my first gl win!!

[sterlun]

Yep, that's my truck

Got it from WR this time last year.

I had Mike Hatfield of MD Carriers ship it. I was very satisfied and continue to use him.

I'll PM you his info.

Many thanks for that!

 

[sterlun]

Well I hate to be the odd man here but...I drove all 3 of my trucks home from the base. Last 2 trucks had fresh oil and all the fluids topped of when I got it. There are plenty of other members that have driven their trucks home. Some have gone long distances without any problems.

My opinion is that driving these trucks is a gamble no matter what! I read constantly in here about engine failures, tranny trouble, brake issues on trucks that have been in PRIVATE hands for a while and finally decided to crap out. Unless you never intend to drive the truck any reasonable distance from home you always risk breaking down on the side of the road far from home and at some towing company mercy.

You can always ask another member to go recover the truck with you. They may have a truck large enough to flat tow you off base to where you can do more detailed work on getting the truck road worthy. There are plenty of members in GA and BAMA that can help you recover the truck.

OK now please don't jump all over me all at once. one guy at a time!

To be honest I'd really rather go that route (driving). Save me alot of $$$. I thought about calling the site manager and seeing if I could come inspect the truck while I'm waiting on the EUC. (yes I know I was supposed to do that before I bid) It wouldn't be too bad a trip in the lil Honda and I could get a feel for it's road worthiness. Even if I break down I don't think a towing company would be more than $5-600 to haul me home. Surely it would be cheaper than the $1000 originally quoted. Might post an ad on here for hauling help.

 

[jollyroger]

OK. I drove my M-817 home to Denver from French Camp CA. Did not know if it ran or not. Had it towed out of Frnch Camp as I ran out of time with GL and did not want to forfiet the truck. Put batteries in, Checked fluids, Fired it up, Checked brakes, Checked tires, Left tow yard. Was it a gamble? For sure. Did I have back up plans? Absolutely. Two FULL days worth of driving.

Decided to tow my M-818 back from Mechanicsburg PA on my big flatbed trailer so It did not take me 4 FULL days to drive home. On the drive out had brake problems on the trailer. Spent $1400 fixing the brakes. Had brake problems on the trailer on the way back. Nursed the whole thing to within 400 miles of home and had a double blowout on the trailer. All 8 tires on the trailer were brand new. Installed the one spare we had, learned we need two spares, drove 5 miles to the next exit in the middle of Kansas so we could get off the Interstate. Decided the best thing was to fire up the tractor, unload it and drive it the rest of (25%) the way home. It ended up being 4 full days of driving anyway with three drivers.

So I'm 2 for 2 driving them home. 3/4 to 1 towing them home.

Your results may vary but I would not be afraid of driving it. However You need to have a recovery kit with fluids and tools in it and I would not do it without a chase truck, One ton pickup or bigger and a tow bar for just in case. New Batteries. Just sayin'.

Don't do it if you have to be back at a certain time that does not leave you with a couple extra days. Inevitably your schedule will not work out.

Some GL lots and or Military installations DO NOT allow you to drive the vehicle out or tow it where there is a person behind the steering wheel. In that case they have to be towed by a tow truck or on a trailer. You should check with your GL representative to find out what their policy is for sure.

 

[velociT]

To be honest I'd really rather go that route (driving). Save me alot of $$$. I thought about calling the site manager and seeing if I could come inspect the truck while I'm waiting on the EUC. (yes I know I was supposed to do that before I bid) It wouldn't be too bad a trip in the lil Honda and I could get a feel for it's road worthiness. Even if I break down I don't think a towing company would be more than $5-600 to haul me home. Surely it would be cheaper than the $1000 originally quoted. Might post an ad on here for hauling help.

There are so many members in GA.... I would think like someone else said, maybe you could find a member to flat tow it.

 

[Whitey]

Just keep in mind, the cost of prearranged shipping is a heck of alot cheaper than that of a Semi-sized wrecker at the side of the road. So, factor in the "oops" costs if you don't have a buddy with another large truck and a tow bar to save ya. Good luck.

 

[Chief_919]

Driving anything from GL off post is a gamble. In my opinion it is also irresponsible.


These trucks are not being sold because they run too well. After they were turned in by the last unit, they have been totally neglected in maintenance for anywhere from 6-18 months, and during that time subject to parts theft, abuse from GL, and other problems. They are all 20-40 years old.


