Lift towing with M108

[Stretch44875]

How to make a M108 a wrecker. Got some chain adapters for the towbar, so had to try them out. Hooked up the M35 to the back and picked it up. Didn't hook up the brakes or safety chain, just took it around the country block to see how it would do. Used my wire adapter to hook the lights together on the trucks.

Don't have a wiffle tree yet, so had to use a chain around the frame rails to get enough height.


Truck felt a little lite on the front end, but tracked well. And I haven't lift towed with a bigger truck to compare it to. Just finished installing a pyro and turning the fuel up. It would run up to 40-45 easy, and I think out on the open road it would run 55. I would NOT tow this anywhere without hooking the brakes together. Could really tell the truck was back there coming to a stop. It cornered decent also.

Here's a link to the ebay auction I bought the axle chain adapters from. He had 2 sets left, but the auction is over. 85 buy it now, new, free shipping

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0556510369&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Dennis

 

[Westech]

cool man.. lets hope it can get my 5 ton unstuck in a couple weeks. (If I can get the T case to work)

 

[nk14zp]

Look's great.

 

[area52]

Looks good, just be careful the chain on the towbar feet goes under the brake line on the axle so not as to crush it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I've tried lift towing with mine before. Couldn't get out of the dirt driveway, kept pushing me straight. Mine was set up a little differently. I had the axle clamps around my bumperettes, had the towbar reversed and was towing the rear of the M275A2. I like the idea of having the pivot point at the same end as the hook. Need a shorter towbar for this endeavor.

 

[Stretch44875]

You would need a really short towbar to put both pivots at the same spot, and still be able to lift. I measured the hook at 28in from the pintle with the boom retraced. With different pivots, on the corners the hook would be pulled sideways, and raise the towed truck some. It would also mean the weight of the truck would tend to straighten the towed vehicle.

I would not use the M108 to tow a 5-ton. Pretty sure it would just lift the front tires off the ground with that much weight in the back.

In the pics I have the chain adapters installed upside down. Reason being there was not enough room between the steering link on the axle and the chain adapters. Amgeneral informed me you can turn the wheel all the way to the right, and the adapters will fit right side up.

To fit the chains under the brake lines, I had to take a brake bracket off the axle on each side.

 

[rizzo]

I've tried lift towing with mine before. Couldn't get out of the dirt driveway, kept pushing me straight. Mine was set up a little differently. I had the axle clamps around my bumperettes, had the towbar reversed and was towing the rear of the M275A2. I like the idea of having the pivot point at the same end as the hook. Need a shorter towbar for this endeavor.

maybe hook your axle clamps to the rear axle on the 108? that would bring it closer and put weight back on the front axle.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I am currently putting together a short towbar and I have a rigid tow truck style sling it will attach to. Also going to drill the bumperettes and bolt on a set of shackle mounts from the back of a 5 ton to attach them to. With all this said, I would only lift tow if I have no other alternatives unless it was a CUCV or the like. I would like to get the 108 restored to to point I can drive it to the rallys with the 1008 in tow.

 

[tm america]

i would think you would want the pivots as close to up and down as possible.but you could run it how kenny had his even with the boom retracted and the cable running at an angle. just make sure the hook is close to the pivot on the truck .the cable angle doesnt really matter that much when hooked like that the tow bar stops the truck from getting closer to eachother.