Help needed at Nellis AFB

[noaccount]

Ok, so I freely admit that I am a newbie, and possibly stupid, but I have got myself into a bit of a pickle.
I saw a Kaiser Jeep m35a2 at Nellis AFB that I couldn't live without so I bid and won it sight unseen. This is my first Deuce and frankly I didn't think this through as well as I should have. My problems then compounded.
To begin with I live 1400 miles away.
I have never owned or worked on a deuce.
I don't have a clue what I am doing.
To make things worse, they day after I won my employer put me on a project that is going to keep me tied down until the end of July.
Since this my first EUC I am hoping that it will drag out until the end of July (or longer) I am prepared to have the Deuce shipped if need be, but given the high cost I would really prefer to avoid this.

I was wandering if there is anyone in the Vegas area that would be able to go out and do an inspection for me maybe even snap a few photos and give me a better idea of what i need to bring with me. I would be happy to make it worth while for them.

I may be in need of someone to store it temporarily for if the EUC comes back faster than I am available.

Feel free to just point and laugh at me, I know I would be if I saw someone in this position.

 

[doghead]

What a great 1st post!

No need to laugh, been there, done that...

What you need is a few good friends. Your in the right place for that.

Lets see who's in the area and can help.

 

[BadMastard]

Nice first truck! and a wincher too. Good deal.

Ok, what I can offer. I'm heading to Nellis when I get my EUC cleared. That could be next week, that could be two months. If your truck is still there, I will be glad to take a couple of photos for you, and give you an update on what I see.

Downside- I suspect if you got it about the same time I did, you're going to be in the same boat as I in a week or so, which is picking up our trucks. If that's the case, I will still take pictures, etc and can meet you there if schedules coincide to walk you through what I know, which isn't a lot, but I do have a m109a3 which I have already taken too much of it apart. Minimum is I can help you PM it. It's easy enough. Might even get her started, if we're lucky. I would count on having to haul her home. That, I can't help you with.

In any case, I will be posting when my EUC clears. I went to BC on 27 May, could be any day.

Welcome to the addiction.

BadMastard

 

[strelnik]

Nice first truck! and a wincher too. Good deal.

Ok, what I can offer. I'm heading to Nellis when I get my EUC cleared. That could be next week, that could be two months. If your truck is still there, I will be glad to take a couple of photos for you, and give you an update on what I see.

Downside- I suspect if you got it about the same time I did, you're going to be in the same boat as I in a week or so, which is picking up our trucks. If that's the case, I will still take pictures, etc and can meet you there if schedules coincide to walk you through what I know, which isn't a lot, but I do have a m109a3 which I have already taken too much of it apart. Minimum is I can help you PM it. It's easy enough. Might even get her started, if we're lucky. I would count on having to haul her home. That, I can't help you with.

In any case, I will be posting when my EUC clears. I went to BC on 27 May, could be any day.

Welcome to the addiction.

BadMastard

If I can offer a suggestion:
Right now Vegas has a ton of empty RV storage yards. Usually the storage price is 35.00 /month.

If you can get someone to tow the vehicle to the storage yard, and pay, say 3 months' rent for a spot (105 bucks), it might take the pressure off.

All things considered, if possible towing with only the front wheels off the ground would really cut the cost of fuel, vs a full-sized trailer.

But you're going to need a truck to tow that, I'm thinking a 3/4- one ton MINIMUM. They do make dollies for towing the front wheels off the ground for that size but they are not cheap.

Someone else may have a suggestion.

Or MAYBE you can find an independent trucker who has no load to bring from CA or NV and might nhelp you for a fee, delivering it all the way.

Whjiule you have time, check your options.

If you can get it serviced and get a long enough vacation, you could drive it back over three days. What a road trip that would be, with "aid stations" of members along the way.

Think POSITIVE!!

 

[velociT]

You're in the overwhelmed phase.

After that, comes the 'EUC is taking so long I don't even want it anymore' phase.

However, in the end you'll love it when you finally get it.

 

[noaccount]

I can easily come up with a vacation long enough to get out there and back if I can drive it, I like the idea of an RV storage facility too. Shipping quotes are running in the 2400-2700$ range which isn't that bad, and I still need to check with a few guys I know personally that haul out that way to see if one is coming back empty. If I could get it towed or moved to a storage facility that would make that a more viable option.

I actually have a 1ton pickup that we use to pull a three car trailer (it routinely pulls more than the deuce plus the weight of the trailer), but I have to figure out a tow bar that would work since the 1ton only has a 5th wheel hitch. Again though the RV storage yard is a great idea, would give me allot more time to get this done.

 

[91W350]

If you get close to Salina, we can walk around mine and you can drive it. Not a wincher, but should be close other wise. I would be glad to be a Kansas aid station for you. If it lays down on the way home, post up and somebody will try to help by phone or in person. The trucks coming out of Nellis sound like they are pretty solid as a whole, so driving it may be an option. When I was looking out there, the southern Rockies was my concern. PM me if you want my number. Cookeemann made Riley to New Mexico in two days, he made New Mexico to Riley in one day. I can loan you some new Titans mounted on deuce wheels so tire failures can clear your mind... Glen

 

[Fredo Corleone]

1400 miles now that's a road trip! Check the threads about deuce recovery and how to bleed brakes. They are tough trucks you will do okay.

