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What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

US6x4

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Wenatchee, WA
I lasered out a gusset and a few brackets at work for the fender supports and finally got them welded up. That completes the 3 fender reinforcements I needed to mirror the driver side.
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74M35A2

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Livonia, MI
My boss has (had) one. Was drilling holes in his boat hoist, kid tripped over the cord, the thing shut off, detached, and fell to the bottom of the lake.
 

rhurey

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Bothell, WA
My boss has (had) one. Was drilling holes in his boat hoist, kid tripped over the cord, the thing shut off, detached, and fell to the bottom of the lake.
Funny. I borrowed a used one. The safety strap was still shrink wrapped. It isn't anymore.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
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Mason, TN
Added a Draw-Tite hitch.

View attachment 738609

6 frame holes to drill, no rear rivets need removal.

And man, do I want a mag-drill now.
In the event you never have a mag drill and drill thru frames you can use a champion 1/4" steel bit and a 1/2" or 5/8" frame reamer. Takes about 30 seconds to punch thru the frame with the 1/4" bit and the frame reamer will step up all the way thru the frame in under a minute of slow rpms.
 

8madjack

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Location
Gold country Ca.
Got my water tank mounted on my skid that I made and loaded in the back of the truck20180821_131816.jpg20180821_134440.jpg20180821_135022.jpg20180821_141345.jpg

I'm a little concerned that the weight will be back a little too far if anybody has any thoughts on that feel free to give me some input. 20180821_142644.jpg you can see with the short wheelbase the center of the tank is basically over the front edge of the rear tandem. I'm not planning on going down the highway with it but just wondering what some more knowledgeable people think. Also does anybody know what those little tie-downs are rated for better inside the drop sides? I don't plan on using in the hold a full tank in the back I've kind of got a system in my mind but I haven't found anywhere what their rating is.
 

SCM35A2

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Florence, SC
It is amazing how my M929 captures people's attention. I think it's the camou paint scheme and desert tan rims. Everywhere I go I get complements about how cool my truck looks. I didn't intend for it to look this way, but that's how it is... It's a working ranch truck for pasture improvement projects. I have been asked to show up at car shows and other events in my home town. I haven't done the parade tour yet, but I will when I get XM818 King Cab finished. Maybe I will paint the 818 camou too.

View attachment 737716 View attachment 737717View attachment 737719 View attachment 737718 View attachment 737720

Anyway, I welded a chain hook to very back bed cross member. I raised the bed and winched a 1000lb safe into it with ease using a Harbor Freight 1-ton chain hoist. I was going to take pictures of it but forgot. Usually I have to get the Kubota SVL-90 track loader to left stuff like that. Now I know how to handle that spare tire up & down with ease.
Looking good!
 

TechnoWeenie

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Nova Laboratories, WA
Got my water tank mounted on my skid that I made and loaded in the back of the truckView attachment 738863View attachment 738864View attachment 738865View attachment 738866

I'm a little concerned that the weight will be back a little too far if anybody has any thoughts on that feel free to give me some input. View attachment 738867 you can see with the short wheelbase the center of the tank is basically over the front edge of the rear tandem. I'm not planning on going down the highway with it but just wondering what some more knowledgeable people think. Also does anybody know what those little tie-downs are rated for better inside the drop sides? I don't plan on using in the hold a full tank in the back I've kind of got a system in my mind but I haven't found anywhere what their rating is.

Water is 8.34 pounds.

8.34 * 750 gallons (Just a ballpark)= 6255 lbs...

Not bad, right?

Wellllll

Water is dynamic, not static... Any turn, change in velocity/momentum, angle of attack (hill), etc will cause a lot of force to go in some direction.

3 tons doesn't sound like much. but wait until it's being pushed sideways by taking a corner too fast, or changing your center of gravity on a slope.
 

TechnoWeenie

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*NSFW* mild language

https://youtu.be/SGrdXGzJZc4?t=45s



You'll see how gently they drive, and how low their center of gravity is...

They have 1000 gallon tanks and 100 gallon foam tanks.

Those alarms you hear are the tilt alarms, advising the apparatus operator that the vehicle operation is unbalancing the truck.

Please, if you have no experience driving a truck with a dynamic load, get professional training... It's not anything to take lightly.... It's not just 'slap a water tank in the back'.... that's how people get killed...
 

Buffalobwana

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Frisco Texas
I have a 1000 gal tank like that on a trailer. I’ll tell you, it’s easier to pull it full than half full. Techno weenie is right about the load shift. It slops around a lot. The shape of the tank helps a little bit, but there are no baffles in that tank to reduce the movement. And mine is only 12” off the ground.

I thought about putting it in my 923A2 but didn’t think about the side to side slop and the high CG. This is a potential issue with yours more than a 923.

As for the hang off.

Consider you have a 7000 lb weight balanced on the rear axle. A bit unusual but doable in a 22,000+ lb truck. But sometimes consider a shifting 3000-4000 lb weight, if it’s 2/3 full or 1/2 full. You accelerate and take a left turn going slightly uphill.

Now where is your weight?

I don’t know what your plans are with it. But, If it were me, I wouldn’t be too afraid of this setup. I would only haul the tank completely full or empty, because of its awkward configuration.

A full tank is a known setup, in weight and a distribution. You are unlikely to be surprised with a full tank in the back.

Nice job on the tank skid.
 
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8madjack

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Location
Gold country Ca.
First of all, thank you guys for the detailed and thoughtful replies, exactly what I'm looking for. I am aware of the dynamic load which is why I plan on filling that thing with wiffle balls/baffle balls. Also the skid will be bolted down securely so it cannot shift from the force of water sloshing around.

I only have a 3 structures to be concerned about within a hundred and fifty yards of each other, my driveway to my house is steep but the rest of it is pretty level ground.

Full the tank should weigh about 13,000 pounds. My travel will be in a straight line barely above idle if I move from one side to the other it's more about the ability to move the tank then actually respond to anything with any quickness. My planned use is to be able to gel the buildings of a fire is coming and attack any spot fires around the buildings. Any turns are so tight that I will be moving very slowly, walking speed or less, if I do have to take any turns more like doing a K turn at the end of the street and then actually driving around a turn.

If I do wind up driving down the road it will be either with a completely full or completely empty tank it would be to go refill it quickly from a hydrant or something. And as far as training goes I think I might have a leg up my dad has 3 million accident-free miles driving tankers and was New Jersey driver of the year .I'm definitely going to hit him up when he comes out in September!
 

rhurey

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Location
Bothell, WA
The small ones are 1000 gallons.

4500 gallons isn't uncommon. 70 MPH on the runway also isn't crazy. Dual 700 HP engines.

They are amazingly fun to drive.

And have a piercing nozzle to stick inside the hull if needed.

Anywhere on the field in < 180 seconds.

You could see the water spilling out the lead units overlflow on every turn.
 
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Buffalobwana

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I worked at our local FBO (airfield) when I was 18 getting my private license. My job was to fuel and wash the planes. Grunt work. The airfield was an old Air Force base. The strip was 9000’ long.

We had a 2500 gallon Jet A fuel truck that serviced the turboprops and jets. The fueling tank to fill the truck was at the opposite end of the airport as our Base.

We would fill it full of fuel, and then see who could hold the record for getting it going the fastest down the tarmac before we reached the FBO.

One of my many tricks that failed to yield me a Darwin Award.
 

Buffalobwana

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Frisco Texas
That’s what youth is for!

Still surprised I made it. Statute of limitations ran out a while ago on everything I did, so I can talk about it all all now. :D
 
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