You don't have a clue how well the truck works, what kind of shape the brakes are in, what kind of shape the wheel bearings are in, if the fuel in it is good or crap, if it has any air leaks, I could go on and on. I can tell you that my unit has hauled trucks to DRMO that were definitely not roadworthy, and we have hauled trucks in that we had swapped all bad parts from other trucks on to. "Slap it together enough to turn it in" is not uncommon.


Add on to that the fact that you don't have plates on it. If your brakes fail and you run over a family in a Kia, in a salvage truck you jumped in and drove away in with no maintenance and no plates or registration, don't expect the cops or the jury to be easy on you.


Look at the gamble like this-


If you win and drive it home- you saved a few dollars


If you lose- at best you are broken down on the side of the road facing a much much larger tow bill than having it shipped would run you. That is a best case- you could end up hurting someone and losing your truck, your money, your home and more in the lawsuit.


Do it right- either have it hauled to your home, or have someone local tow it off post to a place where you can spend the right amount of time going over it to make sure it is roadworthy, or pay someone to check it for you.


My .02- as someone who has maintained these trucks for 18+ years for the military, and has been buying surplus just as long.

 

[jollyroger]

Chief I can totally appreciate your opinion and you are entitled to it but I disagree with the general premis you are presenting.

According to what you are saying and if we extrapolate your logic to the everyday situation it would then be unsafe and irresponsible to drive these trucks, ever, unless they were properly maintained which it sounds to me means brand new.

You make it sound as though one needs to have anything surplused from the government towed directly to a repair facility to be completely dismantled, renewed and reassembaled in order for them to be safe to drive or you are being irresposible and should not own or drive one of these trucks, ever.

I agree that good maintenance is a must but that goes with the terrirtory of ANY piece of equipment. Including the family Kia that you mentioned would be the victim of an accident in the event of a parts failure. And that little Kia can kill just as easy as one of our "big" trucks.

Does someone take a risk with driving a truck away from a GL lot? Sure they do. But it is the same risk that any of us run with buying a truck from a dealer and driving it home for the first time. Or buying a used car and driving it home for the first time. Supposedly that dealer has presented a vehicle that is ready to go but it is ultimately a used piece of equipment and prone to the same risk of failures that our used GL truck is. In fact new vehicles are prone to the same possibilites of failure.

Then you can say that the risk is too great for an individual to take by driving the truck away from GL and you risk loseing your house and life over it. Granted you don't have a history with that vehicle to know all the little grunts and groans. But it is the same risk one takes EVERY time they get behind the wheel of any vehicle. Parts can fail at any time. In any vehicle. Otherwise airplanes would never crash due to parts failure. It would always be pilot error or weather.

I did not imply that one should just go to GL, get a jump start and away you go. One should use due dilligence with regard to fluid levels, tires and brakes. I actually get on my back and take a look at the underside before I decide a go no go on the truck. I do a wiggle test of the brake lines and wiring with the truck running to see if there is a leak or fault. I also do this periodically after owning the truck. I have contingency plans should I decide the truck is a no go. That way I don't get locked into I HAVE to drive it home.

One also needs to get their paperwork in line. If temporary permits are not available then trip permits usually are. Some states don't reqire either if you have just taken possesion of the vehicle and are taking it home. Insurance is an absolute must with a high liability coverage. But I have this on everything I drive. Currently $5,000,000 liability coverage.

What I was implying is that the risk is the same weather you drive the truck away from GL or have it towed to your house and fire it up to take it for a spin. If it breaks down 1 mile or 1000 miles away from home. You still have to have it towed home.

If one is not confident with their mechanical abilities or their diagnostic abilities one should have the truck towed from GL and taken to a repair facility to be inspected. Let them tell you go or no go in that case.

There are a ton of ways to do things and everyone is entitled to their opinions. All I was saying is that driving a truck away from GL is worth the risk as long as you have planned contingencies, are confident in your abilities and you do your due dilligence before you drive away. But there again I do this with everything I do. And still sometimes things don't go smoothly. That's just life. I'm just sayin'.

 

[Chief_919]

Chief I can totally appreciate your opinion and you are entitled to it but I disagree with the general premis you are presenting.

According to what you are saying and if we extrapolate your logic to the everyday situation it would then be unsafe and irresponsible to drive these trucks, ever, unless they were properly maintained which it sounds to me means brand new.

