How long will the M35 remain in service?

[Dustyh]

My Vol. Fire Dept. has two A3's. We have been running one of them for about a year now and are working on getting the other one in service soon. We have been very pleased with the A3 so far, no major problems and no problems finding parts. I think the reason you don't see the A3's being used by lots of vol fire departments is the price vs. the price of an A2. We liked the ideal of having the auto transmission plus the fact that both the A3's we purchased had very low miles and hours on them(one had 425 hours and the other had 256 hours). We thought by going with the A3's we would be getting a better truck that would last us longer than an A2.

 

[NEIOWA]

Price? What price? You can get any DOD surplus at no cost thru state forester. Under newer FFP program you also get title (unlike the old FEPP).

 

[NEIOWA]

Cuz they are ugly and noone likes them.

We're into function not actetics in my FD. Modern CAT diesel vs a 50yr old boat anchor/"mulitfuel". Industry standard is Allison vs manual. Sam put on the "good bits" desired on a Duece when did the rebuilds. A chassis with frame off rebuild approx 12yr ago that typicaly has 2-5000mi. Not a hard choice.



Reason Vol FD aren't snapping them up is because:

1.) Don't know about them
2.) Had a worn out Korean War vintage POS Duece back in the 70-80s. Not going there again.
3.) Need a motivated Steelsoldiers member to help then convert. Vol. are much fewer/far between today that in days gone buy.
4.) or Easier to sit around whining about what they don't have than it is to solve the problem.

5t are not a solution for typical FD. 813 are largely worn out obsolete and poor allowable load for the size. 923 series poor allowable load for the size. Near absolute requirement for FD Allison trans.

Rural FD need modern pumpers, nimple wildland/brush truck with useful water load. Large capacity tankers (2000gal +).

I've rebuilt my FD using DOD surplus great deal but have to be very selective about what will logically/functionally work. You local FD certainly could use your assistance. If you can't put on an SCBA (airpak) you can help them with maintenance and equipment. And improve the safety of you home.

 

[Dustyh]

Price? What price? You can get any DOD surplus at no cost thru state forester. Under newer FFP program you also get title (unlike the old FEPP).

Yes I know you can get surplus trucks through the Forestry Service, but in Texas it can be a waiting game. Lots of departments request them but it may take awhile to get one and if you do, you never know what kind of shape it's going to be in when you get it. That is why we decided to buy ours through the FEPP, yes we had to pay a little bit for it but we were able to go look at several trucks and pick the one we wanted. Thanks to the Texas Forest Service Grants for Rural Fire Defense we have been able to purchase much other needed equipment as well as a new brush truck over the last serval years.

 

[SEAFIRE]

Yes I know you can get surplus trucks through the Forestry Service, but in Texas it can be a waiting game. Lots of departments request them but it may take awhile to get one and if you do, you never know what kind of shape it's going to be in when you get it. That is why we decided to buy ours through the FEPP, yes we had to pay a little bit for it but we were able to go look at several trucks and pick the one we wanted. Thanks to the Texas Forest Service Grants for Rural Fire Defense we have been able to purchase much other needed equipment as well as a new brush truck over the last serval years.

Right now they have A3's at the Forest Service Lufkin yard waiting on departments to request them. ( at least the guy at the yard told me this last week ) But I understand wanting to pick out your own truck. The Forest Service does let you return a truck if problems are found.

When you say FEPP, do you mean the DRMO yards in San Antonio and Fort Worth?

 

[Dustyh]

Yes Seafire, I am talking about the yards in Fort Worth and San Antonio. Thanks for the info on the Forest Service having some on there yard. Last time we checked into it all they had were a few A2's. I know a couple of departments that have lost some A2's in the last month or so fighting fires here in West Texas, I will pass that info on to them.