Hey guys, I'm pretty new around here and am looking for some info. My dad and I over the years have collected quite a few trucks from Govliquidation for work and play on our farm including two 5 ton dumps, four deuce and a half's, three Ford F-900 6x6's, two International 4900 6x6's, a fork lift, and some other odds and ends. I'd love to have an Oshkosh M977 or M985. I've been eyeing some of these trucks up, and am wondering what the major differences are between the two. Also interested in crane capacities, capabilities, and anything else I should know. Thanks for any info!
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M977 or M985?
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Derrickl112
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Derrickl112
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wreckerman893
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These trucks are great at what they were built for but they were designed by an idiot after consulting with a moron (prob a retired Transportation Officer).
They are loud, ride like an oxcart and will suck the bottom out of the fuel tank.
Learning to drive that cab forward design is a steep curve.
If the peckerheads at Oshkosh had put a 60 Series Detroit in them they would have had a better truck.
That's what I've been hearing. I'm not too concerned about fuel milage or how they ride....it won't be my daily driver, and I'm used to farm equipment riding like an ox cart. This truck would be put to work, and my main concern is the ability to source parts if the need arises....and the engine. Like I said, I'm a Cummins fan and never cared for the old Detroit's.
Comparing the crane capacity of the two models, I noticed they are rated at two different boom lengths. While I realize one is rated to lift more than the other, it seems hard to compare when its not apples to apples. Does anyone have a picture of the actual capacity charts that I assume are riveted to the cranes? Are the boom lengths the same on either model?
Comparing the crane capacity of the two models, I noticed they are rated at two different boom lengths. While I realize one is rated to lift more than the other, it seems hard to compare when its not apples to apples. Does anyone have a picture of the actual capacity charts that I assume are riveted to the cranes? Are the boom lengths the same on either model?
IsaLandr
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If you're going to get a HEMTT and want the most out of your truck, get the GMT variant of the M985. This is the "guided missile transporter" used by the Patriot batteries. It has a heavier crane with extended height and reach, with a greater load capacity, than the standard M985 or M977, on the uprated M985 chassis.
Standard M977 and M985 have a Grove crane. The GMT has a Hiab crane. That's the easiest way to tell them apart at a quick glance.
Standard M977 and M985 have a Grove crane. The GMT has a Hiab crane. That's the easiest way to tell them apart at a quick glance.
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The M977 and M985 range diagrams are together in the TM. The question I have is, what can you expect to lift on to the bed of a M977 with the crane at the 9 ft/4500# position? Is the geometry such that you can lift a typical 3500-4000 pound car/jeep? Maybe a lightened HMMWV? 
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Sorry, I meant to post the image of the range diagrams.
paradeduty
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Hey 3500, I have the M985. It really is a fun rig to take out but I wouldn't want to drive it for a living. Depending what you have an idea you might be lifting out of the bed, the max radius might come into play, but if you can handle the 16' radius (the bed is only 20' long anyways plus a couple feet from the back of the bed to the center pivot point of the crane), I would much rather error on the high side of crane capacity with the M985. The other difference I thought I had read in a manual somewhere is that the rear suspension is beefed up some on the M985 to handle the MLRS "Pods". The M985 was intended to carry 4 pods in its bed and pull a HEMAT Trailer with another 4 pods. Each set of 4 pods is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000 lbs.
Looking at these trucks a little closer, and it is noticeable that the hydraulic cylinders are definitely larger on the M985's. It seems the M977's come with a self recovery winch mounted to the passenger side frame rail...I haven't seen a winch on a 985 yet. Its too bad that some of these trucks are in very good condition except for a few things missing like the gauge pod in the dash. I'm not sure how hard it would be to fab up a plate and get aftermarket gauges to work.
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There's plenty of mil-surp gauges out in the market that everything can be replaced with ones that are practically new, or take offs if guys start scrapping out un-fixable (or un-economically fixable) HMMWVs and FMTVs