Brand new, no. CONFIRMED in good working order, yes.

How does one define good working order? The TM's are a good start. For a vehicle that has been sitting for up to a year or more that you have no idea the history, the standard I set for my battalion, the standard set by Army regulations, is that it will not be run on the road until a complete annual service has been done on it. I set the same standard for a vehicle I buy.

An A service in most cases includes pulling the wheels to check the bearing and brakes. Until you have done that, you can't honestly say you know the true condition.

You make it sound as though one needs to have anything surplused from the government towed directly to a repair facility to be completely dismantled, renewed and reassembaled in order for them to be safe to drive or you are being irresposible and should not own or drive one of these trucks, ever.

No- as I said above, the equivelant to an A or annual service, as laid out in the TM, is what is needed.

And if you can't maintain a truck to that standard, perhaps you do own more truck than you can handle.

I agree that good maintenance is a must but that goes with the terrirtory of ANY piece of equipment. Including the family Kia that you mentioned would be the victim of an accident in the event of a parts failure. And that little Kia can kill just as easy as one of our "big" trucks.

Does someone take a risk with driving a truck away from a GL lot? Sure they do. But it is the same risk that any of us run with buying a truck from a dealer and driving it home for the first time. Or buying a used car and driving it home for the first time. Supposedly that dealer has presented a vehicle that is ready to go but it is ultimately a used piece of equipment and prone to the same risk of failures that our used GL truck is. In fact new vehicles are prone to the same possibilites of failure.

You can't put a vehicle from a dealer in the same category as one from GL- I have never seen a dealership that made all vehicle sit neglected for months before they could even consider selling them, let parts be ripped off, let people destroy driveshafts and brake parts with forklifts, or any of the rest that we see every day with a GL vehicle.

In addition, an M818 has a lot more potential to do damage than a Kia due to its size. One must be more dilligent with maintenance of a larger vehcile, as the risk to others if it fails is greater.

Then you can say that the risk is too great for an individual to take by driving the truck away from GL and you risk loseing your house and life over it. Granted you don't have a history with that vehicle to know all the little grunts and groans. But it is the same risk one takes EVERY time they get behind the wheel of any vehicle. Parts can fail at any time. In any vehicle. Otherwise airplanes would never crash due to parts failure. It would always be pilot error or weather.

You can't be 100% sure, no. But you can exercise due dilligence and take basic preventive maintenance steps and do the inspections the military prescribes.

You can get in a truck on the GL lot and mash the brakes and say "I think they will make it". I can pull the wheels and inspect the springs, wheel cylinders, and brake shoes and and make an informed statement as to the condition of the brakes, not a guess.

You can roll it back and forth and say it rolls. I can pull the hubs and inspect the bearings and confirm that they are in good shape, properly greased, and not full of water where someone took the truck for a swim right before it was turned in.

You can take more risks if you wish. I have seen too many failures to be willing to take that risk.

I did not imply that one should just go to GL, get a jump start and away you go. One should use due dilligence with regard to fluid levels, tires and brakes. I actually get on my back and take a look at the underside before I decide a go no go on the truck. I do a wiggle test of the brake lines and wiring with the truck running to see if there is a leak or fault. I also do this periodically after owning the truck. I have contingency plans should I decide the truck is a no go. That way I don't get locked into I HAVE to drive it home.

Good, but not near enough on one of these trucks.

One also needs to get their paperwork in line. If temporary permits are not available then trip permits usually are. Some states don't reqire either if you have just taken possesion of the vehicle and are taking it home. Insurance is an absolute must with a high liability coverage. But I have this on everything I drive. Currently $5,000,000 liability coverage.

In some states you can get such permits- in others you cannot without a title. GL screws us by making us wait for an SF-97, and that screwing is one thing we must factor in our risks we are willing to take.

What I was implying is that the risk is the same weather you drive the truck away from GL or have it towed to your house and fire it up to take it for a spin. If it breaks down 1 mile or 1000 miles away from home. You still have to have it towed home.

Well, if you have it towed home, then jump in and run down the road at home without doing any inspection or PM, you are just as big a fool as if you do that at the GL lot. The whole point of pulling it home is to do proper PM on it at home before you run it.

