Wrecker Identification Help needed

[CONFEDR8]

Gimpyrobb, I have no idea about the subject and this may sound stupid but how do you know that the piston needs repair? Recovry4x4, I know that, I wouldn't throw waste oil in the engine until I knew the engine both inside and out and know what it takes to run the waste oil. I was just kidding about throwing it in there.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Hydraulic cylinders are not difficult to repair, just heavy. If you can rebuild a wheel cylinder you can rebuild a hydraulic cylinder. To clarify, I just mean that it is simple, not that the parts or process is in any way similar. As long as the ram isn't bent that is. Anyway, it looks like you have two choices here: You can maybe buy it and then spend a crapton of $ getting it back in good shape just to have an outdated, slow, and cumbersome wrecker, or you can maybe buy it, part it out and MAKE some money, then scrap whatever is left and put that money toward a truck that is less hopeless.

 

[CONFEDR8]

For me, it isn't the money value that what I am after, I am after the uniqueness, and the history behind it. Just a little info, I am a military collector and the talk of torching/scrapping/parting the truck is like sacrilegious to me. Any destruction of a piece of history that is important or played an important role that is covered up by the actual war (like this wrecker) causes like a little piece of me to die. It hurts.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Then by all means, buy it. If that is how you feel we will help you bring it back to life.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Thanks Jeepsinker and everyone else. Just curious if I do get it, I noticed that the non-directional tires were shot, literally, there were holes in the tires. Would it be cheaper to convert the tires or keep the non-directional tires? What will last longer for mainly road/gravel/dirt roads?

 

[Jeepsinker]

The NDT tires should be just fine for what you intend. They are cheap too.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Ok, thanks. Dang, that is pretty cheap considering that it is a huge truck. I thought it would be $250+.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

It is way better than the M543A2 I got!

In then end I wound up parting most of it out, as the bed was just too far gone to restore.

I say try to get it and see what happens.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?91041-IT-S-ALIVE!-er-sort-of-M543-resurrection

 

[CONFEDR8]

Talking about the bed, I can prove that it is all surface rust because I was able to jump all over it and it stood up to me and I am atleast 145 lbs. I got a stick and was moving the pine needles around and there was about an inch in the bed. I don't think anyone saw the question but in the bed there was a heavy duty rope, maybe an inch thick give or take. Was this standard with these trucks or was this aftermarket?

Edit: Ferro, is that your video of the boom operation? I have seen it a couple of times. Also, nice Frankendeuce .

 

[m816 someday]

Go for it! I did. Are they expensive? Yup. Are they slow? Yes, but do you really need to go fast all the time? Are they under powered? Yeah, but it's picked up and moved everything I've ever asked it to. But is it worth it? Absolutely! I just took mine to a cruise-in at the local Home Depot. It took a while to get there, but all the people taking pictures, coming over to look at it, thanking me for bringing it, reminiscing about working on them or driving them in the service and the smiling, bright-eyed faces of the kids more than makes up for all the negatives.

The one I got was in a flood - water six feet over the cab flood. There was mud in the lights on top of the cab. Everything that could hold water, rears, hubs, gear boxes, etc. was full of water - 5 years after the flood. (It sat for 5 years after being in the flood before I bought it and started working on it) It took a lot of time and a fair chunk of change to get it this far and there are still some issues that need to be corrected, but it really has been well worth all of it. And, you might ask, if I had to do it all over again, would I? Absolutely... in a heartbeat.

 

[CONFEDR8]

OMG M816 I was up in Maryland not even two years ago. I should have joined you . Sounds like yours was worse than the one I am looking at now. And the nice thing is I don't need anything fast nor do I want anything fast. This will be super freaking low on insurance because of everything it is, a classic, built like a tank and kinda safe , slow, etc. but these are all pluses I my book. Though what I will save on insurance I will spend on gas and fluids. And everyone, if you are wondering, I do have a use for it, though if I told you, I would have to kill you .

 

[wreckerman893]

I know about checking for holes and everything. I need to check the oil level, that will be a pain. There are a couple of things, 1, if I keep the business on the side of it, I can register as a "work/job" vehicle (cheaper insurance ). 2, I probably could by stuff through them because it is a business, it might be cheaper (though I am not sure if this entirely true). And 3, I can use the used oil from the engine to fuel it so screw buying diesel for it

When I had my M816 money pit I called my insurance lady and told her what I had. She asked me what I was going to do with it and I said mostly use it as a boom truck but that I might occasionally use it to tow a new toy home. She said in that case you need commercial tow insurance. I said how much and she said "you don't want to know". We agreed that since I had farm tags on it she would write me a farm policy but that if I had an accident towing anything except a pintle style trailer (like a M105) that they would deny the claim and drop me like a hot rock. Keep that in mind when you think about what you want to do with it.
I replaced one big hose on the boom and left over a hundred bucks at the hose shop. They have to be custom made and the fittings will eat your lunch.
If you are a collector and want to save it please do. They are noble beasts but to do it right you are going to set down a chunk of cash. If you take on the task please keep us updated.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Wow, I though I would have better luck on insurance. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it. The only way to fix them is the right way, if to do something half@ss then something is going to fail on the truck. But don't worry, I will keep everyone updated. Does anyone know the weight of the truck and how much it will cost to tow it?

 

[Recovry4x4]

33,000+

 

[CONFEDR8]

Cool, thanks

 

[wreckerman893]

If there is someone in your area that has a heavier vehicle (HETT) you could flat tow it a short distance (assuming the tires will handle it) to get it home.

In my area it cost 300 bucks for a commercial wrecker driver to take his keys out of his pocket.

If it has been sitting that long the chances of driving it safely are slim to none.

 

[CONFEDR8]

I can check the tires to see if they are roadworthy (it only has to go about 15 miles one way) but I am not too confident. I wasn't planning on driving it back because of everything it needs and even if all that was fixed, I would still need to register it. I don't even think it has plates. The towing is something I do have to figure out. I live in suburbia so there aren't many towing companies that can to 15-20 tons. I could always push it .

 

[CONFEDR8]

On the grill of the wrecker, there is a circle with C and 72 bolted to it, what does go to?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

That is the bridge weight plate, means combined (truck and anything towed) max weight is whatever 72 means. There is a chart available that lists the weight and the corresponding number.

And yes, that is my boom operation video. If the bed would rotate, I wouldn't have gotten rid of the bed, as I just wanted the truck as a yard wrecker.

 

[CONFEDR8]

I will do some digging. I will also ask some Vietnam vets that I know and see what it means. But thanks though.