robin craig Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Does anyone know anything about how the JCB 410 was towed behind TMs and what were they like to tow? Could you revese with one behind or was it a forward motion only deal? Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recymech66 Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) They had their own drawbars (A frame) which were fun to connect together especially trying to get the pins in the towing eyes. You have to raise the forks high enough to allow the fitting of the sleeves to the rams so the fork carriage clears the towing eyes. Ensure the articulation bar is disconnected in the middle to allow articulation of the JCB when cornering. Turn the steer valve to the tow position (red handle behind the cab which allows the JCB to articulate when the engine is off, air operated). Engage 2 wheel drive. The drive/neutral lever is in the neutral position. They come with a short lead on the CES with Nato sockets on each end to connect between the towing vehicle and JCB to allow lights to work A frame towing only really allows for forward towing, yes you can reverse a short distance but as soon as you turn the wheels it doesn't work so well. Hope this helps. Edited December 22, 2009 by recymech66 Bad shhpeeling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 Well thats a grand explanation, does anyone have any photos of that arrangement? R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil munga Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 is there no lever to flick over on the transmission for towing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Army FV434 Instructor Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Horendous to tow, the MT Sgt had to check it was coupled correctly as that was standing orders back then. You could only tow it at 36mph. (as far as I recall) Any faster and it would just start bouncing and fishtailing. The fact is you could drive them at 30mph on the roads anyway, Once DROPS came along you just tied it to a flat rack and you were away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 Sounds like it was a great idea but in reality not such a clever one. I guess there is a stache of pictures in someones files with pranged 410s and reams of paperwork from every safety wallah requiring verification by all and sundry before a tow could start, by which time the rest of the plant troop were in their sleeping bags getting some kip while the 410s rolled onto the road. Bet the guys in plant troop love the new HMEE machines then, i really want to try boogieing down the road in one of them. Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recymech66 Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 is there no lever to flick over on the transmission for towing ? Transfer box into neutral IIRC:coffee: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Army FV434 Instructor Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 I dont know where the pictures of them going wrong are now but youre right they must still be somewhere, I remember seeing a picture of one which was on a "Dont do this!" poster outside the QOY's MT office in the late 80's. Where a squadie who was a bit late for his evening meal had put his foot down in his Bedford TM 6x6 and the JCB 410 had turned over, he'd ended up dragging it sideways down the motorway. Obviously it was in a bit of a mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 The maximum allowable towing speed of the JCB 410M as given in the relevant AESP, does not conform with the Construction & Use regulations in the UK, and Road Traffic Act 1984, for vehicles without springs. No Crown Exemption had ever been applied for or given. For all non-operational use, the max. speed of the JCB, either driven or towed is 20 mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I'm a qualified JCB 410M operator (well I was when I was in the Army) and at my units we NEVER towed these anywhere. We either drove them or put them on a flat rack. Even driving them on the road was a pain as you had to detatch the forks and put them on the fork carriage as you weren't allowed to drive them with the forks attached on the public road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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