Newly purchased an M35A2 - trailer/towbar? Houston Area

[mightyduk]

Well, I dove into it this week purchasing a 1967 M35A2 in Bryan, Texas on Gov Planet. It reportedly starts and runs without a boost and appears drive-able. I need to bring it home now and trying to figure out the economical way. Distance is about 60 miles. I have a 2012 diesel F250, tow rated to 15000 lbs. My first inclination was to drive it down at low speed, bring some chains/heavy tow strap or a tow-bar as a backup in case things are not as expected.

I'd really prefer a tow-bar, but I can't seem to find one to rent that will handle the load (it's got water tanks and winch so pushing 14000). Biggest trailer I've found to rent is 14000. I know this is at my F250's limit but I believe at low-speed for the short distance I would be able to get it there without issue.

Does anyone in the Houston area have a tow-bar they could loan/rent? Or a trailer? Or a better economical suggestion?

Thanks for any advice or help you can provide. I'm sure I'll be back on here with questions galore once I start to do some work on her.

Matt

 

[simp5782]

Mike M715 is near there in Montgomery. There are a few members around that area. They will chime in shortly. If not I will be in Bryan next weekend more than likely and could load it up and bring it down.

It is not so much about towing it, it is about stopping it and a deuce and a half does not turn for crap behind a big truck dragging it or even a small truck. I only recommend towbar with a pickup to just get something off the road. not much else.

 

[98G]

Emphasis added - your pickup truck will pull it fine, but won't even begin to stop it.

Put it on a gooseneck trailer with brakes and you'd be fine. Attempt to tow it with a towbar and what will happen when you hit the brakes is the ABS will activate, but almost no braking force will be applied - 21,000lbs of forward momentum and only about 7000lbs of traction.

Towbarring a large truck with a pickup is like simp said - just far enough to get out of the road in an emergency.

Switching topics - single circuit brakes on an auction truck that's been sitting are not to be trusted. They'll fail, and the first indication you'll have will be when the pedal goes to the floor and you have no brakes.

Find someone nearby who has a deuce or 5ton and a medium towbar and make a day of it.

 

[mightyduk]

Advice I will take!

Emphasis added - your pickup truck will pull it fine, but won't even begin to stop it.

Put it on a gooseneck trailer with brakes and you'd be fine. Attempt to tow it with a towbar and what will happen when you hit the brakes is the ABS will activate, but almost no braking force will be applied - 21,000lbs of forward momentum and only about 7000lbs of traction.

Towbarring a large truck with a pickup is like simp said - just far enough to get out of the road in an emergency.

Switching topics - single circuit brakes on an auction truck that's been sitting are not to be trusted. They'll fail, and the first indication you'll have will be when the pedal goes to the floor and you have no brakes.

Find someone nearby who has a deuce or 5ton and a medium towbar and make a day of it.

 

[98G]

These are all OK -

 

[98G]

This is NOT ok, except for emergency or just moving it around a field.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

The lighter tow vehicle will be DOMINATED by the heavier towed vehicle on a tow bar. And steering forces applied by the tow vehicle will be overridden by the heavy front end of the begrudging Deuce, thereby easily pushing the tail end of the civilian pickup into a dangerous and unforgiving jackknife once the pickup's rear axle's directional traction is compromised.

You will do well to heed the aforementioned advice.....

DON'T TRY THIS (at home ) ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS!!!

 

[SETOYOTA]

Service the truck including the brakes and drive it.

 

[mightyduk]

Found it started and ran great, but brakes were not safe to drive, so thanks to yall's good advice we had rented a heavy trailer and had no trouble hauling it home. I'm sure I'll be back on here looking for recommendations for getting it up and running.

 

[Tracer]

Found it started and ran great, but brakes were not safe to drive, so thanks to yall's good advice we had rented a heavy trailer and had no trouble hauling it home. I'm sure I'll be back on here looking for recommendations for getting it up and running.

mightyduk, congrats on getting the truck home safely. Now how about some pictures.

 

[AZK9]

mightyduk, congrats on getting the truck home safely. Now how about some pictures.

It's always nice to get a new MV home safely! Congratulations and... have fun!!

 

[mightyduk]

 

[mightyduk]

When I was a young sub-lieutenant in the Canadian Forces reserves, I spent many an hour riding in the back of what we called an MLVW or "ML" for short, basically an M35 made by Bombardier with some winterization. Brings back some memories... not all good!

 

[Tracer]

I saw this truck on GP and I'm happy one of our members picked her up, and not some construction company, or scrap hauler. Looks like a good clean Viet Nam era truck. I noticed the unique mirror mounts, never seen any quite like that before. Are the tanks for fuel, water, weed killer???

 

[mightyduk]

Water, I believe the truck was adapted for use in firefighting somewhere, it had been painted red as well. Someone pointed out the tanks may be from water-buffalo trailers, the water tank version of the M35 has a single tank.

 

[simp5782]

Water, I believe the truck was adapted for use in firefighting somewhere, it had been painted red as well. Someone pointed out the tanks may be from water-buffalo trailers, the water tank version of the M35 has a single tank.

Those are just 600gal pods. They can be used for fuel or water. water buffalo tanks are round. They are cheaply found and adaptable for firefighting using so the forest service and volunteer units use them for water trucks offroad.