The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Towing an AD

Soon I will be towing a 52 1/2 ton on a two wheeled dolly with the rear wheels on the ground. Other than having good tires does anyone see any problems with the torque tube or rear axel lubrication. Seems like I have read an old post where someone had the transmission lock up?
t

52PU,

How far you going? if it's more'n a hundred miles I 'd think about full trailer or flat bed.

How long has it been sitting?
Definitely change or at least top-up the tranny & rear-end oils.

If it's been static for long while, I'd at least get some gear lube on the front U-joint and its bushing- some three-speeds had a hex-head pipe plug on the extension housing: this was for lube at installation- either dump some gear oil in there, or split the drive shaft "ball" and saturate that u-joint good.
If you open up the torque tube, might as well remove the u-joint entirely for the tow.

There's a lot of unknowns here; I've had brake return springs break and cause wheels to lock up;
I'd want to be sure everything was loose & free before setting out on a "tow".
It's winter too; bad time to be on the roadside with a problem.

Now, when i wuz 17, I'd just back the '54 3600 up to the new toy, clamp on the tow bar, and away we'd go, dry rotted tires & all!


Didn't never kill nobody that way, but I was lucky!

I think I'd approach things more conservatively, now-a-days!

Just my 2....(there's no "cents" key on this thing!) worth.

Frank,
I'll be going and coming thru Scranton. Pulling the truck from Richmond, Va to Syracuse up Rt 81. After giving this some thought today flat trailering has less pitfalls. Like you said too many variables and bad time to be on the side of the road. Truck hasn't had rain on it since 1982 and its time it was finished. Got to pick a time when snow is not in the forcast.
t

52PU,

Well, wave to me as you're going past Scranton!

(You wouldn't care to swing by Baltimore and grab my '54 that's at Mom & Dad's, would you? It's on your way... )

(Actually, I plan on DRIVING that old soldier back up here! :rolleyes: )

Richmond- that's a haul, alright.

Hope this is one of those "nice Virginia trucks" I 've heard about!

Sure - send me an e-mail with your phone numbers and I'll call you. Will probably need to stop to let things cool off and get gas anyway. Its a Va truck orgi brake lines and no rust to speak of.
t

Tim There are 2 ways to do it with a dolly.I dont recommend a dolly but i know you have been waiting a long time to get the ole girl home.First way is if it runs.Make sure the tranny is full start the motor and let it run as you tow the truck(make sure it is in nautral)that lets the tranny get oil(cluster and bearing in the main to input).If it dont run push the clutch all the way to the floor and put a clamp on the pedal from under the hood so the clutch is disengaged(this has to be solid so as not to fall off or the rear wheek will lock and big mess) next overfill the tranny a little and put the thing in 3rd gear. This is not for everbody but i know Tim and beleive he understands what i mean.No way to find a trailer huh???Dont go much over 50mph if you do the clutch trick as it really spins the box.
Bruce

If it has to be done with a dolly, go with Phat's ideas, I would use a pair of Vise-Grip plier as a clamp. Next most used tool after duct tape, isn't it?

If you towed it very far with the clutch pushed in I would be afraid the pilot bearing in the end of the crankshaft would get hot from lack if lubrication. If it were me I would get a trailer and load it.

The pilot has never givin me any trouble as it is bronze.I have gone 525 miles like that(flat towed on top of it) but like you say a trailer is a lot safer.I would never do it again.

Ah, a disadvantage of the torque tube. You can't just disconnect a universal joint except for 3/4T's which have torque tubes and universal joints.

I've had several misshaps by towing and not
trailering.Please trailer,the life you save
may be your own!

Don King

rent a trailer from U-Haul...

Hi!
Try Moneysavingmoving.com just for fun unless you just want to do it yourself. I can't get the site to open tonight, but I used those guys about 8 years ago to move all our stuff about 1000 miles, and it was actually cheaper than the cost of renting a truck. At the time we moved it was the best deal around.

Ifyou rent from U-Hall DO NOT go over 50 M.P.H.!!!! Bad things happen to those U-Hall trailers.
Ask Phat about U-Hall --- LOL!!

I've called at least 12 auto/truck hawlers. Prices ranging 1200 to 675. Anyone got a flatbed that wants to make some money on this move? Pick-up in Richmond, Va to Syracuse, NY. I'll pay gas to help lower your costs.
t

Thanks to all who responded. I ended up renting a u-hawl and using my tie down-chains brought it back to NY and its first taste of salt. Not a minute of problem once I got the u-hawl boys to put air in the tires and fix the license plate lite.
t

The first thing I do when towing an AD is to tell the guy to get in my AC and quit whinn'
about his broken Car Motor! I've towed a lot of stuff with the 39

I like them 39's a lot. Guess you just have to be from the wrong coast to drive in one.I kinda like the other guy on his side of the cab not sittin next to me like my girl friend .But i guess when you live in CA nobody notices anyway. :p Besides what good is all that power with tank slap!!!