NEW USER AND A NEW DEUCE!!!!

[SpruceDeuce]

First of all, I would like to say I love this website!! I find myself on it all day at work and I have learned so much already.

I bought a Deuce last month in Michigan. It is a 1970 AM General M35A2 wo/w and non turbo. This is my first MV and I know very little about them but I am learning quick from this website. I am currently in Baltimore, MD until August 10 on an internship for Finance. To say the least I miss my Deuce very much Here is my pick up story...

I was surfing E bay at work and came across the Deuce. It had a buy it now price for $3000 and I have wanted one since I was in high school but parents thought that was a bad idea to say the least. With some thinking and looking it over I clicked buy it now it was the best move I ever made.

I talked to the seller on the phone and he told me the truck runs good and has some rust and other things like that. I finally called my parents to let them know what was going to be parked at their house lol. My mom was extremely mad to say the least but my dad was interested because he drove the same year when he was in Korea in the Army.

The day finally came to drive the 400 miles to Michigan to pick up my very own green iron. We drove up on a Friday from Baltimore (11 hours) and stayed at my uncles house outside of Battle Creek. The next morning we found the sellers house and I could not stop smiling at that green machine. The seller was very friendly and took me for a drive and taught me some things. We transferred the title and passed the cash and it was time to hit the Turnpike.

I should say that I did not have a plate for it so I took our civilian truck's plate and stuck it on. (dangerous I know) Also, the back rear axle shaft was removed along with the front hubs so they could free wheel on the high way (nice option) the truck held 50 mph all day with no problem. It could go faster but I read that cruising speed is about 50 to be safe. We stopped once for fuel and food and cruised the whole day.

The total trip home (about 400 miles) took about 11 hours and the truck drove fantastic and had no problems. I am going to need a lot of help with my new baby and I know where I can find it You guys are the best and I thank all of you now.

here is a link for the pictures of my truck and some short movies

http://markehle.net/M35/

Enjoy!!

 

[rockman]

New m35

Hey Spruce, welcome to the OD world. I just moved out of that area south of Pittsburgh and you are in a good spot for parts and stuff in the region. Also, I know of two other M35 owners in Pittsburgh if you need some contacts. One truck has a HIAB crane on it and that comes in handy for doing work.

Bill

 

[clinto]

RE: New m35

Welcome!

You will find a world of knowledgable and very helpful folks here…..and we expect to see you and your truck at Aberdeen next year..

 

[bigmike]

RE: New m35

Welcome aboard. Glad to have ya.

 

[Boatcarpenter]

RE: New m35

Hey Spruce, you have been doing your homework. You knew to post pictures right away or you would get some flak Nice going and good luck with your green machine!
BC

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: New m35

Looks like it is pretty good condition. Nice to have another member of the non-turbo club.

 

[No.2Diesel]

RE: New m35

Hi SpruceDeuce.

Now that you have your dream vehicle, why not test it out? You are welcome to join your fellow Steel Soldiers on Columbus Day weekend 2007 at Rausch Creek Off-Road Park for some Truck trials and Fun. I see that you are 200mi. (crow flies) away. Our invasion force needs more vounteers. I hope to see you there!! Mark it on your Calendar!!

P.S. Have you started your PM?

 

[SpruceDeuce]

RE: New m35

it is an undescribeable feeling when the smoke stack is belching smoke and rumbling like thunder... I can't wait to go home again to change my oil and continue to figure things out

any recomendations on what brand/type oil??

rockman, can you pm me those pittsburgh contacts? cause I am going to need help with many things I am sure

if someone has a second could they explain Abeerdeen when/where/what???

thanks,

 

[SpruceDeuce]

RE: New m35

no. 2 diesel,

i am not sure what to do with the pm thing as far as setting it up. if someone could tell me i would appreciate it.

 

[clinto]

RE: New m35

"Aberdeen" is what everyone refers to the large MV Rally held every year at Cal Ripken Stadium….it used to be held at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Here are some pics from this year's event:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=12014

 

[bugei]

RE: New m35

also got mine in a tragic e-bay clicking judgement lapse. and chose to drive it the 450 miles, bend oregon to reno nevada. like a new daddy when you see it for the first time, huh?

congrats, from the other side of the world, but the same side of rational

 

[No.2Diesel]

RE: New m35

Download, Read, and Study all of the applicable TMs from this site.

Here is a summary of things to do: (some may think I'm being too kind for giving details to a newbie)(I still consider myself a newbie)

Change crankcase oil & oil filters: Use 15W-40 & Smell & Study drained oil. Check for fuel or coolant. Try to drain pan first then filter base. Clean filter canisters. When new filters go in lube o-ring and torque through bolt to 65ft.lbs.

Change all fuel filters: Primary & Secondary filters are same. Final filter is smaller. Clean all filter canisters and make sure all drain-cocks work. Put new filters in canisters and fill with fuel. Through bolt torque on all is 15-20ft.lbs. Lube O-rings. Don' let any canister rotate when torqueing!! This goes for oil too. Use in-tank pump to bleed fuel system. If in-tank pump is not working check the fuse and connections under the cover on top of the fuel tank. Fuse must be slow-blow. If you want to go even further: drain and clean the entire fuel tank.

