2 Guys on a roadtrip

[Heavysteven]

Why cloud the picture with rationalism? Hope the ctis works! This sounds like something Westy would get me involved in. I wish you guys the best of luck.

Nice I hope you don't mind if I use that one.
Why cloud the picture with rationalism?

Good luck with your recovery.

 

[Nonotagain]

From the pictures they don't look totally flat. I hop they hold air. I guess we should do a little reading on the tire inflation system and causes for flat tires. Also there was quite a bidding war on this one particularly so were hoping someone scoped it out and that this was the best out of the 4 or 5 that went on auction that day.

You should PM Powerhousedeuce and have him scope out the truck for a fee. Matt is in and out of Meade just about every week.
If he is available, he should be able to give the truck a once over and let you know the condition it's in.
Depending on how long the truck has sat on two flat tires they maybe trash. I don't know of any local sources for the tires.

See if your local DMV offers a temp trip tag as doing 800 miles on the east coast without tags is a sure shot at getting the truck impounded.

Good luck and write when you get out of jail.

 

[kc5mzd]

I heard the problem with CTIS is when they get down to a certain pressure the CTIS won't air them up and the truck may not be able to build up air pressure.

I would also recommend driving instead of flying.
An air tank that can get large tires to about 25psi.
You should plan on buying 2 new batteries.
You might get AAA if they will jump a 24-volt system.
DOT 5-brake fluid is expensive but if you buy it in small quantities it becomes extremely expensive. If you can find a gallon for under 50.00 it might be good to have on hand.
A parts cross-reference that includes hoses and brake lines.
2 sets of heavy-duty jumper cables so you can jump it with 2 cars if you have to.
A magnetic yellow flashing warning light.
A second car to follow incase the brake lights don't work.

 

[kc5mzd]

Oh yeah nearly forgot, you might wan't a list of vehicle storage lots in route in case something goes wrong and you don't have time to fix it. It would be better to have it towed to storage and deal with it when you get time than try to pay a shop that works on "normal" trucks to make it worse...

 

[KsM715]

Ther's no rule against posting a link to a closed auction, only an active one.
And in a month when the links go dead, this thread will be irrelevant because he will have already recovered the truck.

Also, if he has just posted pics and not the link, we wouldn't have seen, in big bold letters, "...has 2 flat tires."

Care to revise your statement?

From the rules page:
Auction Postings: Please abide by the following rules concerning the posting of auction information in the forums:
• Do NOT post about future or current GL/GSA/eBay (including items for sale in buy-it-now formats)/local/city/state/Federal/estate auctions. You may post about any auction after the auction is closed.
• Do not post links to auction photos. GL/GSA links quit working after a short period of time so save the image to your PC and then attach it to your post.
• Do NOT post links to current eBay auctions or Craig's List ads that are not your own. You may post a link to your own auction/ad only if it is in an information/discussion thread about you vehicle/item. Do not start a post in the Conversations forum or your vehicle specific forum just to announce your auction/ad.
• No collusion as specified above.


Who says the thread will be irrevelant? Newbies are always asking and searching for "recovery" threads. Everyone here knows we like to see pics and I for one hate clicking on dead links.

 

[goldwing2000]

Care to revise your statement?

From the rules page:
Auction Postings: Please abide by the following rules concerning the posting of auction information in the forums:
• Do NOT post about future or current GL/GSA/eBay (including items for sale in buy-it-now formats)/local/city/state/Federal/estate auctions. You may post about any auction after the auction is closed.
• Do not post links to auction photos. GL/GSA links quit working after a short period of time so save the image to your PC and then attach it to your post.
• Do NOT post links to current eBay auctions or Craig's List ads that are not your own. You may post a link to your own auction/ad only if it is in an information/discussion thread about you vehicle/item. Do not start a post in the Conversations forum or your vehicle specific forum just to announce your auction/ad.
• No collusion as specified above.


Who says the thread will be irrevelant? Newbies are always asking and searching for "recovery" threads. Everyone here knows we like to see pics and I for one hate clicking on dead links.

Nope. Don't care to revise my statement. As per your highlighted portion, the rule states do not post links to auction PHOTOS. He posted a link to the auction page, not just the photos. The rules are the rules.

Even if GL pulls the pics tp save server space, does that mean the entire auction page dies, too? If not, then you won't be clicking a dead link. And if somebody doesn't know what a GL M35A3 looks like, then maybe they should do a little more searching.

Just sayin...

