Towing a M105a2 w/ civilian Pick Up ?

[Recovry4x4]

Safely and successfully don't necessarily go hand in hand. With that said, I'd bet we would be hard pressed to find someone on Steel Soldiers that hasn't been overweight before. I know I sure have and that is exactly why threads like this serve to remind us to use better sense!

 

[98G]

Some individuals have a funny idea on "towing safely". Just because you made it once, or ten times doesn't mean it was safe. Towing over weight, without brakes, on public roads isn't safe, even if no one died this time.

Actually I agree completely.

There's "legal",

there's "safe",

there's "not really safe but you'll probably get away with it",

and then there's "don't even attempt it".

Without looking at legal aspects I'd consider the tow of the loaded M105 behind the 1ton truck as "safe". I base this on stopping distance and on trailer control. What else should I look at, seriously?

I consider the M105 suboptimal for a pickup truck. The M1101 can't be beat....

We had a guy planning to cage brakes and flat tow a 5ton behind a 1ton pickup. I place that Firmly in the "don't even attempt it because you'll kill someone" category.

 

[rustystud]

I can see this thread has degenerated into a pissing contest. Since I'm old and my prostate is always upset that makes me the winner here since I'm sure I piss more then all of you ! You can tow almost anything but like has been said repeatedly here can you do it safely ? Can you control the load going downhill at speed and then come to an emergency stop safely ? (Because some jackass cut you off and then had to hit his brakes due to an accident or some other obstacle ). If you HONESTLY can answer yes then go for it as long as your not breaking the law. Of course most of you who responded positive for towing a fully loaded M105 with a pickup are most likely breaking the law and for sure are going against manufactures advice. I'm also sure if we pulled everyone for there age here we would find those who say they can safely tow thousands of pounds with there "mega-super-extreme-hard core-he-man trucks" we would find their in there 30's or younger. There is a reason your insurance rates drop in your 40's. After being in some "crazy I can't believe I'm still alive accidents" I have learned to respect the laws and the manufactures advice on towing and speed limits. For the rest of you guys out there with your "testosterone driven macho I can tow what I feel like" attitude hopefully you'll live long enough to realize I was right. It is better to be safe then sorry, and yes I can still out piss all of you ! In fact I'll be right back in a few minutes.

 

[rustystud]

Curb weight for my 1/2 ton is listed at 5800lbs and I know drive around weight is around 6500 lbs.

A CDL doesn't make a person a safe tower or driver. It's just a piece of paper. You would probably be in shock driving around in TX but we manage.

A CDL will at least make you take classes on safety, that was my whole point.

 

[rustystud]

My CDL was obtained by going to a truck driving school in KY, total something like 6 weeks. I don't remember the ride along portion as 3 hours, more like half an hour. I'm sure it varies by state.

The weight I quoted for my Ram is from when I took a load to the dump. I weighed it full on their scales, and then empty and was charged for the difference. The 8300lbs was the empty weight. My previous truck was a 2004 3/4 ton. It weighed in at 7200lbs. These are actual measured weights from scales. In reading I notice that ram quotes 7700lbs on the 3500 trucks so this doesn't seem too far out of line.

Thanks for the comments on the hitch. It's primary purpose is to tow the M1101 trailers level, while being stronger than the OEM hitch that it replaced. When I need more capacity than the redtruck can easily accommodate I simply use the 5ton.

I was hesitant to tow the unbraked loaded M105A2 with the redtruck, but having done so it was no big deal. Stopping distances were not noticeably different than empty.

I went looking for information about the steepness of grades on the interstate highway system in general and WA in particular. I'm not finding anything much steeper than 7-9%, with some of the steep stuff found back east. I considered the 8% grade up Franklin Mountain to be reasonably impressive, as well as the drive between Phoenix and Flagstaff. If you've got stuff that makes that look flat and level I want to read about it, seriously. Please let me know where it is so I can see it. ....

As an aside, I feel much safer in the deuce when it has an airbraked trailer stuck to it. At least then as long as I have air I have at least some brakes, and if I lose air then the trailer's springbrakes will engage. I'm really not a big fan of single circuit brakes that when they fail you have no brakes....

Are kidding me about the roads around here ? I'm posting this from the Seattle DOT. As you can see our roads can get as high as 26 percent . As far as the brakes on a deuce go, upgrade to the dual brake system. Then the brakes will be just the same as your RAM truck.

 

[rustystud]

View attachment 567388View attachment 567389 neither trailer has brakes and was towed safely

I'm sure that will be a comfort to the people around you.

 

[John Galt]

What does a "fully loaded 105" mean?

 

[swbradley1]

I almost feel bad about towing my Deuce with a 105 trailer with my Dodge 1500 4x4. Emergency and safely got it home. Yes, it would pull it easily and stopped well too at very low speeds. Only problem is in grass the Deuce me everywhere it wanted to go.

