New Power Wagon

[rkeane]

JGPierce,

I borrowed that truck and trailer from a contractor friend that hauls stuff everywhere. It was 20 foot with 7,000# axles, I believe. The truck was a 2500 Chevy. I would do it again, but the towing truck was a "little light" in my opinion. However, my PW is a little heavier than a straight PW pick-up too.

Go with Kevins idea and use a dodge/cummins combo. they sound better too!

Good luck

rkeane

[MoparNorm]

Great truck and thanks for the picture!

I'm looking at trailers and was wondering the length and capacity of your trailer (? 18 foot with 6,000#/axle)? Also, what size truck are you hauling it with? The guys at my local trailer place think I should go with a 20 footer, but I would think an 18' should be fine. They also mentioned that a Chevy 1500 or F150 would be a bit small and should go to the larger 2500 or F250.

Thanks.

If you search, both here and on the Power Wagon forum, you'll read numerous stories about near death experiences caused by towing with an undersized truck.
Under NO circumstances should a half ton be used to tow a load over 6,000 lbs (the weight of most Power Wagons) and a 2500 is marginal. Yes it can start and pull, but to stop and tackle grades the 2500 is marginal at best.
The type of trailer, brakes and brake controller is also very important.

Welcome to the Forum to both rkeane and JGPierce.

My choice would be a 20' to 24' trailer. The Power Wagon barely fits on an 18' and the overhang is unacceptable for safe towing, besides, you usually end up with more than the truck on there, suck as tires, tools, extra parts, etc. and if you score a crew cab, a 24' is barely long enough.

[Kevin Mienke]

Shoot! Everytime it looks like I'm about to be right, it turns out I'm only marginally right. Welcome to the forum rkeane, beautiful truck.

[Steve Pellock]

74w300uteline

I'm from southern Minnesota. Blackduck is in northern Minnesota,near the Canadian border. And it was 26 degrees below zero the day I picked it up! Spring can't come soon enough around here. 10 inches of snow yesterday, but that is better than all the floods in the midwest.

good luck

Where in MN are you? I have to travel there and would love to see it

[mark jennings]

model of your truck

Hi rkeane, I saw this and had to forward it along.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1950-Dodge-Power...em150226265021

[MoparNorm]

Shoot! Everytime it looks like I'm about to be right, it turns out I'm only marginally right. Welcome to the forum rkeane, beautiful truck.

Ha! Ha!
Maybe you just had too much tongue weight in that photo....= )
You're probably OK as long as you stay in the flat lands, I just don't like the "feel" of a 2500 towing in the mountains or hill country, with SRW. A panic situation in that environment would take every bit of skill to control.

[JGPierce]

MoparNorm,

I've previously read the near-death posts on the PW Forum! A 1/2 ton definitely won't do it.

I'm trying to get an idea of what type a hauler would be good, not necessarily the best, but still do it safely. I was thinking a 2500 or F250 would be fine with the electric brakes on the trailer's axles. It sounds like you think this might not be the case. What would you recommend?

Thanks for the input.

John

[MoparNorm]

If you have a good controller, such as the Prodigy by Tekonsa, and the terrain that you're negotiating is not too bad, such as the interstate standard curves and grades, an experienced driver can get away with a 3/4 ton. I know some who regularly tow with 3/4 ton trucks. So far, so good. The issue is with tongue weight, more weight on the rear than the trucks suspension can handle, sinks the rear and puts the front of the truck on an angle that changes the steering geometry (caster) in a sudden or panic situation that can be very bad news as you have marginal control of the direction that you are headed.
If you have an equalizer hitch (not the cheap little chain kind, but a real equalizer) you can compensate for that.
It's not the size of the tow rig as much as the equipment and what other usage you have for the truck. A 3/4 ton rated for "X" amount of cargo, has limitations when you deduct the weight of fuel, cargo, passengers, etc. It seems like you always need to carry more than you bargained o upon...




You'll notice that a Big Rig has a very small tractor in relationship to the trailer weight and size (although they are getting larger and longer all the time), but they are designed as a unit to perform a certain task, so electric trailer brakes, a good, above quality controller, and equalizer hitch and you can get away with it.
My preference is a 3500 because the axles, suspension, electrical system, radiator, DRW, frame and other features make your life so much easier.

