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My wife wants me to get one so that she gets to ride in a big army truck that can do 60 all day long
I just need the cash and the yard to keep one now Ok, this has turned into a hazing ritual, hasn't it?
Too late!!! I drooled over those last week.
Thanks, I have taken a look at that listing.
Um, @98G 'S ad has a substantial decrease in price as a result of the MRAP rims and 395's being sold off of it...Ok, this has turned into a hazing ritual, hasn't it?
The MTVs are all sexy as hell; I'd take an LMTV in a minute if I could justify the expense; which I cannot!
Too late!!! I drooled over those last week.
Thanks, I have taken a look at that listing.
I'm not actually building a residential structure any time soon. My idea for now is to simply use the land as a RV Homestead, where I keep my tax burden low and focus on getting all my infrastructure in place. I'll spend about 6 months or less out of the year living there in my RV rent free, and the rest of the year traveling.
The 5-ton stuff all appears to start out about $10K above my budget right now. Y'all need to leave me something to aspire to.
A basic, and I do mean basic, Deuce of any flavor, that is good for about 40 miles a week, hauling light equipment and pulling a water buffalo, or similar trailer load, with a top speed of 55 mph, will absolutely meet my current needs and completely justify a $10k-15K cost out of my budget. @98G 's current A2 listing is very nice, to the degree that it's priced out of my budget.
. This is my first MV, first diesel, and largest vehicle I've driven. Shift pattern takes a little getting used to, and it's slow in stock form, but you will not find a simpler vehicle to maintain (with the right tools). Mine is a 1969 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 W/W, Hercules engine, C turbo. Best advice I can give is buy a truck that's been and is being driven. Not necessarily daily driven, but more than "moved". Happy hunting and welcome to the happiest disease you'll ever contract!!
.Welp, I went a bought my 'starter' truck last weekend.
I went forward with a M35A3 that seems to suit my needs pretty well. It was cheap, and it's something between turn-key and trailer project. I drove it 230 flawless miles on the way home before the right front bearings started to go. It's a former Forestry Service truck that also did time with a VFD in Mississippi, and it came with (2) 500 gallon water tanks (with the plumbing still on them). I still have a lot to learn about it, but I really did enjoy the drive (aside from the turtle speeds on the interstate). I'll post more details once I've digested this further.
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The guy I bought it from has a thing for stencil, and he covered the truck in it.
Thanks so much! I got off the highway pretty quick, and luckily I was in town. Within 5 miles of noticing the steering starting to pull, I was in a Lowe's parking lot. At no time did I hear anything unusual, and definitely no screeching or other classic bearing failure sounds. So hopefully the damage isn't too bad.
I was fortunate to get a truck that had less than 4500 miles on it when I bought it. The outer bearings on the tandem axles had the grease washed off them. I don't think it was necessarily failed axle seals or corks that were the problem, but it seems the bearings weren't adjusted from the factory correctly, which the axle seal configuration is somewhat dependent on. The outer bearings were easy to clean and re-pack. There was no damage to any of the bearings or bearing cups as others have reported here with their M44A3 trucks. I think it helps that the truck belonged to a Military Mail Terminal and probably had an easy life in-service
Good info on the bearings.
Honestly, a setup like this is waaaaaaaaay easier. The switches have push button style breakers and are 12v or 24v capable and illuminated. To each their own though, like you said, figuring it out is part of if not most of the fun.
I've never driven any tankers so I have zero first-hand experience. My dad drove a big tandem-axle water tanker when he was a volunteer fireman. It was some big long-wheelbase Peterbilt with some ungodly huge tank on it. The fire department eventually got rid of it for a smaller tanker truck because only those with a tanker endorsement on a Class A or B CDL could drive it, and there were only five guys or so who had that!
