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M989a1 trailer Davit

Oldfart

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I discovered the M989a1 HEMAT has a Davit option when I was reading the nice new manual that was in the tool box. I don't think I have ever seen one floating around on surplus, but it would be nice to add to our trailer. Does any one have a clue as to a source for the military Davit? We also discovered we are missing the lock pin for locking the front steering in the straight position. We need a source for one of those as well (I could fabricate that if I just knew what it looked like.)
 

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Oldfart

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Centennial,CO
Do you have a photo of said "davit"?

No, it is just a line drawing in the manual. There is a pocket at the front platform of the trailer that is about 2" in diamater and the Davit fits in the pocket. It looks like a two piece mast with a twist lock to keep it together and then the bow over for the arm with the cable pulley. It is not clear on how the cable is cranked. I will go to the farm today and grab the manual so I can scan the line drawing to post.
 

Oldfart

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Centennial,CO
I think it would be the same davit, but I am a weak old man and I can lift the tow bar in place all by myself. That said, there is a loop welded to the tow bar in the right location that would allow a lift attachment. I am trying to remember the details of the davit description in the accessory equipment listing. I have not poured through the whole manual yet (8.5x11 inch page and near 3/4 inch thick.) I think there was a notation that the davit could be used on either the HEMTT or HEMAT.
 

Stalwart

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Redmond, WA
I believe that is the davit that is used for lowering my spare tire, just in front of the trucks bed. Not super special piece, just a manual davit.

I want one of those trailers in the worst way, just don't have room . . . YET! I think having one behind the HEMTT would be great and if I'm not mistaken, I could use it to haul my Scorpion tank, taking one less trip when going to shows.
 

Oldfart

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Centennial,CO
I believe that is the davit that is used for lowering my spare tire, just in front of the trucks bed. Not super special piece, just a manual davit.

I want one of those trailers in the worst way, just don't have room . . . YET! I think having one behind the HEMTT would be great and if I'm not mistaken, I could use it to haul my Scorpion tank, taking one less trip when going to shows.

Yes, that davit looks like what is depicted in the line drawing. The trailer is awesome, but not as awesome as the HEMTT. I just don't have the funds to plunge for a HEMTT yet no matter how awesome I think they are. My son and I are talking about trying to pick up another HEMAT while auction prices are low and there are numbers available.

I don't know how much a scorpion weighs, but if it is under 11 tons and shorter than 14.6 feet you could be in business. (And, I bet the HEMAT would handle more than 11 tons in a pinch.)
 

Stalwart

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Redmond, WA
Scorpion is only 8.5 tons, but I MIGHT have to build up the dropped floor a bit to make one fit. Not a big deal.

Problem is none of the HEMAT's seem to come up near here. I've seen them in the SE US, the Dakotas, and CO. I can't bid on something I can't inspect and inspecting something 800+ miles away and waiting to win the bid takes more time than I can afford. I'll probably have to pay 10X more later. I've seen a dozen or so never get bid on in the Dakotas, not even the $150 minimum.

What is the going price for a good one so I can cry myself to sleep tonight?

Can't have everything, I see my old M656 8x8 is up for auction. I should be bidding, but I got rid of it because I needed the room and that won't change for a year or two.
 

Oldfart

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The lot we bid on ran from $1170 up plus buy fees and sales tax. We did not get the cheapest one by far, but it is like new and I don't think it was ever really put in service. All the "come's with" equipment was still wrapped in plastic and new tags. I have seen M101a2's go for more money in a lesser condition. When we bought our two XM791's we fought back the scrappers during the auction. I wonder if it was scrappers who bought the bulk of the trailers on the lot we bid. Most of the trailers were hauled out of the GL yard and over to the rail loading docks so they were going farther than across town. I lost track of the highest bid units at the auction close, but it sticks in my mind the highs were approaching $2500 on a couple of the trailers. A guy would be hard pressed to buy the 5 tires for what most of the trailers brought.
 

Oldfart

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Location
Centennial,CO
I have gone to the farm and picked up the manual, scanned a few pages that show how the davit is used to lift the tow bar and scanned the title page with the NSN.

There is a section that shows a method of lifting and holding the bar with one of the included cargo straps by attaching the strap to the spare tire bracket and the tow bar. It looks like the davit can also be used to remove the spare tire and lower it to the ground.
 

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155mm

Chief and Indian
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Guymon, OK
I don't know how much a scorpion weighs, but if it is under 11 tons and shorter than 14.6 feet you could be in business. (And, I bet the HEMAT would handle more than 11 tons in a pinch.)

I just picked mine up yesterday, the axles look to be 26K axles, will look closer again tomorrow. Mine was the same description as yours, BII was still in plastic, dont think that it ever hauled a ammo pod, tires still had knobbies on them and had a DOT date of 1303, so I am thinking these are the same tires that came on it from new.
 

Oldfart

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Sounds like the same lot even. I was at Ft. Carson GL yesterday and they still had two unclaimed M989a1's as of 2 pm. They sure look like new unused trailers to me.
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
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Ya just missed me by a few hours, I was there at 10, I have never heard what happens to unclaimed items, that might be pretty good dumpster diving.
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
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Guymon, OK
I went back out this morning looking for any kind of data plate on the axles, and couldnt find any. The limiting factor on how much we can haul is the weight rating for the tires, 9370 lbs per tire, 18,740 per axle, 37,480 for the whole kit n kabootle, so ya take off the trailer weight of 11,000 lbs, that gives a max cargo weight of 26,480 lbs.

I know that trailer is built a whole heck of a lot heavier than that, but if a bear rolls ya across a set of portables and checks tire capacity thats all he will give.
 

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