Bought an M931...now what?

[D6c]

Won a GL M931 that I haven't picked up yet and was wondering if there things I should especially look out for before starting it up. (it was sold as "driven onto lot")

Of course I'lll check engine & trans oil, and coolant. From one post I read the brakes can be stuck if it's been sitting a long time. Anything else?

At least I don't have too far to go with it, just about 60 miles. Since all I'll have is a bill of sale, no title or license on turck, it there any legal way to drive it home? What do you guys usually do, just take your chances with the DOT?

 

[Blind Driver]

Searching provides much information.

Calling your local license branch is priceless.

 

[Bighurt]

Most DMV's will provide temp tags to get the vehicle home. Assuming it's within the same state. As mentioned best to call.

 

[spicergear]

One thing you'll be doing is smiling while you're driving it. They drive really nicely. Oh, and the transmission will shift nice and smooth after it warms up so don't panic when the first 15 mins of cold shifts slam you around a bit...it's that thick engine oil in the trans.

 

[M813rc]

Have you read the -10 manual? If not, do so before you go pick the truck up. There is a lot of information in there you should know before operating the truck. (No excuses! It is in the 5-ton Manual section of the Forum ).

The rear brakes will very likely be stuck, 931's really like to do that for some reason. Take a big hammer with you, a few raps on the drums and rocking the truck back and forth should knock them free. Give them good raps, but not hard enough to leave dents on the metal, if you make marks you are hitting too hard!
Remember to stop after a few miles and check your hub temperature to make sure the brakes are not dragging. They will get real hot, real quick if they are!

Make sure you are at a complete stop before shifting from forward to reverse, or the other way. That transmission does not take kindly to doing it otherwise.

Pretty much all else you need to know is in that -10.

Cheers

 

[Derrickl112]

Bought an M931...now what?

Now you post pictures of it!

 

[D6c]

Here are a couple of pics from GL...didn't actually see the truck in person so it might be a suprise.

Downloaded all the manuals that were on SS...totaled something like 6,000 pages so I'll be a while looking through them.

 

[emr]

Beautiful truck, u will LOVE it, But I hate to be the one to say it, U bought it and dont know what to do next? Like said above there are about a gazzillion threads waiting for U to read, I am just asking no disrespect, i am sure u know alot more buying a tractor, here are a few things, 10wgt oil is the power steering, any motor oil is oil that will work in the motor , the mil uses 15/40 but in the day they used straight 30, 15/40 is whats recommended, the trans uses 10 wgt motor oil also, some have changed it on this site , i felt these trucks have used 10 for millions of miles and will run just fine on these fluids millions more, The transfer case and trans are to be respected, do nOT shift from forward to reverse or visa versa while rolling or high at a high idle, these transes are a 9 to one ratio in reverse, this is not a design flaw, it was what was asked for and they got, they work well and will last indefinitely with proper handling, they will slam into reverse and that is why the bulletins say NEVER back up in LOW because it is SOOOO Low , these are side shift transes and when they shift in low reverse it is like a sledge hitting the side of the case, and walla, a cracked case may result, this is easily avoided, There has been millions of miles after just some driver training and these problems went away, it was driver error, like 99 % of things that go wrong with our trucks, its good to ask, but take some time to read up too, alot of stuff on this site, Is this your first 939 series vehicle? if U want any other info i might be able to help with pm or e mail, . good luck... Sweet ride...

 

[D6c]

It's my first M939 series truck so I was just looking for the what-not-to-do items. Good to know about the trans stop-before-reverse rule and the brake sticking problems.

When you say don't back up in low, do you mean low side of transfer case? I can see that 9:1 in low range would get really slow.

I was suprised they didn't have an EUC requied on the sale, unless that's just an oversight. Though I'd call tomorrow and see about scheduling a pickup time. (Got to look into temp license too)

If they let me, I may go in one day and check the truck over, see if it will start, and if batteries are down, bring them home for a charge, and then go back to drive it home.

 

[BKubu]

It's my first M939 series truck so I was just looking for the what-not-to-do items. Good to know about the trans stop-before-reverse rule and the brake sticking problems.

When you say don't back up in low, do you mean low side of transfer case? I can see that 9:1 in low range would get really slow.

