Safety Question

[TJP]

Hey everyone.
I am a proud new owner of my first deuce. I hope there is someone that can tell me, would it be safe to travel from Atlanta to Phoenix with just four tires on the back of the deuce in the pics. I would like to take off the other four and load them for spares for the trip home. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
TJP

 

[TJP]

I hope they up loaded

 

[gunboy1656]

Yes it can be done, going to be a very bumpy ride without a bed on there to help weigh it down. All will really depend on what condition the tires are in. (cracks/cuts/dry rot)


Are you going to have any type of mud flaps for the trip?

 

[TJP]

Yes ,
Mud flaps hooked to 2x4

 

[Ferroequinologist]

If you take off the outer tires and strap them down to the frame, that might help with your boucing a little, with some weight on the back. I would just leave them where they are. In my mind, your going to do a lot of work for not much gain. if you happen to blow out two on the same side on the same axle, you still would have 3 spares on the truck (the other outers) Also, jacking a axle up and taking a wheel off, then rolling it to where you need to put it on, is easier than trying to manhandle them off the back or out of a truck bed.

 

[TJP]

Good point.

 

[dragonwagon]

Id agree , leave them on . You can pull one off if it goes flat or to put on the front if you have a front go down on air .

For ride , id let the air down on the rears too . they dont need no 50 psi to hold up a frame rail and it will help a bunch on ride . I run 30 in my rears with the box on . smoothed it out some . Dont let the fronts down , they steer hard enough as is .

Take a can of pentrating oil , hit all the lug nuts before you leave . If you have to pull one on the road you will be glad you did .

 

[M813A1]

Something to consider is looking into getting a bed locally around where you get the truck and installing a bed before your trip that would also help with your ride home

 

[Barrman]

Having helped drive a M35 from the other side of Atlanta to Houston. I will off the advice that I-10/I-12 between Mobile and Houston will drive you nuts. THUMP...THUMP...THUMP...THUMP...etc for 400 miles. We also ran into trouble trying to get diesel at any place not a truck stop.

Houston and West the road is better. At least as far as Las Crueces. I haven't been beyond that in a Duece.

 

[TJP]

Thanks for the heads up on travel route.
TJP

 

[topo]

you might have some extra light bulbs with you in case the rough ride is to tough for the tail lights

 

[Recovry4x4]

Several different approaches for what you want to do here. Ride quality is going to be out the window no matter what you do. I'm assuming that this is the maiden voyage for your new truck right? Finding a bed along the route is a real possibility, especially in the Atlanta area. If I were making the exact same trip you were making, I do something rather unorthodox (as I usually do). I would forget fabbing up mudflaps and instead focus on removing the drive shaft between rear axles. Once completed I would jack up and suspend the aft axle with chains. The non turing aft tires would act as mudflaps and keep debris at bay, 4 tires are there for the ready and you still have 4 tires on the ground and on the same axle in the event of a blowout. Turning radius would be improved as would fuel mileage for the trip. Don't know if there are any toll roads but it reduces tolls if there are any. Gives you some extra axle parts in the event of a catastrophic failure. Like I said, not too many folks would do it my way but I certainly would.

 

[Barrman]

No toll roads. Great idea about the axle Kenny. Pulling the front hubs would help wear and fuel cost as well. Just a few minutes with a 3/4" wrench to pull them off. This will let you look at the grease on the bearings up there too. If it is nice and clean and has grease, great. If not, then you will need to pack them.

Oh, line up some BFS (military version of DOT 5) before the trip and make sure you have it with you. Brakes seem to be the one thing all our trucks from GL need work on.

 

[goodguyzy]

that's a long trip, have you drove a deuce before? good news is there are lots of SS members on that route