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Flat Towing My Truck

ARAMP1

ARAMP1

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I'll be PCSing in a couple weeks and I'm planning on flat towing my rig across the country. The main reason is because I don't have a transfer case or driveshafts in it. What do I need to know about flat towing?

Here are some things that I've been thinking of:

1) I'll need to make sure the tow bar is rated for the weight of a one ton truck. I'm pretty sure it is.

2) Do I leave the steering wheel locked or unlocked and bungee the wheel to the brake pedal to limit steering. Don't really know what to do with this.

3) Probably need to cover the grille/intercooler/radiator with at least something to limit any damage that is thrown up on the truck.

What else?
 
What king of truck are you going to pull it with? Your truck will get pushed around because of no trailer weight on the back end of your truck. I would take back roads and keep it slow.
 
I don't know what "PCSing" is but I would assume he's towing it with something of good size. Maybe a rental moving truck?

Driveshafts out is the best thing for the vehicle being flat towed, you have that covered already.

Steering wheel unlocked otherwise it'll beat the crap out of the front end and tires of your truck, could also play pushing games with the tow vehicle, not to mention putting serious side loads on the tow equipment.
 
Yeah, I'll be pulling it with the biggest U-Haul truck (prob 26 footer) I can rent and it'll have probably 10K pounds of stuff in the box. Don't really see a one ton truck pushing it around too much.

PCS = Permanent Change of Station = Moving myself, family and all my belongings to another base.
 
Read the post above yours a little closer.

PCS as has been said is a Permanent Change of Station. Means whatever branch of service ARAMP1 is serving in, has decided it's time for him to move to a different post.
 
sniperthx1 said:
Read the post above yours a little closer.

PCS as has been said is a Permanent Change of Station. Means whatever branch of service ARAMP1 is serving in, has decided it's time for him to move to a different post.
Click to expand...

I swear that was NOT there before...:doah: I could have missed it. But, usually, I'm pretty good at noticing the details.

I figured it had something to do with moving, was just curious to know what it actually stood for. I've learned more military acronyms from CK5 than anywhere else.
 
I learned more military acronyms from the Army than anywhere else myself.

OK, done hijacking.
 
496truck said:
I swear that was NOT there before...:doah: I could have missed it. But, usually, I'm pretty good at noticing the details.
Click to expand...
LOL! It wasn't. Right after I posted, I figured I'd add the def. Must have just been done editing right before you posted. :D
 
Anyway, here's what I'm planning on towing the truck with.

UHaul.jpg


Don't know what the tow rating is, but I suspect it'll have no problem flat towing a one ton truck.
 
No driveshafts, leave the steering unlocked, connected good, should be fine.

I towbar pulled a '78 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham from San Diego to Phoenix with my Burb, was not horrible, didn't push me around that I noticed, just heavy and always felt like I had some idiot tailgating me. :P

Looked at the car later and realized it weighed almost as much as the Burb :doah:
Just make sure to utilize the safety chains "just in case"
 
Okay, here's one. I don't have my power steering hooked up. No pump or lines mounted. Should I disconnect the crossover steering? Or, should I leave it hooked to the steering box dry?
 
Do yourself a favor and rent a trailer. Once you load that single axle truck with stuff and put your truck behind it braking may be not so good. Not saying it won't stop but may be a little scary in a tight situation. Just my 2 penny's!
 
dangerdog said:
Do yourself a favor and rent a trailer. Once you load that single axle truck with stuff and put your truck behind it braking may be not so good. Not saying it won't stop but may be a little scary in a tight situation. Just my 2 penny's!
Click to expand...
it would be hard to find a uhaul trailer large enough to tow a 1 ton truck.it took me a month of waiting to find one they would let me tow my blazer with and insure it.i still ended up driving over the wheel wells to get it up on the trailer.ive only flat towed short distances,but i always locked up the steering because if it gets locked around corners,it may not go back strait if it goes to full lock,then you are dragging the truck sideways.i was alwyas told to lock the steering strait because of this.if you can get a tow dolly to put the front wheels up on it would be much safer.
 
Yeah, don't think I could find a trailer to rent that will hold a crew cab dually.
 
Put the truck you want to tow IN the moving tuuck,and rent a trailer to carry all your other posessions...problem solved!..:D
 
diesel4me said:
Put the truck you want to tow IN the moving tuuck,and rent a trailer to carry all your other posessions...problem solved!..:D
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that would be crazy.and would take up the whole back of the truck.if it could fit in there,width would be the issue then.
 
You'll be fine flat towing it, just make sure all connections are tight and check them regularly to make sure nothing comes lose.

U-Haul doesn't really have any trailers for trucks that big and most other places that would have them won't rent on a one way deal. I just went through this with my Burb when it broke down 450 miles away from family on the way back to Phoenix, ended up renting from a local place, they gave the rescue crew a 20ft deck over tire dove tail with ramps. did great, was alittle tall, but towed fine.

Just don't go crazy with the speed, I was hittin 65-70 when I towed that Caddy from San Diego, never had any issues the whole trip other than the fact it was dragging me down :D
 
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