Dually w/3-4 wedge, Medium duty w/ 4-5 car or semi w/7-10? Please help

How do you flat tow a truck?? Waht kinda hitch implement do you use? Do you cage the brakes or tie into the air system some how?

 

I don't know about a hitch because I've always done it with a tow truck. I have seen people using hitches, just don't know anything about them. You can cage the brakes or supply air from your truck via air hose. Ask how long the truck you're towing has been sitting and then check the current air pressure to estimate how bad it leaks down. Using an air hose to supply air to the towed truck is quicker/easier, but it's pointless if the truck your towing has a bad air leak. If the truck has been sitting a while and it's unknown whether the truck will hold air or not, it's better to just cage the brakes. 3/4" wrench(ratcheting wrench works awesome) and your done. Cordless impact would be great if you could find a socket long enough. lol The threads are too long to use a socket, so you're stuck wrenching it. If you do supply air, leave the air hosed attached during transit. This allows you to monitor the towed vehicles air pressure with your gauges. You don't want to just supply air then disconnect because if it's leaking you won't know until you hear tires squealing and see smoke in your mirror. lol Just run the air hose down your frame to the center of the towed truck(this way the line stays the same in turns and doesn't get tighter when turning one way or the other), run the hose around the CENTER of the towed trucks bumper, up along the grove between the hood and fender, wrap excess slack around the towed vehicles mirror brackets, and then run it back to the air tank. Attach tow lights while the air supply is building, if they're not wireless tow lights just follow your air line with the eletrical cord. After thats done, check the towed vehicles air pressure, release the brakes and away you go.

EDIT: While in transit, remember to keep a check on your gauges if you're supplying air to the towed vehicle. Any other questions let me know.

 

i Use a 10k pound rated tow bar and i very rarely use my air to supply the towed vehicle, i cage the brakes and make sure it rolls, this truck is an auto so im dropping the drive shaft. ill post pics 2maro. i have a wheel lift that goes in my 5th wheel but im towing a Gooseneck flat trailer in Atlanta when im done and i just want to hook up to it and drive away so ill use the tow bar because it tucks nicely behind the cab.

 

Once we towed an old GM bus with my fathers freightliner tow truck and supplied the air, released the brakes, they held and a mile down the road the diaphragm in the brake chamber tore locking up the wheels. had to get the torch out and cut the chambers off to take it the rest of the way to the scrap yard. From then on i prefer to cage brakes rather than use air because you really dont know the condition of the seals/hoses/components in the brake system, as a matter a fact ill take a picture in a min of how you flat tow, let me arrange my vehicles ( pulls out his matchbox cars) lol

 

this isnt hooked up of course, but all thats involved is making sure its out of gear and or remove the drive shaft. and the brakes are released and it will follow where ever you go

 

do you have some info where I can get jobs if I decide to buy a trcuk to haul cars.
thank you

 

You do realize there's a lot more to hauling anything than just getting a truck and hitting the road. Once you have your operating authority and insurance, you will be able to access various broker websites. And there's always uship......

 

Semper Fi,

Hey thanks for calling me I appreciate your time. Do you have any insite or info on leasing onto say Open Road or Fleet Car or Wagoneers as a 3-4 car wedge? Do they take us small guys?

 

Gotta love a nice cabover..

 

Brother I have no idea, I would have to say try to contact them and see what they say.