M1070 recovery

[HETvet]

I would pull the main winches, engine, transfer case, wheels and tires, and good axles and part it out. That would help refund the money it took to buy one.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Fix it. It isn't that bad. Way more work to part it out than it would be to just fix it.

 

[HETvet]

My only concern for fixing it is the leaking axle. The housing is ether cracked or tweaked pretty good. And that's going to be hard, if not impossible to correct with out a new one.

 

[Bighurt]

In Louisiana if someone rear ends you it is automatically their fault. No ifs, ands, or buts.

I don't think it helps anyone if we start including legal precedence in other states.

I've followed this thread from day one and it has had a lot of troubling times. This thread can almost stand alone as a sticky as a warning of vehicle recoverys. Until the accident it was a perfect example of why shipping is better than driving a piece of surplus cross country. After the accident it proves why proper insurance and registration are needed for recovery. This recovery is about as close to a tragic recovery that included loss of life, as I can remember in the SS pages. I won't begin to speculate but this situation would have been exponentially worse had the OP done as so many do, and recovered a vehicle sans insurance and registration. Had their been tragic loss of life or limb, we can only imagine how bad this could have been. For all those reading this thread please remember that no amount of money can bring back the loss of a loved one or the guilt of killing an innocent bystander.

All that aside I'm thankful the OP and his beloved wife escaped unharmed. With only a bruised ego and the oncoming onslaught of insurance law, you both walked away.

Good Luck to both you and the vehicle owner.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Driving thru Lawtey, Starke or Waldo is a hazardous drive due to the local PD, or the high level of 18 wheel traffic. I'm sorry to hear of your collision due to a negligent big rig driver, but that is part of the game unfortunately. This is why we have insurance to hopefully replace the lost/damaged vehicle; in your case, replace the M1070 with a better/equal truck. What a sad end to a problematic recovery that was almost complete!

 

[porkysplace]

Driving thru Lawtey, Starke or Waldo is a hazardous drive due to the local PD, or the high level of 18 wheel traffic. I'm sorry to hear of your collision due to a negligent big rig driver, but that is part of the game unfortunately. This is why we have insurance to hopefully replace the lost/damaged vehicle; in your case, replace the M1070 with a better/equal truck. What a sad end to a problematic recovery that was almost complete!

I don't know if we can claim it is a negligent big rig driver's fault as we only have a small part of the story . It was posted that a small car came by blowing it's horn and less than 5 seconds later the collision happened . Did the car obstruct the drivers vision ? did the truck lights go out when it died ? was it still daylight or dark . What we do knowfrom reading the entire thread is the truck didn't make a full day without breaking down and it is a dark camouflaged truck.
If nothing else this thread could be a stickie on why to haul a unknown auction truck cross country rather than chance driving and have something like this or worst happen . At lest there were no serious injuries or death this time . People may not be as lucky next time. I'm sure in the long run having this truck hauled would have been cheaper.

 

[ke5eua]

Was the truck towed to owners location?

No, they deemed the truck untowable so they only towed it a couple miles.

Owner was telling me that there is a guy in gainsville that has a wrecker company and is on here. Would love to touch basis with him if possible about this.

 

[ke5eua]

I don't know if we can claim it is a negligent big rig driver's fault as we only have a small part of the story . It was posted that a small car came by blowing it's horn and less than 5 seconds later the collision happened . Did the car obstruct the drivers vision ? did the truck lights go out when it died ? was it still daylight or dark . What we do knowfrom reading the entire thread is the truck didn't make a full day without breaking down and it is a dark camouflaged truck.
If nothing else this thread could be a stickie on why to haul a unknown auction truck cross country rather than chance driving and have something like this or worst happen . At lest there were no serious injuries or death this time . People may not be as lucky next time. I'm sure in the long run having this truck hauled would have been cheaper.

There was one day of no issues, lol

It was dark, right across the street from a best western.

No obstruction of view as it was a straight away no curves.

