Trying to obtain a M920...

[Bighurt]

I've been following the rash of M920 auction on GL and they are closing at prices that make bidding tempting. Trouble is providing justification to the wife that I need one...

The wife thinks the Duece is enough, to which I disagree, I'd like a M920, M818 and an M125 but I suppose that's what an addiction is.

I'm open to suggestions and will entertain persuasive arguments against a 75k beast. However license, title and insurance aside, I'd like to here thoughts from owners or past owners.

Also anyone want to share what shipping the shipping costs were?

Maintenance costs are also a mute point as none of the above are intended to be daily drivers or revenue service vehicles. However I am a licensed construction contractor, as well as maintain commercial driving qualifications. Neither my primary source of income.

Thanks

 

[Floridianson]

Unless you are going to work a 920 it's just a big toy that will stop them in there tracks to look. You might try water boarding on the wife.

 

[swbradley1]

If I wasn't still paying for the concrete in my barn I would get one. Big toy or not it's just too cool to not want one.

sw

 

[wreckerman893]

I loved my 915 but it was a green hole in which I was continually pouring money into.

Before you commit do a lot of homework on the associated costs of owning one.

The 920 is a cool beast and if I were independantly wealthy I would have one parked next to my HEMMT and Huey.

Parts, while generally available, are expensive.

They will also suck the bottom out of a fuel tank.

Other than the cool factor they are somewhat impractical for the average person.

Freight rates should not be any higher than for a wrecker or other large MV.

 

[Andy1234]

Shipping will be approx $2.50-$3.50/mile. It'll need to be loaded on an RGN (lowboy) due to height and weight issues. No oversize or overweight permit is needed. The truck itself weighs 32K lbs, so a RGN will easily handle it.

I recently had one hauled from Ft Stewart, GA to StL for $2300. A member here, Stanlely McChrystal, is a landstar rep and he took care of me.

Loading can be a challenge, as GL is now becoming more and more unwilling to help load the trucks. I got lucky, my shipper, Stanley, was stationed at Ft Stewart back in the day, and was able to get ahold of the Motor Pool Sgt at the lot. The Sgt jumped it, and it drove on to the trailer. The GL rep helped, but it took some persuasion.

Mine has 2K miles on it, rebuilt in TX in 05, new engine, new trans, new tires, yet when I unloaded it 2 of the tires were flat, , one of the drop axle links was broken so the axle didn't raise all the way, the batteries were wired wrong (and dead), and the alternator cooked itself within 3 miles.

I had originally planned on driving it home, but due to work issues I didn't. It seems that I was rather lucky in choosing to buck up and have it shipped.

Working on and fixing these monsters is niether easy, nor cheap. Removing the alternator took Hairba11 and I every bit of 2 hot and sweaty hours, and it wasn't pleasant.

But they are a blast to drive!

Buy one, you can always sell it. Figure scrap is $150/ton. 32K lbs is 16 tons. 16 x $150 is $2400. The one's in GA last week all sold for less then $6K. So, you can buy one, sell the engine for it's core value ($3K) and then scrap the rest and nearly break even, if things go bad.

Andy

 

[Bighurt]

Thanks Andy and everyone else. Yes those were the ones I watched, should have bid on the ones in Devils Lake 3 wks ago but alas, I didn't. Those where right down the road, I could have recovered that myself, issue would be not being able to drive off the lot.

I'm doing so research but I figure a CCC platform would be easier to get parts for than lets say a HEMTT.

Biggest hurdle right now is no space on the property but I'm hoping to get that solved in a year, then its on Green Fever...

I'm in my research period and if if any of you knew me, It'll be 2-5 years and my goal will be reality.

Oh and I did consider hauling harvest with it but someone said the height of the 5th wheel and the pin size were not compatible with standard equipment. At 6k I could pay for the truck in 2 seasons, then its just maintenance and fuel costs.

Yes 5 mpg isn't bad but compare what it pulls at that rate to say my F350,

F350 8500 +15700 = 24200 at 9 mpg = 2688 lbs per mile
M920 32000 + 75000 = 107000 at 4 mpg = 26750 lbs per mile

F350 $35000 + annual mx costs = $42875 5 yr investment $8575 before fuel
M920 $8500 + annual mx costs = $33500 5 yr investment $6700 before fuel

All numbers estimated

That's not proof just conjecture but you can see how the number weigh...

Cheers

 

[maddawg308]

I'd love to have a M920 as well, much like Soni H. has done up. Also, a M925, a HEMTT, a M125 (although Bruce Kubu says it's overrated), and an Atomic Annie cannon setup. But truth be told, I have neither the space or the money to deal with all of them.

Heck, it's hard enough dealing with the litany of trucks I have listed below, keeping a few here, a few elsewhere, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Andy1234]

For fifth wheel height issues, I plan on removing the large pin hitch and the ramps. I will then install a low profile 2-1/2" hitch approx 2' further back.

