Towing question

[cucvrus]

I used a CUC/V M1028 to tow an M998 and it was a nightmare. Any ideas? It pushed and swayed the whole way. Should the towbar be fully extended or as short as possible? Just a question. I made the trip without any issues but God there has got to be a better way. The HMMWV ruled the road on this trip. Going around turns forget it it went where it wanted to and if you went fast it would do the pit maneuver on you. Safe at home at last. Please only experienced answers. This is my millionth experience with a towbar. Second with a HMMWV.

 

[patracy]

I towbar'ed my HMMWV home with a 2012 GMC 1500HD crew cab 4x4. Same thing happened with me flat towing it. Only time it was pleasant was on straight highway. Sharp turns, forget it, it will fight you. I had the steering wheel tied up as well, still would try to counter steer on me if I turned too much. I had driveshafts disconnected on the M1038 at the diffs. I think next time if I were to do it, I'd have let the towbar be extended longer, and tie the wheel up as tight/center as possible. But in honesty, I'd probably trailer it next time. I think it's a loosing battle. The track width of the HMMWV vs a civy/CUCV is probably the main reason it's a pain. The HMMWV simply has more leverage on the towing vehicle due to this. If I ever have to towbar a HMMWV again, it'll either be on a trailer with a civy truck pulling it. Or I'll towbar it with a deuce/5 ton. Or I'll have Papabear haul it for me. LOL

 

[dmetalmiki]

Not advisable. Anything with wider track and the geometry of the hmv causes big problems.

 

[evldoer]

I believe the biggest problem is the size of the sidewalls on the tires, meaning that there is more flex left to right. Maybe deflection is a better word for it?
2 weeks ago I pulled my cucv home from our place up north, which is 260 miles. This is my tan truck with the 37 inch hmmwv tires. I pulled it with my 3/4 ton Duramax and it was a handful. Turns were the worst, but was ok on the straight aways.
Now this wasn't the first time I used a tow bar on a cucv. I have towed a few in my day, and never had a problem maintaining 70-75 mph, safely. But this last time, the only change was 37 inch tires. Which makes me believe that the larger tire with more sidewall is slower to respond to the vehicle that is towing it.
That's my 2 cents worth.

 

[Castle Bravo]

...Or I'll towbar it with a deuce/5 ton...

I have towbared a HMMWV with a M35A2, M818, and another HMMWV and did not have any problems.

 

[rustystud]

It's a combination of "independent front suspension" and Positive "caster" . Came across this many times flat towing Ford 1 tons with independent front suspensions and to much Positive Caster.

 

[cucvrus]

I tow barred this one several times. Officer freindly liked to impound it and not allow my sons to drive it home. One time I had to tow it a long distance. It pushed a bit but the big 40 inch M16 tires never gave me any trouble on turns This was my 2008 Silverado that I towed it with. Check out that difference. The HMMWV is the worse I ever towed.

 

[2deuce]

Did the HMMWV have the goodyear biased tires? Everything with radials has always towed much better for me. I got a HMMWV back in October, but I drove mine home, I actually towed a Mutt 200 miles with it. Slow and somewhat noisy, but a fun trip.
I put a M1028 on a trailer and towed it 500 miles with a M1009 once. That was a white knuckle trip especially down cabbage hill outside of Pendleton, if anybody knows that hill, all those warnings and then the final warning are definitely bowel release threatening.

 

[rustystud]

View attachment 595820View attachment 595821View attachment 595822View attachment 595823View attachment 595824I tow barred this one several times. Officer freindly liked to impound it and not allow my sons to drive it home. One time I had to tow it a long distance. It pushed a bit but the big 40 inch M16 tires never gave me any trouble on turns This was my 2008 Silverado that I towed it with. Check out that difference. The HMMWV is the worse I ever towed.

Your towing a "straight axle" compared to an "independent suspension" axle. The straight axle will always tow better.

 

[UNIMOG-GUY]

I have towed my M1008 w/37" tires with my M1028 w/ stock tires and it's a handful/pushes you around the turns. I have towed my M1008 w/stock tires w/my M1028 w/stock tires and it is a completely different experience (almost like towing a trailer w/out brakes). So I would attribute your issues to tires, width of the towed vehicle and independent suspension. The only thing that changed for me was the tire size/weight and everything else was the same. I don't think the weight of the tires mattered that much.

How much does your HMMWV weigh?

 

[cucvrus]

How much does your HMMWV weigh?

I do not know. It is heavy man heavy. Dig it?

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

Buy an M939 series to tow it next time. Problem solved

5 ton will tow it down the road even with all the wheels ripped off.

Mine is only a bare bones tractor, but it still weighs over 20,000lbs. More than a match for a HMMWV.

 

[cucvrus]

No if it was mine in the first place it would never need to be towed. From this point on I hope to say it will never need towed again. If it is being towed it is broken. And I do not tolerate broken very well. Happy Thanksgiving

 

[2deuce]

Hmmwv's weigh around 7500 depending on the configuration and accessories without armor. When I was towing the Mutt, I noticed it twitched around some in the rear view mirror but it was minor and not felt. CUCV's have always towed perfect, rock solid and true, but I have not towed any with oversize tires. The Mutt is independent suspension and it does have NDT's on it, but it was also light by comparison. If there was a shelter on the M1028 I believe it would have helped with the weight disadvantage of towing a HMMWV, but that still leaves width and independent suspension to deal with. One other factor that might have an effect is the tow bar attachment, the mount points and angle. The longer the tow bar is made the more leverage the towed vehicle will have so I keep mine as short as I can. I'm not sure about the effect of not being level whether high or low, but I think the mount points should be wider as opposed to narrow. One last thing is if the towed vehicles wheels want to turn in the opposite direction of the turn, start moving in a straight line before beginning the turn giving the tires some rolling momentum. I have never needed over 10'. The CUCV will spoil you with how great it tows, just hook up and go, but disconnect the rear driveline, hubs free, tc in neutral and steering unlocked.

 

[98G]

It's a combination of "independent front suspension" and Positive "caster" . Came across this many times flat towing Ford 1 tons with independent front suspensions and to much Positive Caster.

This.

Caster. It makes more difference than weight does. 939series trucks tow other 939series trucks just fine. M35s with super singles and altered caster tow fine behind 939series trucks. Stock deuces with positive caster try to countersteer.

Just towing it with a bigger truck won't resolve it. You'll just drag the tires sideways and break things.

 

[98G]

View attachment 595820View attachment 595821View attachment 595822View attachment 595823View attachment 595824I tow barred this one several times. Officer freindly liked to impound it and not allow my sons to drive it home. One time I had to tow it a long distance. It pushed a bit but the big 40 inch M16 tires never gave me any trouble on turns This was my 2008 Silverado that I towed it with. Check out that difference. The HMMWV is the worse I ever towed.

nice truck!

 

[JohnnyBM931A2]

No if it was mine in the first place it would never need to be towed. From this point on I hope to say it will never need towed again. If it is being towed it is broken. And I do not tolerate broken very well. Happy Thanksgiving

Ha. I agree.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too

 

[2deuce]

Every vehicle I have towed that wanted to counter steer would only counter steer in a turn that began from a stop. The cure was moving at least 1 wheel rotation before starting the turn. If I forgot to do this, I would have to drag the towed vehicle across the intersection and hope nothing broke.

 

[cucvrus]

OK the question has been answered. I will not tow it again. It will never need towed again. It will be the tower not the towee.