• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Supplies for a Long Trip

Wolfgang the Gray

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
323
69
28
Location
New River, AZ
I drove my M109a3 cold turkey fifteen hundred miles in feb, all the way to New Hampshire. I checked all fluid levels bought gear oil, engine oil brake fluid and rad fluid at first walmart on the route along with a grease gun and did a grease job. checked all tires and lug nuts, cked all u joints and the leak history, just spread out a news paper under the truck for an hour while your checking it over. Just tap the "first battery " in line for 12 volts, it will run you gps , radio ect . Headight mounted flash light, Pick up flares and warning triangles at wally world as well , if you break down . I did, It keeps your truck seen at night. Hearing protection is a must ! Break cleaner! if you push your truck too hard on RPM, have shrunk crank seals , or over service the engine oil the engine oil will seep omto the clutch disc. Pull the fording drain plug on the bell housing and douche the disc with brake cleaner, it will clean it and swell the seal , sealing the leak if the seal is not cut. Even if you have to stop periodicly as long as you watch the oil level in the engine you can clean it repetedly and PRESS ON. Ive driven it about 6 thousand miles in the last 3 years, never had to change a headlight! Alternators are crap, rest id rugged and reliable , keep rpm /speed in limits add 1 quart of Marvel Mystery oil to each tank of fuel judge you speed in s cornoers and plan stops , ENJOY
I'm really hoping I can avoid a breakdown. Mmy wife is going with me and I'm pretty sure she would freak out if we broke down (we had a bad experience with U-Haul moving from Omaha NE to Colorado Springs CO back in 1997 on a Sunday evening).

My mechanical skills? "The engine won't start." "Did you empty the ashtrays?" "That must bit it, thanks!" "9 times out of 10, I can pick the end of the vehicle where the engine is mounted." (stupid Volkswagen) :mad: I am an eager learner though and want to get so I can maintain my truck all by myself. I do great with computers and building things with wood, just seem to end up with extra parts leftover when I work on a vehicle. I will never give up though!

I was planning driving no faster than 55mph with the 395 tires. Is that too fast? Planned doing 500-mi per day (daylight hours) so hopefully headlights and head lights would not be used much. I can check fluids as we go and know where to add these things to the vehicle (I've been watching all of "Deuce and Guns" YouTube videos on owning an M35A2). I still shiver at the runaway engine scenario, but figured if it starts and runs right when I pick it up, it should be safe to get it home without having to worry about that (am I wrong in this theory???) There are a few hills on the way home too & the brakes out scenario is also a worry since I've been told the engine doesn't do engine braking. Not sure what do do in a situation like that other than keep it tires down on the road & away from other vehicles until things level out (or I plunge off a cliff). :-|


Ok, another question while I'm rambling, is the Identification No on the dash placard considered the VIN number?

Also, does anyone put one of those orange triangles (slow moving vehicle) on their deuce when driving on the highway so some semi doing 80 doesn't race up behind you & try to mate?
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,995
4,547
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
It might not be a bad idea to run with your headlights on even DURING daylight hours:

- It's just one more chance that nobody misses seeing you

I know, a Deuce, right!? But I've seen plenty of comments on this site about people pulling in front of even the biggest rigs like the rigs were invisible or something.
 

Xxtankmasterx

New member
5
0
0
Location
Montrose CO
It might not be a bad idea to run with your headlights on even DURING daylight hours:

- It's just one more chance that nobody misses seeing you

I know, a Deuce, right!? But I've seen plenty of comments on this site about people pulling in front of even the biggest rigs like the rigs were invisible or something.
I think it's a mixture of the camo and that people go into shock when they see it and lose control of their faculties. That's how I gained the MV addiction. (Though it was less of a losing control of the faculties and more of a WOOOO... I need one of those)
 

CARNAC

The Envelope Please.
Supporting Vendor
8,281
649
113
Location
Corpus Christi, TX
Whatever it is, it's from Texas; so I'm guessing it's BIG.

Everything is bigger in TX. Finding that out real quick. Since moving to PA, everything has shrunk by 50%. My livin space, my bank account, my number of dogs, my belly due to lack of home cooked meals, my P&#!$ size, everything. Really stinks.

You think I'm kidding about the TX cath....just wait. It'll get shook out of you.


No to the warning triangle. You need some high quality DOT approved reflective tape on the rear. Mark both sides and bottom. If it has NATO delineation markers, then that'd be real good.
 
Last edited:

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,995
4,547
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Everything is bigger in TX. Finding that out real quick. Since moving to PA, everything has shrunk by 50%. My livin space, my bank account, my number of dogs, my belly due to lack of home cooked meals, my P&#!$ size, everything. Really stinks.
It sounds like you're getting bent over quite a bit in that grand old commonwealth of PA, Mr. CARNAC.

And all that BOHICA action will tend to enlarge the entry point:

- So, in one way you ARE getting bigger. See?

Every cloud has a silver lining!
 
