Tow Bar Connection to M37

[Squirt-Truck]

Guys, There have been several threads about towing an M37 using the std. towbar. My question is regarding the connection of the 3/4" adapters to the shackle points on the M37.

The adapter is 1/2" wider than the shackle point. Have ya'll just been letting the adapter move around or do you shim the adapter to fit the shackle point?

This is not an immediate need, but you never know. I have the option to trailer but if it is an off-road recovery the tow bar is my only option.

Looking for your input.

 

[AMGeneral]

Mark,

I always carry several grade 8 3/4 and 1 inch washers just for shims whenever I flat tow.

 

[NDT]

I let them move around. No issue for me.

 

[clinto]

I would shim it.

Towed the Jeep once with the medium, didn't like the idea of the feet moving around.

 

[ODdave]

Moving around can cause unnessisary and undesierable stress to the pin. I would shim it just to reduce wear on both your pins and the shackle mounts. Lil safer as well.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I'm going to have to go with shimming. I wouldn't take ALL the slack out, just most of it.

 

[Squirt-Truck]

Many thanks guys, McMaster sells the shims that are direct fits.

 

[Jimma]

The shim idea is best. You could really put some twist / torque on those things and the movement could break something.

 

[dodgedougak]

What towbar do you use? You say it is a std. towbar. Is that one used for towing a duece?

 

[Bivouac]

I am seeking a source for a tow bar to move an M37 about 10 miles. Thinking of a military medium grade model.....
‘located near Smithfield, VA.
Any thoughts on sources?
Many tanks, B

 

[gimpyrobb]

I am seeking a source for a tow bar to move an M37 about 10 miles. Thinking of a military medium grade model.....
‘located near Smithfield, VA.
Any thoughts on sources?
Many tanks, B

place an add in our free wanted section.

 

[CGarbee]

You know, I have never measured the gap between the feet of my medium towbars and the shackle points on my M37s (or those owned by others...)...
I also have never used a shim when flat towing any of them...cross town, from NC to Indiana (Haspin), MD (Aberdeen), from Atlanta to Raleigh...etc.

Of course, now that it has come up, I have to admit that the Engineer in me says that you should shim them...
From a practical standpoint, I don't think that it would matter for a move across town or so...

Biggest issue I have ever had was "forgetting" that I had one on the towbar behind a XM813 on a trip once...didn't scratch anything, but I did get some folks excited...

 

[AMGeneral]

You know, I have never measured the gap between the feet of my medium towbars and the shackle points on my M37s (or those owned by others...)...
I also have never used a shim when flat towing any of them...cross town, from NC to Indiana (Haspin), MD (Aberdeen), from Atlanta to Raleigh...etc.

Of course, now that it has come up, I have to admit that the Engineer in me says that you should shim them...
From a practical standpoint, I don't think that it would matter for a move across town or so...

Biggest issue I have ever had was "forgetting" that I had one on the towbar behind a XM813 on a trip once...didn't scratch anything, but I did get some folks excited...

I remember that trip, and still have a mental image of the M37 behind the 813, (think knot on the end of a whip)

That plus seeing that same M37 almost sending an M35A2 "wheels up" making a turn, Convoy memories.