The good and the bad of owning something tracked and/or armored?

[wehring]

Big Weasie

I must be one of the few that thinks that tracked vehicles are the cats ass and not much more drama than a wheeled vehicle. Personally I would rather have my balls pounded flat with a mallet than to break down a 1600 michelin and put a new tire on a combat wheel. Done it dozens of times and hate it.

As for the social aspect of a truck over a track (i.e. can give rides in a truck) I can tell you that I have MANY miles in a track on public roads... full of folks! We have been to: get burgers at Sonic in TX, frozen adult beverages at a drive through daquiri shack in LA and buzzed through downtown Atlanta in GA for a convention.

I pull it on a gooseneck behind my F350 as it is only 11,200#. It has TX license plate and full coverage insurance. Fully street legal and a bucket of fun. Since the rebuild it has been little trouble except for a battery drain issue that is not relevant to it being a tracked vehicle.

All in all, this is my most driven vehicle besides my daily driven F350. ALWAYS a good time and ALWAYS a smile generator.


I say go for it!


Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[BBoomerBootCamp]

Justin, you have all the cool toys, when you coming back to Sedona to play with them??

 

[RangerBob]

So, I'd like some real world opinions on owning something tracked and/or armored. Personally, I've been looking at M114's, M548's, and other smaller tracked vehicles. But I'd love to hear from real world owners as to them. What are the perks, what are the negatives? What uses can they provide? What costs? What other things does one have to consider outside the normal realm of wheeled vehicles? I'm not trying to narrow it down to the M114 chassis, just a generalization.

In the realm of smaller tracked vehicles (not armored), here are the ups and downs of military snow cats.

Downs
1. Can't drive them down paved roads without the local road department getting pissy. The metal cleats and ice spikes tend to chink the pavement.
2. 25MPH is considered really fast.
3. Throwing a track sucks. Breaking a track really sucks, and includes digging and jacking in a few feet of snow, usually at night, at -20f.
4. Compared with blowing a tire, losing a track going down hill can mean an abrupt 90deg turn followed by a roll.
5. Track maintenance can eat up a lot of time.

Ups
1. Can go where no one else can... mud, sand, or snow... and in comfort.
2. Most have common vehicle drivetrains.
3. Decent fixer-uppers can be had for about the price of a Deuce.

Here is one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gIzvs4BCfw

 

[Robin Craig]

I have the privilege of operating and maintaining both rubber and steel tracked Hagglunds BV206 and CVRT variants and FV430 series at work. I really like both as they are well designed and relatively simple to maintain. I have learned from many others a wealth of operating information and have found that there are some basic key points to understand that make them fun. Fail to pay ayyention to those basics ends in mechanical failures and loads of problems. Like everything else common sense is key but some dont understand that and think gobs of money is a substitute, it is not.

Regards

Robin

 

[jdmcm]

Moving up to tracked armor was one of the scarier things I have tried in this hobby...but I have never looked back. My advice...go for it..you will not regret it!

 

[rustystud]

I just remember all the maintenance we had to pull on our M60A1 . You would go out for a few hours of "play" time then spent the next 4 days doing maintenance on the tracks and road wheels and etc.......
The same went for my IHC bulldozers. Use it for a day then pull maintenance for a week !

 

[jdmcm]

I agree maintenance can be extensive, but that is really one of my favorite parts, getting in there, getting dirty and seeing how things work...I get lost for hours fooling with the machines, I wouldn't have it any other way...now if your the kind of guy who gets someone else to wash his car and the thought of grease under your nails or a skinned knuckle or two makes you squeamish, armor, tracked or otherwise is not for you...in my humble opinion of course!

 

[rustystud]

I agree maintenance can be extensive, but that is really one of my favorite parts, getting in there, getting dirty and seeing how things work...I get lost for hours fooling with the machines, I wouldn't have it any other way...now if your the kind of guy who gets someone else to wash his car and the thought of grease under your nails or a skinned knuckle or two makes you squeamish, armor, tracked or otherwise is not for you...in my humble opinion of course!

