Question:
May seem like a stupid question, but can you jump start a tractor with a van, or will it kill the van's alternator?

Answer:
Yes but it will take a long time to charge up the trucks batteries enough to be able to be jumped
Be sure to disconnect the van before starting the big truck


Answer:
Wombat is right, and depending on how dead the batteries really are it could take over an hour to get enough juice to get the truck started.
If you ever do hae to try it, use the biggest, heaviest guage jumper cable you can find. Those little $4.44 specials will not cut it.
Answer:
Get your self some 25' #2 welding cable {copper wire} with good clamps ie: NAPA.
Forget the Wal Mart specials.
If the cable's get hot to touch, you've got too small cable.
One other thing. Don't loan them out,they won't come home.
Yes they are expensive, but pay for them self's with out have to call service truck.

Answer:
Are you planning to try and charge the BIG truck battery from your van and
If batterie is dead and cold could take up to 6 - 8 hours to bring it up to charge ( based on amperage your charging it at )
Be cautious of frozen batteries , they can freeze at 23'F
Answer:
I once jump start my truck, from nissan "Centra".
Answer:
Or if the air system is still pressurized, you could release the brakes and pull-start the truck!
Answer:
I jumped my tractor off with one of those rechargeable jump starter boxes, of course it was the heavy duty one intended for use by the RV'er. I've also given my tractor a jump using my Dodge Caravan. And yes my jumper cables are homemade using a large gauge welding cable, in fact had that darn set of jumper cables for now going 15yrs. All with no runs, no drips, no errors.Yes It's Latin, a Dead Language
But what else would you expect from a "MadMan", a rubber biscuit perhaps.

Answer:
I once jumped a dead 4-battery system from a Volvo 245 wagon (with an 80A alternator). Took me 3 hours........
BTW, my cables are 6 gauge.
Answer:
When I think of jump-starting a large commercial vehicle off a personal vehicle, I think of this story:
I knew someone when I drove a motorcoach bus who took the bus to his house without permission. Mistake number 1.
He went inside his house to watch television or take a nap or something, but a big motorcoach bus makes a lot of noise when it is idling in your driveway. So he shut it off, but forgot to turn the lights off. Mistake number 2.
Then he came out to pick up his local charter group, but the batteries in the bus were dead and he could not start the engine. He couldn't even get the master on. Worried about getting fired, he panicked and tried to jump the bus off his car. Mistake number 3.
The bus battery stayed dead, the car battery died as well, nothing got started, and he had to call his company to explain what he had done. Of course, he was fired that day.
I suppose there is a lesson in all of this somewhere.

Answer:
3 hours to jump a truck. OUCH!!!! Currently my battery is dead, left the igntion switch in the accssary position over the weekend. DUMMY!!!!! Getting a jumy from a fellow driver.. Please, somebody shoot me. Ivey EnviroTech Services
Start Up date: 3/1/06