Lights were operational when truck died, only went off for a second when I attempted to restart the truck, just so happens it was the same second I got hit.

I will agree to disagree on the second part. I say that because I drove these trucks in the army so I am a little bias. I only had my phone with me so sifting through tms was a little hard and while there was a pile of scatters tms in the truck trying to sort thousands of pieces of paper was a little difficult.

You can rule driver fault as he was not paying attention to the road and did not attempt to stop at all.

If you look at the pictures you will see he hit the right rear of the het with the left front of his truck. That means he turned into the truck before impact.

My wife watched the entire incident happen and the police didn't even want to talk to her about it. I do understand they don't a bias statement but if they would have taken the to listen to het they would have realized she wasn't being bias.

 

[f800]

As the lucky owner of the newly modified M1070, I'd like to add a few comments.

Almost all the problems encountered could have happened within ten miles of home to any 20 year old green iron many of us are driving. But, none of these stopped the trip, necessitating a tow/flatbed:
1) dead batteries - how common is that?
2) 24v alternator - well, truck is 20 years old. need replacement
3 )Broken shackle mounts/towbar - not a HET problem on this trip
4) overheated starter - ok, maybe unique to the M1070, but easy workaround to get home
5) exhaust - ok, not sure what to make of this, but can get home if you don't mind loud
6) fender bender - I agree that risks were increased driving at night on a busy road. Risks that most of us can avoid when we just drive local. Of course, the Lowboy Hauler would be traveling the same route, possibly at night, albiet not with a camoflaged rig

With that said, ke5eua is an experienced driver, very familiar with this vehicle, not some newbie taking avoidable risks. I think he did a great job and I also thank the SS community for all of their support of him.

This thread does exemplify the potential problems with a recovery and should give people pause who are not that experienced. That's why I didn't recover the vehicle.

Last note: Travis89xj has a trucking/transport company in Gainesville, but not a wrecker company. I think his flatbed may be too high to transport my HET


Open to options

 

[HETvet]

It is what it is guys. Most importantly, live. Secondly learn. Every thing is debatable, but things happen. Most important thing is no one was hurt, only under pants were the true loss.

 

[Bighurt]

Last note: Travis89xj has a trucking/transport company in Gainesville, but not a wrecker company. I think his flatbed may be too high to transport my HET

You need a double drop to get the HET under legal height.

 

[Trailboss]

Oh, Man!!! I just caught up with this thread and really feel for you guys. Glad everyone is OK.

The only recommendation I can make is not to discuss the particulars of the accident itself on a public forum. Just say a truck rear-ended you, everyone is OK and here are the photos. Anything else you say can not help you with the courts or insurance adjusters, and may be misinterpreted to fit the other side's case.

 

[MuleMac01]

...... sorry man... swift truck go fig.........glad .your ok buddy.

 

[M1075]

There was one day of no issues, lol

Lights were operational when truck died, only went off for a second when I attempted to restart the truck, just so happens it was the same second I got hit. .

Glad everyone was okay! When you go to court, it is not going to be very advantageous to you when it is presented that your lights went out on the truck. Good luck though, keep us posted!

 

[wreckerman893]

Fix it. It isn't that bad. Way more work to part it out than it would be to just fix it.

I won't presume to tell the owner what to do and I'm not trouble shooting the commentor but to repair this vehicle properly it needs to either go to a military Third Shop (not doable since it is now a civilian vehicle) or back to Oshkosh to be rebuilt. Turning it over to a repair shop that has never rebuilt a military vehicle would be a risky act.
This will be driven by how much the insurance company pays (assuming the owner has full coverage and not just liability) and if they will sell the truck back to him if they total it.
It can't be towed so it will have to be loaded onto a Removable Gooseneck Trailer. Doing that is going to be an act in itself since backing one on is hard to do under it's own power. I've loaded/unloaded several of them and speak from experience. More than likely it will have to be loaded with a rotator wrecker and they cost about 300 bucks an hour.
What might be a consideration would be to make it the first M1070 bobber.
We are all rooting for you so please keep us updated as to the resolution.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Let's all take a knee and offer a prayer of thanksgiving that no one was injured or killed in this mishap. This hobby, and the non-governmental ownership of any former military vehicle balances awkwardly at best without getting a bunch of attorneys and lawmakers involved following ANY collision or accident. Thank God.... It surely could have been worse.

