A little, Nice Surprise

[bottleworks]

I picked up the Deuce on Thursday. Everything went well. Swapped in new batteries, and it fired right up! It even had a full tank of fuel. As I was installing the new batteries, the very nice site manager handed my wife the truck's SF97. But wait! - My auction stated no SF 97 provided.... Perhaps good news for others who just won....Or just my good luck?

BTW, driving the deuce for 11 hours home is tough. I need to install a muffler ASAP.

 

[JEEPGUY]

I dont mean to sound dumb but, whats the SF97 ?

by the way would you suggest me driving my m35 back home from buying it. ( its 1100 miles) I'm debating havin it hauled or driving it back.

 

[Recovry4x4]

400 miles in an unproven truck can be done but have a back up plan. Most miles I've done in a deuce in one day is 700 and that's a long day. When my now 4 yr old and I travel we usuall shut down after 500 miles and get some rest. SF97 is short of Standard Form 97 which a gov't form giving you authorization to apply for title to said vehicle. The SF97 waters have been very muddy since Government Liquidation (US Surplus Nazis) took over.

 

[n3uka]

2 quickies:

A guy told me at aberdeen that he bought a residue truck that stated no sf-97. 5 weeks later he said they mailed him a title (unverified)

I picked up a deuce and had it towed to a truck shop near me for inspection. Passed with minor repairs. 13 miles later the brakes failed and almost caused a horrible accident. I feel better safe than sorry when it comes to an unknown truck. If I had just checked it on base and drove it home I would have been stranded on a highway 120 miles from home and would have cost a fortune for tow, repairs etc.

 

[Armada]

shit down after 500 miles

700 miles in a duece in one day?! That is truly insane!

Jeepguy, drive it back if you can take a bunch of tools and fluids with you. Have it looked at by someone knowledgable ahead of time. Is it coming from a private sale or GL? Take your time and stretch it out over 3 days. And as Kenny says, have a back-up plan.
Where are you picking it up from? Maybe get some contacts ahead of time that are along the way in case something does happen.

ps. Bring the plastic too.

 

[cranetruck]

I usually limit my daily runs to 400 miles on road trips. My max is 535.
There is a "sticky" on this forum with suggestions for driving a deuce home for the first time. I would definitely suggest that you have somebody driving a chase car with extra supplies and whatever.

 

[JEEPGUY]

BOTTLEWORKS,
I DIDNT MEAN TO HIGHJACK YOUR POST.

AND THANKS TO ALL YOU GUYS FOR THE HELP. AND I'LL TAKE NOTE OF THE "STICKY" ON THIS FORUM

I'M STILL DECIDING

 

[houdel]

I bought my Deuce, listed as "Running Contition Unknown" sight unseen through GL. The GL listing pictures showed a decent looking truck, it had troop seats, near new tires (the spare has never been on the ground!), air shift front axle, and 16k miles on the odometer. I bought strictly on my gut feeling it should be a good truck.

I put a posting here and on the MV mailing list asking if anyone had a contact for a truck mechanic at the base where the truck was located. I ended up contacting a mechanic with considerable experience with M35A2s. He checked it out for me, got it started, drove it around and told me I had a good buy. After all the paperwork cleared, I drove 230 miles to the base with my tools, engine oil, gear oil, diesel fuel and brake fluid to pick it up. Checked the fluids and vital points, the mechanic met me there to help me get it started (it had one bad battery), then I drove it about 35 miles to a friend's place for a more thorough checkout. From there I drove it home without any problems, with the wife following in the family van, just in case!

My number 1 suggestion is to find an on base mechanic to check out your prospective purchase BEFORE you bid, then you know if you are looking at a jewel in the rough or an expensive pile of crap. The places I contacted wanted from $450 to $900 to pick it up on base and deliver it to my home, a distance of about 230 miles, so I saved a BIG crapload of money by driving it home myself. BTW, it had 3/4 of a tank of diesel it it when I picked it up, so I didn't even have to pay for the fuel for the trip home!

I repeat - find an on base mechanic to check your truck out beforehand, drive it home yourself, and save yourself a bunch of money. You'll need that extra money for the truck soon enough!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Gang, I need to apologize on my typo above. It's been corrected but If I've offended anyone please accept my apologies. If you didn't catch it, don't worry about it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

shut down after 500 miles

700 miles in a duece in one day?! That is truly insane! :cooko

Now, want to hear the most insane part of that? It was my 03 trip to OH and I had the M35A2 piggybacked on the tractor the whole time! Big uns eh?

 

[Westech]

I drove my deuce over 700 miles home in the rain at night!! and just the other day (e22 can tell ya) I drove over 2100 miles to aberdeen and back. NOW WHO IS NUTS??

 

[mangus580]

Now now westy.... you drove 2100 miles in your Crew Cab Duramax though... that doesnt count!!

I on the other hand, did put 1000 miles on my 1009 hauling the wife and kids to aberdeen and such this past weekend.....

 

[emmado22]

Westy is insane...........

 

[mangus580]

Without a doubt... just a different reason

 

[jatonka]

Mangus and Emmado, I figure with your miles of driving experience you are going to make the short jaunt over to our Wings,Wheelsans Tracks show this weekend, May 20 and 21. Remember, free admission and a free Sat night dinner to all exhibitors!! Plus it's about time I met some of you guys. Go to www.wingswheelsandtracks.com to get the directions. John tennis

 

[mangus580]

John, I would love to.... I will have to see if finances permit though... I got a miserable 12mpg in the 1009 on our trip alot worse than I had planned for.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Sure John! I drove my weary butt all the way to Aberdeen last year and couldn't find you. Now your inviting these guys to dinner? Better show up at Aberdeen next year, I'm dragging my weary butt back up again. LOL
Kenny

PS. Mike, maybe thats why the TM calls for nothing more than the M416.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Woah Westy! Give credit where credit is due! That 700 miles was just the one day. The trip up and back was 2568 miles. Probably 2300 of them were piggybacked. 2100 in the D-Max was probably just a pleasure cruise. Next year I'll be doing the 2200 mile trek to Aberdeen and back in the 53 yr old wrecker. Hell, it will be 54 by then!

 

[Desert Rat]

Guys,

Try 600+ miles in one day with not one but TWO pieces of MV equipment being towed on the back and no way to back up PLUS putting the gross weight waaaaaayyyy over 15 tons(34,000+ pounds with the weigh ticket to prove it!). I submit my first move to Houston from Indiana. I also submit my next trip to Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky etc., etc.. Plus the ever so memorable 23 mph trip from Buddy's back home................................. What a truck!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Armada]

My longest one day cruise in a duece was about 500 miles, driving up to go deer hunting last year. I could have driven more if I would have HAD to, but 500 was enough.