New member from Maine

[netman86]

Hello!
I came here seeking knowledge and/or guidance.
I live in Maine, and am making my home in the town of Norway.

Currently I do not own any steel soldiers- but I've got a one ton dump truck that I'm constantly underwhelmed with so I'm seeking something bigger.

Usage case:
-Occasional use
--less than 30 times on-road during the year, very likely never in the snow
--Likely less than 50 miles a year offroad use, with varied duration
--Rarely for towing big trailers/heavy equipment
--possibly for plowing a long, uphill, half mile driveway
-Recovery
--to be used as a recovery/repair vehicle on my property
--for dragging heavy/stuck things around (shipping containers, tractors)
--for carrying tools needed at surprise worksites on the property (compressed air, battery charging, 120vac generator, etc)

And, of course, for the most important reason I'd want to own something like this... the giggles.

I don't really want to get my CDL for this, but I suspect in my state I will need it for towing.

I'm not sure exactly what vehicle I'm looking for, but I've seen both 2.5 and 5 ton 6x6 vehicles that interested me

Price range is somewhat low- I'd like to fund this by selling my current one ton dually dump, saving at least 30% of resale for inevitable repairs and maintenance that come with buying a big toy (Est resale value 10-14k)

I'll be reading around over the next few weeks, looking for local members and insight as to which vehicles may be better suited for me.
Figured I'd say hello- but could very well wind up buying something like an 800 series dump truck instead.

 

[Nomad1]

Hello from over the line in N.H. if it's under 26,000 here in most cases no cdl needed

 

[frank8003]

You need a Deuce M35A2 or a dump M59
Maybe go talk to these people
http://milparts.weebly.com/

 

[jmb6741]

Welcome from NC!

 

[netman86]

Hey folks!
Thanks for the warm welcome.

That weebly.com place sure does have an inventory! I might have to go talk to them, their prices seem far more reasonable than what I've seen locally.

Right now the only thing posted is a 2.5 tanker.

"[FONT=&quot]1970 Kaiser-Jeep M35A2...Deuce and a Half...Military Truck (AKA M49 Tanker). Converted to Firetruck w/ 1000 gal. tank. 6x6, 45K Miles, 6 cylinders - Turbo, diesel engine, manual transmission. Brand new tires."

It actually looks really nice, but I really don't need a tank- a dump bed would be far more useful in my upcoming road-building project.
Anyway I'll try to spend some of my free time reading up in here.

Is there any reason NOT to want to tow equipment with a 6x6 5 ton? I've got a 14,000lb backhoe I'd like the option of taking off site up to once a year. No trailer, yet... but my one ton doesn't come close to rated to tow that kind of thing. [/FONT]

 

[fasttruck]

This sounds like commercial use. The Feds have decreed anything RATED (not registered) over a 26,000 to be a "commercial vehicle" unless exempted as a RV, farm use, historic vehicle etc. A trailer heavy enough to haul a 14,000 pound machine will require a class A CDL. The feds regulate commerce and most states have adopted their licensing rules by reference so you will have to find out if your state has. The military has pintle towed equipment trailers which show up on Gov Planet and the classifieds on this site which are compatible with a deuce or 5 ton. Military air brakes will interchange with commercial trailers but the lights will not Illustrated is a M1048 5t trailer attached to a M35A2. It is 36" high so you would have to measure your machine to see if there would be overhead clearance problems.

 

[fasttruck]

If you only need to move your machine once or twice a year think about hiring someone who has a truck and a CDL as it will be simpler than getting your own license if this is all you need it for.

 

[netman86]

I have been considering hiring someone- honestly it isn't worth the hassle as I don't REALLY need the machine to move- it would just be nice to help out family.

It does sound awful commercial- I actually assumed going to a 5T truck I'd need my CDL anyway. I've not really looked into getting it but have family who has.

One of the reasons I'm leaning towards the 5T trucks is because of their dump truck option- I've got 140+ acres of land and a half a mile (uphill) driveway. That road was a nice logging road, but it was neglected for ten years. Before I can build my house up there the road is going to need a lot of work, including bringing in a few dozen dump truck loads of material, as well as digging several loads out of the drainage ditches, moving tons and tons of material around the property.
There are several options for picking up loads within ten miles, so short range dump trucking would potentially save me a lot in delivery costs, plus give me more control over delivery.

I suspect to haul a loaded 5t dump I'd also need my CDL, even if it's only a few miles.
I'll start looking into those requirements, as well as insurance/registration problems in my area...

 

[Rescue101]

You want to see a M900 series up close and personal drive over to Bridgton. I have a NICE 936. NO,it is NOT for sale,and wouldn't be what you're looking for. but it will allow you to see a 5ton and how they are set up

 

[netman86]

I'll be up in Norway this Friday doing maintenance on the heavy equipment- if you're around I could swing down after.

 

[SCM35A2]

Welcome to the site!

 

[netman86]

Thanks!
Another question I've got but can't seem to find a solid answer to...
Gas or Diesel?

I've always loved diesel, and I just assumed all of these big 5 ton trucks would be diesel.

My favorite thing about diesel is that when it fails, the problem is almost always either fuel delivery or compression- pretty simple to diagnose. My least favorite thing about diesel is that I live in a climate where -20f happens, and not usually when I'm prepared for it.
To get my tractor ready for winter I'm hoping to set up 110AC heating pads on the oil tank, starting batteries, fuel tank, and even hydraulic tanks, then strapping a gas generator to its back. After an hour or two it might be able to start on a cold day. I wouldn't bother trying below 0F.

But when it comes to a truck... What's the consensus on gas vs diesel? Chances are good this truck won't have grid power, so block heaters are generator only.

 

[fasttruck]

M 51 gas dump trucks still exist but they are not designed to run on unleaded gas and parts for a 1000 cu. in. Continental engines probably are not stocked at Auto Zone. Get farm plates because the feds define anything RATED, not registered, over 26,000# to be "commercial." which exposes you to getting a USDOT number and dealing with a legion of compliance issues and fees. Unless you get exempt plates like farm use, RV, historic etc. 5 ton M51, 817s etc are easier to find than deuce dumps. You can get 7 yards of gravel in a 5 ton before overloading it, and for road building, chain the tailgate to spread gravel rather than dumping it on the ground and spreading it with another machine. A 14,000# machine will require a class A CDL if registered commercial. Gas trucks are about 60 years old by now. If you need the truck when it is -20F out think about a commercial gas job. Army issues JP4 in cold climes to prevent gelling.

 

[fasttruck]

Reference post #2: 5t is RATED over 26000# so without an exempt plate like farm use, RV, historic vehicle you need a CDL and a trailer rated to pull a 14,000# machine will require a class A CDL regardless if it is a fifth wheel or pintle trailer. Read the reading. The Feds regulate commerce and the pertinent regulations are in CFR part49 which most states have adopted by reference. Rumors, gossip, and uninformed opinions will not serve you well. And you cannot completely depend on motor vehicle division clerks to know their regulations and procedures either. Most of them do not deal with commercial vehicle topics on a regular basis.

 

[Tracer]

Welcome aboard from Nevada.

 

[netman86]

Welcome aboard from Nevada.

Where abouts?

I was out west once, bought a car from Carson City!
I still have it... but she's off the road now, stuck in a shipping container on the property. Maybe someday I'll get around to restoring it?
Hoping to move that container up the hill before the snow fall. A 6x6 would make it a lot easier, but I'm still undecided if this is the route to go.
Started looking into "farm" registration but the websites around here are so vague - and the staff are so incompetent that asking questions is worthless.