How far has anyone travelled in their Deuce?

[Ferroequinologist]

Hey Ferro, yes, wait til 2012, we'll meet up in Nebraska at 2027deuce's place and he will run with us in his M109A3 with his boys. I have a lead jeep for out front and an M43 Ambulance in the rear just in case. Of course, you have to be over 50 to run with us old dogs. JT out

Oh well, Guess I'll just have to make the 2030 trip then if it's for 50 or older...

 

[usmc320]

I made it 20 miles out of town on the highway before the tranny blew out on me. Now I'm changing it out in the driveway.

 

[ElkHunter61523]

430 miles on 43 gal. in 10 hours.

 

[steelandcanvas]

1100 miles, Sacramento to Denver. Took about 3 days, we were not in any hurry. Can't tell you how much fuel I used, just kept filling the tank when it got to about half. Took three weeks to get the feeling back in my butt though.

 

[Desert Deuce]

2 900 mile round trips in the M275A2, 1 to Barstow MCLB & 1 to Camp Pendlton. Both trips pulling M128A2C's (15,500 lbs) on return trip. 2 days each. 2400 RPM, 60 MPH bobtail, 2300 RPM with trailers.

800 mile recovery in the M109A3, Hill AFB to Phoenix. 2 days. 2400 RPM

450 Mile recovery in an M35A2, Port Hueneme to Phoenix. 1 day. 2400 RPM

2000 mile recovery in the XM816, Little Falls MN to Phoenix. 4 days. 2200 RPM, 56MPH.

2000 mile recovery in the M1028A1, LDT-465 in the back, Aniwa WI to Phoenix 60 MPH

Upcoming triip next Month, XM818 w/w from Devils Lake, ND to Hill AFB UT, pick up M127A2C and the on to Phoenix. 1900 miles. Truck has been serviced and is ready to go.

 

[cranetruck]

Put 17,000 miles on my deuce during a 2-year period, including the 6,000 crossing the US and back.
Ran on veggie oil and biodiesel for about 3,000 miles total during that time.
Hauled the dolly to AR, the laundry trailer to NV (first image) and returned with the xm757 from OK (second image).
Loved the freedom of the open road and slept in the cab of the deuce while parked at truck stops. Enjoyed the help and friendship of many SS members.....

At 65, I guess I now qualify for the AK trip.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

November 7th, 2009.

I've done 7-8 hours straight on the interstate at 45-50, sometimes 54, empty and with an M105A2 on the rear. I tend to stop every coupla hours or more often to check bearing temperatures, tire temperatures, p--s break (deuces shake the ---- outta you) and to check oil levels ( I had a leaking main seal that on that trip 500-600 miles threw 2-4 quarts of oil).
Since the main seal's been repaired and she has air steering, likely her next trip will be my move to wherever, as I've lost my job here in loverly Texas. The thing to remember is that the deuce is not a road truck and she will beat the driver to death on the highway, aslo watch the hand throttle settings as on downgrades she can get over red line quicker then sin.
Generally, I've seen fewer deuce broken down on the road then newer civvy trucks and cars, and I think that is just because the truck was designed to be simple and almost indestructible. I calculate a 1200 mile trip ought to take me between 4 and 6 days to go easy on the truck and myself. BUT I'm gonna love that 10,000 lb capacity on the truck and 2000+ on the trailer. And with the plates off, I don't expect to see a scale anywhere on route.

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[GoHot229]

went over yonder Ta' see my cusin Rita, then up ta' Erma jo's then over ta'the twins, by Rube's an then back hither, mabe a hunerd miles. then my girl came by and we went fishin.

 

[kc5mzd]

I like to run mine at around 45-50. I use mine as a daily driver and have noticed that after I run it up to 2300-2600 rpm on the freeway the next time I go to start it makes louder noises as it builds oil pressure than it does when I keep it around 45-50mph. I tried it on some of my other M35A2's with similar results. I don't think the trucks were designed to run maxed out. They seem much happier at 45-50.

 

[Recovry4x4]

My longest was 2568 miles in the M275A2 with an M35A2 piggybacked. Most I've done in one day was on the same trip and it was 710 miles in one sweep.

 

[WarCloud]

Really? I'm amazed. Well, it seems the engine / drivetrain is hefty enough to take it, although 50 mph on the 75 mph Interstate 40 would make me a big fat green target for some half asleep long haul trucker. 7 to 8 MPG..my Avalanche with the 6500 engine package only gets 10, considering the 15,000 lb truck the M35A2 is that's not terrible. I'm assuming this is all running commercial pump diesel?

My other question, and getting out of Colorado this one is important...how do your BRAKES hold up in the mountains? The stretch of Highway I-25 starting at just south of Walsenburg Co.all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico has a couple of very hairy 6% grade downhills..this is a big truck with old school shoe brakes..who's got some good brake stories for me?

 

[toddm]

With 11.00-20's on my truck and checking speed with my GPS I am traveling between 45-52 at about 2,200 RPM. I don't want to stress out my almost 40 year old truck too much.