As a mechanic by trade I have no problem getting dirty, it's just the amount of work needed to keep one of these rigs fully operational that's the problem. I like to "play" with my toys , not spend most of the time fixing them. In fact the suspension rods can break just setting there on a M60A1 due to the weight (60 tons) . Now if someone gave me a M60A1 I would jump at the chance to get it ! I'm just not going to mortgage the house for one. I would like to get one of those "Hagglunds" though. They seem like a lot of fun and the maintenance doesn't look all that bad either.

 

[datadawg]

I've seen some used by Airsoft and Paintball places for the BIG games, like the all weekend types. QUOTE]
What would an airsoft/paintball place do with armor?? They have a simulated war and guys ride in armor and get shot at with paintballs? I'm trying to imagine this, when you are driving armor, visibility is non existent, so there is huge risk that someone is going to run in front of you and get squashed. What am I missing?

 

[bikeman]

What would an airsoft/paintball place do with armor?? They have a simulated war and guys ride in armor and get shot at with paintballs? I'm trying to imagine this, when you are driving armor, visibility is non existent, so there is huge risk that someone is going to run in front of you and get squashed. What am I missing?

I know some paintball places use them, but I only have done airsoft in the past decade or so. There's specific weapons to shoot at the armor (bazookas shooting nerf rockets), and "hit zones" on the armor that if you get the special weapon in there, "kills" the armor. They are usually driving very slow on the roads, you'd have to be pretty dumb to be hit by it. the people in the armor are not the objective, just the hit zones. They usually meander around the field or act as support to an assault, but not completely how they would in real life, this is because of the limitations of the systems.

I've been around when they've used 5Tons and a Russian/German 4 wheeled armored car. Also been at some of the big games where there are "non-involved" vehicles driving around to just give some ambiance and such.

I've attached a picture of the armored car that is common, you can see the blue square on the side, that's the "hit zone". This car has been out and about for at least 10 years. Very common to see him in the upper midwest for the BIG games.

 

[datadawg]

I know some paintball places use them, but I only have done airsoft in the past decade or so. There's specific weapons to shoot at the armor (bazookas shooting nerf rockets), and "hit zones" on the armor that if you get the special weapon in there, "kills" the armor. They are usually driving very slow on the roads, you'd have to be pretty dumb to be hit by it. the people in the armor are not the objective, just the hit zones. They usually meander around the field or act as support to an assault, but not completely how they would in real life, this is because of the limitations of the systems.

I've been around when they've used 5Tons and a Russian/German 4 wheeled armored car. Also been at some of the big games where there are "non-involved" vehicles driving around to just give some ambiance and such.

I've attached a picture of the armored car that is common, you can see the blue square on the side, that's the "hit zone". This car has been out and about for at least 10 years. Very common to see him in the upper midwest for the BIG games.

Thanks! I have to find some places in Pennsylvania/NJ that would be interested in using my Saracen! For some reason I can't upload photos, but it's basically identical to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCCTKk0Jwk

 

[OldDuke6]

You guys, all need to get together and do a big pow-wow down in Schertz, Tx. at the VFW right on FM-78 (Farm to Market Road). They have a aging and decrepid M-60 sitting right there on the side of the road.. it's sad.. the breech has been butchered, the barrel is drooping.. As far as I know, it's a complete vehicle.. I know it has been moved a few times, for instance once when it was painted a non-Mil standard OD green..

Long story short.. SOMEONE needs to save that thing.. Google Earth Schertz, Tx. VFW and you'll see what I'm talking about.. It's still there to the best of my knowledge, as I have since 2013 moved out of state.

It's just a little NE on FM-78 from Randolph AFB, just before the intersection of FM-3009 and FM-78.

 

[patracy]

You guys, all need to get together and do a big pow-wow down in Schertz, Tx. at the VFW right on FM-78 (Farm to Market Road). They have a aging and decrepid M-60 sitting right there on the side of the road.. it's sad.. the breech has been butchered, the barrel is drooping.. As far as I know, it's a complete vehicle.. I know it has been moved a few times, for instance once when it was painted a non-Mil standard OD green..

Long story short.. SOMEONE needs to save that thing.. Google Earth Schertz, Tx. VFW and you'll see what I'm talking about.. It's still there to the best of my knowledge, as I have since 2013 moved out of state.

