New Mule owner today

[Eric's hifim37]

Hi All,

I just picked up my new Mule, it is a 7/68 Baifield USMC with 67 hrs on it. It has been sitting for the last 28 years here in Barstow and boy did we have fun picking it up, it did not want to move and it was starting to rain pretty good so we drugg it into a full size Chevy P/U. I'm still feeling it ! They are kinda heavy (duh), the engine will turn over by the pull rope but it will not move like it is stuck in gear or between gears or worse it might have a jacked up gear case so I guess I will have to tear it down oh well it needs painted anyhow so now it will be project #13 ! I guess I won't have it running for Tower Park this April

I rocked each wheel and it does not seem to be the hubs so it is look'in like the trans/tranfer but I got it and I'll fix it and drive it "some day"

Any suggestions from you fellow Mule'ers ???? on why it won't move or the weak link to check out, I'm open to discussions

Thanks, Eric..

 

[Eric's hifim37]

opp's forgot the picture !!!

 

[Eric's hifim37]

yikes, the picture is not working so I'll try again !

 

[jward1]

mule

Mine sat outside with 4-5 sheets of plywood for about 30 yrs. flat tires sunk into the ground you know the routine. anyway check the little drum brake under it, mine was froze up and once i pulled it apart it rolled. it is a pretty simple machine to work on i found out. good luck with it they are fun.

 

[gunboy1656]

Nice looking machine, I picked one up in Sept, and learned real quick it is a very simple machine to work on. So far I have done 2 boots, a U-joint and all 12 needle bearings.

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Thanks Jward1 !

I checked your suggestion and you hit it on the money, the brake is big time locked. It is look'in that I might have it ready for Tower Park now ! I just ordered a new fuel pump for it so we'll see how it go's. Yea, it looks like all the wheel seals are leaking so another task. Then on to the electric starter, the rope just dosen't appeal to me much :-/

Thanks you all for the replies !

Eric..

 

[MuleMac01]

sitting for 28 years? time for a full rebuild new seals on everything

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Yea, being it sat so long I know I'm going to have to check everything over and yes replacing all the seals is a "for sure" I already picked up a new fuel pump. It looks like this Mule was maybe set up for dry storage, the fuel tank looks like new inside and it appears to had grease smeared on the shafts and linkage's. I was looking at the oil to see if it was the "red oil" I remember from the moth balled M728 CEV's I had to bring back to life when I was a Tank Mechanic but it looks like normal motor oil but very clean. I was happy to get this Mule from the 2nd civie owner before he tried to run it or drive it because I'm sure he would not know how to bring it back up without damaging something ! I'm not sure where this Mule was stationed but I was looking at John Coldwell's sight and he sold a Mule in Texas that was very close to my USMC number (325415), Being I'm here in Barstow and we have a USMC base and another in 29 Palms it might have been auctioned off from there ? It does have the later CARC paint with the green "3" color pattern instead of the "Desert" tan "3" color that was mostly used here locally. I think I found a RARE piece for these days, plus only 67 hours on it and I will do a original resto on it except for the electric starter, I'll hide the battery and just charge it with a small 120 volt trickle. I know if the engine is in proper operating condition these will start on the first crank so not much battery drain. For now I'll have to recover from the buying part before I start dumping more $$ into it. I need to get a seat, steering wheel & starter first, oh yea new shifter knobs too !

Eric..

 

[JDToumanian]

I don't know about other suppliers, but Bill Watson has a waiting list for seats, it took 3 months to get mine from him so be sure to factor in the delay if you want the seat by Tower Park.

The shift knobs are common and cheap because they're the same as the knobs used on some Jeeps....

I'm jealous of your engine hatch cover and rear engine guard.... My A5 is in excellent condition but is missing those two items. Bill Watson and David Kelone do not have them either....