I was suprised they didn't have an EUC requied on the sale, unless that's just an oversight. Though I'd call tomorrow and see about scheduling a pickup time. (Got to look into temp license too)

If they let me, I may go in one day and check the truck over, see if it will start, and if batteries are down, bring them home for a charge, and then go back to drive it home.

It is not just that it is slow going in low range reverse. It actually means that you might damage your transfer case if you use low range reverse. I have even heard of transfer cases cracking! The data plate with the max and min speeds (directly in front of the steering wheel) actually says DO NOT USE REVERSE IN LOW RANGE or something like that.

 

[Bolkbich]

I was told that if i got the truck stuck with a heavy load on it and tried to cowboy my way out in reverse, breaking the transfer case is a definite possibility. This comes from a fella that has maintained and fixed a bunch of these truck used for spreading fertilizer for years. They sink them up to the chassis with a heavy liquid load. He said plowing snow back and forth in low range is not a problem. My m923 had the tag on the dash that said do not use low range in reverse. Im thinking its a blanket warning to keep hammer heads from breaking the transfer case.

 

[APM215]

I want one so bad! Nice truck

 

[D6c]

When I go to pick the truck up I'm thinking I'll take along (4) group 31 truck batteries in case it's batteries are dead (pretty likely)....they don't have some odd type of battery terminals do they?
Wish I had another truck and a slave cable to start it with.
--------------

After 3 or 4 phone calls it seems there isn't any "legal" way to drive it off the base. You can't get a temp permit without an SF97 form and you can't get an SF97 without first taking posession of the truck. Catch 22...

GL says they don't allow any vehicle to be driven off the lot, but the staff on base doesn't care how it leaves. (No GL staff on site)
I can either take a low-boy and haul it or drive it off and take my chances with the DOT.
--------------

 

[Ressoldier]

Take some fresh diesel and a 10mm wrench. Even with daily use overseas I sometimes had to bleed the injector of air. On top of the injector pump you will see a 10mm bolt, turn slightly and you will hear air escaping, close and try to start again. Also there is a solenoid for the emergency stop that will stick sometimes if someone shut the engine down by pulling out the handle.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Congrats on the WIN.
Godspeed on the RECOVERY.

 

[davidkroberts]

i will tell you because it will happen if you dont watch yourself. Donot use the emergency stop pull to stop the engine like you would in a m35. If you do its not going to start until you reset the lever on top of the injection pump. Read the operators manual completely and download the rest onto a kindle or something incase you have any issues. Everything is pretty well covered in the manuals if you will take the time to look.
I love my 931 and wouldnt take anything for it, good luck.

 

[73m819]

I would haul because of unexpected surprises since you DID NOT preview, we had one member that had a "driven on site" ended up with no starter/alt. and a bunch of other problems, other members have had the same type of surprises from NOT PREVIEW wins

 

[Ord22]

that is true, they will crack, big time. i should know, i broke one when i was in the army. didn't think about it, put it low and cracked it. thank goodness i was in the army or else it would be kinda expensive. i was so use to driving the m800 and m35 series trucks, i didn't stop and think. lesson learned

 

[wikallen]

If this was at Dodge, and it was listed as driven in, you can almost count on it being a driver. They also provide a jump there if you need it. When you call to set up your appointment, they will usually tell you if its a good runner or not.

 

[spicergear]

I was told that if i got the truck stuck with a heavy load on it and tried to cowboy my way out in reverse, breaking the transfer case is a definite possibility. This comes from a fella that has maintained and fixed a bunch of these truck used for spreading fertilizer for years. They sink them up to the chassis with a heavy liquid load. He said plowing snow back and forth in low range is not a problem. My m923 had the tag on the dash that said do not use low range in reverse. Im thinking its a blanket warning to keep hammer heads from breaking the transfer case.

ALSO, I posted this question in another post but not sure if anyone followed it up; by the way the transfer case was described as working, when you put it in low range it automatically pulls in the front axle. Of course you can pop something because the front axle has all the traction in the WORLD. I know the Allison and torque converter don't help, but if the front axle didn't come in you'd have low range to the tandems and a little forgiveness...if needed. I'd rather pull the front in when I want it in.