....

Just an interesting scenario......=)

 

[98G]

I've never done this but would a "push" bar mounted on both sides from corners of truck bed to corners of trailer bed some how allow trailer to back straight up?

It's possible to lock the steering on the 989a1s. Doesn't really help.

Presumably if you wanted to back straight up, and were perfectly aligned truck to trailer before locking the steering, and were perfectly aligned trailer to target before locking the steering, then locking the steering might produce the desired results. In reality this set of circumstances never arises.

The best way to tow one of these is to plan ahead and avoid any need to back it. This works fine until you end up forced to back it up.

Unhooking and dragging it from behind is the only option. And this works poorly at best. Barely possible.

Description doesn't do it justice. You can't understand just how bad it is until you experience it.

 

[marchplumber]

That would be a fun competition at a rally

 

[royalflush55]

Didn't/don't farmers back grain/hay wagons? I have NEVER backed one, so have NO experience or "wisdom"....

Just an interesting scenario......=)

You can back a hay wagon with a tractor a lot easier than you can with a pickup, but it is still not easy some times. It is always a slow process that takes many attempts.

 

[Guyfang]

All right. Lets hear the backing up stories. I will start if no one else will. It happened so long ago, I cant possibly go to jail.

 

[Guyfang]

You can back a hay wagon with a tractor a lot easier than you can with a pickup, but it is still not easy some times. It is always a slow process that takes many attempts.

Some people are BORN to back up trailers. Some, (me) are not quite so blessed.