M543A2, Thanks Papabear!

[patracy]

I've mentioned it to a few people here, but last weekend Papabear helped me get my M543A2 home. (Thank you so much Papabear!) She's not in great shape, I've got a bit of brake work to do to get it rolling on the road, but the hydraulics seem to be working great. I need to replace the front bumper, patch the hard top, blast the entire thing down to get the paint chips off, and it will get a coat of paint. I'm looking for a set of spades if anyone has any.

 

[resqur]

Good looking truck. I really like the creative use of the Folgers tub.

 

[patracy]

That literally was me backing out Thursday AM for the rally and realizing the air filter housing wasn't together with me working on it the day before. I knew the can was in the shed so I dashed across the yard and popped it on before hitting the road.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Welcome to the 5 ton Wrecker club!

I was playing with mine today too.

 

[simp5782]

Nice truck. The GL near me has some M819s sitting around. They are suppose to be up for auction shortly. (about 10 of them) I can't wait to purchase one.

 

[docfarmall]

Drewldrewldrewl

 

[5tonpuller]

cool truck A new wrecker brother

 

[R Racing]

thats Great ! Now you can sell that mk17

 

[patracy]

thats Great ! Now you can sell that mk17

I'm thinking.........






No.

 

[patracy]

Got the brake sorted finally. Thought I had an issue with the old fuel, but it turns out the turbo was rusted up on the exhaust side. Pulled it down today and cleaned everything out. Drove it around the block. Hopefully I'll have insurance on it tomorrow so I can get it out on the road to stretch it's legs.

I'll be blasting it down with the pressure washer to knock all the moss and paint chips off. Then it will get a coat of OD green and yellow striping on the stabilzer pads. Then I need to find a bumper.

 

[papabear]

Sounds like ya done good Pat

Glad to see a good troop get a good truck...especially a wrecker!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

I missed this thread until now. Congrats Andrew. I could make a killing on 5 ton bumpers here of late. What was the fate of the 55?

 

[Welder Sam]

Nice! Theres one up the road from me. I now know that it runs. Atleast enough to go 5-6 blocks. Im waiting for my 816 to get home tho..

 

[rumplecat]

Great to have another 543 in the pool, lots of 816 but not many of us!

 

[Ord22]

those M543's are a serious workhorse!!

 

[SSG Rock]

It's good to have a wrecker, when I was in military the only recovery vehicle my unit had was a M578VTR, It could do alot but was a job to get it out of MP to go on a mission, when you returned it was a bigger job to get it cleaned up, in addition the cleaning up always ment a good wash rack water battle,

 

[patracy]

Sounds like ya done good Pat

Glad to see a good troop get a good truck...especially a wrecker!!

Thanks again for all the help on recovering it for me. Hopefully I'll have it whipped back into shape within the next month.

I missed this thread until now. Congrats Andrew. I could make a killing on 5 ton bumpers here of late. What was the fate of the 55?

If you've got a good bumper, I certainly could use one! I've still got the M55A2. Once the wrecker is fully up to speed, I'll be heading over to my friends shop with the MK17 to merge the two together and fix a few things on the M55A2's cab. Unless I sell the M55 and pick up a 800 or 900 series truck to merge the MK17 with.

 

[m816Buch]

i straightened my bumper with my press and some heavy steel tubing.......can't see the rest of the bumper but the center section of mine looked like yours and one end was bent around and split.......takes a little work but it will straighten and just takes a little ingenuity to massage the center roll back.....buch buchanan

 

[Recovry4x4]

I wished I had bumpers. I really like the M543A2 but hate working on them. They go nowhere quick but they work all day for chump change with the multifuel. It will be handy in building the mk17. Do you have any plans of axle arangment? mk48 front axle or use the 5 ton axles in the mk17?

 

[patracy]

I wished I had bumpers. I really like the M543A2 but hate working on them. They go nowhere quick but they work all day for chump change with the multifuel. It will be handy in building the mk17. Do you have any plans of axle arangment? mk48 front axle or use the 5 ton axles in the mk17?

I've got a line on a HEMTT front axle, but looking at the mounts, it might be a total PITA to use. But all is not lost. I've done the math and I can run 16.00R20's on the front with the stock 5 ton axle and 395/85R20's on the rears and the RPMs will only be off by 8rpm at 60mph. I also thought about plumbing in the air valve to the sprag solenoid to gain "neutral".

I got insurance swapped over on the M543A2 today and got it up to speed. You're certainly right about going nowhere quick! This one still has the protective shield over the pump. So when I can get a pyro or at least a boost gauge, it will probably get one or two flats added.

I've found that there's a leak at the boot at the driveshaft leading up from the power diverter just under the base of the crane turret. I didn't have a light, but I could feel a small hole in the boot. So I studied how all of this is put together. Looks like I'd need to pull everything out just to replace that boot. But it looks like the boot has a seal at the driveshaft and the boot remains stationary. I know this is ghetto, but I'm thinking about using some left over bicycle innertube and gray silicone to "patch" the hole. Now for another question, is the driveshaft a CV style joint, or a U joint? How is it lubricated? I assume the oil I'm seeing is leaking from the gearbox. Does the power diverter shaft spin while the truck is in motion? And I know a trick for leaking winches is to use cornhead grease in them. Is that a possibility for this?