Can a pickup tow a M939?

[LCA078]

I'm talking short distances and very slow speeds. Like using a 1-ton pickup truck to move a 5 ton across a paved parking lot or tow it 10-15mph down a dirt road. I know the towing capacity of today's 1-ton diesel trucks can easily tow heavy trailers on the highway that weigh as much as a M939 but am curious about trying to tow with no tongue/gooseneck weight to help provide traction. I wonder if a pickup without any load in the bed would just spin the rear tires when trying to pull a 5 ton.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

No problem at all, but I'd only do that when it's safe to. I've moved 5 tons with a CUCV blazer before (not fast, far, or on the street).

 

[98G]

Evidence suggests....



On 939s dont forget to cage the brakes ( or pressurized the air system)

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Could a 1 ton pull a M939 with the brakes caged on an improved level surface with plenty of room to stop? Probably. Could it do it on an unimproved surface (dirt, gravel, etc)? Doubtful.
Could a 1 ton stop a M939 with the brakes caged on an improved level surface? Yes, but with how much room? Could it stop it on an unimproved surface? Yes, but with much more room and less control.


Realistically find another 5 ton or at the very least a deuce so you can use the brakes on the 5 ton when stopping and stay in low range at a low speed.

 

[98G]

Unimproved surface pictured above. Towed vehicle is an XM818. Tow vehicle is a 1ton in low range four and manual transmission. Never spun a tire....

Edit to emphasize- this is an activity only done at a walking speed. Only done on private property or at the very worst only considered to get a broken down truck out of the way of traffic.

 

[LCA078]

If a CUCV Blazer can do it, I'm sure a pickup will do it too.

On the farm, we towed many heavy things short distances at safe speeds and obviously out of the way of normal traffic. We used a 'tow bar' made by threading a chain through a pipe. When pulling, the chain was under tension and the pipe did nothing. But when the towing vehicle slowed down, the pipe would prevent the towed vehicle from slamming into the back of the towing vehicle. The trick was to allow the right amount of loose chain between the pipe and hitching point that would allow the pipe to hang just below the bumpers from the slack when slowing down. The chain would then tighten up with the pipe riding up under the bumper when the towed vehicle tried to get too close.

But for some reason, I remember the truck needing a round bale or such in the bed to prevent tire spinning...but maybe that was because it was in the field. Too many years ago to remember the exact details.

 

[98G]

That's a neat trick described with the chain and pipe.

 

[LCA078]

Fuzzy- I agree using a pickup ain't the ideal solution. Just curious if possible due to traction issues.

98G- Looks like you have proof it's possible- I'm impressed. A Cummins inline six towing a Cummins inline six! The crazy thing is your 1-ton truck engine has less than half the displacement of the XM818 but probably pushing almost twice the hp.

 

[cucvmule]

Locked in 4 wheel drive will get moving fine. The downside will be stopping. On flat ground, low speed caution is the rule. If all else fails have a tag along truck to help stop the truck. I still have my first pipe, you never know. I try and keep my slack line towing up to snuff if I am towing close. I have no urge to long tow any longer.
Wreckers Man Wreckers

 

[porkysplace]

That's a neat trick described with the chain and pipe.

It works as a last resort..

 

[Jbulach]

Drug the 5 ton about 1/2 mile at 48k without running out of air, with me braking and steering, you can crank the engine with the starter motor of an A2 and get the power steering to work quite well for the big turns.

 

[porkysplace]

View attachment 761688View attachment 761691
Drug the 5 ton about 1/2 mile at 48k without running out of air, with me braking and steering, you can crank the engine with the starter motor of an A2 and get the power steering to work quite well for the big turns.

I don't know about Indiana , but here in Michigan If you get caught even on a public back road doing that , it will cost you as much as the truck in fines and the wrecker the LEO calls.

 

[74M35A2]

You're a Ford guy? Ugh....we need to talk about our friendship.

 

[Trailboss]

Had to do it twice on the same M931A2 with a dodge dually and an F250 during the initial recovery from Ft Polk. Switched tanks on the 5-ton and the truck died on a bridge about 10 miles later. Used the Dodge to pull it about a mile off the bridge so we could work safely on the 5-ton. Turned out the tank transfer switch didn't work and wouldn't pull from the 2nd tank, so we switched back to the 1st tank and reprimed the fuel system. The 5-ton ran out of fuel in the working tank (fuel gauge lied !), and had to use an F250 to pull it into a parking lot until we could go get some fuel (the 2nd tank was full, but wouldn't pull from it). The 5-ton still had air pressure when it was towed, and a chain was all we needed. I sat in the 5-ton and could still use the brakes to stop it while being towed both times.

 

[Jbulach]

I don't know about Indiana , but here in Michigan If you get caught even on a public back road doing that , it will cost you as much as the truck in fines and the wrecker the LEO calls.

Fortunately it was a professional driver on a closed course. Don’t attempt any of these stunts at home...

Michigan is the Texas of trucking.

 

[porkysplace]

Fortunately it was a professional driver on a closed course. Don’t attempt any of these stunts at home...

Michigan is the Texas of trucking.

It's all about money here when it comes to trucks , you not only have to deal with state Motor Carrier Enforcement Units almost every county sheriff has has Motor Carrier officer (or more) along with most road commissions and a few cities.

 

[BEASTMASTER]

u can tow anything with anything if u know what u are doing . back in the 60's I drove a ten wheeler that tared out at 31K . needed to replace the starter but the guy didn't want to lose any money while it sat. so, while he had the starter rebuilt, he came up every morning, and hooked his 1968 chevy impala conv. to it and pull started it. I've had my wife in her tacoma pull start my 5 ton when it didn't want to go.

 

[74M35A2]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zcBE8HEAyi4

 

[waayfast]

About 1985 I had the coupling that drives the fuel pump on my logtruck strip out--engine failure. Luckily I had just turned off the main road and was detouring around a bridge reconstruct project when it failed. It was after 6pm and neither the main highway nor the secondary (detour)road was busy but I was still in a bad spot to be parking 80,000 pounds of Kenworth and Ponderosa Pine.

Mechanic shows up with the old '75 Chevy flat bed service truck. Talked the mechanic into charging the air up on the big truck with his compressor and giving it a try. Away we went! The old 2wd Chevy did not like it (and the clutch certainly did not like it!!) but we got moved off the public road and into a parking lot out of the way. Flat ground, dry pavement to start with and into a gravel lot.
The photo is not the truck from this incident but it gives a good visual.

More recently I caught up to a fellow employee that had his turbo fail on his log truck while climbing White Bird Hill as he was headed to Grangeville to unload. He REALLY was in the way! Quizzed him on the CB about his status--he said he had just enough air left to release the brakes. I stopped, got a spare wrapper out of the chain box, hooked him up and very carefully pulled tight and away we went. 160,000lbs combined weight up 7% grade. We were amazed the 3/8" wrapper cable held even though we doubled it. Got him off the highway and into a wide spot to get repaired.

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!