Posted by Bryan on April 14, 1999 at 15:30:39:
In Reply to: Re: A point on this towing story! I forgot something posted by M. Chenail on April 14, 1999 at 13:58:41:
This string is becoming a nightmare! I think the point that everyone wants to make is that you need a 3/4 ton truck and a 10,000 lb capacity to do the job safely and correctly, BUT you can get by with a half ton vehicle and a 7500 lb trailer and a lot of caution and common sense, AND the correct weight distribution. I went to Iowa from Missouri for an M-37 I had purchased with a half ton Dodge shortbed 4x4 and a 7500 lb trailer. Weight was distributed correctly, and load was securely bound down. We made it almost 80 miles before the passenger side front wheel sheared all of the wheel studs off and then the passenger side rear tire blew out from the weight. 3 hours and $150 later, we had the wheels and tires back on and came on in home without incident. Turns out that the tire shop had used an impact on the lug nut when torquing them down and had put small fractures in the studs. Once loaded, they failed. Another time I was hauling a full size 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban on my triple axle pintle hitch trailer behind my 71 W-200, certainly a proper setup for towing big loads, but because the motor was blown in the burb we pulled it onto the trailer backwards. Couldnt get the weight down on the hitch for proper weight distribution. I tried for several miles at speeds approaching 50 mph, but it was weaving me all over the road. Ended up unloading and putting it back on frontways. You could not have driven a pin in my butt with a sledge hammer when I crossed th Gasconade River bridge on I-44 with it on backwards-I took the whole bridge!! Make sure you get those overload springs touching the pads before you pull out onto the highway. Be safe and you wont have to be sorry. I now have years of heavy hauling behind me, since we operated a rock quarry and asphalt plant and moved paving equipment all over the country. You have to learn somewhere, but dont let it kill you in the process.