New guy advise

[V8srfun]

So I am not nearly as experienced as many here but I do have some mv experience. I did own a m35a2 for about 5 years and did service the brakes, wheel bearings, hubs, boots , and basic service. I say that to let you know I am not totally green and unaware of the maintenance aspect of the hobby.

My question is I am seriously considering buying a m813 winch truck if I can get it at the price point I need to be at. Is there anything I should know about these trucks that is important for someone graduating from a deuce to a 5 ton.

There are also some 923s available in my area but I don’t have the same interest in them. But if they are drastically better trucks and I should be considering them over a 800 series let me know. Yes I am aware of the air brake, automatic transmission, and different engines.
Thanks for any input!!!

 

[Mullaney]

So I am not nearly as experienced as many here but I do have some mv experience. I did own a m35a2 for about 5 years and did service the brakes, wheel bearings, hubs, boots , and basic service. I say that to let you know I am not totally green and unaware of the maintenance aspect of the hobby.

My question is I am seriously considering buying a m813 winch truck if I can get it at the price point I need to be at. Is there anything I should know about these trucks that is important for someone graduating from a deuce to a 5 ton.

There are also some 923s available in my area but I don’t have the same interest in them. But if they are drastically better trucks and I should be considering them over a 800 series let me know. Yes I am aware of the air brake, automatic transmission, and different engines.
Thanks for any input!!!

.
These trucks DO NOT have tons of gidy-up-go. They are SLOW, and get slower on a grade pulling any weight. The big tires (assuming you would super single it) will kill your power for towing. You will drive yourself nuts in this thing for 200 miles and, did any one mention the comfort! They generally get about 5 mpg, which I do not care about - but it does add up.

Wait till you get in bad weather... You'd better have great wipers, a defroster, and a/c to clear the windows (and these trucks don't come with AC). Even a working heater would be nice to have! The 813 and 818 are low end off road torque trucks

The interstate is not the place where they are happy!

The 923 has more cab room than a 813. Not a lot, but more room is always better. The M923 will get another 15mph up to about 62/67. The 923 does have air brakes so if something goes wrong - it will stop itself. Fuel mileage will be better, but the Cummins just isn't gonna set the world on fire.

I almost wonder of you wouldn't be better off with a M915, M916, or M920. They are road tractors. Remove the 5th Wheel and stick on a bed and go trucking. @simp5782 runs them up and down the highway dragging trailers all over the country. He has some experience that might be useful... Look him up.

 

[DeMilitarized]

So I am not nearly as experienced as many here but I do have some mv experience. I did own a m35a2 for about 5 years and did service the brakes, wheel bearings, hubs, boots , and basic service. I say that to let you know I am not totally green and unaware of the maintenance aspect of the hobby.

My question is I am seriously considering buying a m813 winch truck if I can get it at the price point I need to be at. Is there anything I should know about these trucks that is important for someone graduating from a deuce to a 5 ton.

There are also some 923s available in my area but I don’t have the same interest in them. But if they are drastically better trucks and I should be considering them over a 800 series let me know. Yes I am aware of the air brake, automatic transmission, and different engines.
Thanks for any input!!!

I would take my m932a2 anywhere and do anything with it. The 8.3 contrary to popular belief is plenty fast when it is turned up with some mods and I can cruise at 72mph with 395s or 76 with 14.00s. Plenty of power to tow, offroad capability, stops good, really no complaints.

 

[V8srfun]

.
These trucks DO NOT have tons of gidy-up-go. They are SLOW, and get slower on a grade pulling any weight. The big tires (assuming you would super single it) will kill your power for towing. You will drive yourself nuts in this thing for 200 miles, did any one mention the comfort! They generally get about 5 mpg, which I do not care about - but it does add up.

Wait till you get in bad weather... You'd better have great wipers, a defroster, and a/c to clear the windows (and these trucks don't come with AC). Even a working heater would be nice to have! The 813 and 818 are low end off road torque trucks

The interstate is not the place where they are happy!

The 923 has more cab room than a 813. Not a lot, but more room is always better. The M923 will get another 15mph up to about 62/67. The 923 does have air brakes so if something goes wrong - it will stop itself. Fuel mileage will be better, but the Cummins just isn't gonna set the world on fire.

I almost wonder of you wouldn't be better off with a M915, M916, or M920. They are road tractors. Remove the 5th Wheel and stick on a bed and go trucking. @simp5782 runs them up and down the highway dragging trailers all over the country. He has some experience that might be useful... Look him up.

Thanks but I am not currently in the position to modify a truck at the moment. If in the future things change I will explore the option.

 

[Mullaney]

Thanks but I am not currently in the position to modify a truck at the moment. If in the future things change I will explore the option.

.
I understand that!

The M813 is a heck of a truck.
It just isn't a "Road Runner" for sure...

 

[Guyfang]

It kinda depends on what you want to do with your truck.

 

[V8srfun]

.
I understand that!

The M813 is a heck of a truck.
It just isn't a "Road Runner" for sure...

Are they comparable to the acceleration and road speed of my old non turbo m35a2

 

[ODAddict]

As Guyfang said, it kinda depends on what you want to do with your truck.

My experience is with wreckers--M816 and M936--which weighed roughly the same.

My opinion is that the 939 series is superior to the 809 series. Both are purpose-built for the job, and you will have fun with either. I think my M936 had the better ride probably because it came equipped with conventional tires rather than the non-directionals. And I didn't really appreciate what an automatic transmission adds to the ease of driving a big truck until I experienced it for myself.

As to your question of acceleration and road speed of the M813, I recall that the engine wasn't upsized comparably to match the additional empty (or loaded, for that matter) weight with respect to your M35A2. Put another way, you'll likely find the performance to be comparable to that of the naturally aspirated deuce.

My M936 was the A2 turbocharged version, so a performance comparison to the M816 is not "apples to apples."

Which one is best for you? It comes down to your personal wants and needs. After that, it's all about price and condition.

 

[V8srfun]

some more information about what I am looking at may be beneficial to the conversation.
The m813 is a nhc 250 with a turbo added
The first 923 is a 8.3 turbo
The second 923 is a nhc 250 with no turbo

I am least interested in the nhc 250 powers 923

one of the things that really interests me about the the 813 is the winch. I find them useful around the property. All 3 trucks are on Michelin singles and the 813 is the only truck that has a canvas top.

 

[US6x4]

I run a turbo'd M813 with a winch and that would be my biased choice! They can be fairly snappy with the turbo and a manual tranny is just more fun.