Last edited:

Jericho

Well-known member
1,180
69
48
Location
Landaff NH
The deuce is a reliable weapons system, I like to run mine about 50 53 mph the truck really likes 47 mph,47 seems to be the sweet spot when the engine isn't revving high and all the vibrations seem to meld into one smooth wave. I don't have any troubles driving it , like I said watch the corners, plan your stops BRAKING stops, and plan for stops along the way , 8 hours a day was enough for me. Simple down shifting on down grades is very good on the deuce. its not a monster by any means and will limp along with some sub systems not working quite well. Good basic hand tools , good fluid checks and take your time, I always run with all my lights on and I have a yellow beacon for night. If your driving with your wife treat her to a good hotel each night , she will need it after riding in the truck for eight hours HAVE FUN, BE SAFE
 

Wolfgang the Gray

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
323
69
28
Location
New River, AZ
The deuce is a reliable weapons system, I like to run mine about 50 53 mph the truck really likes 47 mph,47 seems to be the sweet spot when the engine isn't revving high and all the vibrations seem to meld into one smooth wave. I don't have any troubles driving it , like I said watch the corners, plan your stops BRAKING stops, and plan for stops along the way , 8 hours a day was enough for me. Simple down shifting on down grades is very good on the deuce. its not a monster by any means and will limp along with some sub systems not working quite well. Good basic hand tools , good fluid checks and take your time, I always run with all my lights on and I have a yellow beacon for night. If your driving with your wife treat her to a good hotel each night , she will need it after riding in the truck for eight hours HAVE FUN, BE SAFE
What size tires do you have on yours? Mine has 395s on it. 8-hour days at 47mph would take 4.5 days to make the trip home. I was hoping to do it in 3-days doing 55-mph with 10-hr days. If I need to cut to 47mph, I can do that, but will have to drive 12-hr days to make the trip in time. If I was independently wealthy, I could totally take my time, but for some crazy reason, my job wants me back at work so I can earn my paycheck. :naner:
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,266
2,962
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
What size tires do you have on yours? Mine has 395s on it. 8-hour days at 47mph would take 4.5 days to make the trip home. I was hoping to do it in 3-days doing 55-mph with 10-hr days. If I need to cut to 47mph, I can do that, but will have to drive 12-hr days to make the trip in time. If I was independently wealthy, I could totally take my time, but for some crazy reason, my job wants me back at work so I can earn my paycheck. :naner:
Don't you just hate those "unreasonable" bosses !
 

wallew

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,520
18
38
Location
San Angelo, Tx USA Planet Earth
Your computer or tablet. When you stop at the hotel each night, you can regale us all with how it's going and all the cute things your wife will say along the way. Edit judiciously. But IF you have a problem, yelling HELP to someone here will probably get someone to show up, at least to commiserate with you over what's broken. If you are lucky they might even be able to help you get it fixed and down the road. Worst case would be to tell you the great place to park it cheap so that it's still there once you can come get it in a week (or month or two ... don't ask why I say that).

YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. And your husbandly wit and charm because I'm pretty sure that your spousle unit won't have packed her humor when you say, "BUT DEAR, that's only a little smoke coming out of the exhaust stack. Wait until we hit a long hill and have to slow down to 25 mph!!" Yeah, fun things like that.

Finally, don't rush. Kind of like being a gunny. Smooth is slow. SLOW IS FAST. Get it?

OH, and your cell phone and a LIST of at least two or three people from here that live along the route. So saying 'From IL to AZ' isn't quite specific enough. If you want someone to help, you need to say like 'I70 to I25 to where ever. Then publish your travel dates as soon as you can so people here CAN help if they are available.

Just my .02 - I've done one long trip in a deuce and one really long trip in my dually. Similar time frames. One trip with a buddy riding along, the other solo. Having someone on the trip with you is ALWAYS a good idea.
 

Wolfgang the Gray

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
323
69
28
Location
New River, AZ
Your computer or tablet. When you stop at the hotel each night, you can regale us all with how it's going and all the cute things your wife will say along the way. Edit judiciously. But IF you have a problem, yelling HELP to someone here will probably get someone to show up, at least to commiserate with you over what's broken. If you are lucky they might even be able to help you get it fixed and down the road. Worst case would be to tell you the great place to park it cheap so that it's still there once you can come get it in a week (or month or two ... don't ask why I say that).

YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. And your husbandly wit and charm because I'm pretty sure that your spousle unit won't have packed her humor when you say, "BUT DEAR, that's only a little smoke coming out of the exhaust stack. Wait until we hit a long hill and have to slow down to 25 mph!!" Yeah, fun things like that.

Finally, don't rush. Kind of like being a gunny. Smooth is slow. SLOW IS FAST. Get it?

OH, and your cell phone and a LIST of at least two or three people from here that live along the route. So saying 'From IL to AZ' isn't quite specific enough. If you want someone to help, you need to say like 'I70 to I25 to where ever. Then publish your travel dates as soon as you can so people here CAN help if they are available.

Just my .02 - I've done one long trip in a deuce and one really long trip in my dually. Similar time frames. One trip with a buddy riding along, the other solo. Having someone on the trip with you is ALWAYS a good idea.
We were actually planning to get a GoPro camera & do kind of a documentary of our journey. Not the whole trip (come watch my home videos... for 3-4 days), just interesting parts. This is the longest road trip we have ever done so it is going to a grand adventure & the maiden voyage of our new-to-us M35A2. I'm planning to bring my laptop or at least my phone for uploading images to the site as we go.

The trip is from Bloomington, Indiana, passing through Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, & Flagstaff, AZ. I had planned a more backwoods route (save about 40-miles), but most people on here said the main roads were a smarter choice (just in case).

Travel time allotted is pickup 9 May & arrive NLT (with The Lord's help) 13 May. I was hoping to make the trip in 3-days, but members here suggest that may be too aggressive a timeline. However, I always try to over plan so hopefully I'll be back home in time to not get fired from work.
:)
 

swbradley1

Modertator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
14,254
1,723
113
Location
Dayton, OH
You might want to pick up a cushion for your passenger seat as in pillow or a soft blanket. Your wife will thank you for it unless she is driving. I can't tolerate more than about 40 miles at a stretch on that bench seat.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks