Any "mechanically unsavvy" owners?

[gunboy1656]

I dont claim to be an expert on mechanics, but i am learning.

I have read the TM's, talked with people here, and know a couple people close by if need be.

 

[Keith_J]

These are not hard to work on, just bigger than your 1957 Chevy. Aside from the multifuel diesel and air boosted single circuit brakes, they are no different.

Oh yeah, torque bars, 6x6, duals, full floating axles and spring trunnions also are differing points. The brakes are manual adjustment with 4 adjusters but they are fairly easy to adjust with the outboard window (remove 1/2" nut and cover, 0.010" at bottom, 0.020" at top). Bearings? 40-60 foot pounds, then back off 1/16 turn. Why? Thread clearance.

 

[greenjeepster]

Most of the differences are common sense things.... like don't slide under her on a mechanics dolly and unbolt the transmission hoping you can rest it on your chest and scoot back out with it like you could with the trans from a Toyota Camry

 

[Marauder_Pilot]

I hope that anecdote isn't based on an actual experience!

 

[Castle Bravo]

I dont claim to be an expert on mechanics, but i am learning.

I have read the TM's, talked with people here, and know a couple people close by if need be.

This is exactly how I am.

As long as you're at least halfway intelligent, I think the biggest obstacle is having the tools and space to work on the trucks.

 

[CARNAC]

I WAS THE MAGNA-STUP-IDATY AT THE SCHOOL FOR THE MECHANICALLY DECLINED.

The manuals are written on a 6th grade education level. If you can read and you have basic tools, you can fix a lot of the issues. Make friends quickly and anything big, call for help. This past summer I had a head gasket blow on my deuce 1 week before I was using it to move from MD to GA. I lucked into a friend who knew a guy that was an Army mechanic home on medical leave. The mechanic came and taught as he worked how to change a head gasket. I have full confidence I could do a head gasket now.

Had to change the radiator as part of the above adventures and HEDELTA came to the rescue on that. Brought me a virtually new radiator (sorry ATANKERSDAD it was HEDELTA's fault) and I had the old one pulled before he arrived and installed the new one within 20 minutes or so. This was without the manual handy, I had read the manual probably 6 months before.

Now I just need someone to show me how to change an engine, transmission, and clutch.

Bottom line is, if I can work/fix a deuce, anyone can. A lot of it is gaining the confidence to try/do.

I'm now trying to gain confidence in changing my injector pump in my CUCV.

 

[conductorx]

I see this all the time in the Volkswagen world. People think VWs are cool and fun and they want to own one. They don't realize the things were designed in the 1930s long before the self adjusting no touch vehicles we drive today. People don't understand a simple oil change also requires setting the valves and adjusting the timing. (if you do it right) My Ford Excursion ran the same spark plugs for 210,000 miles. You can't do that in a VW.

While I know basic mechanics and have the tools to handle almost every thing I have tackled so far, I know with a deuce I will be going up a couple of magnatudes in size compared to what I am accustomed to. A fully dressed aircooled bug motor weighs 200lbs. I can pop one out in 30 min.

If you don't mind getting dirty, ruining your clothes and sore muscles then any automotive hobby is great. I recommend learning to do the work yourself. You will never be happy depending on someone else to maintain your truck.

IMHO
Gary

 

[WyoDeuce]

I see this all the time in the Volkswagen world. People think VWs are cool and fun and they want to own one. They don't realize the things were designed in the 1930s long before the self adjusting no touch vehicles we drive today. People don't understand a simple oil change also requires setting the valves and adjusting the timing. (if you do it right) My Ford Excursion ran the same spark plugs for 210,000 miles. You can't do that in a VW.


I couldn't agree more. I started learning to work on cars with a V.W. dune buggy and kept going from there. I didn't know how to do anything and didn't have any $ to go to a mechanic. I bought a manual and figured it out from there.

That was when I was 16. I'm 32 now and I maintain all my cars and my wifes too. My deuce is pretty easy to work on it just requires bigger tools! If you have a desire to work on vehicles then an older one is perfect to start with. I allways got very fustrated when it was sunday afternoon, my truck was in pieces and I couldn't get it back together to go to school on monday. Now if I need to do some work I have something else to drive to work so the stakes aren't quite as high. I can take my time if I need to learn something new and make sure I do it right.
I am now to the point that my newest V.W. needs to have my laptop plugged in to troubleshoot and perform repairs. I prefer working on my old dune buggy or my deuce to that any day.

Buy a running deuce so you can enjoy it for a while bofore it needs work. Start with the basic fluid changes and check here for help with anything bigger. You can maintain a deuce with some patience and the tech. info is all right here. Good luck.

P.S. - We all need to get off the computer and go out and turn some wrenches! I'm headed to the garage for some more practice.

 

[Jones]

Hey toomany,

Everybody here had to learn sometime; and the smart ones will admit they're still learning.

Reading the manuals is always a good idea as there are certain 'tricks' to know before
diving into anything as big as a deuce.
If you start out small and basic; fluid level checks, lubing and other daily and pre-trip maintenance tasks, you'll get an idea where everything is and won't be overwhelmed.
Heck, you can always save that major engine rebuild for the second week.

The problems with taking something like this to a mechanic are; that while they may be whizzes on Toyotas, most have no clue when it comes to a military vehicle.
Not to mention all the horror stories about drain plugs only finger tight or oil filters not seated and leaking like a sieve.
Equally important is the fact that someday you may be out in the middle of nowhere and have a problem. Far better to be able to diagnose and fix your rig on the trail than to try to figure out how to get your truck and your mechanic close enough to each other to be in the same county.

Never be shy about asking your fellow SS members. There are enough of us here to guarantee that someone, somewhere has had to face pretty much every calamity known to befall MVs.

And by all means, keep looking at this stuff as a hobby... one that you're supposed to have fun with.