If one is not confident with their mechanical abilities or their diagnostic abilities one should have the truck towed from GL and taken to a repair facility to be inspected. Let them tell you go or no go in that case.

I am an ASE certfied diesel technician and an Army maintenance Warrant Officer responsible for maintaining several millions of dollars in Uncle Sams trucks- I am confident in my diagnostic abilities. Confident and educated enough on the subject to know that one cannot make an educated assesment of the roadworthiness of a vehicle on the GL lot.

There are a ton of ways to do things and everyone is entitled to their opinions. All I was saying is that driving a truck away from GL is worth the risk as long as you have planned contingencies, are confident in your abilities and you do your due dilligence before you drive away. But there again I do this with everything I do. And still sometimes things don't go smoothly. That's just life. I'm just sayin'.

You are right- opinions will vary.

Let a few people get killed by folks driving trucks straight off post and you will see opinions change in the public and of the politicians- then see what happens to our hobby.

Remember- these trucks, with the exception of CUCV's, are not small civilian cars, and are capable of doing much more damage. At the same time they lack the same basic safety equipment and many have less safe braking systems than the comperable civilian trucks of the same size.

My informed opinion- as an ASE certified technician and a subject matter expert within the United States Army- is that a vehicle from DRMO cannot be considered roadworthy until all PMCS up to the annual level has been completed in accordance with the -10 and -20 manual.

 

[91W350]

I remember reading that description and looking that truck over. I would love to have one like it. The XM818 must be an early model? I never really knew what the X meant. Looks like a nice one to me! Glen

 

[M813A1]

All the X means is that the truck was not purchased ona large contract and it was purchased outside of the contract !!

 

[SixSpeed]

"Unsubscribe from this thread"

 

[Green_gator]

Check with the folks at Warner Robbins and find out a couple of things. First, do they allow you to drive off base? Second, can you come look at and evaluate the vehicle before the EUC clears. This can help to answer some maintenance questions. What are the options in the area to have it pulled to a shop and given a once over. I did this with a truck out of Indianapolis. Before I drove it back to Florida it had a mechanical inspection and all new fluids.
A couple of big things if you decide to drive it home.
1. Have insurance on the vehicle! If you drive with out having insurance you deserve any penalty that you receive when caught.
2. Have a back up plan
3. Bring the basics needed to swap fluids check brakes, belts, bearings, head and tail lights and such.
4. Plan to drive it during a quiet time, either before the morning or after the evening rush hours. Think about picking up in the morning and spending a few hours at a location doing PMCS on the vehicle and then move it home.
5. Honestly evaluate your skill and experience with a vehicle this size. Are you ready to work on it on the side of the road and handle it in traffic in normal and emergency situations?
6. See if you can get a temporary tag, Florida has issued them to me for bringing deuces home and staying legal is worth the effort.

Driving these vehicles is a lot of fun but are a different game then a normal pick up. The $1000 sounds like way to much money to only go 200 miles. Maybe the Florida convoy can wave hello to your truck as we pass it on the way to the Georgia Rally. Until then get the manuals and start reading them. Come by the Georgia Rally at the end of the month and I bet you will find a 5 ton or two and some owners willing to talk to you about maintenance and let you put you hands on things to see what is normal.

 

[gunboy1656]

In my opinion, keep shopping for a hauler. Most want around 2 bucks/mile to haul, someone is trying to get real rich off of you. My truck got delivered for 1.75 last September. Hauling it just saves a bunch of hassles.

 

[sterlun]

Driving anything from GL off post is a gamble. In my opinion it is also irresponsible.


These trucks are not being sold because they run too well. After they were turned in by the last unit, they have been totally neglected in maintenance for anywhere from 6-18 months, and during that time subject to parts theft, abuse from GL, and other problems. They are all 20-40 years old.


You don't have a clue how well the truck works, what kind of shape the brakes are in, what kind of shape the wheel bearings are in, if the fuel in it is good or crap, if it has any air leaks, I could go on and on. I can tell you that my unit has hauled trucks to DRMO that were definitely not roadworthy, and we have hauled trucks in that we had swapped all bad parts from other trucks on to. "Slap it together enough to turn it in" is not uncommon.


Add on to that the fact that you don't have plates on it. If your brakes fail and you run over a family in a Kia, in a salvage truck you jumped in and drove away in with no maintenance and no plates or registration, don't expect the cops or the jury to be easy on you.


