Hats off to career deuce drivers!

[Smokinyoda]

Just wanted to congratulate any and all here that drove these trucks for a living, I have a new respect for each of you!

Decided to take the 105 out for a spin behind my truck and upon returning decided to try and back it into the drive for the first time... BIG MISTAKE!!!

I am by no means a pro at backing a normal trailer but I can usually manage to get it where it needs to go with minimal effort. Not with this combo! I could not make a 90 degree turn from road to driveway after 5 attempts.

Finally just pulled it in forward and planned to turn around in yard... but ran out of yard before completing the turn!!! In the process of trying to get it swung around and getting very frustrated I jackknifed it, cutting into my trailer wires. Now I have to repair that.

So I have learned a new respect for those of you who can put these short trailers where they need to go, with little to no effort.

P.S. I did get one helluva upper arm/shoulder workout!!!

 

[drgreg]

Ha, you gotta try it with the correct number of axles.

 

[neilhendrix]

My wires were color coded. Did I say I`ve done the same thing

 

[combat32]

Do all your turning while still moving forward That's the ticket!

 

[uscgmatt]

Its even more fun with an empty 103a3 trailer you can barely see, not to mention 3 axles on the truck. But I feel your pain.

 

[91W350]

I am enjoying this as I posted a similar story a while back. You cannot see the trailer in the mirror and once you do, it is almost too late. I have put them in and out of my driveway, no one shot passes yet.... My bass boat was cake, my car trailers were cake, even a 53 foot trailer behind a cabover Pete went in with two shots. That 105 behind a deuce is humbling. Glen

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

In a 6X6 you just need to maneuver while moving forward. When you whack off an axle and cut it to a 4X4 you're circumcised or maybe even castrated your prize bull.... ain't gonna be no calfin' no more.

All kidding aside, your BOBBER looks good.
Too bad about your wiring.
Practice makes perfect.

 

[CARNAC]

Thanks I guess. I'm still driving the exact same truck I owned in the military thanks to Ecostruction who posted pictures of it when he bought it and then sold it to me.

As for your backing, the best thing is to go to a large empty parking lot or field. Set up cones and practice. That way you don't have the traffic and other distractors. You'll be amazed at how quick you'll pick it up in a stress free environment.

 

[Smokinyoda]

Might have been easier with a wider driveway, but mine barely fits my truck, with a ditch on either side. has to be perfect first time or wont go in. Time to enlarge the driveway!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Let me know if you need parts for your trailer, I have scrapped some out and saved a bunch of parts.

 

[uscgmatt]

Time to enlarge the driveway!

I like your thinking.

 

[gunboy1656]

Thanks I guess. I'm still driving the exact same truck I owned in the military thanks to Ecostruction who posted pictures of it when he bought it and then sold it to me.

As for your backing, the best thing is to go to a large empty parking lot or field. Set up cones and practice. That way you don't have the traffic and other distractors. You'll be amazed at how quick you'll pick it up in a stress free environment.

CARNAC, You may be lucky enough to drive your truck from your military days, but I just bought 2 trailers that were from the same unit as my truck came from. So now I have a deuce and 2 M105's all from the 558 Signal Company. I didn't preview them and the other auctions bid over what I paid for these two. So I had no idea what unit they came from.

As far as backing in the military, there is one thing they have most of us don't when it comes to backing.......soldier B to ground guide. As was mentioned get a big parking lot on a Sunday when nobody is around and have fun.

 

[hdmax]

All kidding aside, your BOBBER looks good.
Too bad about your wiring.
Practice makes perfect.

Are you saying with a little practice he can cut the wire in half?
I backed my M105 into a drive that was a 90* turn for the first time. It was a pain, I used to do it (25-30 years ago!) with a deuce 6x6 all the time, I don't remember it being that hard back than.

 

[DUG]

I never try to back or maneuver in tight spots without my Soldier B. I had the Boy Scout's trailer (a two axle ex toy hauler) on for the weekend and we had to pull out of a very over crowded parking lot at camp. Since we were the first unit to leave, everyone said I couldn't get out. After looking over the situation I had the troop (and all the adults) stand aside as my 14 year old (Soldier B) directed me out. During one tricky spot one of the other leaders came running over to stop us. He said we were CLOSE to hitting a car. I told him CLOSE doesn't count for chit - as long as we don't make contact. He walked away pissed, but he learned with good direction and communication (all hand signals) you can put a deuce and trailer almost anywhere.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Are you saying with a little practice he can cut the wire in half?
I backed my M105 into a drive that was a 90* turn for the first time. It was a pain, I used to do it (25-30 years ago!) with a deuce 6x6 all the time, I don't remember it being that hard back than.

HDmax, Your "power steering" has worn out in the past 25-30 years, that's the difference!

 

[broman78]

I just take mine off and push it into my driveway.

 

[wreckerman893]

When I was in Germany back in the 70's I was in a Signal unit and drove for the Mess Hall and Supply Room. Five days a week when we were in garrison I did a run of some sort.
In two years I racked up over 50,000 accident free miles...got an Army Achievement Medal as my PCS award.

Once a year they had REFORGER, a huge military execise that involved all NATO forces in the area. As a signal battalion we supported several units across a wide front.

Several times during the exercise we would "jump" which meant packing up the Mess Hall up on a deuce and M105 trailer and moving it to a new location....this was usually done at night for security and so that no meal would be missed.

The Quartering Party that went ahead was usually sucessful at finding the most difficult place to get into to locate the Mess Hall at.

I spent a lot of time dodging trees and old fox holes that dotted the manuver area.

Getting stuck meant having to wander around in the dark looking for the wrecker and to incur the ire of the Mess Sergeant and everybody that wanted hot coffee and soup.

If you think backing a deuce and trailer is hard in broad daylight try doing it a night by red light (no white lights allowed) wearing a steel pot and web gear.

I learned to get out of the truck and do a good recon before I tried to get into a new place.

Our dueces at that time did not have the air shift front axle so sometimes you were stuck before you knew it.