Should I tow M109 with M35A3?

[Mark3395]

In commemoration of my failed effort to drive my 109A3 from Warner Robbins to Illinois, I am considering options for hauling it.

I have several. First, finding somebody with a lowboy to haul it from Columbus GA up to the Rock Island IL area. Anybody know a reliable hauler?

Second, repairing the truck and continuing to drive. The auto shop it currently rests at fears catastrophic damage. I don't think so, but it could be. .... he notes 2 quarts extra oil but doesn't recon the slight extra to fill the filters. He notes gasket material blown outward, but that's expected. The truck starts and puffs thru the gap (shut down in seconds while confirming the failed head.) It needs head gaskets replaced and a different IP (which I have) installed.... at least. No water in the oil.

Third is to tow it with an M35A3 I have outside Huntsville. Not too far from Columbus.

While the A3 doesn't have a high top end, the more powerful engine should be better at hauling it thru Alabama and Tennessee than pulling a 109 with an M35A2 or another 109.

Has anybody had experience towing with an A3?. I look forward to your thoughts.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I pulled my m109 to Haspin with my m35a2c. I bet an a3 would pull just fine.

 

[jasonjc]

2qt over cold is about right. As far as towing: I towed a m818 with a m818 pice of cake. Now every one of my m35's I've tried to more with a tow bar has been a pain in the a .
The front wheel trun the wong way and fight me. But this may just be may bad luck just some thing to think about, also does the m35A3 run and STOP??

 

[gimpyrobb]

If a towed trucks fights you with the steering, strap the steering wheel to keep the front wheels straight. It will scrub around corners a bit, but not enough to worry about.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If a towed trucks fights you with the steering, strap the steering wheel to keep the front wheels straight. It will scrub around corners a bit, but not enough to worry about.

 

[stampy]

I recently towed my m109 with another m109 50mph on the highway 200 miles no probs! Takes some time to get up to speed. Check your fuel filters and have spares...it saved me lots of trouble.

 

[Pawnshop]

The filters DO hold another 2qt of oil. I have always been advised to never tow a trailer heavier than the tow vehicle, unless the trailer has it's own brakes. The M109 needs to be fixed eventually, why not fix it there and drive it home?

 

[gimpyrobb]

I would rather fix ANYTHING at home with access to ALL my tools, rather than mess with something on the road. Maybe you forgot to bring a tool, maybe you need to look up something on this site. If you drive a deuce down to fix it and drive them BOTH home you have just doubled your fuel costs. .02

 

[Barrman]

I have had the same problems with the front wheels. The longer the tow bar, the less of a problem.

 

[Pawnshop]

I towed a 1960 Ford F100 with a U-Haul tow bar behind a 1987 Jeep Cherokee and had the front wheel issue, had to get out and straighten them after a sharp turn, but did OK on gradual turns. The Ford outweighed the Jeep, kept pushing us around, especially when the fronts would not track. I was only going cross town and had to take it slow, can't imagine going 800 miles that way.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I towed BKubu's M109 a few hundred miles to the GA rally last year. It had those sticky 'stones on it for tires and refused to cooperate even on the slightest turns. I ended up tying off the steering wheel. Had no further problems. They are heavy but caution and prudence can compensate.

 

[lavarok]

Also, make sure you air the front tires on the 109 up high....more air will help it steer behind you better. Watch your speed and cornering as the 109 WILL push the A3 around.

 

[stampy]

We had tried fix everything at the GL site and they were not real happy with us ( well one of the two guys) We got her running but no brakes( or very little makes for a scary ride) after 2-3 hrs of tinkering we figured if we had just towed it the whole way we would have been home early enough to fix things properly. I also want to publicly thank Stump for going on the recovery with me and Neil Hendrix for all he did to assist me this week including loaning me his towbar. You sir are a true gentleman and credit to our hobby! If you tow it with the m35 I would increase following distance to around 100 feet, and yes bring a rope to tie off the steering wheel we had to.

 

[Nonotagain]

The rope is a good thing, but in the towing business we usually used the seat belt to tie off a steering wheel. Since the Deuce has a chain to prevent theft, also chain the steering wheel.

You should be able to purchase a set of air lines and glad hands to tie both trucks together so that you have brakes on the M109. Even if the brakes on the 109 are not the greatest, some brakes are better than none at all.

Also, either pull a couple of axles or the drive shafts on the 109. As stated earlier, air all tires up to the maximum pressure to reduce tire scrub and make the 109 tow as light as possible.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Rather than waste time pulling the drive shafts(no offense intended) Just pull the axles and drive splines. Nothing to turn other than the bearings.

 

[Recovry4x4]

100 threads (minimum)

 

[Mark3395]

thanks for the comments.

I've had good success tying steering wheels on previous tows, and will take Interstates the entire route... both to allow others to bypass me and to avoid sharp turns as much as possible. Hadn't thought of extending the towbar but can do that. Kind of hard on the front tires but I have spares.

The A3 is about 250 miles from the 109, at the home of a friend. He will be testing the concept on one of his M35s.

I do want to link the brakes, and have read the thread on doing so. Would it not be possible to link the gladhands on both vehicles instead of making a fitting and tying to the hydrovac?

 

[54reo]

I do want to link the brakes, and have read the thread on doing so. Would it not be possible to link the gladhands on both vehicles instead of making a fitting and tying to the hydrovac?

No, there is a check valve in the towed trucks system that prevents this from working through the gladhands.

To make this work, you will need to come in at the airpack "J" pipe.

 

[54reo]

Hadn't thought of extending the towbar but can do that. Kind of hard on the front tires but I have spares.

???

 

[Mark3395]

There I go again, changing topics without warning. Drives the wife nuts.

The tire comment wasn't related to the towbar length, but commentary on scrubbing of the front tires when turning with the steering wheel tied. Sorry.