Heavy Weights: Loading the WWII M2 Half Track for Gold Hitch Awards

1942 M2 Half Track military vehicle in a barn
M2 Half Track

The Gold Hitch Awards are all about find the best towing truck in the land. And how can we test the latest 1-ton dually pickup trucks? These pickups are getting more and more capable with Gross Combined Vehicle Weights (GCVW) far exceeding 26,000 lbs. It means you need a commercial license to drive these trucks when fully loaded.

We need a heavy load and this 1942 M2 Half Track is cool and heavy. All the armor and heavy-duty components make it weigh over 13,500 lbs as it sits. We aim to put it on the 2015 Load Max gooseneck trailer for a total load closer to 22,000 lbs (actually it’s 21,600 lbs after weighing on the CAT scales).

When you combine this load with the extremes of the Ike Gauntlet high altitude towing test – the dually trucks will be challenged. Ike Gauntlet consists of going down and up a 7 percent grade on the I-70 interstate to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels at over 11,000 feet of elevation.

Can we get this World War II machine loaded on the first try? Well, check out this Part 1 video.