How many miles is an M35A2 and A3 good for?

[Wolf.Dose]

If you have a look an the tachometer housing of your Deuce you will find that the setting is for 1500 rpm. This simply means, the average livetime is based on 1500 rpm. The usual lifetime of an engine of that design age is between 2000 and 5000 hours (depending on the maker). Or in other words, 2000 hours times 50 mph is 100000 miles, 5000 hours therefor some 250000 miles. This is under perfect engine conditions. You have to downrate this calculation by at least 25 % due to the tachometer setting. So a Deuce engine should live between 75000 and 187500 miles on perfect care, sometimes longer.
I know that here in Germany the trucks go for depot maintanance at latest after 50000 miles and then are set to a so called new status, which simply means, that these trucks are good for another 50000 miles in Army use.
Thats it.
And they are originally not made to run 400 or 500 miles a day. This normally does not happen in any Army.
Wolf
N.B.: The Jinmmy engine of WWII is designed for 15000 miles according to the ml. After that a complete overhaul including new bearings is madantory. Even they kast longer in civil hands....

 

[Parker2]

I like the way people keep bringing up mileage figures from the Vietnam war. Any info a little more current than 40 years old? I am sure the engine design has been tweeked and also oil is a lot better now days also. Back in the 60's and 70's no engine lasted as long as they do today. I would imagine a lot has to do with the improvements in lubrication and filtering.

 

[lonegunman]

I own an A3, they came from AM General with a 150,000mile/36month warranty. Mine runs best about 2500-2600 on the highway at about 48mph. You probably get more life at 2000rpms but you go to slow. The military recommends 2700 rpms as a max and the factory redline is 2950rpm. Heat is also real engine killer, regular oil changes, coolant monitoring, cleaning and filter changes go a long way to keep an engine alive. I drove my truck cross country 14 hours a day for five days to get it home and had no problems at all.

They are not fast for interstate highways but they exceed the 40mph mins. If you are worried, buy a reflector triangle for the tailgate when you are out there and hope people hang up and drive correctly. That being said, I've never had a problem. Just wave at the kids now and then.

I am hoping to get years of use with basic maintenance on my trusty deuce. As a truck, the basic driveline and frame are overbuilt to the 9th degree and will probably last forever with corrosion control. The drivetrain is completely rebuildable and there is no shortage of parts. The cab and interior are simple and easy to replace glass, window cranks and seats mean you are good to go for a century or so.

My truck has a slight oil leak from a gasket and it drips a bit. No doubt something dried out in the twelve years it sat outdoors. It runs great, does great off road and has a ton of ground clearance. Driven normally and not abused and I can't imagine breaking it. Things to wear out of course.

I'd rather drive a deuce than get a set of stacks for a crummy Dodge and have to drive around pretending to be a big truck, haha. Just teasing Dodge lovers,,,

 

[wsucougarx]

The M35A2's were (IMHO) the most bullet proof truck the military ever bought.
They could, and did, take a lot of abuse from soldiers that drove them.
I started driving them in 74 and they were still in the inventory in 07 when I retired.
Quite a run for an old steel soldier.
The A3's were a futile and expensive attempt to modernize them and appease the environmental Nazis who think black smoke is an abomination.
If you get an A2 that is low miles and has not been abused there is no reason the old multi-fuel engine and the driveline should not last over 100,000 miles if you take good care of it.
I have two deuces and a M275 tractor and I will never own an A3 because it violates the KISS principle.
One day the military will rue the day they bought overly technical and overpriced vehicles.

Outstanding WM, you said it all my friend

 

[trukhead]

Hmm, now I'm thinkin, and It hurts!!