As for the contest I have 138 kidney stones so far and more cystoscopes going in the wrong way than I can remember (or would want to).

Oh yeah, did the tow at 57 years old.

 

[Blackbear]

For everyone including those in the borderline category don't forget your chalks.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Alrighty then. Consider these few items. So many of us (myself included) have often tried to figure out if we could and failed to ask if we should. Physics applies to everyone and everything here. Crisis is a term we should consider. One form of crisis is "Wholly crap, my 15,000# truck is broke down in the travel lane. If I don't move it quick, someone may hit it and die." This is when you get out the strap, back up the Volvo and do what you can to get it out of the road.

Another form of crisis is "Wholly crap, that boomer just broke and all these logs are coming at me quick." That's the one that concerns me. No matter how safe and defensive you drive, you can't avoid being exposed by stuff like this. Misty rain changes everything, especially when combined with a slight curve in the polished concrete.

I would hope that folks think about these things before taking on such a task. I'm the guy that has towed deuces (more than one) with a crew cab pickup, M105s with 3000# in the back with a 3/4 ton Burb and on and on. I did it successfully and I arrived safely every time but it wasn't a safe practice. My eyes opened wide once while towing and M35A2 with the truck. Was coming around the large bend south of JAX FL. Pavement was wet and the deuce started pushing the truck sideways. The alert driver next to me moved and gave me just enough room to save it from coming around. I was at the top of my game to save it but had that space not opened up, God only knows the damages that might have occurred. Please folks, consider doing the right thing. BTW, anyone who thinks they are above the physics, ask Squirttruck. He makes a living off of investigating this stuff and will surely tell you, physics applies to everyone!

 

[98G]

What does a "fully loaded 105" mean?

1.5ton trailer would mean 3000lbs in it. Or am I missing something?

 

[swbradley1]

At least mine was straight, only 1 mile on the road and a turn into my driveway, unfortunately that darn "winged" Dodge would not tow that 15,000lbs at 10-15Mph, it kept running me up to 25 and that was going up a slight grade.

I should add that mine was safe enough by my standards to have my wife sit in the Deuce with air to put her foot on the brakes if need be. I guarantee I wouldn't risk her getting hurt.


All this aside I still wouldn't tow a loaded M105 any great distance or speed in my pickup. It won't stop it.

 

[86m1028]

It can be done with a Toyota.
I saw a Toyota tow the space shuttle & if that wasn't safe they wouldn't have shown it in tv ��.

 

[rustystud]

I almost feel bad about towing my Deuce with a 105 trailer with my Dodge 1500 4x4. Emergency and safely got it home. Yes, it would pull it easily and stopped well too at very low speeds. Only problem is in grass the Deuce me everywhere it wanted to go.

As for the contest I have 138 kidney stones so far and more cystoscopes going in the wrong way than I can remember (or would want to).

Oh yeah, did the tow at 57 years old.

So what your saying is since your 57 and doing crazy stunts and pissing like a race horse you have entered senility early ? LOL !!! Just kidding, but that makes you the new leader on the pissing billboard ! I hand over the trophy bottle of "Vesicare" to you sir !

 

[FloridaAKM]

Towing with civy vehicle~

Here is a picture of my latest GP win being towed 110 miles home by my old Toyota Tacoma. No problems if you watch what is going on in front of you in traffic! The first one was with the Deuce & that took the wind outta my sails for a day!

 

[Slate]

Towing M105 with Civvy Pickup

Can you haul an M105 trailer down the road with a regular pickup? I understand you won't have brakes but wondering who's done it? Was buying one possibly need to know what I need to get it home

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[SCM35A2]

I haven't personally done it, but I had a buddy pick up one with his full size truck & used a Pintle hook hitch. Here is what he used...

 

[Scrounger]

Short answer is yes, one can tow an empty M105 with a regular/ full size pickup.
Now for the nitty gritty. You will need a pintle hook type hitch. It is best to have one bolted to a 2” receiver drawbar with 10-12” of lift. That way the trailer will ride close to level.
For safety chains plan on having a couple of short lengths of 3/8” group 70 transport chain and some shackle bolts since the M105 chains will probably be to short. Have a roll of black electrical tape to “close” the safety chain hooks; the bouncing can cause them to come free.
For electrical, a couple of magnetic trailer lights work well. It doesn’t hurt to have a couple of small bungy cords on the magnetic lights to ensure they stay on, see above about bouncing.
Take some of the black tape and secure the trailer power cord and air lines.
And unless you have a lot of strength bring a High Lift type jack for raising and lowering the front of the trailer, especially if it has the earlier fixed, large wheel landing gear.

 

[fasttruck]

Back in the day the MPs would give you a DR if they found you towing 1.5 ton trailer with anything less than a 2.5 ton truck.

 

[tobyS]

Made this to use the pintle from my m929A2. No problem coming from Ohio. Used a piece of pipe opened up a bit welded to old hitch.