Towing m35a2 with m35a2

[goodguyzy]

I towed a deuce with a deuce to the DMV to kill two birds with one stone as they both needed a vin inspection. I must have done something right since i made it back in one piece, but still interested in what holes are the right ones to use on the tow bar. Here are some pics i took, and yes that's my 6 yr old backing me up to the bar which is supported by a saw horse.

 

[nhdiesel]

Ummm....you forgot something......


Jim

 

[armytruck63]

Yes, we have no pictures. The saw horse idea is good.

 

[goodguyzy]

sorry im working on it now

 

[goodguyzy]

Here they are, took forever to upload for some reason, any input is appreciated

 

[nhdiesel]

Looks good to me!

Jim

 

[wsucougarx]

Looks good. Got safety chain?

 

[Floridianson]

I have towed in the first hole and the second. I myself rather have the bar short so the chains are short also. I feel as long as you can make a good right angle turn and you don't run the two trucks together then it's good.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The correct length is the one you are most comfortable with. The bar's max capacity is collapsed. Some folks report better tracking with the bar extended. I keep mine short as bent tow bars irritate me. Actually, the extend-able length is more targeted at lift towing where the bar attaches to the axle housing.

 

[goodguyzy]

No i don't have safety chains, ummm i didn't think about that, good point.

Newbie here!!!

 

[doghead]

I think I see "hair pins" in the towbar pins. (the same wire pins that are used with the truck lift shackles)

You should have "lynch pins" that have about a 3/16" pin in those holes. (the wire clips are not good enough for towing.

You can drill out the pins you have or get the correct towbar adapter pins.

 

[Barrman]

We each seem to have our own preference on the tow bar length. I have pulled in the 1st hole, 3rd and 7th holes. I prefer the 3rd. Do as mentioned above, be comfortable and add safety chains.

 

[kurtkds]

I go with full collapsed with my bar. Here's in an example of a chain set up.

 

[rwbrown72]

We each seem to have our own preference on the tow bar length. I have pulled in the 1st hole, 3rd and 7th holes. I prefer the 3rd. Do as mentioned above, be comfortable and add safety chains.

"If you didn't build it, you can't call it yours."

I was just wondering which one of your trucks you manufactured? Build it is a little vague. How much work do I need to do to call a truck that I paid for mine? Just curious... I wonder if you built your house? Or your daily car... Did you grow your own food too? I believe that we should encourage people to get into this hobby and not worry about their mechanical skills. I can weld, but I bet there are a lot of people here who can't. I fly jets.... can you? Just some food for thought.

 

[yetti96]

"If you didn't build it, you can't call it yours."

I was just wondering which one of your trucks you manufactured? Build it is a little vague. How much work do I need to do to call a truck that I paid for mine? Just curious... I wonder if you built your house? Or your daily car... Did you grow your own food too? I believe that we should encourage people to get into this hobby and not worry about their mechanical skills. I can weld, but I bet there are a lot of people here who can't. I fly jets.... can you? Just some food for thought.

Why is this relevant to the thread. His signature is no different than a quote from anyone else. Seems a bit personal and totally irrelevant to contributing to the thread.

 

[M813rc]

Goodguyzy, take a look at this thread for some pointers on using the correct pins in the tow-bar feet. Somehow the difference in pins had evaded me up to that point too, and I was lucky on that one. I now carry the correct pins with me, even when I am NOT doing a tow!

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/31274-recovering-sarges-m49c.html

I also learned that when taking pictures without safety chains you have to specifically say "I took this one while in the process of hooking up the truck so we had not put the chains on yet we were not done and not ready for the road and yes I was going to pull that chock out from under the 813's tire and pick up the tools before we started out" or you will get caustic remarks!!

It is all a learning experience, and you shouldn't get harassed too unmercifully unless you intentionally fail to heed the advice given by those more experienced than we are. You may get teased some though..

Cheers

 

[tm america]

i dont have to worry about which hole i should be in . mine is always the same size .....i like the saying it,s not what you buy but what you build thats important .another one of my favorites is....Mud boggers go in deeper and come out harder.

 

[rwbrown72]

Why is this relevant to the thread. His signature is no different than a quote from anyone else. Seems a bit personal and totally irrelevant to contributing to the thread.

You are right about my comment not having a place here. The signature just struck a nerve with me. It is like when people come up to you and ask you why you need a deuce in the first place. I feel like this is just another way for someone to pass judgement on what I do with my property. I didn't build any of my trucks... AmGeneral, jeep kaiser and cheverolet built them. I maintain them and modify them. I started reading this thread because I am in the market for a tow bar. I wanted to see how others used theirs. No disrespect intended. Thanks for the photos and info.

 

[Barrman]

Yes I have flown jets. Helicopter too. Just small Cessnas the last few years though. I drove my M35 Gasser to work yesterday and if you look at a 3 year old thread made active today by somebody else about that truck, you will see that I did pretty much build it. I drove the M1009 today and I just bought it, no chance yet to take it all apart and build it back the way I want. Probably this winter though.

I enjoy watching "Home Improvement" re runs with my 11 year old son. 5 or six years ago I built a 396 Big Block for my M715 and Colton was able to "help" by hanging from the torque wrench to make it click while putting the heads on. He thought that was a big deal. The pilot episode for the Home Improvement show ends with the characters building a deck or something in the yard and they signed off with "Remember, if you didn't build it, you can't call it yours." Colton heard/saw that and started telling me the 396 was his. So was the 1967 Cooper S that he had helped me put all new floor metal in by his thinking.

He likes to look over my shoulder when I read stuff on here and the Zone. He saw other peoples signature lines and convinced me I should put the quote I have there now as mine. This is the first time anybody has taken offense at it. I have gotten kidded before if I post that I actually bought something.

Back to the tow bar. The small pins have been discussed and warned against. Somewhere there is a thread with pictures of what happens if the feet get put on upside down. Actually, the poster was from the UK and he said "down side up" which is why I remember it. Please make sure you have them on the correct way and no matter how short or tempting it is, don't back up with the tow bar. Forward only. Things bend and break otherwise.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If you want first hand info on tow bar failures, check with Cranetruck and Wreckerman893. Cranetruck put the tow bar adapters on upside down when recovering his M757. Fortunately he was doing a low speed test tow while still on the property when the failure occurred. Wreckerman can give you first hand experience on what happens when you use the pins and diaper pin rating clips on a tow bar. I'm sure he can give you detailed info on what happens to the canvas seat cushion with the subsequent pucker factor sucks it up. Lastly, I can give first hand experience on the feeling of watching the back of the towing truck walk sideways with the deuce in the back pushing it. The 3 of us survived these incidents with little or no scarring. Please take a few seconds and absorb the dangers and near misses that the 3 of us have experienced.