As a fresh newbie owner of an M35A3, I have gotten over the revit up to the end of the tack travel after about 15 miles total in several trips. I now take the big greenie out around the 100 acre patch a couple of times a week and maybe a run up the road to top speed for a half mile. I like to gently press the accelerator enough to get the next gear and just prior to shifting I ease back to let er shift with a lot less of a jolt then after the shift, I giver a little more pedal to get closer to the next gear. I like to listen to the engine sing and that is how I gauge my accelerator vs. transmission wanting to shift balancing act. some times I just go and let er shift with a mild jolt.
I run the CTIS to total deflate in emergency mode all the way back up to highway pressure during my drive with the idea that If I use the system it may keep moisture out of it.
I'm realizing I am not going to use this machine everyday due to WI sucky licensing rules and the fact that revving the engine up to 2600 rpms is starting to freak me out. I like 1200 to 1800 RPMs a lot more. It's got a nice burble out the pipe under mild load. I'm going to work in some unknown way to refine WI licensing laws.
Any way I am reading the TM's and am trying to determine what maintenance I need to do.
I went into the woods and broke a bow and put 3 inch rip in the canvas and I felt bad for 5minutes but sure had fun drivin. I learned a lesson and am going to Pliobond and have a patch sewn to repair the top.
My goal for the truck is to keep it maintained, as issued presentable and as a tribute to those who used this machine as it was intended.
I need to address the little rust through push outs and rough rust edges, so can I mix up small amounts of real CARC paint? I don't want to paint the whole truck, just the rustspots.
I need thoughts, suggestions to catch the areas I missed. It's a fine machine and I really enjoy it! My avatar is the GL Picture of the truck before I bought it.
I also have 3 CUCV's. 2 in natural dress that I wish to redatail back to as issued and one that the county painted black. I am trying to figure out how to uninstall the dents that GL and DRMO so graciously and generously installed.

THansk for the smiley faces to play with and thanks for all the help UI have gotten off SS!!

Dennis

 

[velociT]

One day the military will rue the day they bought overly technical and overpriced vehicles.

I don't know if the military regrets it yet, but the taxpayer does.

 

[hemichallenger]

I do not like the 3116 cat. But almost everyone will last at least a 100000 miles if you do not overheat it. The problems are it uses a fuel rack instead of a common rail or direct injection and it has no liners. This is cats low buget motor. These were all put in recycled a2s so they were looking for the cheapest way out. Low bid won.

 

[emr]

Believe me the Military does not and never will regret retireing these ol"work horse's . They served there time and are tiring to drive, they are not compatible to armor and air conditioning that is a must in todays world, they lived there life, they are antiques. They have filled there rolls better than just about any vehicle in the world for sure, but it is past tense. The vehicles in my opinion that are the future are the Hemmitts, that are now LHS's and the 5 axle new ones the PLS's , they speed in with more cargo than ever before with more power and realiabilty and drop a full rack and pick up an empty one in minutes and drive away, After a parade in NYC about an hours ride each way and a full day inbetween, My good buddy who runs the Dover Armory, and they have a full compliment of FMTVs and LHS's , got out of the deuce at the end of the day and said, Yeesh dont get me wrong this is a great truck, "But man i am glad we do not have to drive these any more...." and he is right, no 18 year olds or at least extremly few are going to take an ol growly M35 out all day if they can be driving an FMTV or better. just sayin........

 

[Sephirothq]

The problem with the A3 variant is the transmission. It has no over drive. If you swap out the transmission with either a 6 speed automatic or a 5 or 6 speed manual it would be fine.
The A3 has alot going for it
air assist steering on all the trucks
dual brake systems on all the trucks. this is much safer then a single circuit system.

you get the single wheels and bigger tires,
And most have drop sides
Most have low hours and miles being turned in so early in their life.

It's a WIN

 

[trukhead]

Thinkin harder and it really hurts now!!!

What is this 6 speed automatic transmission you speak of? And I am looking for doing a possible dual brakes setup as well. I have MS so It is a heck of a lot easier to drive an automatic. I am looking for the dual brake circuit threads on this site.
Now for the sacraledge. I want a cat 3116 to play with and they are way to expensive to buy out right from CAT. I saw some on GL and Bid but I let them go at $3500.00. would it be a bad thing to buy another M35A3 and pull the engine and tranny for my toy project? I have some nice built 454 chevs with turbo 400s and was wondering what a duece would be with one of them and still having a belted westiing house air pump supplying the needs of the brakes and CTIS. I use the CTIS everyday I drive my M35A3, and the tires seem to hold air at highway(45PSI), so I figure if I use it, It won't get lazy.
Sorry about hijacking the thread again.
One more sacraledge, I noticed some m35A2's coming up with 1988 years with some really nice sheet metal, would it be terrible to swap all the better sheet metal to my M35A3 an put the poorer sheet metal back on the M35A2?
Just askin!!