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Wreckerman's M927A3 cargo/tractor truck

wreckerman893

wreckerman893

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:tigger:

Well I've been threatening to do it for a while and I finally decided to do something radical with the M927.

For the last two years I've been hauling the circus wagon (Electronics Van Trailer) to the GA Rally behind the truck using a tow dolly and in the immortal words of Popeye the Sailor "I've had all I can stands and I can't stands no more".

Dragging that thing around is a real PITA since it is 72 feet long and you cannot back it up more than a few feet without jackknifing it.

Dropping off a steep hill will kick the Pucker Factor up several digits even for an experienced driver like me.

I just sold the M923 I bought last year and as part of the deal I kept the bed.

Since that bed is 14 feet long and the bed on the M927 is 20 feet long I decided to put the short bed on the M927 and mount a 5th wheel behind the dropside bed.

This will give me the added advantage of being able to side load the truck with the van trailer still attached.

Today was the bed removal day. I set the M923 bed off the bolster trailer and stretched the neck all the way out. The 20 foot bed fits perfectly on the bolster trailer and if I decide to leave the short bed on the truck I'm going to permanently mount the long bed onto the bolster trailer for a cargo trailer.

I have some industrial rollers (sometimes called "skates") and the idea was to jack up the bed from the rear and place the skates at strategic places under the bed frame and ease the bed off the truck and onto the trailer with minimal amount of wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth.

Ah....."the best laid plans of mice and men (and Wreckerman) oft go astray".

Right away the bed decided it did not want to move straight back and became canted to one side when the skates came out from under the bed on one side. I soon discovered this was due to the wood runners between the two frames being
rotted in a few places.

After some jacking and maneuvering we got the bed far enough back to stop for the day.

The project will be on hold a few days since I will be in Hotlanta working as an extra in a movie called "Bolden".

Here are some pics from today.
 

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wreckerman893

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
15,629
2,053
113
Location
Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
:tigger:

You couldn't back up a wagon without jack knifing it ?
Click to expand...
Not on my best day. The truck is 34 feet long with a cargo cover on it. By the time you see that the trailer is kattywampus it's too late to correct.

Did you make a movie of the exercise?
Click to expand...
No....ironically I don't even own a movie camera. I prefer to be on the other side of the camera. It's the ham in me.

Is this rig on schedule to make it to GA rally?! I enjoyed telling folks about the length of the rig but I understand the need for the change. Nice work!
Click to expand...
Barring an unforeseen a$$ whipping from Murphy the new rig will be there.
 
Recovry4x4

Recovry4x4

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Take a stick out to that M275 and stretch it from the kingpin hole to the back of the cab. The M373 clears the cab by less than a foot. From there you can measure how far back from the back of the bed to put the 5th wheel. With only 6 feet of real estate to work with, it might be very close. You might have to leave part of that 5th wheel off the back of the truck or switch to a deuce bed. Now here's a cool project. Move the axles all the way back, switch to a deuce bed and put an S250 in the front of the bed. SHazamm!
 
wreckerman893

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
15,629
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Location
Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
:tigger:

I went and picked up the 5th wheel today and other than being pretty rusty I think it will fit the bill. I soaked it with a mixture of diesel and veggie oil and hopefully that will free everything up.

I did some measuring and there is plenty of room behind the short bed for it. My IV cable will reach from the stock area to the trailer by running it under the frame and running it up in front of the 5th wheel. I have a set of long air lines that I use for flat towing that will go from the rear glad hands to the trailer via the same route as the IV cable.

This allows me to leave everything stock in case I decide to put the long bed back on after the rally.

Sorry for no pics but I was in a hurry to get ready to go back to Hotlanta tomorrow for a movie shoot.
 
wreckerman893

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
15,629
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Location
Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
I had two very long days on the movie shoot, Thursday was over 12 and Friday my call time was 03:45 and I didn't leave the Base Camp until after 8 PM.

Today was a light day for working on the M930A2 (I thought that one up myself).

I had to get the bed that came off the M927 secured to the Bolster Trailer so I could move it around without worrying about it sliding off the skates.

I also made it to my favorite junk yard and found a perfect way to mount the 5th wheel to the frame without doing any modification to it. I should be able to mount it on the existing bed mounts and bolt the 5th wheel to it. I'll have to bolster the steel plate a little since it is a hair less than 1/2 inch thick but it should be fine.

Since the van trailer is light I don't see a lot of stress on the 5th wheel under normal circumstances.

Tomorrow I'll shoot some pics if the weather cooperates.
 
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