It's just a little NE on FM-78 from Randolph AFB, just before the intersection of FM-3009 and FM-78.

If it's at a VFW, that means it still most likely is owned by uncle sam.....

 

[bikeman]

If it's at a VFW, that means it still most likely is owned by uncle sam.....

Correct, my VFW is going through the process to get a vehicle. It has to be approved by TACOM and then is released to the most local Garrison Commander, who meets with the group and, based on what's available, provides an item. It is still USG Property AFAIK.

 

[rustystud]

I would love to have a M60 tank ! That is after all what I served on in the Marines. I never knew they sold any though. I thought they all went to the scrapper or foreign countries. At 60 tons that would cost a pretty penny even in todays market.

 

[teletech]

It's been a while since anybody chimed in and since I've had both progress and setbacks of late I thought I'd throw something out here.

I've had a pair of CVR(T) recon vehicles for coming up on two years now... Well perhaps had isn't quite right since it took almost the first year to buy them and get them shipped.
They were projects and I have limited time so the next year was disassembly, research, and picking at parts. Unless you count rolling down a ramp neither has yet to move under it's own power and I'm still months (years?) away from that. They have filled my shop with funky smells and oil spills, ruined a lot of clothes and given me some fair sized bruises in addition to the tinnitus from how loud the sucking sound in my bank account was/is/will be.
All that and I still don't regret it.
Even tripping over final drives while trying to get to my tools I have to snicker because I'm stumbling over my own personal tracked armour!

Of course since I used to own old wooden sailboats, you know I'm crazy.

Don't do it if you need the money for something else or don't want to spend more time wrenching on them than driving them and remember:
Everything about armour is hard-heavy-and hurts.

 

[rustystud]

It's been a while since anybody chimed in and since I've had both progress and setbacks of late I thought I'd throw something out here.

I've had a pair of CVR(T) recon vehicles for coming up on two years now... Well perhaps had isn't quite right since it took almost the first year to buy them and get them shipped.
They were projects and I have limited time so the next year was disassembly, research, and picking at parts. Unless you count rolling down a ramp neither has yet to move under it's own power and I'm still months (years?) away from that. They have filled my shop with funky smells and oil spills, ruined a lot of clothes and given me some fair sized bruises in addition to the tinnitus from how loud the sucking sound in my bank account was/is/will be.
All that and I still don't regret it.
Even tripping over final drives while trying to get to my tools I have to snicker because I'm stumbling over my own personal tracked armour!

Of course since I used to own old wooden sailboats, you know I'm crazy.

Don't do it if you need the money for something else or don't want to spend more time wrenching on them than driving them and remember:
Everything about armour is hard-heavy-and hurts.

I remember this guy I knew years ago that owned a WWII Sherman Tank. When I mentioned how I would love to someday own my own tank he laughed and said "then don't get married !" and "forget about buying a house !" . So "teletech" are you married ? and do you own your own home ? I suppose if you want something bad enough you will find a way !

 

[teletech]

Well, yes and no...it's complicated. The pertinent information is:
I'm a lucky guy in that the woman I love is willing to look at my toys as assets, at least as long as they don't get paid for out of the shared account. The relationship does cut deeply into the schedule, I'd have at least one driving already if I were single, but who would be my gunner?
I'm not luck in that you can buy a nice Sherman for less than a down-payment on a house around here, so being resigned to moving someplace cheap for retirement a few tens of thousands one way or the other isn't going to have any impact on my ability to buy a house.

I remember this guy I knew years ago that owned a WWII Sherman Tank. When I mentioned how I would love to someday own my own tank he laughed and said "then don't get married !" and "forget about buying a house !" . So "teletech" are you married ? and do you own your own home ? I suppose if you want something bad enough you will find a way !

 

[B3.3T]

Correct, my VFW is going through the process to get a vehicle. It has to be approved by TACOM and then is released to the most local Garrison Commander, who meets with the group and, based on what's available, provides an item. It is still USG Property AFAIK.

Any vehicle owned by TACOM must be demilled, including the engine.

 

[datadawg]

Everything about armour is hard-heavy-and hurts.

Those are wise words.

I'd also add "expensive" to the mix!