Photo © David Lednicer
Does anyone have a photo of one of these detached from an aircraft?
Thanks.
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Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Anyone know why this thing does not have rear wheels? It's a bit odd looking without them, and I can't see why rear wheels would have much difference concerning performance.
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Photo © David Lednicer
Does anyone have a photo of one of these detached from an aircraft?
Thanks.
Photo © David Lednicer
Does anyone have a photo of one of these detached from an aircraft?
Thanks.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Those are the rear wheels.
The front wheels are barely visible between the Beaver floats. It is not a tow but a lift. The white metal frame you see extending under the plane are a permanent part of the vehicle.
The front wheels are barely visible between the Beaver floats. It is not a tow but a lift. The white metal frame you see extending under the plane are a permanent part of the vehicle.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
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- CosmicCruiser
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RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
I just saw this thing in action a few days ago in ANC. It does look strange and we all 3 wished for a camera.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quote: Those are the rear wheels. |
It is quite clearly the Chevrolet or GMC's front axle...you can tell by the offset differential (it was a four-wheel drive model in a former life...). Interesting that they would use a 3/4 ton or 1 ton model as the basis for this specialty vehicle.
It's also interesting that it appears to have a valid Washington License Plate...I'm sure that the Washington State Patrol would have a thing or to to say if it was driven down a public road!
Of note: quite a few line vehicles at airports are not legal for on-road use due to modifications that they have undergone to make them suited to their jobs. For example, most airport fuel trucks have the muffler re-located to the front bumper (to prevent potential exhaust sparks durring fueling operations), and the exhaust exits forward of the vehicle (this would be illegal in most US states). It makes it nice for the FBO's, in that they don't have to hire line employees with a DOT Hazmat endorsement and a commercial driver's license to re-fuel aircraft.
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 3): It is quite clearly the Chevrolet or GMC's front axle... |
Yeah, I knew that. I was just referring to the vehicle as it is in the photo. The old 'front' wheels both drive and steer. The new 'rear' wheels are like trailer wheels and just carry the load. I wonder if both axles have brakes?
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 3): It makes it nice for the FBO's, in that they don't have to hire line employees with a DOT Hazmat endorsement and a commercial driver's license to re-fuel aircraft. |
They also don't have to pay them as if they had those quals.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting SlamClick (Reply 4): They also don't have to pay them as if they had those quals. |
Tell me about it!!!
I (tried to) make a living working for an FBO while I was in college. I'm trying to steer my 15-year old nephew that way for a summer job (he lives right by a very busy GA airport, and loves planes).
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 5): I'm trying to steer my 15-year old nephew that way for a summer job (he lives right by a very busy GA airport, and loves planes). |
It is a fun place to work when you are young and haven't yet grasped how much money you are going to need in life. I certainly enjoyed it.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Gotta love the fact that they left the gun rack on the sliding glass rear window intact...classic American pickup 
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting SlamClick (Reply 1): The front wheels are barely visible between the Beaver floats. It is not a tow but a lift. The white metal frame you see extending under the plane are a permanent part of the vehicle. |
Any Pics with no Aircraft attached.Maybe a Different View.
BTW.Whats this Model called.
regds
MEL
I may not win often, but I damn well never lose!!! 
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 8): |
I've never seen one of these before. (Unless you are referring to the DeHavilland Beaver) It is possible that this is just something they welded up in their own shop.
It looks like a really clever design; drive the lift part down a boat ramp and get it under the plane, pull it up out of the water while the cab of the tug stays dry.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 8): BTW.Whats this Model called. regds MEL |
Before modification, it would have been a Chevrolet C2500 or C3500 pickup truck (or the GMC equivalent, which is K2500 or K3500?). Judging by the sliver band on the back of the cab (and the tailgate), it was either the Silverado or Camper Special package. The Silverado package in the 1970's and 1980's on a Chevy truck gave you a bunch of "creature comforts" which are now, almost invariably, standard equipment (such as air conditioning, power steering, cloth seats and floor carpet instead of the factory standard hose off vinyl interior). You could even get power window lifts and power adjustable seats in your pickup truck (both optional), however you can tell from the pic that the truck's original owner didn't go that far (there's still a window crank).
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Anyone else notice these things?
1. The Beaver engine is running.
2. The tug has a Washington State license plate. Does that mean it is street-legal or does Washington require plates on offroad vehicles?
1. The Beaver engine is running.
2. The tug has a Washington State license plate. Does that mean it is street-legal or does Washington require plates on offroad vehicles?
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting SlamClick (Reply 11): Does that mean it is street-legal or does Washington require plates on offroad vehicles? |
Interesting Observation.Don't most Airport Vehicles have Driving Licence plates,if needed to drive on the City side for any reason.
regds
MEL
I may not win often, but I damn well never lose!!!
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- FlyDeltaJets
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RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 3): It makes it nice for the FBO's, in that they don't have to hire line employees with a DOT Hazmat endorsement and a commercial driver's license to re-fuel aircraft. |
At JFK all of the fuelers have to have a CDL with hazmat endorsment.