That should work on every non-military trailer that is on the road today, as long as the landing gear will raise the trailer up to the top range of it's travel.

The truck comes w/ both 24V military and 12V non-military electrical hook ups.

Most parts appear to be available commercially (so far).

Also, there are a few coming up soon that are relatively close to you (oops, did I say that?)...

Andy

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Im thinking of making the trip to get one also soon. Nice info some of you put out that helps.

 

[Bighurt]

For fifth wheel height issues, I plan on removing the large pin hitch and the ramps. I will then install a low profile 2-1/2" hitch approx 2' further back.

That should work on every non-military trailer that is on the road today, as long as the landing gear will raise the trailer up to the top range of it's travel.

The truck comes w/ both 24V military and 12V non-military electrical hook ups.

Most parts appear to be available commercially (so far).

Also, there are a few coming up soon that are relatively close to you (oops, did I say that?)...

Andy

That makes sense...

And Yes I know...but alas I'm short 10k atm... Maybe in a few months. Wonder if you could do a bank loan on one...LOL

 

[Bighurt]

Hey, curious as to what your mileage I was estimating between 4-5 mpg, however the manual has 2.5 however I think that was the older Big Cam I, most units were upgraded to Big Cam III Cummins.

Just curious....

 

[Andy1234]

That makes sense...

And Yes I know...but alas I'm short 10k atm... Maybe in a few months. Wonder if you could do a bank loan on one...LOL

You sure could, if you're using it for farming.

These trucks would cost $40-$70K (if not more) if they were non-mil surplus, and would have 300K miles on them. On GL, you can get an M920 and have it hauled across the country for $10K or less, w/ less then 50K miles. Add $1K-$2K for some maintainence, and it will be ready to go.

Present your figures as a business plan, laid out accurately, and I'll bet a bank in a farm town would sign off on a $10K-$15K loan. Mention the added productivity of being able to get into wet fields w/ a driven front axle, and the reduced likelyhood of losing a crop due to wet ground (I sold my 1st M818 to a farmer in IL for just that reason).

For field work, look at Reb87's posts where he put 16.00-20's on an M919 w/ a grain bin. For transporting, look for his posts on using an M915 and an M915A1 hauling a grain trailer to town.

Show these to the loan officer (they're much more comfortable when they know that it has already been done, successfully).

It's like a sign I saw in a shop, years ago, "this ain't no museum, this junk's for sale". The taxpayer's have already paid for it, so buy it for 2-3x scrap, and then use the s#!@ out of it. When it's done, strip it, scrap the rest, and buy another one.

Andy

 

[Floridianson]

Hey, curious as to what your mileage I was estimating between 4-5 mpg, however the manual has 2.5 however I think that was the older Big Cam I, most units were upgraded to Big Cam III Cummins.

Just curious....

I get 6-7 on the flats

 

[Andy1234]

Oh, by the way. I'm gonna paint mine to look like this....

 

[Preacherboy]

I'd love a m920 too, but wife is freaking out about the m35a2! Don't know what she'd do if I pulled into the yard with a m920.

I am tracking them and checking on prices, even if it is just for fun. Maybe my wife will making millions in Mary Kay and she'll just buy me one to be nice.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Brad did a good job on his KW . Id have to go back cammo or 383 tan on my M920. Im real curious to see how low they go. A M916 would even make me happy.

 

[Preacherboy]

Could one even drive this truck without a CDL? What if the person has no intention of doing anything commercial with them, would you still have to have a CDL?

I'm guessing yes, but just thought I'd ask.

 

[Bighurt]

Could one even drive this truck without a CDL? What if the person has no intention of doing anything commercial with them, would you still have to have a CDL?

I'm guessing yes, but just thought I'd ask.

Yes the max for nearly all states is 26000 without a CDL others have lower requirements, some have axle requirements. M920 having 4 axles and weighing 32000 is well over any limit. GVW is 75000 way over...

Some states have a Class A non-commercial but you still require the exams, possible the physical, no logs.

Here in North Dakota CDL isn't bad little worse when you go over 105000.

 

[wreckerman893]

In Alabama if it has air brakes a CDL is required unless you are driving one of those road barge motor homes.

 

[Andy1234]

In MO a CDL is required as well for anything over 26K w/ air brakes (except RV's).

Look's like I'll finally have to get my class A. The paper test looks easy enough, now to see if I can convince a local freight company that I spend some serious $$$ with to let me *ahem* "borrow" a truck, trailer and driver (to get it to the test station) for an afternoon...

Fun, fun...

Oh, and the alternator on the truck is *cooked*. The shop that I took it to hadn't seen an external transformer melted as bad as mine is in a few years. Anyone have an extra laying around?

Andy