Recovery of a 5 ton wrecker M816 & a 2.5 ton M35a2c

[CHIEFSONN]

Well today was a good day for me. My good friend Ken Coffee came to my place with his FMTV wrecker to help me recover the two trucks that I purchased earlier this month.
The first truck that we recovered was the 5 ton M816 medium wrecker, with its weight being 35,050 lbs.So for safety purposes as we previously discussed earlier we did not want to take any chances using my M932a2 for towing.
Hooking up the dreaded tow bar was a first time for me and a good hands on experience for me.
As we towed the wrecker Ken had mentioned with a grin that there was sign of of the wrecker being towed,and holding a good speed
The next truck was a M35a2c hard top with a winch. both trucks were runners but with bad breaks, the wrecker had some to none and the deuce had none.
Thanks Ken
Pictures to fallow.

 

[Squirt-Truck]

Bet Ken just had fun playing with the toy....

 

[Coffey1]

 

[Coffey1]

The wrecker was a little heavy but not bad at all it behaved very nicely.
The deuce also behaved and felt like a little trailer back there.

 

[AMGeneral]

Nice recovery, I thought that 816 looked familiar, does it still have General Nuisance on the hood?

I was the first civilian owner of that M816, I put about 5000 miles on it in the few years I owned it, Mark bought it from me several years ago, It was featured in a Military Vehicles Magazine calendar some years ago.

The Chrome Yellow bridge plate and a couple others things gave it away. here are a couple pics of it while I had it.

 

[Coffey1]

Amazing it's staying in the SS family.

 

[SCM35A2]

Nice trucks!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Good thing you didnt loose the keys!

 

[Coffey1]

**** keys

 

[CHIEFSONN]

looking forward to bringing her back into action. I have to fill her with break fluid,she is empty,when I checked her master cylinder.? when bone dry how much brake fluid will be needed to fill the MS and break system.

 

[AMGeneral]

looking forward to bringing her back into action. I have to fill her with break fluid,she is empty,when I checked her master cylinder.? when bone dry how much brake fluid will be needed to fill the MS and break system.

I would buy a gallon, by the time you fill it, bleed it, then refill it, It may use that much.

I think I left that wrecker DOT 5 fluid, I'm fairly sure Mark only used DOT 5 as well.

 

[CHIEFSONN]

Yes there was a bottle of dot 5 inside the cab,thanks for posting the pictures of her in the past,the photos look awesome.I will try to keep the same colors on her when I re do her. I see she had a yellow eight on her passenger side door.you know what that meant,also the triangle what was that for. also a all yellow bridge plate ?
thanks

 

[AMGeneral]

Yes there was a bottle of dot 5 inside the cab,thanks for posting the pictures of her in the past,the photos look awesome.I will try to keep the same colors on her when I re do her. I see she had a yellow eight on her passenger side door.you know what that meant,also the triangle what was that for. also a all yellow bridge plate ?
thanks

To be honest, The markings on that truck were not period correct, the yellow bridge plate and door markings would be correct for a semi-gloss OD truck, Unless the passenger door has been replaced it should have a 17 in the yellow circle, that would be the unloaded bridge weight classification for that truck.

The bridge plate on the front has moveable numbers to be changed when towing a trailer or another truck, the number is assigned based on the bridge weight formula located in the operators manual.

 

[M1078MAN]

View attachment 766549View attachment 766550View attachment 766551View attachment 766552

Love me some 816, I started on a 543, and my 816, even after the unit got 936 with SSingles, they had to pry it out from under me.. Nice trucks

 

[CHIEFSONN]

I am aware of the reason for the bridge plate, and being able to change the numbers,I was questioning why the backing being all yellow.the ones on my truck and other trucks i have seen are green with black numbers. This truck General Nuisance, was given such a cool name, and I'm going to keep it. also has a metal triangle to the right of the bridge plate in front and is also painted on the rear of the truck. Maybe cause it is a wrecker?
And you are saying that the yellow number in the broken ring should also have a 17 instead it has a yellow 8 on the drivers side door.should both doors have the numbers a ring.should this truck for its time be semi gloss od, NAM era.
I thank you AM general for all your reply's, if there is any more the you can tell me about this truck it will be appreciated.