Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend, OR

[2deuce]

Some of you will think I'm crazy, but I'm planning to drive my new purchase the 700 miles home. I'll probably be alone on this trip, so the new deuce will be towing my M1009 back. There are some very remote stretches on this route but its much shorter than running up I-5.(I still may opt for that route). The Deuce runs and the brakes are firm. That's all I really know about its mech condition. Is there anyone along this route that can help or store a deuce in the event of a breakdown? I'll be bringing every spare part I can think of. What kind of odds do you guys give me on making it? I've read alot of posts on this subject and I fried a clutch a few years back trying to bring one home when it developed a bad oil leak so I know I'll need my lucky rabbits foot.
Thanks,
Greg

 

[tymbom]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

Stop in Alturas and say Hi to my parents. We looked at the trucks at Herlong/Sierra but they went too high to bid on. Have fun.
Jonathan

 

[Blood_of_Tyrants]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

It would help if you gave your route.

 

[bugei]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

when i did my recovery, i did bend oregon through riley, lakeview, alturus, susanville, and on to reno, reno. the only long lonely part was the stretch from riley to lakeview. on a positive note, the guys at the les scwab truck center in lakeview ROCK, they changed my flat and adjusted all my tires in erecord time. YEAH THEM!. i think if i had really left from bend, and not prineville, i would have taken that alternate route 97.

we had a truck that led the parade, and some tow stuff just in case we had to yank it off the road, but had a blast. even camping by the lake eating mre's was fun.

 

[2deuce]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

The lonely part of my trip will be from Susanville to Klamath Falls mostly on 139. There is a shortcut through Beiber that saves probably an hour in a Deuce. The bad part is there is probably only one gas station on that 150 mile run. I haven't been through there in a few years but it wasn't that uncommon to not pass another car for 20 or 30 miles at a time. From KFalls to Bend on US97 I'll probably be more of a rolling traffic jam. I sure hope its a good runner, it will be fun if it is.

Greg

 

[DanMartin]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

Well, I'm out here in Hillsboro...not sure if I could help at all unless you broke down in Oregon somewhere.

Make sure you've got a cell phone charged up and the appropriate flares/triangles in case you do break down.

When is this trip happening?

 

[joey]

RE: Driving my M35 home from GL... Susanville CA thru Bend,

Im in Coos bay but you will still be to far from me. That and I dont think my ford taurus could tow you

 

[m38inmaine]

No problem, drove mine home, sight unseen from GL, 715 miles from PA to ME, just do a good PM and bring plenty of $$$ for fuel. Took me about 18 hours with a couple of food and fuel stops, Saturn and Coleman stop as well. Good luck!

 

[2deuce]

Thanks guys for the encouragement. I plan on going down 4/13 and comming back on the 14th. I won't have the entire 700 mile trip back home because I'm planning to leave the truck in Crooked River Ranch at my daughters place. They will put it to good use for the summer.
Dan, I will have some flares with me but they may burn out before they are ever seen if I have a breakdown on one of those lonely stretches. Sure hope I don't need them.

Greg

 

[bugei]

i love that bieber cut off, i had to a contract at lava beds (below k falls) for about 3 years and had to go up there every month or so, that bieber cut off took more than an hour off my trip, and for some reason, i just came to love that town. a strange bieber fact, some of the u.s.'s most prolific electronics geeks live there, no clue why.

if you get to reno, and need something, give me a call

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

dont forget about my trip... lol sight unseen m35 from french camp, ca got there had destroyed radiator three days later, 36 hrs of driving and being up for 32 of those we got the truck home from french camp to vancouver, wa.... i'm sure you dont have as bad luck as i do and you'll make it fine... oh n ps not to mention the slipping clutch and front diff not wanting to unlock... was awesome lol

on another note...there are many of us on west coast that we dont realize because most of the action is midwest or east coast but when in need just contact one of us and i'm sure that will only start a 'help chain gang'... maybe i'll have the 818 by then too

 

[2deuce]

The help chain gang idea is a great one but unless you have a phone # to call it can get difficult. Even then I bet cell service on my route will have many gaps.
bugei, same goes here, if I can help, give me a call when your up this way.

Greg

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

The duece should pull this for you. Be prepared and prayed up before you go. My duece ran the 400 miles home in one day with my son riding chase. It also has been on some fairly long runs hauling trailers. The sight unseen part really is different for every truck. Since you are taking the M1009 bring the tools and fluids you will need and think about running it up in the duece bed to save towing it. Good preparation before you depart is the key to a successful self recovery. Download the operator manual and unit maintainance manual and do the PMCS by the book. Thanks to Tim in Lousianna we drove our M818 1,200 miles without major incident.

You will have fun and it won't soon be forgotten..

Take lots of pictures and your charged cell phone and a credit card with available funds

 

[Recovry4x4]

I love maiden voyages.

 

[2deuce]

Happy to report a sucessful recovery. Weather was great with temps in the 60's at the beginning but snow and freezing as I came up through central Oregon. Man was that cold with no passenger window. Had wind gusts to 50mph so I couldn't keep the plastic on it. The Deuce ran perfect. It had a guys name on it so I'm guessing he put some special care into it. I feel very fortunate to have bought the right one. The GL guy there(who was very nice and helpful) said none of the others he sold there sounded so strong. I've only driven 2 deuces before and only have about 5-6K miles of experience but this one pulls alot harder. Towing my M1009 up the 6 mile 6% grade out of Susanville Ca, she wanted to take it in 4th gear, I let off because I felt that isn't normal and I didn't want to fry the engine if someone did turn up the pump. Carrys 50 lbs oil pressure hot diiving and 29 idling hot. 4 tires were nearly flat and the batterys were history but the storage comp had a slave cable, jack, lug wrench, 2 pulleys with hooks, hazard kit and a brand new tire in the bed. There is no rust and very clean underneath. The GL guy said the military likes to store things there at Herlong because its a bone dry desert.
If the pump is turned up will it sound any different at idle? This one is alittle bit rumpy but I thought maybe that was because it idles alittle low at 5-600 rpm.
The turbo wines at lower rpms but no wine or whistle at driving speed. Is that how a whistler turbo operates? I liked the sound.
They didn't allow cameras on base and my digital camera quit so when I develope the film I'll try to post pictures.

Greg

 

[ida34]

The name on the window was pretty standard when I was in. The driver goes on the driver's side and the vehicle commander goes on the passenger's side. It does not really signify anything except the guy was to lazy to remove it before the truck was turned in. When ever I was assigned to another vehicle I always took my name off and put my name on the new truck at the same time.

 

[ida34]

The name on the window was pretty standard when I was in. The driver goes on the driver's side and the vehicle commander goes on the passenger's side. It does not really signify anything except the guy was to lazy to remove it before the truck was turned in. When ever I was assigned to another vehicle I always took my name off and put my name on the new truck at the same time. Glad you made it home OK. I hope you enjoy it.

 

[2deuce]

Thanks Chuck. I was happy it drove so nice, felt a little vulnerable out in the middle of nowhere. If I had a serious breakdown I'd still be there. I doubt I'll buy anything that far away next time.

Greg