Look at the gamble like this-


If you win and drive it home- you saved a few dollars


If you lose- at best you are broken down on the side of the road facing a much much larger tow bill than having it shipped would run you. That is a best case- you could end up hurting someone and losing your truck, your money, your home and more in the lawsuit.


Do it right- either have it hauled to your home, or have someone local tow it off post to a place where you can spend the right amount of time going over it to make sure it is roadworthy, or pay someone to check it for you.


My .02- as someone who has maintained these trucks for 18+ years for the military, and has been buying surplus just as long.

Thanks for that insight. Sounds like a wise plan.

Noticed you signed with an outfit in Clyde, NC. I grew up in Marion, NC. Small world.

 

[sterlun]

Check with the folks at Warner Robbins and find out a couple of things. First, do they allow you to drive off base? Second, can you come look at and evaluate the vehicle before the EUC clears. This can help to answer some maintenance questions. What are the options in the area to have it pulled to a shop and given a once over. I did this with a truck out of Indianapolis. Before I drove it back to Florida it had a mechanical inspection and all new fluids.
A couple of big things if you decide to drive it home.
1. Have insurance on the vehicle! If you drive with out having insurance you deserve any penalty that you receive when caught.
2. Have a back up plan
3. Bring the basics needed to swap fluids check brakes, belts, bearings, head and tail lights and such.
4. Plan to drive it during a quiet time, either before the morning or after the evening rush hours. Think about picking up in the morning and spending a few hours at a location doing PMCS on the vehicle and then move it home.
5. Honestly evaluate your skill and experience with a vehicle this size. Are you ready to work on it on the side of the road and handle it in traffic in normal and emergency situations?
6. See if you can get a temporary tag, Florida has issued them to me for bringing deuces home and staying legal is worth the effort.

Driving these vehicles is a lot of fun but are a different game then a normal pick up. The $1000 sounds like way to much money to only go 200 miles. Maybe the Florida convoy can wave hello to your truck as we pass it on the way to the Georgia Rally. Until then get the manuals and start reading them. Come by the Georgia Rally at the end of the month and I bet you will find a 5 ton or two and some owners willing to talk to you about maintenance and let you put you hands on things to see what is normal.

Very good advice as well. You guys have all been very helpful. I think I'm gonna do both. See if I can go inspect while EUC is clearing and also try to get a hauler lined up. Another user said he got his for 1.75 mile. That's very reasonable. I've driven lots of big trucks and have a fair mechanical aptitude. If I can inspect, crank, check brakes, fluids, etc. and all is good I may drive.

 

[sterlun]

Hey all of you guys have been outstanding! What a fantastic group of people! Everybody is kind, willing to help, and nobody talks a bunch of junk. Glad I joined. think I'm gonna like it here. Keep the suggestions coming. I really appreciate them.

 

[Karl kostman]

Congrats Nice looking truck, I really like those tires, to big for a Deuce look great on that one!

 

[jollyroger]

Good luck and congratulations on your purchase.

I appologize for getting in the middle of the sky is falling post on your thread.

If you do drive it home just be careful, bring friends to help, a camera for pictures and enjoy the adventure. Please post up your recovery here so we can share in your success......Oh.......And avoid every Kia you see. SHHHHHH. They lurk awaiting for you to come by.

After that enjoy every minute with the truck. They keep me smiling even when they are broken or down for maintenance. I may not have the manpower and resources of the US Army but I do maintain my fleet.......by myself........in my spare time.

 

[sterlun]

Good luck and congratulations on your purchase.

I appologize for getting in the middle of the sky is falling post on your thread.

If you do drive it home just be careful, bring friends to help, a camera for pictures and enjoy the adventure. Please post up your recovery here so we can share in your success......Oh.......And avoid every Kia you see. SHHHHHH. They lurk awaiting for you to come by.

After that enjoy every minute with the truck. They keep me smiling even when they are broken or down for maintenance. I may not have the manpower and resources of the US Army but I do maintain my fleet.......by myself........in my spare time.

That was funny. Thanks for everything.

 

[sterlun]

Hey another thing guys, could I get in trouble for not having a CDL driving this? If you live in GA that would be helpful too. I know if you register a tractor for farm use and operate within 150 miles you can skip the CDL. Wonder about personal use. Does the truck have airbrakes? Tell me please...