Waiting on a M817 with winch by chance???

[91W350]

We saw this nice looking M817 on a Smoth Operators Truck in Southeastern Missouri, along US 54. It was not as long as I expected. It was on singles, 16.00X20s. Nice truck, wish it was coming to my place. Glen

 

[BKubu]

Does anyone else think that those tires look way too big for that truck? The tires almost touch betweem the rear axles.

 

[CUCVFAN]

Yup.

 

[91W350]

The photo of just the tires has my billfold between them. It would not pass through and it was not because I had a large roll of cash in there, wish I did. I wonder how much they scrub against each other in mud. Not the tires themselves, but the opposing balls of mud.

 

[CUCVFAN]

And, how much do they grow at highway speeds...

 

[Rgdl]

Looks like there's a lot of road salt on that truck. Hope they hose it down as soon as it's delivered.

 

[BKubu]

Man, I did not see your wallet in there. I also wondered if the tires would rub the underside of the fender and bed when off-roading.

 

[91W350]

Yes, it is covered with salt or that calcium magnesium acetate solution that some states, including Kansas are using. Either way, it needs to be washed off as soon as possible with lots of pressure and hot soapy water.

 

[91W350]

Bruce, it sure looks like it would. I would love to have a 5 ton on those tires, but I want a 4x4 version.... (slap me now) with a shortened deuce bed. I would like to get a M818 and cut a corner out of the bed when we shorten it for the spare tire mount, then squaring up the front of the box by making a toolbox in the little rectangular corner left by the cut out. I found a nice drop side bed, I am just short a five ton. This M817 would be great, I could surely sell off the bed and hoist parts. Glen

 

[clinto]

With 10 or 20K lbs in the bed, I'll bet that poor thing can't even get out of it's own way.

Big tires may look cool but they kill the driveability of these trucks.

 

[Rgdl]

Bruce, it sure looks like it would. I would love to have a 5 ton on those tires, but I want a 4x4 version.... (slap me now) with a shortened deuce bed. I would like to get a M818 and cut a corner out of the bed when we sorten it for the spare tire mount, then squaring up the front of the box by making a toolbox in the little rectangular corner left by the cut out. I found a nice drop side bed, I am just short a five ton. This M817 would be great, I could surely sell off the bed and hoist parts. Glen

I have a similar idea but using a Unimog 404 drop-side bed on an M-818.

 

[Josh]

M817s look much better with 1400's in my opinion.

 

[jcappeljr]

I have 1600s on my 817 and they do not rub the bed or touch each other,and i use my truck off road in my excavating business.I know they look like they would.

 

[ODdave]

"Big tires may look cool but they kill the driveability of these trucks"

i dont know about the 5-tons but I put 395's on my m35 and it greatly increased the ease of drivability. plenty of power and turns WAY easier.

 

[clinto]

"Big tires may look cool but they kill the driveability of these trucks"

i dont know about the 5-tons but I put 395's on my m35 and it greatly increased the ease of drivability. plenty of power and turns WAY easier.

I was more referring to the M809 series-very heavy, non turbocharged, etc.

Go ask a wrecker owner, or better yet, JWaller and his 818.

 

[ODdave]

so are they rough on a 5-ton? i ask b/c i know of someone wanting to put 16.00's on theres

 

[91W350]

I do not know, but I would expect a lot less tire scrubbing from the large singles than we have from the tandem duals. Looks to me like they would make the truck less bound up steering on hard surfaces, or less likely to push the front tires. I would also think we would suffer a little power loss from the taller tires. If you are like me and never planned to haul much more than a couple of dogs and maybe some spare parts around or camping gear, I doubt we would ever miss the power.

 

[wreckerman893]

With 10 or 20K lbs in the bed, I'll bet that poor thing can't even get out of it's own way.

That is why they have LOW RANGE. If you know how to split shift you can use the low side to get rolling and then go into
the high side to run highway speeds.

 

[KsM715]

So who buys these trucks for their driveability? As soon as I get the deuce bed w/dump capability on my 818 the next step is 14 or 16's. (I'm leaning towards the 16's)

 

[DaveP]

I put the 16's on the M819 out of desperation.

the 1200's it came on were junk and I allready had the 16's here.

they look cool but rob a lot of the small amount availible power.

it was nice to run down the road with and even pass other vehicles.

i have since found a set of 1100 radials and It's much happier.