My new M936A2 Wrecker

[SouthJL]

I have officially joined the wrecker club, assuming the only requirement is owning a wrecker. Very minor delay/issue unloading, but got it figured out after a brief moment of panic. Making a list of what it came with, what I need/want, and what needs to be fixed.




Not sure who had the bigger smile... my son or me!

 

[WV New Guy]

Very nice rig I hope after the learning process and repairs on my 923 are complete to someday also join the wrecker club.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Great looking truck, you can't wipe the smile away......it is glued on. What a BIG addition to your collection to start with! Carry on Sir!

 

[Cape Coastie]

Hey SouthJL, welcome to the site from Cape Cod, MA. Nice looking wrecker you got, mounted vice and all. Glad you got her running and off the truck. Enjoy the ride.

 

[catskillpond]

Good Luck the adventure begins remember drop every fluid and refill pull all wheels down to bearings. Before you use the crane and winches load test to check cables and thimble sockets.
You now have to answer the number one question when your at the pump filling up. WHAT THE **** ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THAT THING? ANSWER ANYTHING I DAM WELL PLEASE!!!!!!!

 

[SouthJL]

Best picture of the truck so far...

You now have to answer the number one question when your at the pump filling up. WHAT THE **** ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THAT THING? ANSWER ANYTHING I DAM WELL PLEASE!!!!!!!

I haven't even made it out of the neighborhood and already answered that question half a dozen times! Funny thing is... my answer was almost the same. WHATEVER I WANT TO.

It even came with some pleasant surprises...

Couple wrenches, fire ext., grease gun, set of new locks (w/o keys )


Chains, blocks, & pins


Need to lookup the BII list... not sure it calls for this many chains. A one inch, three 5/8 chains, what looks to be an extra winch chain, and eight 3/8 chains of multiple lengths.


Field chock blocks, boom jacks & tie bar, and whiffletree.


No tow bar or most of the hand tools, but wasn't expecting anything but the field chocks, as that was the only thing visible in the auction report pictures.

 

[rhurey]

Ok, I looked at that one. And now jealous.

Nicely done.

 

[WillWagner]

It looks like it was never used!

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Nice Truck and lots of BII to go with it!! Wreckers are cool and useful. I have used mine a number of times, pulled a motor from a truck, put my S280 shelter in and out of my M923A1. But it is heavy, be safe and have fun!!!

 

[muddog]

Nice looking truck, you were fortunate like me, my truck came loaded with most of the tools and two full tanks of fuel. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[DJones]

Nice score. Is this the truck out of Indy?

 

[Scar59]

Nice truck, plus all the BII. Now find the operators manual (TM) and keep it in the truck. Read it, and read it again
when you go to operate it. That truck is the Swiss Army knife of trucks, however it can hurt you very quickly.
Be safe,
JC

 

[Trailboss]

Nice score - even the whiffletree pins!

 

[wreckerman893]

Welcome to the wrecker club.

I don't know if you have checked into insurance but you will may run into problems insuring it as a wrecker. Ask me how I know.

And you will use it far more for a "boom truck" than you will as a wrecker.

 

[Csm Davis]

You will want to keep all of those chains and add a few more probably, if you find out you are missing something on the BII list give me a ring I probably have a few.

sent from my decrepit fingers

 

[Flyingvan911]

Very nice!

 

[dmetalmiki]

Golly! (as 'they' say). That is one huge truck for a first one. As said already, read up thoroughly, Much damage can be done in a trice with incorrect operation. Have to say I do like my M62, so useful, so nice to drive, it simply just does have that "special" feel ..and presence.

 

[SouthJL]

Sucks when real-life gets in the way of play. I wasn't able to do much of anything with the wrecker other than read some more of the TM last night. I took the day off when it was delivered, and now have to make up for some of the time I lost.

It looks like it was never used!

Was definitely used, just not abused too bad that I can see. If I wanted to be picky, there's plenty to complain about. Most of it is just related to sitting around being ignored form so long. There is a MWO tag from 2005 and a work-order type document titled "DEFERRED SHEET" with a 21 MAR 05 date on it. But I'm assuming it was used after that for at least a few years.

Nice score. Is this the truck out of Indy?

Yes, was one of three from there last week. I had bid on the other wrecker out of VA right before this one, but that one went for more than I had a budget for. Any clue what base/unit this would have come from since you are in the area? It was picked up from an off-base wrecker yard apparently.

Nice truck, plus all the BII. Now find the operators manual (TM) and keep it in the truck. Read it, and read it again
when you go to operate it. That truck is the Swiss Army knife of trucks, however it can hurt you very quickly.

I've been almost randomly reading bits of the TM for some months now. And yes, I plan on reading it more. The truck even came with a printed copy of the -10 in the cab of truck! I'm a hands-on person when it comes to learning. But I haven't even attempted to run any of the hydraulics yet, still got a lot more reading, learning and just looking at the truck to go before I go down that route. And like others have said, I have a lot of things to do to it first such as fluids and filters.

I don't know if you have checked into insurance but you will may run into problems insuring it as a wrecker. Ask me how I know.

How do you know? JK! I've read the little on this site about licensing/insurance and know that is a completely different battle that I'm not quite ready to take on. I would really like to take it out and show it off occasionally. But even if I never take it on the road, I'll still get plenty of work and play out of it here.

I need to make a list of things to do/fix and prioritize. If think too hard about it, I start to get overwhelmed. But it's in my possession, and I can work on it at my own pace.

Passenger side glass delamination
Air leak from the drivers side wiper motor
Remove the last two military batteries. Test and try to charge them.
Cleanup the battery box and properly wire the two new batteries
Read up how to use/test/diagnose the front winch.
Change oil/filters
And many more

Thank you all for the comments, suggestions and advice. I've been looking for a good hobby, and I have no regrets in the purchase. The fact that I can also use it around the farm makes it that much of an easier sell to the wife.

 

[SouthJL]

I spent a few hours this weekend just looking and touching it. Getting familiar with everything. Reading the TM is great and looking at B&W drawings help. But, it's completely different when you see the dirty, rusty, greasy parts in front of you. Wife probably thinks I've completely lost my mind lying on the ground under the truck just staring for 30 minutes.

And I've since learned that their are two versions of the TM's for the M939's on this site. I have the water separator under the passenger side dash leaking air at pressure, and try as hard as I could I couldn't find it referenced in the newer set of TM's. But, I was able to find it in the older set based on direct references on this site.

Is it both yes. The two manuals are "different", I can't say for sure if one has more or less, but they are definitely organized different. Wording is slightly different in places, so direct references to an old TM are harder to find if you have the new TM open. Just something for other newbies like myself to consider.

TM 9-2320-272-24-2, UNIT, DIRECT SUPPORT, AND GENERAL SUPPORT MAINTENANCE MANUAL (Link)
Dated Oct 1992
3-466. WATER SEPARATOR MAINTENANCE
Page 3-1278

TM 9-2320-272-23-5 TECHNICAL MANUAL FIELD MAINTENANCE MANUAL (Link)
Dated Sept 2012
Supersedes 9-2320-272-24-x
WP 0811 WATER SEPARATOR REPLACEMENT
Page 0811-1

 

[603hellmutt]

Are You talking about the CTIS air water seperator? If it is, I just had to replace mine and opted for a manual drain as apposed to the automatic makes life a little less complicated.