How many miles can an M35A3 log?

[Rebar]

Three questions:

How many miles do you have on your M35A3?

Most miles on an M35A3 that you have ever heard of?

What were the design specs for the service life of the M35A3?

Thanks. I love this site.

Rebar

 

[F18hornetM]

The 3116 cat in commercial trucks was pretty reliable. .

 

[porkysplace]

Like anything it depends on how it is used and maintained .

 

[123mack]

One of our club members did the MVPA Alaska highway convoy this past summer in a M35A3. Total round trip south Alabama to Alaska and back a little over 12,000 miles

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Far enough to make it to the nearest scrap yard.

Just kidding, I like ribbing A3 guys.

Like others have said, a big part of it is how you treat it and how you maintain it.

 

[jaymcb]

Mine only has 1400 miles on it. I only expect to do about 1000 miles per year. I hope it lasts 20k miles....with reasonable care.

 

[maddawg308]

The A3s were built out of A2 trucks back in the early 1990s. The odometer might have only 1400 miles on it, but trust me those frames have a LOT more miles, maybe a couple hundred thousand on them, as they have been through rebuilds many times before. Ask jatonka, he'll tell you how many times these trucks had been "renewed".

 

[jaymcb]

I won't disagree with you, and know about the ESP, but mine has a relatively high serial number in the run, and Carnac has placed serial numbers around it as built in 1998, even if my exact one wasn't pinned down exactly. The drivetrain at least has few miles on it, even if the rest of it has more. The paper labels were still stuck to the motor when I picked it up. I just wish I had more time to drive it.

 

[sigo]

Engines and other major components could have been replaced while in service with little to no record keeping. Trucks didnt have to go through a complete depot rebuild to receive a new engine. It could have 1400 miles on it but have gone through two engines. Unlikely, but possible.
The A3s I've seen in service were always driven with the drivers foot to the floor. In Germany on the Autobahn that Cat was screaming for hours on end. Our trucks always seemed to make it to where we were going, but I recall we sent them to 3rd shop for new engines more than once.
Bottom line is you only know how many miles are on your truck and what kind of life it has lived after you took ownership.

 

[jaymcb]

but it was 460 miles when I got it. I can only say how it was treated SINCE then.

 

[Tlauden]

As with any diesel i would imagine it could run for 100's of thousands of miles. If properly maintained. I dont know much aboutt the A3's though....

 

[Deuce007]

Mine is a 1998 and has 17,000 on it but I am hoping for it to still have a long life left.

 

[mark salanco]

The cat engines are good for about 3500 miles between rebuilds..oh wait, there throw away engines..
I'm joking..just picking on all you a3 owners.
With your fancy auto trans and air assist steering.

 

[Heath_h49008]

And their beady eyes and floppy heads...

 

[maddawg308]

M35A3 totally looks like....

 

[motomacguyver]

Cat's design lifetime on these engines is stated to be 10,000 to 15,000 hours. So to be conservative, at 30 M.P.H. And 10k hours, = 300,000 miles. At 40 M.P.H and 15,000 hours = 600,000 miles. I have heard of the engine going 500,000 mi. in non-military applications. For comparison a typical car is designed for a 2000 hour life time. This would be 120,000 miles at 60 M.P.H.