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Getting ready for road trip

jmarch58

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Hi everyone tous is my first post. On the tenth of December I am going to south Dakota to pick up my 1990 m929a2. I am planning on driving it the 1500 miles home. any advice on what to bring out tools I should bring would be very helpful
 

98G

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The list is long and will vary by who you talk to. Here's mine:

1) A chase vehicle. Anything will do. Something to go get parts with. If it is capable of towing your 5ton so much the better.

2) slave cables.

3) everything needed to change a tire.

4) basic hand tools.

Off the top of the chart - a cellphone and the numbers of people more knowledgeable than yourself. Plenty of $$ in case of catastrophic failure.
 

doghead

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If your buying from a dealer, you'll be all set. Just have cash and their number on your phone.
 

doghead

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Well, in that case...

Any idea what condition the truck is in?

What makes you think it is roadworthy?

Any pictures to share so we can try to access it visually?
 

wreckerman893

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Welcome to the Green Iron Laughing Academy. :cookoo:

Your really picked a hard row to hoe for your first recovery.

Your first issue is going to be the cold. If the truck has been sitting out in it the fuel may be jelled unless it was treated or was Number 1 diesel.

The difference in temp between CA and SD can be extreme. I once got stuck on the side of a mountain in Utah because I didn't factor in the extreme cold.

I would try to get someone local to check the truck out and see if there is anything glaringly obvious wrong with the truck (flat tires, missing parts, etc). It is well worth a few bucks to get it checked out.

The one thing you don't bring with you is the one thing you will need the most. Murphy is an opportunist.

Make sure you check the long range weather forecast. Trying to beat a blizzard or bad weather is no fun.

Have a backup plan and a backup plan for that. Wrecker bills for big trucks are expensive.

The best thing to have is a credit card with a very high limit. Been there, done that.

I hope you have a "Soldier B" to accompany you. Being stuck out in the boondocks alone is a bad feeling.

Good luck, take pictures and try to have some fellow members contact info along your route.
 

dawico

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We just had a similiar thread. Plan on some kind of fix for the soft top. The stitching being rotten at the front seems to be a common problem. Tape, glue, or a local place to stitch it should be a consideration.

Good luck and enjoy.
 

jmarch58

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Hey thanks I planning on just dressing really warm and wearing goggles cause of the soft top but I'll make sure to pack duct tape
 

Al Harvey

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Looks like your passenger intermediate tire is flat. Is this your first military vehicle? Have you driven anything this large before? Also if you can find someone to check it out for you that would be a great help, also if someone has dealt with that GL location before. Make sure they will let you slave it off of another truck if needed. Don't forget to have your insurance and paperwork in line also. Best of luck on the trip and wreckerman is correct, the one thing you don't bring will be the one that you need.
 

jmarch58

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Thanks and yeah I did seven years in the air force and drove truck much bigger on a daily basis and yeah I saw the tire that is the only concern I have
 

Al Harvey

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So you will be right back at home. lol Not sure about the 5 tons, but I helped a guy recover a M35A3 and it would barely pull itself about 10 mph. Had to change the fuel filter on the side of the road, might be something worth bringing and having the stuff to change one if needed. Bring fluids and check them all before you roll out. If you don't have room to bring fluids, I'd stop and get a supply before the trip back. That is a very good looking truck and hopefully she won't give you any issues.
 

doghead

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With no pretrip maintenance and without a full inspection, there is no way you can safely say that the truck is roadtrip ready.
 

98G

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Here's my take. I'm working from the assumption you don't have army truck experience or even big truck experience. Bear with me if I state some things that are obvious.

If you take everything that you might need, you'll take a fully stocked shop van truck. Not really practical. What you take with you are 1) things that are highly likely to be used, and 2) things that are unobtainable locally. I don't take oil, I don't take antifreeze, I don't take anything that I can readily get at O'Reilly. I do take slave cables...

Read the -10 before you go. It's full of useful tidbits like how to turn on the heater (no, it isn't a switch in the cab).

This truck has CTIS. I like CTIS, but it is prone to letting the air out of the tires. Then the truck sits on them, creased, and weakens them. The result is catastrophic failure at highway speed. Inspect your front tires before moving the truck.

Also before moving the truck and without it running, flip the power switch on. If the guage doesn't go to high yellow plan on removing all 4 batteries and installing 2 new ones. Those 4 may be just fine, but the work of charging 4 dead but good batteries will likely fry your alternator.

////EDIT -disregard this : Assess which tank the truck is feeding from. The switch on the dash changes where the guage reads from, but does not change where the truck is feeding from(ask me how I know). That task is managed by a nice little lever hidden to the left rear of the driver's seat. Look, but don't touch. Whichever tank it's feeding from is the only tank you're going to use this trip.//// your post said 929a2 which has dual tanks. 923a2 doesnt.


Add power service or fuel treatment to include antigel of your choice to that tank.

Before moving the truck (if possible) or as soon as you get off post, check the fluids to include the GO levels in all 3 diffs. Top off as needed. Keep in mind it may leak FAST. Check it again in 50 miles.

I'd bring a can of ether from O'Reilly. Leave the on board ether system alone. A 1 sec squirt into the intake stack each morning (while cranking) should be fine.

Keep both hands on the wheel. A blowout will jerk the wheel. Also, make sure the ABS works. If not and you lock the brakes you'll kill the engine and lose power steering and it'll jerk the wheel from your hands and likely flip over. THE 939 SERIES TRUCKS WERE EXTREMELY OVERREPRESENTED in fatalities before ABS was added.

You're going to get a lot of recommendations to have it shipped. My take is that that isn't realistic. You need to be extremely cautious however. It's one thing to risk your own life (and be assured that you are), but 22000 lbs of out of control steel is a danger to anyone around you as well.
 
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jmarch58

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yuba city ca
Thank you all for the help and I was planning to get all the fluids when we get there since we are sleeping in the car on the way there
 
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