The only valid opinions are those based in facts
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 12): Interesting Observation.Don't most Airport Vehicles have Driving Licence plates,if needed to drive on the City side for any reason. regds MEL |
Not any that I've ever operated. Fuel Trucks, Tugs, etc. The courtesy car did though
[given to remote pilots/flight crews on stopovers] Most [general aviation] airport fuel trucks are illegal to operate on roads in the US anyways, they don't conform to DOT regulations for fuel trucks, and you would have to have a commercial driver's license with a hazmat endorsement to drive one on the road.Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting FlyDeltaJets (Reply 13): At JFK all of the fuelers have to have a CDL with hazmat endorsment. |
yeah but those aren't for GA aircraft at a GA field (my area of experience)...
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting SlamClick (Reply 9): I've never seen one of these before. (Unless you are referring to the DeHavilland Beaver) It is possible that this is just something they welded up in their own shop. It looks like a really clever design; drive the lift part down a boat ramp and get it under the plane, pull it up out of the water while the cab of the tug stays dry. |
They are all over Lake Hood up here in Anchorage. You drive it halfway into the water and then float the plane up on the two I beams sticking out of the front.
As mentioned what you do is find a beater 4WD truck and cut everything aft of the differential off. They you get yourself 2 pieces of steel beam mount a couple of wheels on them and weld them to the front of the frame. You drive the truck through the front axle.
This one is a bit nicer then the ones I am used to seeing.
The other big thing is the US Military Surplus truck with the A-frame on it to pluck planes out of the water and hold them in the air so that you can take the floats off in winter.
OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Grand Glaize/ Osage Beach Missouri (K15) has a John Deere lawn tractor modified as a tug. The operator sets on the hood as I remember. Interesting operation.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting L-188 (Reply 16): As mentioned what you do is find a beater 4WD truck and cut everything aft of the differential off. They you get yourself 2 pieces of steel beam mount a couple of wheels on them and weld them to the front of the frame. You drive the truck through the front axle. |
I once suggested something similar to my sister. She pulled a horse trailer a lot, with her Chrysler 300. I suggested that she get an Olds Toronado which was the first full-size, front wheel drive American car I can remember, and cut off the back end of it. She could then have a frame like you describe added, and build a nice sleeper/tackroom/horse transporter on that frame.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
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- flymatt2bermud
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RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Yikes. While admiring the design of this tow vehicle, I noticed the prop is turning on that Beaver. I don't think I would want to be in that pickup under those conditions.
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward" Leonardo Da Vinci
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting L-188 (Reply 16): As mentioned what you do is find a beater 4WD truck and cut everything aft of the differential off. They you get yourself 2 pieces of steel beam mount a couple of wheels on them and weld them to the front of the frame. You drive the truck through the front axle. |
You probably meant the transfer case....
(most American 4x4 pickups don't use a center diff, only differentials are on the axles). Minor point...
Wonder how they keep the rear seal on the transfer case from leaking, as presumably the driveshaft yoke is now missing? Just let the oil leak and replace it regularly? Or put some sort of plug where the rear driveshaft yoke went? I don't think you could leave the yoke in without the driveshaft...wouldn't the yoke just fall out? (Remembering back to replacing the rear seal on the transmission in my first car...which was rear wheel drive).
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
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- SkydrolBoy
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RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
Heres some pictures I found that I think will help, In the first picture is the front end of one of these so called "lift-trucks", the second picture is one of the trucks picking up an a/c in the water. If you head to the south side of YVR in the early morning or late afternoon/early evening you'll see tons of these trucks going back and forth across the road from the water to the hangars bringing the a/c out for departure or in for the night.
 Photo © Curtis Kreklau |  Photo © John Olafson |
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 20): You probably meant the transfer case.... (most American 4x4 pickups don't use a center diff, only differentials are on the axles). Minor point... |
Crap!!!, I know better then that!
| Quoting KELPkid (Reply 20): Wonder how they keep the rear seal on the transfer case from leaking, as presumably the driveshaft yoke is now missing? Just let the oil leak and replace it regularly? Or put some sort of plug where the rear driveshaft yoke went? I don't think you could leave the yoke in without the driveshaft...wouldn't the yoke just fall out? (Remembering back to replacing the rear seal on the transmission in my first car...which was rear wheel drive). |
I don't want to say because I have never crawled under one, But there are some pretty wicked homebuilt tricks up here. Just passed a trailer this afternoon on the way home that used the bottoms of 16floz soda bottles for grease covers on the axels...Held on with hose clamps.
Judgeing from the color of the plastice.he guy apparently likes Mountain Dew.
OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
I may not win often, but I damn well never lose!!!
RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
| Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 23): Hows the Corrosion rate on these Trucks |
Probably rather dismal. Which is why you use an old beater of a truck, so you don't care when it rusts out from under you.
Remember, taking off is optional, landing is mandatory.
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- PlanesNTrains
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RE: Tow Truck: No Rear Wheels?
I've seen one of these chopped jobs at the Renton Municipal Airport. The first time I saw it, it was very wierd. But it makes sense I guess.
-Dave
-Dave
-Dave
MAX’d out on MAX threads. If you are starting a thread, and it’s about the MAX - stop. There’s already a thread that covers it.
MAX’d out on MAX threads. If you are starting a thread, and it’s about the MAX - stop. There’s already a thread that covers it.
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