wrecker at home, but it wasnt cheap

[drjconley]

i bought my new wrecker at 300 pm and by 430 i needed a bigger wrecker to get it home. when i pulled in to get diesel i noticed oil leaking from the back side of the block next to the firewall. a gasket blew out between the block and the manifold and was spraying oil everywhere. i also then realized that i need a tow bar and the brackets on the front for the tow bar. can anyone help with a new gasket and advice on how hard hard and how long it will take to replace. i also need a tow bar and the mounting brackets for a 5 ton. on a bright note, before it was spraying oil i checked both winches and the boom and everything worked great. it has a multifuel and a hard top. i really like the truck, but my wife is a little upset with the entire thing right now.
jim

 

[CARNAC]

I feel your pain with the wife thing. Everytime even so much as a bulb or fuse blows it's the standard line.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Is this an M62 or M543A2? OD Iron has gasket sets for the multi. If you are going to have to pull the heads, may as well have them squared up. Figure a couple of days poking at it.

 

[TURKEY131]

My wife is very supportive of me buying my trucks...................yea right, I feel your pain

 

[drjconley]

i get the feeling that for most it is easier to fix a broken truck than to keep the wife happy about it. would od iron also be a good source to get the tow bar and associated hardware. my kids think the wrecker is very cool. my boy is nine and my girl is five. i think we have the wife outvoted.
jim

 

[drjconley]

what do i need to check to know if it is a m62 or a m543a2. my understanding is it only has to do with the boom. when it is light i can go out and check it. is one more desireable than the other. by the way it costs 175 dollars an hour to tow a 5 ton in california.
jim

 

[drjconley]

a few more questions, how long does it take and approximately what does it cost to square the heads. also will any machine shop be able to square the heads.
jim

 

[gimpyrobb]

 

[gimpyrobb]

Tow bars are few and far between. If you thought that tow truck was expensive, wait till you look into a tow bar.

 

[davidkroberts]

 

[gimpyrobb]

I think the M62 has 1 cyl to lift the boom, and the M543 has 2, 1 on either side of the boom.

 

[drjconley]

i am trying to add picures, i have my digital camera "canon eos" using the digital cable plugged into the port on the front of the computer. how do i make the computer take the image and put it onto this forum.
jim

 

[gimpyrobb]

Save the pics to the pc. then click "add reply" toward the bottom it will say "manage attachments" you can upload the pics 10 at a time I think

 

[DDoyle]

Would like to help - but need to know what model of wrecker you are discussing (or at least what engine is in it).

 

[hole]

drjconley, There is a MV wrecking yard of sorts down here in So Cal that has alot of 5 ton stuff including 6-9 Wreckers. Some of their stuff they will part out , others are complete units. To visit their yard is by invitation only and we try to go there every couple of months. Shoot Will Wagner a pm , he's usually the field trip cordinater. Congrats on your toy

 

[n1bnc]

Don't worry about the wife pain. This too shall pass... My wife was initially excited when my M135 first showed up years ago. It was certainly an expensive machine to take care of and certainly not wife user friendly. She likes the Unimog better and seemed to be more her size.

Yes, pictures are necessary for this sort of thread!

 

[gem1410]

Tow bars complete for 5 tons are $900 on ebay --I just bought some axel straps for a bar from Austin Aviation/HMMWV Surplus --Very quick shipping,

 

[joec]

I think the M62 has 1 cyl to lift the boom, and the M543 has 2, 1 on either side of the boom.

Here's a pic of My M543A2 winch is under the boom m62 is on the back of boom


TOW BARS CONTACT Eastern Surplus he has them. Plus adapters


LAST BODY IS M62 THANKS TO MD

 

[papercu]

What will you use to tow the wrecker? The M816 is about 40,000lbs. I guess the others are about the same. Wayne

 

[Capt Pat]

There are differences, check the data plate first if its still there. And just about everything you'll want for that "beastie" is expensive. My search for M-62 parts has proven that. Memphis Equip. has some of what you need, the towbar is another story, and they're right. I got lucky and found one years ago for a really good price and hung on to it. My wife will probably sell it for a really good price to somebody else when I'm gone...