 

[noaccount]

91W350 I might have to take you up on the offer of looking at your deuce I will be passing through Salina on the way anyway.
I think right now I am planning to just load up the truck with a generator, air compressor, a bunch of tools and fluids and a friend or two.

Any buddy have any ideas on a tow setup to pull the truck back if I have to?

 

[ODw/envy]

I'll offer storage, short term, but it's further south. I may contact a few people around Phoenix and see if they can help recover/store. If I have mine ready to role (registered) and can borrow a tow bar I'll be glad to help. We'll get back to you.

If you hadn't out bid me you would not be in this mess.

P.S. I'd offer to take that burden off your hands but I bet you are not interested.

 

[noaccount]

I'll offer storage, short term, but it's further south. I may contact a few people around Phoenix and see if they can help recover/store. If I have mine ready to role (registered) and can borrow a tow bar I'll be glad to help. We'll get back to you.

If you hadn't out bid me you would not be in this mess.

P.S. I'd offer to take that burden off your hands but I bet you are not interested.

I waited a bit after the end of the auction before I posted, hoped no one would recognize the truck.

Good to know I will have some options when it gets down to it. I am really hoping that the EUC will take awhile to get back (how often do you here of someone hoping it will take a long time) so I can just go out and get it.

 

[Truckoholic]

P.S. I'd offer to take that burden off your hands but I bet you are not interested.

Ha ha, that's kind of where I thought his original post might have been headed when I first saw it.

 

[ODw/envy]

NO chance of that. 80% of the hardware is on your side of the map. If you buy a halfway decent truck west of the Mississippi and post it here people are going to notice. Especially, if you post the location in the title.

Not that I'm faulting you but, it occurs to me that for the 6-7K you will have in it by the time it is home and serviced, you could have probably gotten a really nice truck with more options and fully inspected. A local deal might save some money and some of the dreaded auction headaches. My question really applies more for those considering going about it the same way.

I'm not one to judge, believe me, went about it similarly. I was able to drive my truck 900 +/- miles, recover an M35A2 "without brakes", and drag my truck home, with the use of M35A2-AZ's tow bar, behind the deuce.

My F250 was almost on the helper springs for the amount of tools and service items I had to pony both ways. I already had the makings of a light bar fabricated up. Used some m101a2 wiring harnesses and lights and some extra wire.

That little endeavor put an extra $1500+ on the card. That does not include fluids, filters, hardware, spare parts. Then there are the incidentals; both windshields and six tires need to be replaced. All of the canvas needs repairs. One tire was so bald that I could almost put my thumb through it; and I forgot the bud nut adapter so I had to pay for a tire swap. No rear-view mirror. ect....ect.....ect....

Did the first oil charge at a truck stop near the base with 2 hours sleep in 42. That cost an extra gallon of oil. BTW, you may not need all of the seals in a "filter kit" for your particular vehicle. Also, the supplied gaskets may not fit your application so be prepared to reuse everything but the filter itself.

Modern 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have plenty of power to move a deuce. The problem is braking! GCWR approaching 3X the weight of the original vehicle without any additional stopping power is a 5 mile, 5 minute, 5 mile per hour solution at best.

Seriously, good luck and if I can help or you can benefit from my learning curve all the better.

plus a little extra.

OD

 

[airbornebandsman]

I live on base here and can help you out.

 

[noaccount]

I live on base here and can help you out.

You, sir, have an IM inbound.

 

[strelnik]

1400 miles now that's a road trip! Check the threads about deuce recovery and how to bleed brakes. They are tough trucks you will do okay.

I have driven in Winter from Detroit, MI to Victorville, CA, then immediately back to northern Michigan, followed by a trip to Washington DC. All between Thanksgiving and early December. Nine days alone on the road, only hit one deer (it ran into my trailer, but the car wasn't on it at that point!).

I did 6200 miles in 10 days, just about killed me!

I have confidence in you, plus you have the Steel Soldiers' network behind you!!

 

[Armorsolutions]

Which direction are you going? There are about 4 of us up I-15 in UT with solid trucks and tow bars. Get in touch
With me before you leave. If you are heading our way and get in a bind we would be happy to try and help.

 

[noaccount]

It looks like I will go up I-15 then across to Denver, seems like the most direct route.

 

[MWMULES]

There are several of us around KC that own these beasts. I am just west of you in DeSoto. I am off weekends and if you want to come over for a quick drive and pre drive run threw just send me a PM. In the morning before it gets hot is best. There have been others before you and don't wear good clothes. Sounds weird but I had a guy show up in a sport coat and slacks! Jim

 

[noaccount]

Well to add to my frustrations, I just got my paid in full invoice. Seriously, how often do people not want those to come back quickly?
I have a few phone calls to make to hopefully get things lined out since i won't be available for 6 more weeks.. If all else fails the tow to an RV lot is always an option.