Mile374
New member
- 2
- 0
- 0
- Location
- Slana, Alaska
Last year at this time I didn't know an M939 from an M817. But I'm certainly getting an education.
As the treasurer, de facto purchasing agent (also mechanic, janitor, etc.) for a small rural community in Alaska, it was my pleasure to write a check last fall for an M929A2 in very good shape, and then drive it home, where it was put to use almost immediately. Fast forward to just over a month ago. Six or seven M923A2's and M925A2's were sitting in the lot at government surplus so I called to get an idea what they were going for. The price sounded right, and I took it to the board of directors. With two others, we drove in to make a purchase of two, possibly three. After seeing that we were serious, the man in charge quoted an even better price if we would take four. A hurried telephone conference with other board members, and we closed the deal with another check.
Picked out two 923's and two 925's, and the two that started the quickest AND had working personnel heaters (it's still getting well below zero here at night) were driven off that afternoon. Of the two left to pick up, one had a bad alternator and both had bad batteries. A new alternator has been installed on the 925 that needed it, along with a pair of Interstate 31-PMHD batteries. The four trucks had two slave cables between them, so I'm waiting until the trucks get home to swap out the batteries in the 923. As long as one starts, it can get the other one started (I hope). Both of these last two trucks have good, working personnel heaters, but we'll wait until it warms up to around freezing to go in and pick them up for the trip home.
After getting the 929 dump truck, I started downloading TM's and believe I have most of the important ones. Locating sources of parts is the next major task, although all the trucks have been pretty well maintained by their looks. Due to these trucks possibly seeing wintertime (in Alaska!) use, a drum of Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 synthetic has been procured to help with cold weather starting as well as protecting them if someone gets forgetful about maintaining them on schedule.
All the tires have plenty of meat on them, and most hold air - to some degree. But with 5 trucks equaling 35 tires, we should be able to find a spare somewhere if we need one. With a background as a diesel mechanic, as well as once being co-owner of a truck repair shop, working on these trucks will be primarily a matter of becoming familiar with them. But there are undoubtedly areas where the process can be sped up through reading posts on this forum and, when that fails to yield the necessary info, asking questions of the knowledgeable members who frequent this site.
In a way, I now know how a first-time father of quintuplets must feel.
Looking forward to sharing stories, photos, lies, and advice with the rest of you.
As the treasurer, de facto purchasing agent (also mechanic, janitor, etc.) for a small rural community in Alaska, it was my pleasure to write a check last fall for an M929A2 in very good shape, and then drive it home, where it was put to use almost immediately. Fast forward to just over a month ago. Six or seven M923A2's and M925A2's were sitting in the lot at government surplus so I called to get an idea what they were going for. The price sounded right, and I took it to the board of directors. With two others, we drove in to make a purchase of two, possibly three. After seeing that we were serious, the man in charge quoted an even better price if we would take four. A hurried telephone conference with other board members, and we closed the deal with another check.
Picked out two 923's and two 925's, and the two that started the quickest AND had working personnel heaters (it's still getting well below zero here at night) were driven off that afternoon. Of the two left to pick up, one had a bad alternator and both had bad batteries. A new alternator has been installed on the 925 that needed it, along with a pair of Interstate 31-PMHD batteries. The four trucks had two slave cables between them, so I'm waiting until the trucks get home to swap out the batteries in the 923. As long as one starts, it can get the other one started (I hope). Both of these last two trucks have good, working personnel heaters, but we'll wait until it warms up to around freezing to go in and pick them up for the trip home.
After getting the 929 dump truck, I started downloading TM's and believe I have most of the important ones. Locating sources of parts is the next major task, although all the trucks have been pretty well maintained by their looks. Due to these trucks possibly seeing wintertime (in Alaska!) use, a drum of Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 synthetic has been procured to help with cold weather starting as well as protecting them if someone gets forgetful about maintaining them on schedule.
All the tires have plenty of meat on them, and most hold air - to some degree. But with 5 trucks equaling 35 tires, we should be able to find a spare somewhere if we need one. With a background as a diesel mechanic, as well as once being co-owner of a truck repair shop, working on these trucks will be primarily a matter of becoming familiar with them. But there are undoubtedly areas where the process can be sped up through reading posts on this forum and, when that fails to yield the necessary info, asking questions of the knowledgeable members who frequent this site.
In a way, I now know how a first-time father of quintuplets must feel.
Looking forward to sharing stories, photos, lies, and advice with the rest of you.