Change air filter and blow out and keep old one.

Change all drivetrain fluids in Transmission, Transfer Case, and axles: All use GL-5 80W-90 that is yellow metal friendly. Inspect for synchro teeth and other damage.

Brake system: (This should be first) Check color of brake fluid (should not be muddy) Use DOT-5 only(easy answer) and add as neccessary. Lube AirPak by removing square plug on back and squirt some light oil in there. If bleeding system, bleed Master Cyl. first, then farthest wheel cyl. etc. Make sure you have a Soldier B for this.

Grease: Lubricate every single grease zerk on truck. You may need a tube or two. Also lube steering box.


There are certainly things I have left out. This should get your Deuce operating smoothly. There are a million places to get your filters and parts from.

Saturn
White Owl
Sam Winer
TNJ
Boyce
OD Iron
Memphis etc.

Good luck with your versatile tool.

 

[SpruceDeuce]

RE: New m35

thanks guys for the explanation and pictures of Aberdeen I hope I can make it next year with my deuce!!

also thanks very much for the info about tuning up and changing the fluids everything is new to me. My dad drove them but that was in the 70's and he never worked on them. He said when they had a problem they would drop it off at the maintence building and take another one. He also said where he was driving they had to use full tire chains just to have a chance at making it up the muddy hill to the base.

thanks again,
Bryan

 

[Elwenil]

RE: New m35

I don't think anyone explained "PM" yet, although No2 Diesel explained what it entails. PM is Preventive Maintenance and you will see it frequently on the manuals and here on SteelSoldiers. It's your new hobby and your best friend when owning a big truck, especially a military vehicle. A little work today will save you days worth of work and probably thousands of dollars later.

 

[houdel]

Re: RE: New m35

it is an undescribeable feeling when the smoke stack is belching smoke and rumbling like thunder... I can't wait to go home again to change my oil and continue to figure things out

any recommendations on what brand/type oil?

Your engine does not have a turbo, so it will smoke more. On the other hand, you should have a muffler, so it is a lot quieter than a turbo engine.

I would suggest 90% of our members use 15W-40 Shell Rotella T oil or equivalent quality name brand DIESEL engine oil. Note the oil MUST be marked to indicate it is suitable for HD diesel engines, engine oil formulated for gasoline engines won't work for long in a diesel engine, they don't have the proper additives.

 

[Banshee365]

Nice truck, mine used to be a non-turbo til i put the new exhaust and C turbo on it. Mine never touched the street without the turbo.

Not sure how good of an idea it is to run the front axle without the flange's. I would think you could possibly lose grease out of the bearings since there's nothing holding the grease in the outer bearing. I'll probably also be removing the middle drive shaft on mine until I hear about a hurricane coming. As for the front flanges I'll wait to get some desplined flanges.

-Kelly

 

[CanonNinja]

Damn man, good buy! I remember looking at those pics/movies when it was posted on Ebay, trying to get some friends out here to look into it. All you need is an afternoon with some sand paper, a respirator mask, and some flat spray paint and that rust will be a non-issue for a little while longer. Glad to see it was a reliable machine for you. Welcome!

 

[Manstein]

Good looking truck. I fell in love with one too back in highschool. It's a great hobby.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Welcome to the OD World and Steel Soldiers. Glad to see some young blood interested in the hobby. Enjoy it and drive it, thats what they like!

 

[Rattlehead]

Oh no, NOW you've done it! It all starts out with an innocent purchase of a deuce or other MV, then they start multiplying! Better start planning now for your acreage in the country with a pole barn!

Seriously, welcome to the hobby/addiction. Great group of people. Sounds like you got a great deal on the truck, and glad to hear the road trip went well. I'm sure you were excited and nervous of breakdowns at the same time. Got mine about 450 miles away. Then my 2nd MV was 550 miles away.

Some more tips on care for your new toy:

Keep the fuel tank towards the full side (good advice for any vehicle), as it minimizes condensation in the tank due to temp changes. Diesels don't like water!

Check your fuel filter drains for water regularly. Open the drain and let any water out. If you're lucky you won't see any. Buying fuel from high volume stations also reduces the risk of water in the fuel.

If you don't drive it regularly, look into a means of keeping your batteries charged. Myself and others on this site have used a Chargetek brand battery maintainer, cost is approx. $100, but it has 2 isolated 12v chargers so it will do a 3-stage charge/maintainence on each battery separately. Letting them sit for weeks on end with no charging shortens their life.

Check the condition of all the rubber brake lines (4 total, I think?) for dry-rot, and the metal lines for any rust. This truck has a single circuit brake system, so if you burst a line somewhere you have NOTHING, and your parking brake won't do squat to slow the truck down.

Another parts dealer that is in your state is Kublo's Surplus (www.kublossurplus.com). I have not dealt with them but have heard nothing but good from multiple people who have. Since the biggest problem with getting replacement parts for these trucks is shipping costs, having a parts dealer somewhat nearby is a good thing for the heavy stuff like tires, etc.