Hey guys,
I'm a 25+ year O/O, and have a 2001 W900L. I run mostly eastern US based out of Atlanta. I've done everything from stock vans to oversize lowboys, but here's something I have NO knowledge about. Here's what I'm after: If my truck dies out there, I want to be able to get the thing home myself (tractor only - no load, about 20k lbs). I have two old 80's model Pete's that are VERY healthy running collectable-type non-revenue trucks. I have driver friends that can come rescue me. And my brother-in-law is an ace iron and steel fabricator/welder.
Can I put a pintle/etc. on one of the Petes and use the two factory KW tow hooks, and have my bro-in-law fabricate some sort of a (triangular-shaped?) tow bar? I want 100% safe, no-fail setup. Something like a http://www.protote.com/ would be ideal, but too expensive.
I feel my bro-in-law can make something REALLY stout (he fabricates 100-ton overhead cranes and such). So that leaves the factory KW tow hooks. Will they do their job absolutely? Interstates? Hills?
Here's an eBay pic of one of the KW tow hooks like mine (K143-313). Man they look thin on the sides of the rearward hole.
Looking for advice from you experts -- thanks in advance!!!
-Glenn
W900L Towing/Hooks
Discussion in 'Kenworth Forum' started by gltech, Jul 26, 2014.
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I'm no expert but I've seen these tow hooks used to pull fully loaded (78k-80k)trash trucks up and down landfills countless times. Never seen or heard of one breaking. They should handle the weight of a bobtail with no problem.
gltech Thanks this. -
gltech Thanks this.
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Hey nb629, when you've seen the tow hooks used, were they using one or two? What did they use to hook the truck doing the towing to the truck being towed?
Also wondering what you think about my arrows in the picture to the "thin" places. Man they scare me. -
Not sure what they are made of, but A36 mild steel has a yield strength of at least 36,000 psi. I am going to guess that there is at least a 1 square inch of steel between the 2 sides. Keep in mind that the tensile strength is going to be at least 60,000 lbs/in, so you could hang the tractor in the air from one of them.
gltech Thanks this. -
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I have seen some guys use just one but I personaly always use both. I have a heavy 9/16 chain that I use because its when the land fill is to muddy we're being towed by dozers and such so I cant help with rigging to another truck. As far as the thin sides go on my truck they would be the top and bottom with the tow pin dropping in from the top like a wagon tongue. Also the end of the tow hook your concerned with slides inside a piece of square stock that is mounted to the frame eliminating any extreme stress on the thin spots. I'm not sure if this set up is standard or was modified by our shop. I will take a closer look at some other trucks and see what I find.
gltech Thanks this. -
Those tow hooks will take more stress than your truck will. It has been known to happen that guys who do job site work doing heavy haul have been pulled on so hard by a dozer that the truck cannot handle it and it will get pulled apart.
gltech Thanks this. -
W900AOwner said: ↑Hey gltech,
Just thinking about this and if your bro-in-law is indeed a good fab-man, then how about considering having him build you a Big Ben 5th wheel rig like I got here...?
View attachment 69399
This one's a simple setup, made from a coupler plate, some box tube for the framework, and a 10" I beam for the lift beam. It has an old style drawbar off an old wrecker attached to the end of the box tube frame. Mechanism is 2 hydraulic rams that have about a 2' travel, powered by a snowplow pump/ 12V deal.
You hook 2 good, heavy 1/2" chains around the rear axles (chain up air suspension first of course,) and go to the drawbar. Another set of 1/2" chains go from the end of the lift beam down to the drawbar that do the lifting when you activate the pump. Works like magic. I towed a bunch of trucks with it, with this 81 Freightliner cabover in this picture.
This way, you don't have to go through the trouble of removing bumpers, dropping driveshafts or pulling axles...all you do is tie the steering wheel and cover the exhaust and rig the lightbar up, and head down the road.
Just a thought if you like to keep things simple and cheap. Those are my two main goals in life...Click to expand...
Thanks!!!!Click to expand...
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