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I did build a mast with yardarm for my boat. We wanted to fly a Battle Ensign, Vol Navy pennant, and our Tennessee River Expedition burgee for the trip down the Tennessee River. We are starting the trip in Knoxville on October 19th. The mast fits in the base the USCG used for a light mast...

The trailers for these boats were made by Ameritrail in FL. It is a high quality aluminum trailer with surge brakes. I thought it would want electric brake control since it is a heavy boat. However, the trailer brakes work well. I trailered the boat from NC where I purchased it to Metal...

It was a unique “Window of Opportunity“ for Metal Shark’s facility in AL to do the refit. The real benefit was getting the twin 225 Yams at wholesale. Metal Shark’s boatyard in AL has since been sold to Burdon Inc. I am not sure if Metal Shark still has a facility in LA. I have more work...

I ended up buying a water buffalo about a month ago while my truck was in for service at Memphis Equipment. The trailer and truck have been very handy for a hydroseeding project I am doing at my farm in TN. I am also using a surplus fuel tank and a couple of IBC totes to haul about 1500...

The truck is back at my farm and seems to be staring much better. Memphis Equipment really stands behind their work. They re-worked the wiring harness to ensure everything was working properly. Apparently, the issue was between the solenoid and starter. I also added a water buffalo to the...

I did try jumping the solenoid. I could get a “click” like it was trying to start but the engine would not turn over. The truck has been hard to start from day one. I do not have all the specs on the 12v conversion but I suspect these trucks start better with the higher 24v current. In the...

Unfortunately for me, I requested the truck be converted to 12v when I ordered it from Memphis Equipment. My rational was it would be easier to jump when necessary. Also, I was adding other 12v accessories such as AC; backup camera; and some phone charging ports. The AC is a must in my view...

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I did call Memphis Equipment this morning. They advised to check the fuses for the ignition. They are the old style glass fuses, which do appear to be fine. However, they said to check with a test light as the fuse holders can sometimes not make good...

My M929A1 Dump Truck won’t start. I bought the truck from Memphis Equipment and they did a 12v conversion on the truck, which in hindsight might have been a mistake. I got out my volt meter and checked the battery first. The battery is at 12.5v which might be a little low but the truck has...

I was giving this matter more consideration and is there any reason the tires could not be turned “dish out” and reinstalled? The new tire track width would be nearly as wide as having the dually setup but not require the additional tire.

I found a couple of pics of a M149 at GovPlanet.com that I wanted to add to this post just in case someone else is considering this same issue in the future. Looks like this water buffalo tumped over and it has some truck tires.

I found a tech manual for the M149 Water Buffalo and researched the suspension. The suspension appears to be very well engineered like a lot of military equipment. The suspension includes a radius rod, shocks, and leaf springs. I don’t think I would want to try to flip the axle to top side of...

JuanPrado, Thanks for the excellent suggestion. I would not use the water buffalo on the highway so no issues there. The ”dually“ setup sounds like it would be an excellent way to improve the stability without having to lower the suspension. I did find a guy in South Dakota that has a...

Gary, Thank you for your advice and sharing your experience. I have a Kubota L6060 which is a midsized tractor that I think is a bit smaller than your JD 5520. I read the M149 Water Buffalos have a high center of gravity and the free surface effect of the water makes them prone to overturning...

I am considering buying a M149A2 water buffalo trailer to use at my farm. The trailer would be pulled mostly with my tractor so it would be nice if the water buffalo set a little lower. Does anyone know if these trailers can be easily lowered? Maybe swap out the springs or remove a suspension...

The government had reserve auction prices for these surplus USCG boats ranging from $25k to over $40K depending on location and condition of the boat. The marine industry, like the aviation industry, is a very expensive market. Watercraft made for government use are extremely heavy duty and...

Nope but having a DUKW would be fantastic!

I am across the river in Linden, TN so I hope to catch up with you at the Perryville Marina sometime! I put the boat in the water at the Mousetail State Park ramp for my first TN River run. Uncle Sam may have retired these old warhorses but I plan to keep them running a while.

Well said, Serpico! I am a veteran and attended today’s Memorial Day service at Shiloh National Military Park in Tennessee. It was a beautiful service and one of the best I have been to. It was humbling to sit among the gravesites of those who sacrificed everything for America. I think we...

Thanks Tommy2Patrick! I am excited to have this boat. The refit was expensive like anything for the marine industry. However, I was lucky to have Metal Shark take on the project. They were interested to see how their design did over the boat’s service with the USCG and they had a space in...