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military earthmoving equipment owners?

landfillman

New member
115
0
0
Location
Iuka MS
Ive got and AC book with a section on the military machines. It had training wheels for a 645 to drop it in sections. Also they sold a hitch and an elevating scraper for it for pioneering air feilds. I think the torque converter was beefed up for this.
 

Capt Pat

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
488
91
28
Location
Sandusky, Ohio
There's a junkyard near here, alot of old rotten wood boats and other non-descript junk, but he has one of the first hydraulic cranes built for the Seabees in WWII, some know it as an "anteater" due to the long "I"-beam boom tapered at one end and bowed down slightly. Had some pictures of it, and an airborne dozer a guy here locally has two of, Clarks I believe. If I can find them I'll post them. The old crawler crane is on and International crawler, the Navy tags used to be on it for years, but last time I saw it, I had to bull about six years of vines off it, the guy wanted about 2,500.00 for it, said a mouse built a nest in the maniforl, but it ran when he parked it there. Its still there, again covered with vines, visible to the naked eye only after the leaves come off. Quite scarse from what I've been told. We've been trying to get him to let the Air Guard engineering unit here have it to restore for display on their base. "Ain't" worked yet.....:(
 

Alredneck

Banned
1,494
15
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Location
TN
Landfillman, the 645M is a bit of a pain to work work on. Last month I spent about $1500 in new hoses for the lift cylinders. Not easy to get to. Im just glad the seals are still holding up. I am quite certain the hoses I replaced were the originals from birth. It started with one going out, replaced it then another blew, then another as it started holding more pressure. I do believe the torque convertor is different in this one and it has the big 6cyl in it, non multifuel. It runs good though my wiring is trashed and most gauges dont work. I listen to it very carefully and keep the fluids checked. Soon its about to get a oil change and all new filters. Tires for this things are about $600 ea for bias and I have gone through 3 of them cause of all the trash on the property, its bad in the rainy season and you are digging 2ft ruts moving stuff around then fine a piece of buried rebar or angle iron sticking through the side of a brand new tire! I just got a set of radials in from my GA tire contract, they are a metric equivalant to the 17.5-25s. I would think you could put 20-25s on this rig but I only have 3ea and not so good tread.
 

landfillman

New member
115
0
0
Location
Iuka MS
ALredneck you can vulcanize your tired when they get a big gash in them. Ive had several done in the past. I have a freind that was loading scrap cars from a clean up and we built a set of chains for the fronts that wrap around the tires. I ve spet many hours in a 645 with a 4in1 . THe same company had a 565 and 645 with a large Ware and a large Henry back hoe on the back.
 

Alredneck

Banned
1,494
15
0
Location
TN
landfillman, I might have to pay ya a visit one day next time im in MS. I have rear hydraulic quick disconnects and thought I saw an old brochure for a backhoe attachment that bolts to the rear of the loader.

I was out last night ( trying to beat the heat ) and discovered the starter died on me, took it over to the rebuild shop this morning and $250 later was handed a reman unit. Going to put her back together later tonight.

I got to unload a truck load of 16.00s XZLs (108ea ) in the morning will try to remember to get some pics.
 

AIE1

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
92
4
8
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Here is a pic of a 1940 LeTourneau that I restored years ago and used. The dozer is a D7-3T late forties. We had a couple of the old 3Ts they org. had the front mounted cable control, they were long gone when we got them replaced with rear mounted 25 CCU's. They were all old GI machine's, I sand blasted most of them the old LeTourneau had OD paint still in some places and white markings. The 3T all ended up with engine problems gone to scrap now except the LeTourneau LS scraper ended up going to the Dokota's just recently where a guy converts them to hydraulic. Makes feel good to see old GI iron still working.
Regards
 

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rustwagon

New member
17
0
0
Location
N Colorado
I'm a little unclear as to what the tower is on the dozer a couple posts up. It says it is an underwater dozer but I see the exhaust stack on the front. ANyone want to clarify for me?
 

rickf

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,144
1,679
113
Location
Pemberton, N.J.
Some others I saved pictures of - first six are dozers that have been sold on GL over the years, mostly CATs, but one large Euclid. Last pic is of a large restored LeTourneau Tournapull scraper, turned into a specialty carrier for the Air Force.
Picture #3, BRAND NEW tracks! Lot of money there. Pic #5, Superfund cleanup?

Rick
 

abh3

New member
236
3
0
Location
Florala, Al
Had several D-8 8R, 2U and 13A dozers, some w/ WWII Corps of Engineers rebuild tags, until scrap prices got so high last year so now they are gone... The running 2U was a good machine though that pony could be aggravating, I'd converted it to rear cable control for the blade years ago, the others were either fixer-uppers or parts machines. Had a hydraulic front end, angle blades, etc. and a wet clutch or two as well, plus a stack of parts, to fit those models. But you had to be a man to run one all day long, no one would run one these days as welfare pays too good and jail has air conditioning and cable...

Don't bother flaming me for 'scrapping our history', I'd tried to sell this stuff for years w/ no takers, people would come by and offer $2500 for a running D-8 and then expect me to haul it and wrench on it for free! They averaged about $4,300 a piece as junk, I bought a Mini Cooper S with the $ from the dozers and other farm junk around here. :p
 

Bighurt

New member
2,347
46
0
Location
Minot, ND
Had several D-8 8R, 2U and 13A dozers, some w/ WWII Corps of Engineers rebuild tags, until scrap prices got so high last year so now they are gone... The running 2U was a good machine though that pony could be aggravating, I'd converted it to rear cable control for the blade years ago, the others were either fixer-uppers or parts machines. Had a hydraulic front end, angle blades, etc. and a wet clutch or two as well, plus a stack of parts, to fit those models. But you had to be a man to run one all day long, no one would run one these days as welfare pays too good and jail has air conditioning and cable...

Don't bother flaming me for 'scrapping our history', I'd tried to sell this stuff for years w/ no takers, people would come by and offer $2500 for a running D-8 and then expect me to haul it and wrench on it for free! They averaged about $4,300 a piece as junk, I bought a Mini Cooper S with the $ from the dozers and other farm junk around here. :p
That's the problem with our society, everyone wants it now but nobody wants to lift a finger. I suppose it's in our nature. It's cheaper for me to buy a skid steer then hire another hand.
 

gunboy1656

Active member
3,587
22
38
Location
Beaver Falls, PA
I don't own it but one of the guys who lives down the road from me hauls for the military and had this on his truck. Found it while I was doing a maintenance runs through the neighborhood. At the time I found it it was headed to Ft. Dix.
 

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