Darwin Award Nominee?

Redfred1

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
629
And They say "Some people couldn't stick their thumb in their ear with both Hands"!
 

harringtondav

Commander
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May 26, 2018
Messages
2,438
Don't count on it.....Only in the US do people thinks it takes an 3/4 ton pickup to tow a john boat.

Towing with "small" cars is the norm in Europe

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611

Nothing wrong with stretching a tow vehicle, if you're prudent. I pulled my 3200# boat w/a V6 std. Dodge Caravan @ 70 mph. After I installed a weight dist. hitch, electric brakes, trans. cooler. And I always manually or 'pedal up' shifted to save the tranny's clutches.

Then I bought a 5.2L Durango. No stretching anymore. Just a solid safe drive.
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
smarttowing.PNG

Three observations;
  1. Trailer lighting is unnecessary.
  2. Safety chains - Who needs them.
  3. A pickup truck is not needed for 5th wheel towing.
Probably applies to European towing as well.
 

Redfred1

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
629
The only advantage I can see is it would help backing in a tight spot.I wouldn't use it! M2
 

Maclin

Admiral
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May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Darwin Award candidates are usually endangering only themselves with a death defying stunt. This one looks like they would be in the clear if something happened.
 

Grub54891

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 17, 2012
Messages
5,908
Aw come on.... I towed my 8n tractor, on a car hauler 15 miles at 25-30 mph, with my 1980's something Ford Tempo.
Went by the state patrol, he shook his head, took off the other way! Safe? No! But got it done. I'll never do that again, anything over 30 it would fishtail.…..
 

dwco5051

Commander
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
2,326
...I hope that caster wheel has a load class 'C' rating, and is properly inflated to 50 psi.

Yep, that caster wheel is the weak link. A couple of years ago I had an old shopping cart that was left on one of my properties for at least 20 years. I tried to push it out the drive which is about 200’ long to the road for a scrapper to take away but the wheels were rusted solid so I got one of my great ideas and hooked the front of the cart over my trailer hitch. Haul it to the road, drop it off and me on my way home. Well when I left about an hour later I forgot all about it. Twenty miles later I am cruising along at 60 when a Jeep behind me starts flashing its lights on and off and my memory returned. No rubber, no metal left from the wheels, just sparks from the brackets against the pavement.
 

bassman284

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2006
Messages
2,839
One thing I agree with - if that rig was mine I wouldn't hook up the safety chains either.
 

Redfred1

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
629
Aw come on.... I towed my 8n tractor, on a car hauler 15 miles at 25-30 mph, with my 1980's something Ford Tempo.
Went by the state patrol, he shook his head, took off the other way! Safe? No! But got it done. I'll never do that again, anything over 30 it would fishtail.…..

What year is that tractor? I have a '43 (according to the S/N on the block) I bought it for $300. Had a bad valve;had it rebuilt and converted to 12V. I bought it because that is the year I was born
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
Can you just imagine how fast that little caster wheel will be turning at highway speeds? Even high speed bearings would melt sooner or later. :facepalm:
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
We're gonna need longer safety chains Bubba. I never towed a thing way back when. What did you guys use to tow those big heavy glass boats before everyone needed a 500 HP, 1 ton Hemi powered 4X4 with 22" off road rubber to pull a 17' tinny?
 

garbageguy

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
1,531
About an '06 Tacoma - not very far or comfortable. With the new Tundra, would go much farther than the trailer would want to.
 

oldrem

Commander
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
2,002
In the early 70's my '64 T-Bird had no issues with my 17' Deep V fiberglass tub.
 
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