electrifried

I now have 2 2nd gen trucks. I also have a part time side job that requires some long distance towing of several trailers. Used to be that I would pull a load and deadhead back several times. With a second real truck, I was wondering about my wife and I each pulling a load out and then using a towbar on the 2500 and pulling it with the 3500. The return trip would be a whole lot less boring. I realize there would be an issue with the brakes. The point where I have to drop off the trailers is about 2 miles off the interstate and my home is about 5 miles off another interstate, 550 miles apart. The tower is a 99 3500 6spd. The towee is a 2000 2500 auto. the 3500 has a 115 gal tank so we would not need to frequent the fuel stations. Any thoughts? Is this doable?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Mark

surfram

I saw a big class A motorhome towing a 2500 ctd in MD last year. I don't see why it could not be done. Just put the transfer case in neutral.

Rattletrap1

My Jeep is a Toad behind my 3500 with camper. Xfer in N and trans in P key to unlock position. I recall seeing the same configuration for "recreational towing" in the manual for the Dodge.

Homestead

There is a contractor around here where I work that tows a 2500 4x4 behind his backhoe. From what I have seen, he just unhooks the towbar, starts it and goes. He doesn't really do anything out of the ordinary. I would say he justs shifts the transfer case into 2HI and goes. He is all over the place, so he puts the miles on it. I'll try and chase him down tommorrow and see what he does.

jaconst

you should be able to find a brake setup at an rv or trailer store. I'm pretty sure they have setups that control the towed vehicles brakes just like trailer brakes, maybe also uhaul would have something. good luck

TPilaske

Check the campingworld website and do a search on "brakemaster"

turbo thom

TOAD..........Thats a new one on me. I've always heard "dinghy".
Live and learn.

..PT..

electrifried

Check out the camping forums, Toad seems to be the name now. I dont think a 2500 long bed quad cab qualifies as a "dinghy".

Homestead

I managed to chase the guy down today that tows his CTD behind his backhoe. He just puts the tranny in neutral (auto) and the transfer case in neutral and goes. He has been towing his trucks like this for 20 years. He's gone thru 4 trucks and all of them have been automatic trans CTD's and he has never had a problem yet.

The subject of braking this rig came up and he doesn't have any that work between the truck and backhoe. He is mostly in town stuff, with some highway times, but he said because of his travel speed, braking has never been an issue. He said if has to stop in a real hurry, he just drops the bucket and hopes to catch a man hole cover!!

I guess towing is not the issue, it's stopping it all.

I remember years ago, a guy used to flat tow an old blazer around and he had a disc brake mounted on the rear of the transfer case (like a driveline brake) and it was actuated by a surge hitch on the tow bar. It seemed to work because he was at every event we went to and they were all over the province. Not sure if you could get away with something like that nowadays thought!!

Hope it helps some!

electrifried

Thanks Homestead. This gives me a starting point. I did some work on the tow bar brackets today. I think I will try to get the towing part assembled and give it a test tow before I spend any real money on a braking system. If for some reason I am not happy with the feel I am not out much cash at that point.



Any other ideas guys?

moparguy

I seem to remember that towing is a bad deal for more than a few miles at a time. Has to do with the way oil slings to lub bearings. Don't recall if this was in the transfer case or prehaps to do with a standard transmission.

I'd sure check things out to make sure the few minutes saved by not pulling the drive shaft cost me a transmission or transfer case.

Good luck RJR

cumminsdriver635

Just ,ake sure to put the transfer case in neutral, because if you just put the tranny in netral, it doesent get enough lubrication, and it burns it up. It happened to my truck before i got it, and they had to rebuild the tranny. Just get some brakes working, and it should be fine.

Eric

FuzzyDuck

Saw a black Gen 2 dually behind a 40' or so motorhome a few months back. I was going the other way or would have taken a better look.... It was about dusk and he had the running lights on, including the cab marker lights...

So it CAN be done

Black

I just saw a 3rd Gen. behind a class A over the weekend.

furious70

I would worry about that auto, the pump will not be pumping if it's in neutral, people say that's bad.

and with a stick, without the input shaft turning, aren't u at risk of not getting the oil up where it needs to be?

I would think dropping the shafts is necessary, or at least recommended in the manual.

How has that guy been towing automatic CTD's for 20yrs?