Can a M880 be hauled with axle clamps?

[citizensoldier]

Dave P and I are going to move a M880 parts truck this weekend for the MMMT. Can you use axle clamps and a tow bar to move one? I know pull the drive shafts but is the tie rod in the way? Any info on these tin trucks please.
Hey Bob! You out there?

 

[M1075]

I don't know if you can use the clamps, but I have seen towbar adapters specifically for the M880s.

 

[citizensoldier]

Well been told not to use that type. They hook to the radiator members and that a very week part of the truck.. We will probably trailer it if clamps wont work.

 

[m35a2cowner]

towing

If your not using something with a pintle hitch you can probably use a U-Haul rental tow bar. Back in the day I used to work for them and we used them to move the full sized moving vans. Their design allowed them to be used with just about anything with a bumper. The lower hooks attach to the frame, or anything else you wrap them around. take a look at the U-Haul website and look at the users guide. Hope that helps.

 

[Bob H]

RE: towing

I towed one of these with a tow bar, once. If it is a ridgid tow bar, forget it (Unless yer using Daves tractor )
Too much front end weight, it would drag the rear end (of the tow vehicle) out on turns.

I don't know what the axle clamp set up looks like, but the 'pig' sits off to the passenger side so much that the spring perch is part of the pig. This leaves little if any room for a clamp over the axle tube on that side.

Anyway, what about a tow strap? (As long as Daves not doing the towing )

I thought Brian said one of the wheels was frozen / locked up on the parts truck?

I have an 18 foot trailer w/electric brakes 2- 5/16 ball. Don't have the M880 wired up for it yet though.

 

[bigbee]

RE: towing

Bob,
Yeah, I was told the wheel was locked up so bad it pulled the tow vehicle and trailer back under the 880. They had to jack the truck up to pull the trailer back out. I thought that's why they're using Dave P's big truck. Thought they were going to pull it onto a trailer to begin with.

 

[bigbee]

RE: towing

I thought Dave P was part of that first attempt.

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: towing

Nope neither of us were their. Dan,Nate & Coasty adventure. We can figure out why the wheel is locked up and make it roll.. Probably brakes rusted up. It cost Dave $50 everytime he barrows that trailer so we were thinking that we have the clamps and a Tow bar why not skip the trailer hassle.
Never planned on taking the Tractor down to get it. To much hassle and fuel and time.
We will get it somehow..
Bob that trialer of yours sounds juicy maybe PM Dave....

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: towing

You can do it but.......... The axle clamps will have to be way outside on the housing and you need to watch out for the brake lines. You will have to hang the axle clamps off the bottom to clear the tie rod. Since the housing is round, the clamps will have to be extremely tight and will need to be checked several times since they can "settle in". The towbar will have to be quite long and the pintle on a deuce or 5 ton might be too high. Also on the 1" adapters, you will need to install them upside down as compared to the install on the top of the bumper. I'm trying to find a link of what it should look like.

Edit, check out this pic of Cabell Garbee's M37 hooked up.
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/convoy2005/ecc144.jpg

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: towing

We can handle that.. Thanks Recovery. We will be using Daves heavy 3/4 ton Ford with a deisel and pintle in the hitch.So height should be just fine. Your are alway a big help.

 

[Bob H]

This is the trailer with my M880 on it, same M880 from the fall color tour
The M882 is out of service and I haven't wired the M880 for the trailer yet.
If you guys need it for the transport, no problem.Yet it'll probably cost more than $50 in gas to come & get it
This weekend is out for me as I have to start Christmas shopping.

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: towing

Pleasure Sir!

 

[M543A2]

My son and I towed an 880 about 200 miles. We made brackets to adapt a shortened deuce front bumper to the 880 frame where the original bumper bolts on. We welded the kit up using another truck we had at home as a jig. The deuce bumper projects out about 12" further than the stock bumper. When we picked up the truck, we removed the stock front bumper at the frame, bolted the deuce bumper in place, and put our heavy homemade towbar we use for deuces and 5 tons on the deuce shackles. We pulled it with my Dodge Cummins one ton truck. We put the 880 transfer in neutral and the trans in park. We did not remove drive shafts. The truck towed fine with no push problems. We ran 55 to 60 MPH on the highways. My son has driven it daily for three years with no drive train problems so no damage resulted from the towing. We left the deuce bumper on the truck, and it is a good thing we did. My son's wife hit a deer with it two weeks ago, and there was very minimal damage to the grille. We have had very good luck with tow bar towing.
Regards Marti

 

[bigbee]

use a trailer

You guys are recovering this truck for the Museum and MMMT will reimburse any costs necessary. Remember, since this truck was rolled, it may be a little more serious than a brake locked up keeping the wheel from turning.

Also, Lane, if you need a tarp to cover that yellow truck in your yard that belongs to 3MT, get one and send us the bill. No sense having it stick out and upset your neighbors.

 

[M543A2]

Just an FYI for everyone on towbar towing. The Dodge owner's manual says a 4x4 can be towed any distance at any safe speed under the following conditions:
Transfer case in neutral
Transmission in park
Drivetrain in good condition
If one end is off the ground, I would remove the driveshaft to the axle that will be rolling to prevent wear on the inter-axle diff in the transfer case.
Regards Marti

 

[citizensoldier]

Thanks for all the good advice guys. We opted for the trailer so it should be fine. Dave said a funny the other day on the phone. Really cracked me up.. Here is the quote. "Man!, we might wanna be a careful! We could get home and have two 440's!"
If we took his tractor and it wouldnt roll there is no doubt we would end up with two 440's..
Here we go again.. Another road trip adventure from the two northern Michigan rednecks...

 

[DaveP]

well we successfully recovered this unit this morning. all went well and it is resting peacefully in my back yard.

 

[doghead]

Hey! Where are the pictures?

 

[DaveP]

uhhh. OOPS!!!