14 June 1977
TOWING OF DISABLED ARMY COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
1.
Field users are reporting major problems in towing of commercial, vehicles that are inoperative. This problem is
especially true in recovery of disabled CCE-IHC 20 Ton Dump Trucks and CCE-P&H 25 Ton Hydraulic Cranes. The
users report that the M-Series Military 5 Ton, 6 x 6, Medium Wrecker Trucks (M62, M543, M816 or M819 Models)
experience serious towing, steering, and braking hazards during attempts of recovery of these heavy commercial
vehicles. Even more problems can be expected in the future as an increasing number and variations of commercial
vehicles are assigned to troop users.
2.
Commercial users have the same problems and are using many ways to solve it. These methods include low bed
semitrailer recovery, commercial-type-wrecker recovery, and tow bar recovery. In addition, the towing vehicle used in the
latter two methods must always be greater in actual weight than the vehicle being towed. Commercially, the disabled
vehicle's actual weight should not exceed 45% of the towing vehicle's actual weight. Following this rule, only a fully
loaded CCE-IHC 20 Ton Dump Truck, at 71,000 lb GVWR, should use a tow bar to tow an empty CCE Dump Truck at
32,000 lb curb weight. However, it is quite often that a wrecker is dispatched to the site of the disabled vehicle without
knowledge of its actual weight. For this reason, commercial wrecker-crane firms, which service the trucking industry,
maintain a fleet of light, medium, and heavy wrecker trucks necessary to accomplish any job. They have also found it to
be less costly to respond with a larger wrecker than might be needed to avoid damage to equipment and excessive
recovery time. Commercial users send service trucks and mechanics to the disabled vehicle to correct electrical, fuel, and
tire problems. The tractor-trailer and wrecker are reserved only for cases of engine failures, drive train failures, and
accidents.
3.
Preparation of disabled vehicle for recovery.
a. The tractor-trailer method of recovery involves the least preparation, only requiring that the vehicle be dragged or
pushed on the low bed semitrailer and adequately secured. The disabled vehicle must be chained down to the semitrailer
D-rings with come-a-longs at the vehicle's front end, rear end, and axle-suspension assemblies. Do not depend solely on
the vehicle's locked spring brakes and weight to keep the vehicle on the semitrailer. All semitrailer payloads must be tied
down with sufficient number of attachment having the sum of the ratings that will equal or exceed the weight of the
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