Bought home a pretty rough M543A2 today...

[abh3]

FOR SALE! Too much for me right now, email benton@abh3.$com (remove $)

Drug in my M543A2 and now I know why it was cheap! But, of course, I didn't go look before bidding, too busy and GL is always pizzy about getting on base to look, etc... I have a coupla questions that will make the difference between pulling the winches and scrapping the rest or maybe getting it going. I'd hoped to get it together to help with heavy equipment repair around here, no parade truck needed, but she may be too far gone...

1) It's a serious rust bucket, is the cab the same as a Duece?

2) There is no connection from the transfer-case PTO to the back winch and hyd. pump under the turntable... There must have been a gearbox/splitter here that has been cleverly recycled at some time. Are these available or will this be a major problem?

3) Anyone looking for an M543A2 parts vehicle?!?!

Thanks for your input...

 

[Recovry4x4]

I didn't see any pics yet! Anyway, cabs are the same as a deuce. Several folks have wreckers for parts. Search this site for contact info for John Winslow

 

[gimpyrobb]

I REALLY hate to see a wrecker parted out, but if you do, I need one of the hydraulic cylinders that raises the boom(passenger side). Pics would be great, can't have a thread about wreckers and no pics!

 

[abh3]

I'll post some pics of Crusty the Wrecker, embarassing as it may be, then everyone can see just how far $869.00, half a day's work and a bunch of diesel will take you! Oh, and don't forget the $10 to Florida for the oversize permit for my wide lowboy...

You're right, I need to check out the manuals section and see what's up (or GONE in this case)...

 

[citizensoldier]

Even half a wrecker is a deal for that price.. Sounds like its missing some very important stuff though. Sorry guy I had to do it.. LOl
Many of us wrecker guys will gobble up anything that can be used for decent prices so you will do good either way.. OpieNoTool is restoring M543 and could use a few parts..

 

[abh3]

Pictures of Crusty...

Here are some pics of my lovely wrecker. Sorry about the light, we are feeling the effects of Ike here, say a prayer for those folks in Texas since it's headed that way...

The level wind for the back winch is in the bed, I'm not sure about all the 'out-rigger' stuff. Wheeeewwww, what a project...

 

[No.2Diesel]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

Thanks for the pics.

That wrecker is not junk!

 

[BFR]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

hey, my first deuce had those same removable w/o tools doors

 

[BFR]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

how is the drag winch powered on one of those? (hydro, shaft chain/sprocket)?

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

Joel, pto through a divider box. That is far from a junker. Sheet metal is a simple deal and frankly, not that necessary right now. Find the missing wrecker parts, get it running and start moving stuff with it. After a few days of seeing its usefulness, you will soon learn to appreciate it's character rather than curse it's appearance. Ugly wreckers are so much more useful than most other mil trucks.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

Kenny. Once she fires up and you use her.. its all fun from there moving anything and everything just cause you can.

She aint that bad. just a little TLC and she will be working great

 

[maddawg308]

RE: Pictures of Crusty...

Heck, gimpyrobb's wrecker looks worse than that, and he drove it around Haspin, picking stuff up, etc. Definitely the ugly ducking at the prom, but it looks all there. DON'T CUT IT UP for minor stuff like sheet metal. At least with it looking as bad as it is, you won't mind beating it around and getting some work done with it.

 

[BKubu]

I would check with John Murray on the wrecker parts. Last I heard, he had several wrecker parts trucks in his yard. John has always been a great person to deal with.

 

[maddawg308]

I would check with John Murray on the wrecker parts. Last I heard, he had several wrecker parts trucks in his yard. John has always been a great person to deal with.

A couple weeks back, I asked about some wrecker parts in yard, since I was there. John told me he was working on a contract for 70 wreckers to go overseas, and he needed all the parts he had.

Check with John Winslow in NC, he's closer to you where you are, so cost might be cheaper. Also, SECO in Georgia.

 

[poppop]

Its worth more than you paid for scrap. Its even still got the spades, I paid $200.00 just for spades. Mine was missing both winches, which cost me more than you paid for the whole truck. Mine had no doors or top. I thought I stole mine at $2500.00.

 

[5tonpuller]

Drug in my M543A2 and now I know why it was cheap! But, of



IT IS A DIAMOND IN THE RUFF
AS you can see from the avatar that wreckers are WAY COOL
I us the heck out of mine around the house n for others. They are the toughest of the 5 tons.
They have the biggest motor set up for a 5 ton. ( if I am not mistaking the motors are set up for more power) Just check out the springs. Extra frame rails. WRECKERS RULE!!!
A little TLC and it will earn her keep again. There is a gear box and 2 shafts that run back to the rear DRAG winch and to the crane. Get some of the manuals for it and read. What a GREAT peace of equipment it is. You WILL have fun with it.
I do mine.
Sorry guys . Got carried away.

 

[JeepMan]

That truck has an awful lot of rust on it. Where has it been to accumalate that much rust since it was a recent GL release??

 

[abh3]

Jeepman: There on Eglin AFB they have a storage yard (Range Rd?) right by the Choctawhatchee Bay, pretty neat old stuff on it and a nice view too, old Patton and Sheradin (sp?) tanks, misc. helicopters and boats in various stages of dismemberment AND the latest round of GL trucks, all of which look to have been there for a looong time... Time is one thing, the salty bay air another, but the TWO of them work magic on most man-made things! This truck is stencilled antifreeze checked in 1992 but there are WORST looking trucks there, gas engine dueces, etc...

Everyone Else: OK, no scrapping (yet)... I'd really like to get it working, it would be handy. The right door is just missing the top hinge bolts, I wonder why they didn't steal one from EACH hinge? And the rust will ensure no rainwater gathers (mosquito control) and that the rats can escape without too much trouble when I hop in it...

I made a call to a local guy that has lots of M-truck stuff but he doesn't have what I need, 5 tons are easy to find around here, wreckers are another matter! Time to look further afield, I need some of the shafts as well as the splitter-box so I need to find manuals in order to know what to ask for, can anyone point me in the right direction there? Is this splitter box the same as the later 250 Cummins trucks?

Thanks for all the input thus far!

 

[hndrsonj]

I believe Hawthorne tractor in Lake City had several 5 ton wreckers/parts.

 

[123mack]

My M246 tractor-wrecker is worse than that. The idiot I bought it from overloaded the crane to the side and bent the shipper support. This is the part that holds the lift cylinder and the boom (shipper ) hinges on and its made of 3/4 steel plate! Lucky the frame wasn't bent, at least i don't think it was. I'm still tearing it down. If I could find a shipper support, replacement would be easier than messing around with 3/4 plate. As for manuals, the 5 ton manuals on this site are all you need.