Towing Opinions. I think I know the answer.

[simp5782]

So I have my 5 ton up for sale. I got a call on it from a guy that owns a big landscape and mulch company here in Memphis. He is looking for a truck that can tow a grinder he has that I guess chops everything around off road only, light mud/soft ground. It would be hooked to the truck by a 5th wheel plate. Issue is the grinder according to him weighs about 80,000 to 90,000lbs. I have not seen this thing yet. At the current moment it is towed by a D6 dozer hooked to a 5th wheel dolly. I know it is out of the tow weight specs on the data plate, we all know those ball park figures though. I put a 30,000lb excavator behind it on a 10,000lb trailer and it towed it just fine. On pavement and dry ground. I am not sure of the distances he will go off road. No hills or mountain roads. There will be a smaller dozer/loader on site.

Serious question. Would it tow it with some mods? Or just go bigger? I know in reality, it should not be able to move it. Even on pavement. Stock anyway.

Locked up with 10.10 ratios ? and maybe a 400 under the hood? Or go with bridge truck wheels and chains to get a better bite with the lockers and 10.10s. I know 10.10s in 1st gear in low range will do some damage to whatever its hooked to or break the driveline or transfer case.


Weak link? Transfer case? Driveline is a given? or the frame to weak? I am also concerned about the slightest bit of soft ground and its going to be over with the momentum lost.

Requirements are just that is can go offroad and tow the grinder and be an automatic. Not sure of the budget though. Like most business owners im gonna assume its the cheapest way out.


I have a chassis truck that is a m934. It has the stronger frame but still the 250cummins. Or sell him the chassis truck and my 923 and hook em together? Or should we go 916/920 or M1070s?

This is for the working people only. I know people use these up in the oil fields but not sure on their weights.

I will post a picture of the grinder tomorrow.

 

[NDT]

5 tons can tow heavy grinders around off road all day long. The tandem is rated at 44,000 and will carry a lot more. Typically when moving the grinder around a project, speeds will not exceed 10 mph, which the 250 can handle.

 

[wreckerman893]

It will pull it, but it won't like it. I've crossed the scales at DRMO in an M818 grossing over 100,000 pounds pulling an old boxcar on a lowboy. I had an MP escort and never got out of low range but pull it she did.

 

[simp5782]

I just hate to sell someone something and it not do the job ya know. If this thing is 80-90k then that's some serious metal and will take a heck of a 5th plate anyways. I would prefer to put the plate on the 934 chassis and let it do the talking just with that heavier frame. or try to sell him both it and the 923 to him just to hook em together to be safe.

 

[porkysplace]

It's been done.
[h=1]100k lbs gvw M818[/h]

 

[adamsoffroadperformance]

I have a friend in Texas that has done that with a few 5tons. they will do it but he has killed a few in the process. he said his processor weights in around 110k. He was recently looking at buying a HET to replace his 5tons he uses.

 

[gunboy1656]

Eastern surplus has or had a pic of an m818 towing a grinder offroad. Don't know if it's still on their site or not

 

[73m819]

In vn, we used to move our self contained primary rock crushers with m52a2s, in fact used the m52a2s to move the whole plant, the secondary self contained crushers were as heavy as the primary, the self contained auxiliary screen plants were not that much lighter.

 

[73m819]

So you know something about the weight moved

The primary was power be a DD671 , a 84" x 96" swinging jaw, 4' x 30' discharge belt, 8' x 20' vibratory feeder with a 3" punched deck (about 4" holes), all of this was on a 15"h x 12"w 1/2" H beam frame on three axles.

The secondary had the same DD671 (all the big units had the 671) , a 72" cone crusher, 20' x 8' four deck screen, a 4' x 30' and I think three 36" x 30" discharge belts, mounted on the same 1/2" H beam frame.

The screen was two 8' x 20' screens mounted on a single 1/2" H beam frame, with enough conveyors coming off it to make a porcupine home sick.

One complete plant consisted of one primary, 2 secondarys, 2 screen plants, plus more conveyors. We had two of these and a smaller plant, the "small" plant we brought with us, the big boys we got from MK/BRJ when they left in 1962. The small plant was considered the state of the art, military mobile crushing plant, in another words NOT a small plant.

 

[Csm Davis]

Have customers that pull 100,000 every day, five days a week, off road and have very few problems. M931, M931A1, and M931A2

 

[simp5782]

Here it is. There are apparently 2 with this one being the heaviest. They both are moved around to job sites. Ground around it to do the moving will be smooth. He said he may want a do it all truck like a 916. Be easier than a semi having to go out and come back for just the unit. He said he would want to try the 923. So should I switch it back to the new set of G177s or leave the 14.00s? I think its safe to say that the 923 wouldn't tow the unit on the road safely nor stop it.

It is a mighty pretty green dolly though

 

[simp5782]

So I talked to the guy today and he is interested in a 5 ton, but I have to prove that it can tow his unit. Pictures help as well. So if any of yall have any of what you were pulling. I know I saw one guy on here with an 818 towing a big green unit thing. That was years ago. So in other words, he wants me to pull the bed, throw on a 5th plate and hook it up. I doubt it would drag the unit hooked to the dolly if I just hooked it to the pintle? maybe a wheelie?

 

[catskillpond]

level ground maybe up a hill and put on the brakes to hold the grinder' No Way . We moved one last winter some snot on the gravel road hooked a 6 in the front with 2 chokers and 2 3/4 chains when it hit the incline about 30 degrees got a voice from above stick the D8 behind as backup

 

[Bandit02]

Repower it. (If you plan to run it on the highway or long distance)

I struggle with the crap 250 in my truck.

My friends blow past me in their 600 hp ISX's and 625 hp C15's. Hence why I bought that 3406C. Only thing I got on them is big tires, 6x6 capability and a nice short wheelbase.

Install a Fontaine or Holland Mk5 5th wheel plate and away you go, they're cheap, parts are everywhere and easy to rebuild. Plus they sit way lower then the current Dayton setup so they hitch on easier I find.

 

[Csm Davis]

So I talked to the guy today and he is interested in a 5 ton, but I have to prove that it can tow his unit. Pictures help as well. So if any of yall have any of what you were pulling. I know I saw one guy on here with an 818 towing a big green unit thing. That was years ago. So in other words, he wants me to pull the bed, throw on a 5th plate and hook it up. I doubt it would drag the unit hooked to the dolly if I just hooked it to the pintle? maybe a wheelie?

That was a picture I put on here. Call me and I can help you out.

 

[Csm Davis]

Here show him this 200,000 lbs plus 18,000 lbs on the truck, no problem, idled off the line and barely had to touch the throttle going up 10° incline to go over the levee.

 

[mcmullag]

Some members posted these pics in the past.

96000 lbs on scale