12Bravo20
Well-Known Member
I sometimes pulled a Bailey Bridge trailer with an old M818 while in Germany. The trailer was always overloaded with repair parts for the motor pool. Along with all the spare parts, I also hauled a complete set of tracks for the M88A2 and M60 series tanks we had along with all the oxygen and acetylene tanks too. That old M818 would barely do 55MPH on the autobahn but it was unstoppable off road when the transfer was in low.
That particular M818 and the few 2 1/2 ton trucks were the last of the spilt ring tires we had in the motor pool. And you are correct, one did not deflate a tire with split rings for off road traction. I have seen a few tire cages destroyed when airing up split ring tires when the ring came off. The 900 series 5 tons were much better. Though we didn't get a CTIS (central tire inflation system) until they came out with the A2 versions. And that CTIS system always failed at the wrong times.
I went from dealing with wet nasty clay in Germany to playing in the super fine moon dust at Ft Irwin. Plus I dealt with sand dunes while in the Middle East. Most of the equipment had no issues getting around in those types of conditions.
Now black ice was a whole other story. We was driving the M88 tracked recovery vehicle and was pulling a M60 AVLB with bridge attached to the railhead on cobble stone. We hit black ice in a turn and spun both vehicles like a top. That was a combined weight of about 110 tons spinning out of control.
With the Ranger, and any off road vehicle, common sense goes a long way to keep you out of trouble.
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