 

[nhdiesel]

I just got home from a Kentucky recovery last night, did 1140 miles overall, including the trip from the base to my friend's in Louisville, then home to N.H. 1100 series Goodyear radials, 9.5 mpg (calculated by GPS, not the slightly off odometer) and ran like this the whole way:



I did the trip non stop, except for meals and food. The truck handled it without a problem. I need a chiropractor. The trip was pretty uneventful, no issues except for a lack of heat (decided not to install my new heater, it was near 70 in Kentucky) and the snow/ice buildup on the windshield going across I-90 in N.Y. I'll be posting the trip report soon.

Jim

 

[cranetruck]

Really? I'm amazed. Well, it seems the engine / drivetrain is hefty enough to take it, although 50 mph on the 75 mph Interstate 40 would make me a big fat green target for some half asleep long haul trucker. 7 to 8 MPG..my Avalanche with the 6500 engine package only gets 10, considering the 15,000 lb truck the M35A2 is that's not terrible. I'm assuming this is all running commercial pump diesel?

My other question, and getting out of Colorado this one is important...how do your BRAKES hold up in the mountains? The stretch of Highway I-25 starting at just south of Walsenburg Co.all the way to Santa Fe, New Mexico has a couple of very hairy 6% grade downhills..this is a big truck with old school shoe brakes..who's got some good brake stories for me?

Figure a mpg reduction of about 10% with bio/veggi fuels, but the engine seems to love it and runs quieter.
About long downhill runs, like from Reno to Sacramento, I used the exhaust brake and only needed to tap the service brakes from time to time to maintain speed. Emits an intense hissing sound when the exhaust is partly closed off.

If you don't have the exhaust brake and don't mind driving slowly, get more out of engine braking by placing transmission in a lower gear. Shouldn't be a problem going down those mountains at about 35 mph with engine braking alone (what little there is).
The exhaust brake adds perhaps 30 or more hp of braking power.

 

[GoHot229]

Serriously, nothing but short hops of about 25 miles, mabe 50, the longest single was when I first got it, from Gastonia to my place, about 80-90 ish miles, but the guy I got it from drove from Lajune on the coast to Rock Hill SC., about 280-90 miles aprox. I think the axles and transfer are due for new fluids, then I'm confident on taking a trip from south central NC. to mabe anywhere of a distance of say 450-500 miles. After succeding in that I'd likely feel safe on a trip to Yellowstone WY. as is my intention this Spring.

 

[wolf-dose@t-online.de]

The US Army run with the M-Series truck in question in Germany as a standard between 55 and 60 mph. They did not care for fuel consumtion. But the trucks are made for that. So I do not a see any hassard to go at 45 or somethoing lower. Run them, they need it.
Keep them rolling!
Wolf

 

[saddamsnightmare]

November 22nd, 2009.

WarCloud:

As to your trip out of Colorado, my truck used to live at Fort Carson with BullDogMack13, and I'm pretty sure he drove it now and then like he stole it..... (Yes, Jay, that means you, when you forded the creek I'll bet you didn't put the flywheel drain plug in, did ya? It's still painted in place.....:>) ???? In any case, the experience with these trucks in construction and logging work back in the West Virginia hills, are that if you gear it down and let the engine carry you down the hill, your brakes will hold up really well.... BUT if you let the speed get up, one of two things WILL happen:1) you'll throw a rod or 2: you'll loose the truck, as deuce brakes are high capacity low speed brakes, these aren't road trucks, although they can do the distance. WATCH the bolts on the short driveshaft that goes from the tranny to the transfer case, if you let these get loose or thrown you have a very good chance of the driveshaft eating your foot through the cab floor. This little driveshaft can be the biggest pain in the --- when running on the road.
The M35A was a huge improvement, however, over the M135 and M211 in terms of power and reduced maintenance, i can't begin to image what they were like brand new.....!
Good luck, be careful, and watch out for 84 year old ladies in Toyota pickups....


Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[Nogueremuseum]

Detroit to Pensacola in 2 days

I bought an incredibly sweet always garaged, former National Guard M35A3 with 625 miles on it since the 1999 remanufacture outside of Detroit in October 2009. It had fresh oil changes and a fresh lubrication. and I was able to jump in it and run close to one thousand miles down to Pensacola in 2 days at 50 - 54 mph. No leaks, no problems.
Cheers, Dr. No

 

[tm america]

i ran from chicago to southern ohio about 700 miles straight thru pulling a trailer there and back running 2600 on the gov the hole time they are governed at 2600 which is the safe rpm for them thats why they set the gov to that they will run on the gov all day everyday

 

[maxim]

I went to Duluth Minn and back, 1380 miles ,11mpg , in November through the UP of Michigan with portions in the snow. Very detailed maint. before leaving. A neat experiance but I would not do it again . When it is snowing like mad outside Ironwood Mi. you feel very much alone....
But then, it makes a couple of hundred miles seem like a walk in the park.
Around 2300 rpms, 48-50 mph.