It also depends upon how often and how much you are going to tow. And whether you get a 2500 or 3500, the Cummins is the only way to go. The diesel doesn't know that there is anything back there and the mileage stays within 1/2 mpg as pulling empty. I've pulled with a Power Stroke, both 7.3 and 6.4 and there is no comparison with the Cummins. The Ford can keep up, but fuel economy drops into the 8-9 range while the Cummins is getting 16 or better.

[rkeane]

Mark,
THANKS for the ebay "headsup" on the PW toy. I have one but it is all beatup from playing with it. I've been wanting to buy a new one. Sold

Steve,
I'm in a small town near Rochester, if that is near your travels.

Good Luck

Rick Keane

[Clint Dixon]

Greetings,
I'm new to this site. Usually hang out with old cats and prarie tractors. Anyway I just purchased a 56 PW digger- derrick line truck. It is almost exactly like the one my dad had. 26 degrees below zero two weeks ago I gave her a little prime and she started right up. Drove it on the trailer and brought it home. Brakes are a little weak. Windshield wipers and heater still work. Just needs a little TLC and it's ready to go to work. Hope the picture attachment works.

Happy Easter

Rkeane

We have not heard from you in over a year. Any updates or new photos of your Power-Wagon digger truck? I am curious if you have tried to dig any holes yet.

[rkeane]

Clint,

Thanks for thinking of me.

I have been lurking in the shadows and look at this BB occasionally. I am constantly doing little TLC type things to my 56 PW like getting all the door latches to work, headlights etc. Next is the master cylinder. The brakes work but they bleed down after sitting a few weeks. I drive the girl several times a week just to help get the bugs out.

I work for a rural Telephone Co and our Association of Minnesota Telephone companies celebrated it's 100th Anniversary this year so I hauled the PW filled with all the antique line gear/tools etc to the Convention and put it on display at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency no less. It was the hit of the show.

Happy Easter

[Clint Dixon]

My wife works for our independant rural telephone company. The company has a total of 500 customers, 6 employees (only the manager and one receptionist is full time), and 6 board members. I hope it never changes. It is kind of nice when there is a problem, people know it is a neighbor who is in charge and they can get a response 24-7. My wife is the part time receptionist/office worker/go-fer, and she gets paid better than any full time job she ever had.

I remember when the party line system was discontinued in the mid 1960's. I still have the wooden wall mount phone that I talked on as a kid. Our number was "13 on 5". The phone company has all the phone books back to the beginning. The section of the phone book for the mail route where we lived took up a whole page and a half.

I wish I could have seen your truck on display. That sounds interesting for sure. If you feel like driving a little further, your truck would sure be welcome at the VPW Rally held each june in Fairfield Iowa, and the Iowa 80 Jamboree each July in Walcott Iowa.

[rkeane]

Clint,

It's the same here and we do TV and internet too.

I've been buying some parts from Vintage PW, but doubt if I will haul mine down there. A good friend of mine has in the past and said it was a lot of fun.

Happy Easter

Rkeane

[Tom Petroff]

Clint,

Thanks for thinking of me.

I have been lurking in the shadows and look at this BB occasionally. I am constantly doing little TLC type things to my 56 PW like getting all the door latches to work, headlights etc. Next is the master cylinder. The brakes work but they bleed down after sitting a few weeks. I drive the girl several times a week just to help get the bugs out.

I work for a rural Telephone Co and our Association of Minnesota Telephone companies celebrated it's 100th Anniversary this year so I hauled the PW filled with all the antique line gear/tools etc to the Convention and put it on display at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency no less. It was the hit of the show.

Happy Easter

Old phone/electric line construction trucks of any make are so cool.
Especially Dodge's and IH.
I remember as a kid in the early sixties dad brought home a few international
4 x 4 line trucks. They represented "Awesome" power!
Wish we still had them.
Any picture's of the Display?
TGP

[rkeane]

Tom,

There was a video shoot of the display but I can't find it. I'll look around this evening and see if I can post a link here.

thanks

Rick