towing a 5 ton - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

drjconley · 03-02-2009, 19:39

when towing a 5 ton with another 5 ton do you have to connect both the service and emergency air lines? what do the two different air lines run? if you are towing a 5 ton with questionable brakes, if the towed vehicles air line fails, will both the towing and towed rig loose air assisted brakes? has anyone intentionally not hooked up a five ton air brakes because of fears of loosing air pressure?

thanks,
jim

MilitaryRestoration · 03-02-2009, 20:12

your service line, when you push on the brakes in the pulling truck, makes the towed truck's brakes come on and your emergency line, keeps the towed truck tanks filled. I just towed a m818 with a m818 and hooked the lines up and had no problem, of course check them before headed out onto main roads and constantly watched the air pressure on the trip, but what is it that you are questioning on the 'towed' trucks brakes? and yes if you had a bad leak in the towed truck that could = no brakes period due to losing complete air pressure, but just depends

dm22630 · 03-02-2009, 20:33

If you hear the low air buzzer come on......downshift, downshift, downshift & roll to a stop. It does not take long to stop unless you are going down a big hill.

MilitaryRestoration · 03-02-2009, 20:44

LanceRobson · 03-02-2009, 23:22

Wow! Lots of scary thoughts from reading this thread!

No 5 ton truck has enough braking power to stop another "no brakes" 5 ton in anything resembling a panic stop. It's worse with lightly loaded trucks and no ABS.

Troubleshoot the towed vehicles brakes before towing it at more than a motor pool relocation speed. Nothing involved in this tow is worth killing someone else, or dying for.

No matter how good you think you are at controlling things, Murphey is always looking for ways to get into the picture.

I sure don't know why you asked this but, I'm glad you did. That means that the little warning buzzer in the back of your brain cell is telling you that this is, maybe, not so good of an idea. Heed it. If you wouldn't put your kids in the towed vehicle for the trip, you've no business making the trip.

Lance

sirmrtow · 03-02-2009, 23:43

put it on a lowboy or call a towing service cya always

drjconley · 03-03-2009, 10:01

Thanks for the replies, i liked the comment about not towing anything i wouldnt put my kids in the truck with me during the tow. I did tow a vehicle last month that i thought the exact thing, I left the kids at home, and i had no fun during the tow. Everything turned out well, but it was a little scarry. I wont do that again.
jim

CUCVFAN · 03-03-2009, 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by LanceRobson

No 5 ton truck has enough braking power to stop another "no brakes" 5 ton in anything resembling a panic stop. It's worse with lightly loaded trucks and no ABS.

Let's be realistic, no 5-ton truck fully loaded (on-road load == 20,000lbs == roughly the weight of an empty 5-ton) has enough brakes to stop in any reasonable distance in anything resembling a panic stop. Granted, having the load in the bed is differrent than having it pushing you, but let's be real about the brakes on these trucks. They'll stop the truck, but the driver must also be very careful and alert at all times, especially when loaded.

In a panic stop with a loaded 5-ton, you'll probably kill somebody or demolish something.

BKubu · 03-03-2009, 11:12

I'll echo the comments about getting it shipped. I've said that previously, but it does not seem like a popular suggestion. I almost always get my trucks shipped. More money...but fewer hassles and no worries.

Armada · 03-03-2009, 12:04

Quote:

I have no comment at this time for fear of being fired upon.

I'll just say run it.