 

[renovate7]

After reading the GL description I would strongly investigate the "2 flat tires".. You will not find these tires anywhere local and if you do they are $800+- each plus about $100 each for a field change out by a local tire company. Berg Tire in NC may still have some that are less than 50%. Talk to the GL yard manager or someone who can go and look at the truck. You absolutely do not want to get there and have bad tires. You need to know their condition and have an ironclad plan in place to fix them...My truck at Warner Robbins had 2 bad tires when I bought it, which I knew. I drove up from Central Florida with 3 tires and every tool and liquid known to man, plus a generator, a week before the official recovery to get it running. I met a local tire company at the GL lot and they changed out the tires for me. Never did get it running, bad check valve at fuel tank. Paid to have it hauled back, BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT...It's been my experience with these 14.5x20xl tires, from looking at them on GL lots and also looking at a lot of pictutres, that when they go 100% flat they are ruined. It trashes and splits the sidewalls. They can get pretty low and still be aired up but not sit flat.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Based on others' experiences picking up trucks from GL, I'd say you almost 100% want to drive up with a car full of tools, parts, and fluids; or, pay someone to recover the truck from the lot for you and get it into driving condition so you can fly up and hop in.

I've had my truck for a year and a half, and I still wouldn't feel comfortable hopping in and going on an 800 mile trip, let alone hopping in a truck I've only had an hour or so to get to know.

There are infinitely many unknowns about a truck you haven't inspected in person (and even if you have). I really wouldn't want you guys to get up there and find yourselves with a basket case on your hands and only 5 days to get it 800 miles down the east coast...

Regardless to which route you guys choose to follow, you're going to have a blast. Remember to take LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of pictures and video, too!






To those of you with the rules discussion: I'd recommend having your conversation via PM instead of in the middle of someone else's thread.

 

[CARNAC]

Hello all, A coworker and I are stationed in Cape Canaveral, FL and saw a M35A2 at the DRMO and we had to have one. Paul "my coworker" got on Govliquidation and won a M35A3 in Ft. Meade, MD. He was just fully approved for the "end user" y2 days ago, so we booked our plane tickets on the 6th to pick it up. the description said "driven on the lot" and I guess the guys at Ft. Meade said it drove off the "truck". My question is what all do you guys think we should bring for the 800 Mile trip home to FL?? I can't wait for this journey to begin! I figured the essential's like a sleeping bag, gorilla tape, a few wrenchs and a carton of smokes... I can't wait to keep reading the site.

being that I have a computer screen that is small, all a, e, o , and u letters kinda look sort of the same. Hence, I saw the title and the screen name and thought...don't ask, don't tell (even if it's being repealed).

It was mentioned before to have Powerhouse Deuce check out this truck. Heck I would have him pull it off base. I know he can't store it anymore but others in the area probably could. That would give him the chance to go over it before you show up and find out it is totally non-mission capable. The few hundred you spend on having him go over and prep it could save you a boatload of headaches.

I'm assuming you are flying into BWI. How are you getting from the airport to base? If you take a taxi, then who will be going back and forth to the store to buy fluids, tools, etc. To put this in somewhat modern Army terms, the days of TCACCIS are dead. You must do your planning in TCAIMS which means you have to plan your trip and contingency routes from the flagpole to the foxhole and back.

If you're lucky (and we all wish you are) then you're a hero. If you have the slightest trouble with no tools, no fluids, no cooler, no food, no sleeping bag, etc. You could be hating life like there is no tomorrow.

My best wishes on your trip.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Well said. Rationalism and reality both start with R. Good luck and be safe.

 

[Recovry4x4]

being that I have a computer screen that is small, all a, e, o , and u letters kinda look sort of the same. Hence, I saw the title and the screen name and thought...don't ask, don't tell (even if it's being repealed).

It was mentioned before to have Powerhouse Deuce check out this truck. Heck I would have him pull it off base. I know he can't store it anymore but others in the area probably could. That would give him the chance to go over it before you show up and find out it is totally non-mission capable. The few hundred you spend on having him go over and prep it could save you a boatload of headaches.

I'm assuming you are flying into BWI. How are you getting from the airport to base? If you take a taxi, then who will be going back and forth to the store to buy fluids, tools, etc. To put this in somewhat modern Army terms, the days of TCACCIS are dead. You must do your planning in TCAIMS which means you have to plan your trip and contingency routes from the flagpole to the foxhole and back.

If you're lucky (and we all wish you are) then you're a hero. If you have the slightest trouble with no tools, no fluids, no cooler, no food, no sleeping bag, etc. You could be hating life like there is no tomorrow.

