Bucket Truck Towing Advise

[myfriendhenry]

Hi folks,

  Is there any problem that you can think of by towing a medium duty bucket truck (chevy c7500 with 50' altec boom) from the rear?  

I will save me from the driveshaft removal.  But I a little bit worried about putting weight on only the front axle and front load rated "G" tires.  Should I keep my speed down?

This will be a long distance tow of over 500 miles.

Thanks

Edited October 12, 2020 by myfriendhenry

[GRUMPS The Towman]

For that distance of a tow, I personally would pull the shaft and grab her from the front If the knuckle of the bucket arm isnt going to cause any clearance issues with your boom. Thats a long haul. Just my opinion of course, but Dad always used to say, "nothing was built or designed to go 65+ mph down the highway backwards" 

If you do choose to go backwards with her, being a short wheel base with a center-mass structure on it is a plus for you. I dont think you would have any issue. 

[Stuart Wagner]

You definitely want to front tow that going 500 miles. Quite a bit of weight lifting the rear and putting that on the front axle, just won't tow nice from the rear.

[Orcas Tow]

I would tow it from the back for a short tow. 500 miles I would pull the shaft & pick it from the front, more front axle weight on your wrecker, less strain on the wheel lift, more control/stability towing.

[rreschran]

I agree with Stuart and Grumps. Personally, when it comes to heavier trucks outfitted with wide work boxes, towing it with front wheel's lifted allows me to see all of the truck's tires while enroute from the tow truck's mirrors. Towing a large box truck like this one (from the rear) can create that, "hard to see", scenario expecially to the driver's front. In a perfect world, If the driver's tire were to go flat or come off, I'd like to be able to see it happen. Dropping the shaft is a simple task.       R.

Edited October 17, 2020 by rreschran

[scottcd]

The fuel savings with the better aerodynamics of towing it forward will more than pay your time to remove the shaft.

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