We would also be wise that anything documented here can be brought into any forthcoming investigation or litigation. Remember that "Miranda Poem"..... ANYTHING you say can and WILL be used AGAINST YOU ! ! !

We pray for a satisfactory conclusion.

Please keep us informed - - - Preferably in this thread since so many are already subscribed here.

Carry on.

 

[Hawssie]

I know its beating a dead horse and all the info may not be available but how can being rear ended at a stop be the stopped vehicles fault? Unless it turned into another lane or turned into oncoming traffic, in other words unless it cut in front of traffic. Before hearing this it was my understanding that it its always the other drivers fault, even if the lights are out your supposed to keep enough room in front of you to stop. Thats a new one for me. But I have also found out the hard way that for me, driving these things home isn't worth it. I did 2 before I called it quits, with one of those a neighbor kid I had helping me ran my personal truck right into a car in the Macdonalds parking lot. He was supposed to be following me in the Big truck and was so worried about falling behind that he creamed another car. I learned then that even though the kid had his own insurance my insurance was called into covering the damage of the other car because the insurance follows the vehicle. Another time bringing junk home from Fontana I blew a head gasket on the grape vine with my truck and loaded trailer. That cost me $2500 for a big rig tow home. No more! But with a HET I would have to say it would be hard for me to justify even before my problems mainly because of the additional fuel costs, topped onto the top of all the other potentials and normal inherent costs (hotels,time,stress) I have nothing against people who do, but it is definitely is a gamble.

 

[Hawssie]

I dont know about going back to Oshkosh to be rebuilt, the only entity that can afford that is the Military. It would cost much more just to get it there and back then I paid for my whole M1070. But if it does have full coverage whip out that sticker for how much it cost new and fight. I remember one time buying a crane truck at auction. It was an ex city owned 15 ton Bantum mechanical crane that had real low hours/miles on both the rear crane unit and on the truck itself, but it was old and obsolete. Anyways I actually paid a guy with a tow truck to bring it home for me, but it turned out his tow truck wasn't quite up to the task. The poor guy ended up flipping the crane truck (All 40K of it) right over on its side, in the middle of the freeway, as I was following behind him. Luckily nobody was hurt. I felt sorry for him since he had just opened up his new company and I think I was one of his first customers. I had only paid $2000 for the crane, but because of the inherent replacement value and the potential rental cost of another unit do to down time I was able to collect 30K from the insurance company,plus the $2100 recovery, minus $900 I paid to buy it back. Of course that took almost a year of standing firm, and in the end, a little help from my State Insurance Board. The fact that I had paid only 2k really had no bearing on its replacement value.

 

[Mike929]

...... sorry man... swift truck go fig.........glad .your ok buddy.

I find it funny that Swift trucks have such a bad reputation that they are known across the country as a problem. I hear truck drivers complaining about Swift trucks all the time here in Texas.

 

[Tow4]

The way no-fault insurance works in FL is each insurance company pays for the damages to their client's insured vehicle. The not-at-fault insurance company will then go after the at-fault vehicle's insurance company to recover their losses.

I was in a major accident about 20 years ago where I was not at fault. My insurance paid all my expenses and for my vehicle, lost wages, loss of use of my vehicle, etc. and then they went after the other drivers insurance company. If there is not enough insurance to cover the loss, they will go after the driver or in this case probably the vehicle owner.

I'm glad no one was hurt and that this lesson will not be costly to the point of financial ruin for someone. Good luck.