931A2 Recovery

[wheelspinner]

Picked up a M931A2 from Ft Drum, with 402 indicated miles, but listed as a non-runner. I had previewed the truck, but really hadn't planned on bidding so my notes were less than stellar, but it was now mine so off we went. DH wasn't busy today so we took his M819 to Drum to pick up what was supposed to be an easy flat tow. Problem was there was a fitting missing at the CTIS controle box. This was preventing the truck from being aired up from the tow vehicle, problem (1). So we scrounged around and finally just tried to loop the lines together, but that sure didn't work, because now we had air coming from the front right tire air fill area (???), so now we had to cage the brakes and go with just the service brakes. Nice thing was the brake cans were brand new and so were the caging bolts, so no problem. The left rear was a little troublesome, and I was getting frustrated, so after fussing with it for 10 minutes, Eric decided that it needed his touch. He got it to grab right away, go figure!



So once we got all hooked up, brakes caged, pulled forward and.....LOCKED ! All the brakes were locked.....ugh. A few minutes later with some well placed sledge hammer blows, we were rolling.

So far so good. We got to the first light on Ft Drum, and all of a sudden we smell brakes....BAD! Apparently when you leave the parking brake on the tow vehicle, that is bad? I think quite a bit of the smoke in that parking brake got out today.



Overall I think the truck just really wanted to stay where she was, and left kicking and screaming. All indications point to a nice super low mileage running truck, it sounds like from the no start description it might only be really really dead batteries. Wish me luck!

Its at DH's house now, but we'll get it down here in the next few days.

 

[doghead]

What a day. Bees/wasps, mudpuddles, heat & humidity, almost passed out choking on my lunch, forgot the tool box.

 

[doghead]

Oh yeah, and this...

 

[wheelspinner]

What a day. Bees/wasps, mudpuddles, heat & humidity, almost passed out choking on my lunch, forgot the tool box.

I forgot about the bees, maaan they were MAD!

Yeah aren't you glad I made you turn around at lunch?..........Would have missed that otherwise!

 

[M35A2-AZ]

My eyes!!!!
Glad you had a safe recovery!!!!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Oh yeah, and this...

Just found a new avatar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TehTDK]

I don't honestly think that woman looks so bad from the rear. But then again easy to get a nasty surprise when they turn around

 

[wheelspinner]

Well, back on track.......all 4 batteries were junk. Set it up with 2 and...nothing. A little T/S later and holding a fried (really stinks) protective control box. I am going to try swapping one in from my other A2 tomorrow, and hopefully that will allow it to fire up. I guess we will see what tomorrow brings.

 

[wheelspinner]

The replacement PCB worked! Runs like a champ. Just gotta straighten out the air system and get rid of the ABS light. But it RUNS!

 

[silverstate55]

Congrats on your new toy! DH I sure like your crane truck...

 

[wheelspinner]

Runs. Drives. Stops.

I have also learned two things, 1) Which way the tank selector needs to be when one tank is empty, 2) the value of WP 0239.

 

[wheelspinner]

So a little more of a deep dive into the failures that made this truck a non-runner. It appears that the a loose ground took out the PCB and ABS-ECU. The ABS system and PCB share a common ground on the lower right corner of the PCB. Mine was loose, very loose. The accepted installation also includes removing the paint from mating surfaces at both ends of the standoff. All of the other three have paint on them, so no ground there! Anyways, a bouncing/partial ground is always bad and let ALOT of smoke out of the can. It appears to also have taken out the ABS ECU......

My suggestion-Check that ground point carefully!

 

[ecostruction]

Well, back on track.......all 4 batteries were junk. Set it up with 2 and...nothing. A little T/S later and holding a fried (really stinks) protective control box. I am going to try swapping one in from my other A2 tomorrow, and hopefully that will allow it to fire up. I guess we will see what tomorrow brings.

What's the "protective control box"?

 

[wheelspinner]

So the wife and I took the two 5 tons out for a quick spin around the town and up and down some back roads. Man that tractor outran me like I couldn't believe.

The only time she was behind me was going out of the driveway.

I think she is in love.......

 

[wheelspinner]

Well sadly as part of thinning the herd, the 931A2 has found a new home. Very happy new owner though............