Wrecker Identification Help needed

[cattlerepairman]

My two cents are that the best advice may well come from people that are not emotionally invested in what you are experiencing right now. Fact is, some MVs are beyond saving at this point in time (because they are not yet super rare, because fixing them up would cost a fortune in time and money etc.)
Consider the parts truck approach. A good running M816 (with the 250 Cummins, not the lame Multifuel) can be had for around the 10k mark. If you invest 3k in the parts truck, sell what you can (perhaps including the LDS Multifuel in it; there are always people looking for a running takeout LDS) and make a bit of money, it would be a good investment into a truck that is sound and requires a lot less time and effort to be useable.
I am not trying to sway you one way or the other - just suggesting you give it serious consideration and do the math!

 

[CONFEDR8]

Yes, well I was just thinking, the major problem is the crane along with all the hydraulics. If I took the crane off of it, could I convert the wrecker to a flat bed temporarily and then work on the crane bit by bit? I will still pay the amount of money but it is much more manageable because it is over a long period of time.

 

[gimpyrobb]

The wrecker bed will not "just come off" you will have to hire a crane to remove the bed. It will be extensive work.



Your best bet is to buy cheap and part out the crane bits, or look for a project that is WAY less complicated.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Somebody help this man find a deuce that needs some work. It'll cost a lot less money and headache in the long run and the short term.

 

[CONFEDR8]

****. I guess I will start looking in the direction of the M715. It seems like it is a small project, like repainting the truck, but I have only driven by it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The bed is around 12,000#. In order to safely manage it plan on hiring a big tater or a crane unless you have friends with 2 5 ton wreckers. That's what it took at the 2012 GA Rally to safely manage moving a wrecker bed onto a truck. Let it sit for a while, come to the GA Rally and sit a spell with Ferro, I'm sure he can give you plenty of pointers on how to go about this and 10 times as many telling you why not to do it.

 

[wreckerman893]

So what would be the price of "...less than scrap value..."? I mean it is a shame and again, I don't want to see a veteran get scrapped but like you said, it will suck in more that it will ever give me back.

If scrap price is 3000 then offer them 2500. Unless they want to scrap it out they may just flip it to you depending on what they have in it. Some scrap yards require that the tires be removed before they will take it. If the yard has to cut it up using a torch they will not give you top dollar since they have to pay labor to cut it up. If they have a hydraulic shear they may give you a little more. When scrap metal goes from your local scrapper to the melting facility it has to be cut to certain sizes to go into the furnace. These vehicles are made of good steel and smelters are happy to get it. There is a glut of M900 series wreckers out there right now. You can buy a M936 for far less than you can restore that wrecker. Well, you could a month ago. If the EPA/DoD/DLA issue is resolved in our favor the floodgates will be open again. I've seen them sell for 6K or less in very good condition, sometimes with most of the Basic Issue Items still in the bed.

 

[porkysplace]

If scrap price is 3000 then offer them 2500. Unless they want to scrap it out they may just flip it to you depending on what they have in it. Some scrap yards require that the tires be removed before they will take it. If the yard has to cut it up using a torch they will not give you top dollar since they have to pay labor to cut it up. If they have a hydraulic shear they may give you a little more. When scrap metal goes from your local scrapper to the melting facility it has to be cut to certain sizes to go into the furnace. These vehicles are made of good steel and smelters are happy to get it. There is a glut of M900 series wreckers out there right now. You can buy a M936 for far less than you can restore that wrecker. Well, you could a month ago. If the EPA/DoD/DLA issue is resolved in our favor the floodgates will be open again. I've seen them sell for 6K or less in very good condition, sometimes with most of the Basic Issue Items still in the bed.

Most scrap yards want the fluids drained also.

 

[DEMON]

Is the M936 a rotator hook? Or just a straight pull?

 

[gimpyrobb]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=M936

 

[73m819]

It will suck you dry. Take .10 cents plus or minus x 30,000 lbs as a rough number. I get an offer of 3k for the truck. Or you can spend 20k plus to get something that runs reliable. Probably more.

