Towed an 18wheeler.. Video!

[MCummings]

Hey guys. I was on my way to ship off my 47RH to John Isaacs when traffic just stopped moving... The cause, a broken down 18 wheeler with 13,000 pounds on board in his box trailer.



I offered to help tow him out of traffic. Last think I asked was, "do you still have enough air for brakes?" I knew I could get him moving but 6 puny tires was not stopping that thing, especially with a strap inbetween us, LOL.



Here's the vid, enjoy.



Fast forward to 1:35 or so...



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Merrick

 

[JDiepstra]

That was cool. Was the chirping noise your tires? So truckers, what was the approx weight being towed there?

 

[jgillott]

Very nice Oo.

 

[MA2LA]

I would have to say about 50k being pulled I was shocked you had enough traction to get that thing moving.

 

[Diesel Dummie]

about 43K, i v been to that pilot a few times my self, great vid.

 

[FordCummins]

I would have to say about 50k being pulled I was shocked you had enough traction to get that thing moving.

x2. Taking off with a 2wd is pretty impressive.

 

[george]

Now that should be a Dodge/Cummins commerical

 

[DonTX]

This reminds me of a time I was converting 40 ft Highway buses to luxury motorhomes. I happened to goof up and rip the forward speeds out of an Allison, was dead in the water across a neighbors driveway! I called a bus friend with Surburban, 454 , 4x4 etc. He refused, stating that his surburban would burn up before it could pull a bus. Desparate, I put the wife in our Subaru Legacy fwd automatic (who had never towed anything in her life) and she towed me home!

I often ribbed my friend that he should get rid of that Surburban and get something heavy duty, like a Subaru!

 

[The patriot]

That would be over 40K lbs, but not as much as 50K.

Very impressive.

Did you bring him to deliver his goods?:-laf

It just seems like you keep on going.

 

[steved]

I would have to say about 50k being pulled I was shocked you had enough traction to get that thing moving.

He almost didn't have enough traction... :-laf

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Nice!



Now lets just wait for the weight police to chime in:-laf

 

[MCummings]

Hehe, thanks guys. Yes, the chirping was the tires. The was alot of axle wrap, well, actually, the strap was in a upward angle torwards the tractor, so the harder I pulled, the less traction I had.



I thought I could get rid of the "hopping" by revvin' 'er up, but it didn't work, so I just cruised along. Yah, I moved him up there pretty far, just about a block past the Pilot. He ran out of fuel. When I went back half hour later he wasn't there anymore.



I really wish I had more traction so I could have really given him a tug, but oh well. Closer to the pilot I shifted it to 2nd to pick up some more speed, but again, traction limited...



When he wanted to stop though, all he had to do was touch the brakes, LOL.



I'd do it again. Even with the violent axle wrap, it was a blast, and I felt I'd pop the strap before breaking the drivetrain, of course, I've built the drivetrain to handle my daily abuse, so this was a walk in the park, LOL.





Merrick

 

[MCummings]

Nice!



Now lets just wait for the weight police to chime in:-laf

That's funny. What if I would have had to make a sudden turn? LOL



I would like to see a argument against this though haha.





Merrick

 

[Forrest Nearing]

what all is done to your rear axle assembly?

 

[GAmes]

That was neat but not a thing limited to us Dodge/Cummins guys. I saw a D-Max duelly pull start a big Freightliner at a truckstop in Idaho once. The driver had shut the engine off while re-fueling and couldn't restart it. I remember thinking "I'll be damned if I'd tear up my truck trying that".

 

[CUMMINZ]

I think you were kiddin' us. I think the big truck was pushing you.

 

[TRoss]

A couple of weeks ago there was a stalled semi on Murfreesboro Road here in Nashville. The TDOT response truck, an F350 PSD, was hooking up a chain to pull it. I kinda wanted to pull over and watch the show. I have no idea if he managed it or not.

 

[Bunyan]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

 

[MCummings]

I thought I did pretty good, but then I saw this video, and well,,,, I am humbled...



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Merrick

 

[Forrest Nearing]

so what have you done to the rear axle assembly to protect against the stress of that axle hopping?