PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-664
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 664
MARCH 2008
12
PS 664
MAR 08
Dear Half-Mast,
Drivers in our unit are known to tow more than one trailer from
a single vehicle, like a water trailer connected to a generator being
towed by a 2
1
/
2- or 5-ton truck.
This doesn’t seem safe to me, but I can’t find a regulation, SOP or
warning in the operator’s technical manual that says you can’t do this.
Is this practice allowed?
SGT M.S.F.
•
The two trailers referenced in your question do not have pintle hooks attached to
them as standard equipment. And the rear cross member on these trailers was not
tested to determine if it could withstand towing another trailer.
•
Also, both trailers do not have rear glad hands to hook up air lines needed to
operate the air-over-hydraulic brakes on following trailers. The brakes must be in
working order to comply with DOT standards.
•
The 2
1
/
2
-ton series trucks were never tested to tow multiple loads, only a single
towed load. And the truck, as the prime mover, cannot recover enough air pressure
to operate the vehicle’s brake system with two loads in tow. The truck’s air
compressor is not big enough to put the air that’s used back in the air-brake system
fast enough.
•
Neither trailer referenced has a receptacle mounted for an electrical cable from
the last trailer that would allow rear lights to work when hooked up. That means
the last trailer is not in compliance with DOT standards.
Hope this helps. The bottom line is
don’t
tow more than one
trailer from the truck.
Dear Sergeant M.S.F.,
The short answer is—NO!
The long answer is, this practice is not authorized and must stop for the following
reasons:
•
Per the operator’s manual for the M35A2- and M35A3-series 2
1
/
2
-ton trucks, WP
0002 00-9 in TM 9-2320-361-10 and Page 1-13 in TM 9-2320-386-10, the maximum
towed load for the truck’s pintle hook is 6,000 pounds. The combined capacity of
these two trailers exceeds the maximum pintle load by nearly 1,500 pounds.
Wheeled Vehicles…
so long,
sarge!
I’m out!
you’re out,
all right.
you’re out of
your
mind!
this kind of
hook-up is a
nO-GO!
664.12-13.indd
1-2
2/4/08
12:32:49 PM
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