My best wishes on your trip.

Up awfully early on a Sunday Sir. Entertaining read as usual though! Ambitious young lads such as this bring good posts to the forum.

 

[pctrans]

And don't forget the "donut" for the passenger seat!!

 

[lonegunman]

I drove my A3 2500 miles home last year.

If they said, "running or driven onto lot" ask them to have it running when you get there. Mine said running and I told them I had to see it start and run when I got there, since the auction was for a running truck. I was quite happy to see my truck idling away happily when I arrived.

My GL experience has been positive all three times I've won a bid, two locations, always helpful and nice.

Here are some A3 tidbits.

You won't need earplugs as much as you might think, the noise inside the cab is easy to talk over. If it rains your feet will get wet, water drips over the gas peddle in every deuce I have driven lately. Bring a pillow for the passenger, that seat is tough on asses after a while.

If you had a chance to get something serviced, I'd change the trans from motor oil to dextron as soon as possible, the army uses motor oil, it runs hotter. If the transd temp guage does not work, bring a digital volt meter with a temprature probe and stick the probe down the fill tube to check oil temps.

Have a phone number for a commerical tire service or tools to swap a tire, if you are missing the jack, go buy a 10ton hydraulic and find a few decent blocks of wood, make sure you have tire chocks.

My truck ran like a champ, expect 48-50mph base speed on where the truck rides with as little hopping as possible. 55-60 is a dream, to many revs. I ran approx 2500 rpm, 12 hours a day, five days straight with ZERO problems. Expect something to dribble a little oil.

Expect tires to leak down, check them daily in the morning. Don't be suprised if the CTIS does not work. Buy an air serivce line that works off the glad handle from a local truck parts place, they run 20-30 bucks tops. Northern Tool has them as well.

Get a can of PB Blaster to get anything stuck or rusty moving. If the steering does not work, check the valve on the firewall.

Download manuals, the -10 operators manual is your friend and a great read on airplanes.

Expect the wiper blades to be toast, napa has commerical replacement in a pinch, they are about 1 inch to long but work.

Bugs don't die when they hit the window , they land and fly away later,,,,hahaha.

Make sure the blinkers and mirrors work, people never let you in, when you get room, start moving and they will learn not to try running a 6 ton truck off the road with a Honda. Headlites should work, learn the switch position on the three-handle switch.

Depending in the legal aspects of the trip, buy a three-day tag for you truck AND insurance from somebody. I had my stuff with me and had zero problems. Nobody stops mil truck anyway and I drove past a lot of weigh stations, since I was not commerical, hauling anything or had a reason too. Not that anyone cared, but I was prepared to answer questions, prove insurance, prove tag and my truck was road worthy.

Big trucks are supposed to have three warning triangles, first aid kit and a fire extinguisher on board. Buy them and put them under the seats. Buy a large fire extinguisher just in case you need it.

I posted my road trip here and had contacts within a couple of hours most of the way. Several guys followed my adventure online, one guy drove two hours to inspect the truck because wanted one for his farm. SS is your friend. Be prepared to chat at the fuel pump a few times. Farmers in the Dakotas loved the truck.

Your truck fits under a standard fuel station awning btw. Plan ahead for turning around and backing out. You can buy fuel at places other than truck stops.

The fuel gage sucks, mine has five quarters and bounces. I stopped and refueled every three hours or so and it took half a tank. I wished for a radio, even comm chatter from a .mil net would have been interesting,,hahaha.

Good luck, post pics.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Good point on wipers. Bring Rainex.

 

[stud_man50]

I was going to pack my CB radio from my Jeep and then make a quick bracket for the Whip antenna. Then I soon remembered its a 24v system not a 12v. So ill have to find a way to charge our cell phones too.

 

[stud_man50]

I NEED A BELT!! if anyone has info on the fan/alt. Belt please call 321)848-8522

 

[gimpyrobb]

Belt For M35A3 Fan/Alternator, 12448759 / RCSK17002-2

Belt For M35A3 Water Pump, 7E0744

 

[leroygreen]

I noticed in the pics the stack was missing. It may be in the bed or in the cab. Bring some clamps to reattach.

I could get a little loud.
Have a safe trip.

 

[stud_man50]

Ok, someone got us a belt! We got the stack on! But the ctis turned on, then in Japanese! Now it's just squares across the top and it keeps deflating the tires, were stuck at napa!!

 

[stud_man50]

Also we have the glad hand pump line!