My towing light setup MV's/Civi

Here's what I came up with for towing MV's and civi stuff. Some of which is borrowed from members on here.

1st cable is a 3 foot long, one end plugs into the standard MV trailer plug on truck, other end is standard 4 wire plug(vehicle side) for civilian stuff.



2cd cable is 35 foot long, also plugs into the MV trailer plug on truck, and has a trailer side 4 wire civilian plug.



3rd cable is a standard magnetic tow light set, with the cables extended, and 24 volt bulbs.




To tow another MV, I used the 1st and second cables plugged together, hooking the trailer recepticals on both vechicles together. Then disconnect the turn signal switch on the towed MV. Now the lights on the towed vechicle will operate with the lights on the towing truck. The headlights will also work, I disconnect the grounds on the headlights to turn them off, and not overload the light switch in the towing truck.



To tow a civi trailer or truck, I use the 1st and 3rd cables. 1st cable goes on the towing truck in the trailer receptical, then plug the magnatic lights in. Slap them on whatever your towing, and you are good to go.

Here's a pic of the wiring on the MV trailer recptical, for wiring a standard 4 wire civilian plug.




Dennis

Cool Dennis, good ideas!

Where exactly are you coming up with the trailer plugs?? I know i could use a setup like that.

One was an intervechicle cable for a M818, 10 or 20 bucks at swap meet. It has a male and female end for the trailer plugs. Just used one end on it.

The other came out of a wiring harness I had, was supposed to be for the rear lights on a deuce, but I think it was a trailer harness.

Then a 25 foot roll of the 4 wire trailer cable from TSC.

Dennis

i need that trailer plug....

This is what I did for my setup.

I took an extra set of lights that I had laying around along with an extra plug.

I used approximately 40 feet of 9 conductor direct burial sprinkler system wire that I also had laying around (you should see my garage ) so I could wire all the individual light circuits.

Currently I'm using magnets bolted to each of the individual lights for flexibility.

Reference TM 9-2330-213-14&p page 4-30

I have the double ended like new set ups for the 818 for 40 bucks,

Kurtkds great idea with the jumbo safety pin on your safety chains

I use extra MV tail lights with trailer wire harness on a peice of angle iron and bunge cords on the truck in tow.

Gimpy,

I love the last picture in your post. It looks like the truck has an elephant tail

Yes, the purpose of the post was to remind us all about the potential consequences of safety negligence and to provide general info. on a military vehicle related event. The bad thing is, this guy drives a semi truck for a living! He should've known better. He lives in north FL and was heading to TX I think to pick up a M818. He said it was in MS and I think it happened on Sunday.

I know I for one will make an additional effort to be safe. I can't afford any problems.

Derek

TaylorTradingCo said:

Gimpy,
I love the last picture in your post. It looks like the truck has an elephant tail
Yes, the purpose of the post was to remind us all about the potential consequences of safety negligence and to provide general info. on a military vehicle related event. The bad thing is, this guy drives a semi truck for a living! He should've known better. He lives in north FL and was heading to TX I think to pick up a M818. He said it was in MS and I think it happened on Sunday.
I know I for one will make an additional effort to be safe. I can't afford any problems.
Derek

Click to expand...

I think you posted in the wrong thread.