Jon

 

[MuleMac01]

i been trying to sell my bill watson seat and back, got it then it did't fit right ( thats because it's a repro) then i just got Nos seat covers and a nos seat backing and i was good to go if you want it i'm going to Las vegas in the next few days i could sell it 2 ya for very cheep

 

[clinto]

except for the electric starter, I'll hide the battery and just charge it with a small 120 volt trickle.

That's how mine is-electric start without an alternator. I charge it maybe twice a year. Definitely the way to fly unless you are using the mule on a daily basis.

 

[gunboy1656]

Since mine is going to have the 106mm mounted on it, we are hiding the battery in the home made tool box. Our mule came with the electric already mounted (car battery, alt and starter). We are going to switch out the car battery and go with a motorcycle battery to save space.

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Yea, I really don't want to change the appearance from original so I'll hide a battery underneath it somehow, I was thinking of one of the mini dry cells they sell now. I could probally just leave the pull start but what a pain when I am visiting around Tower. It is rude to leave the noisy engine running while trying to talk ! I don't need lighting or a alternator with the Mag. I built my parts list today so I'll start my ordering. I am going to use Bill Watson through your recommendations. I still have to prepare my WC56 for Tower Park so I want to squeeze this new toy in but I might have to wait, if it turns out to be a easy deal to get up I'll bring it , if not. It will be a September bring or 2012. I have so much to do on the Command car and I have work still on my M37 hard top. To top it off we are having all this weather (*hit load of rain) we usally don't have so I can't do squat. As I said mine was painted with the CARC but I like the USMC green so I am torn to redo the CARC or paint the Veitnam era paint scheme. It is raining to much tonight as I usally am outside in my Shop instead of banging the keyboard
Thanks for the replies

 

[Eric's hifim37]

I finally got to spend some time on the Mule today, I moved it into my heated shop last night and today I got to install the new steering wheel , extended shifter and then I found all the linkages were bent due to the floor supported pivots being rusted where they would not move. I guess the people that had the Mule before me must have forced the shifters and bent up all the linkage so lots of work but I have it all fixed and working great. I had a ball getting the wheels off so I can start to tear down the hubs for all new seals and then I found the tierod ends all to be shot so another order to Bill Watson, I can see where this is going to be a money pit for a while. I main thing is I am having fun and I am looking forward to firing up the engine, I removed the Mag, carb & fuel pump before I called it a night,

More to follow,

Eric..

 

[gunboy1656]

Boy, that sounds familiar. Went through most of the same pitfalls as you are. but at least they are pretty easy to work on.

 

[MuleMac01]

good luck on it ..... hey that seat looks great

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Hi All,

Well I have installed the new fuel pump & carb, I currently have the Mag out and I am servicing it. I need the points gap if anyone could help, I tore down the hubs on the right side and I have all the parts sitting in chem dip for cleaning. I received my seat washers,screws & footman loops today so I got to finish the seat tonight. I went by the surplus place and found some pretty cool "nick-nacks" to hang on it. I also went to Dave Walker's and picked up 3 tie rod assemblies so I will have all new tie rods on the Mule now. I will post some fresh pictures tomorrow. I am getting into this Mule, being a WC, M37 man I never thought of one of these being so cool but now I know I'll never get rid of it

What a great addition to anyones collection.

Eric..

 

[asgtoolman]

Eric, I did a COMPLETE rebuild on my mule between Jan and April of last year [including converting to 4 wheel steer], but when I get into a project, I really get into a project--And the fact that I am a 4 hour drive from Bill Watson, or an overnight UPS shipment from him certainly did not hurt--he is a great resource

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Hi all,

I finally have the motor back together and the seat is all put togther too, I started painting the blasted parts so I can reassemble the Hubs, I should be lighting off the engine this weekend, just the fuel lines and I still have to mount and wire the Battery in for the new electric starter

I'm getting close !

Eric..

 

[Eric's hifim37]

Oops, the engine shot was the "before" one

now the "after"