This is from a man who has lived it, and we RESTORED a "restored" wrecker, there is NOTHING on it that is cheap or lite, there can be 100+reasons why the rear pto shaft is down, anything from a bad u-joint to a bad power divider and ect., the same for the reasons the hyd. are apart. UNLESS there is a special reason you want a under powered money pit, Think twice on this, then if your are married think about the continued "comments" about this project from the wife, if you do get the 543 and if you do restore it, the satisfaction will be there but will it be worth it cost wise.

Just to give you a example, SWISS brought a "restored "gasser wrecker that"ran, stopped, worked and "nice new paint"", when we got the truck the carb put so much gas into the intake that we used a shop vac. to suck the raw gas out (so much for running), the master cylinder was a rust bucket, the wheel cylinders were a solid chunk of iron , the air pack was frozen into one piece (so much for stopping), the air compressor put out more oil then air, the distributor was a 2 1/2 ton instead of a 5 ton unit, winches were froze, the wiring left just a bit to hope for to say the least, ect, ect, ect., oh and the "nice new paint "is a off color (WW2 German desert yellow), that IS NOT found unless custom mixed, it DOES cover the sand blasted windows real nice but that is about it, I can SCRATCH it off with my finger nail.

The point of the above is that you SHOULD expect ALL of the above (except paint) and more, if not great but do not count on it, there is a lot of things on the 5t wreckers that are 5T WRECKERS ONLY, if you have a lot of time ( it took us from May till middle of Oct. working almost every day and some long nights, AND a LOT of $$$$ to bring the RESTORED "restored" up to roadworthiness ) where you can dink with the 543 as you get the $$$, go for it IF you can get for scrap price or less, because that is all it is is scrap at this point in time.

 

[DEMON]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=M936

My bad. I thought this WAS the place for military truck information.


Thank you Csm Davis

 

[Csm Davis]

936 is a rotator. Now as to the wrecker at hand I have had more wreckers than most and have a idea about the one you are looking at if you can get the truck for a good price and the motor will run keep the truck and scrap the bed. As has been said it weighs a lot and has some expensive parts on it you probably won't be able to get the wrecker body back up and working but just the truck should be easy with the money out of the crane parts and metal scrap from the bed. Start disassembly under the bed and remove all of the pto driven cases from the bed so you can sell them and also set the bed on the ground to finish scrapping it from above, you should be able to get enough money to pay for the repair of the truck chassis and have a nice antique MV.

 

[73m819]

is the m936 a rotator hook? Or just a straight pull?

yes

 

[Jeepsinker]

The 715 parts are beginning to dry up too just FYI. That's why everyone is telling you to buy a deuce. Easier to fix up, maintain, and find parts for. Whatever you buy, you better buy NOW before the prices skyrocket and you can't afford any of them. I'm saying this because the prices on my deuces went from $6000 to $10,000 overnight and will stay there until if and when we can buy surplus trucks again.

 

[Csm Davis]

The 715 parts are beginning to dry up too just FYI. That's why everyone is telling you to buy a deuce. Easier to fix up, maintain, and find parts for. Whatever you buy, you better buy NOW before the prices skyrocket and you can't afford any of them. I'm saying this because the prices on my deuces went from $6000 to $10,000 overnight and will stay there until if and when we can buy surplus trucks again.

Five tons are easier to get parts for than m35s just not wrecker body's

 

[Jeepsinker]

True. Five tons are the "flavor of the day" as far as parts go right now. In a couple years it'll be the LMTV if things go right.

 

[Csm Davis]

True. Five tons are the "flavor of the day" as far as parts go right now. In a couple years it'll be the LMTV if things go right.

Naw have to disagree with you five tons are easy to get parts for because they use over the counter parts from commercial trucks.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Wow, sorry guys I didn't see all the responses. First off, "You can buy a M936 for far less than you can restore that wrecker." I do know I can buy the M936 for far less but like I stated previously, it is also the history and the story behind the vehicle, in this case the wrecker. Second, just so all you guys know, I don't have a wife nor will I for a decade and a half until I have drained all of my fun and I am waiting for torment. , I am just kidding but I am not married so there is a big plus. Third, where I work, there are massive cranes and I probably could borrow one for an hour or so. And forth, I do know that parts are drying up and are getting more expensive which is why, like a couple of you have said, I have to make a move.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Hey Recovry4x4. When is the rally for 2015? I can't make it this year even if it hasn't past because these next few months are all messed up.