Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

[Illuminaughty]

I've been recently fascinated by these big trucks, but I feel out of my league. I'm a college student that isn't particularly mechanically inclined, but the allure of these trucks keep pulling my interest.

So my question is.. well, in the title. Is it a stupid idea for someone who doesn't know their way around an engine to get into such a hobby? I can do basic things but I've never even owned a diesel, let alone something with more than four wheels. I'd understand if the answer is a simple "no". I don't want to get over my head, but I am willing to learn.

Any help/links to relevant FAQ's is greatly appreciated. I'll be doing some more searching on the forum later but I'm up waay too late and I have things to do tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[clinto]

That would be an awful steep learning curve, to start learning how to do brake jobs on vehicles that have brake drums heavier than batteries.

Relative to the antique car hobby, the military vehicle hobby has cheap parts and low(er) restoration costs, but for a college students, I'd still say it's probably too much.

I'd never owned a diesel, but I'd also been turning wrenches, building engines, transmissions, suspension, brakes, etc. on musclecars long before I got my Deuce. If you can work on a Honda Accord or a Road Runner, you can work on a deuce. It's just a big truck.

Not to say you can't learn (I suspect most of us are self taught) but you are also going to need tools. Lots of tools. Air tools. Which means a big compressor. It adds up. FAST.

Consider the expense of the vehicle, maintenance, repairs, necessary tools and storage requirements (a dorm or an apartment is not a good place to keep a deuce).

All that being said, I love my deuce and would never be without one (even if I sold mine, I'd get another).

 

[Illuminaughty]

Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

That would be an awful steep learning curve, to start learning how to do brake jobs on vehicles that have brake drums heavier than batteries.

Relative to the antique car hobby, the military vehicle hobby has cheap parts and low(er) restoration costs, but for a college students, I'd still say it's probably too much.

I'd never owned a diesel, but I'd also been turning wrenches, building engines, transmissions, suspension, brakes, etc. on musclecars long before I got my Deuce. If you can work on a Honda Accord or a Road Runner, you can work on a deuce. It's just a big truck.

Not to say you can't learn (I suspect most of us are self taught) but you are also going to need tools. Lots of tools. Air tools. Which means a big compressor. It adds up. FAST.

Consider the expense of the vehicle, maintenance, repairs, necessary tools and storage requirements (a dorm or an apartment is not a good place to keep a deuce).

All that being said, I love my deuce and would never be without one (even if I sold mine, I'd get another).

I have done some car work, my dad has an auto body shop but most of the things I've done have been to the exterior of the car, not the mechanical side so much. I've helped out with simple mechanical repairs but never done them myself besides real easy stuff like oil changes and whatnot.

So I have access to at least some of the tools I'd need, I should've mentioned, but I'm just not sure how much effort I'm going to have to put into a deuce.

And I have a place for a deuce, a few places actually. I work for the local gunsmith/gunshop and I'm sure he'd love one of these parked out front. If not, my parents wouldn't be thrilled but I'm sure they'd let me hog up a chunk of their driveway with one.

 

[Recovry4x4]

A deuce will get you mechanically inclined or run you into the poor house paying someone else to do maintenance. CUCV or M880s get you into the game in a smaller scale. A deuce is doable but you will have to buy big tools. Need a bog place to keep it, not always a fence mender between neighbors and will require some heavy reading before you buy (if you want to preserve life). I'd read the Techincal Manuals available on this site for FREE, I'd search this site, especially the deuce forum for at least a few weeks and read what others have shared and then make a decision. Do you have any family or friends that might be willing to give you pointers on working on vehicles. It's kinda like a car in a more grand scale. Oh, welcome to the Steel Soldiers family Buckeye!

 

[Illuminaughty]

Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

A deuce will get you mechanically inclined or run you into the poor house paying someone else to do maintenance. CUCV or M880s get you into the game in a smaller scale. A deuce is doable but you will have to buy big tools. Need a bog place to keep it, not always a fence mender between neighbors and will require some heavy reading before you buy (if you want to preserve life). I'd read the Techincal Manuals available on this site for FREE, I'd search this site, especially the deuce forum for at least a few weeks and read what others have shared and then make a decision. Do you have any family or friends that might be willing to give you pointers on working on vehicles. It's kinda like a car in a more grand scale. Oh, welcome to the Steel Soldiers family Buckeye!

Looking up the CUCV, it reminded me a lot of my truck!

But yeah there's a lot of difference between half ton and two and a half ton. I'll definitely be doing some research, I wouldn't have the money to buy one for another year or so so I'll have plenty of time to think and research more about it. Just wanted to ask if it was a silly idea before I spent too much time looking into it is all.

My dad would definitely be willing to give me pointers, but he only knows so much, and on such a big vehicle it's likely he wouldn't know how to do much other than basic repairs, if that. Will regular auto shops work on things like these if you have the parts?

Thanks, saw you guys' while I was looking up the deuce and a half and looked like this was the place to ask questions about them, looks like I was right!

 

[dc3coyote]

RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

Big truck little truck, get something from another country, then the manuals are useless, I cant even pretend to read German, but I figured out how to fix my truck.
Oh the Duece is a great vehicle to learn heavey trucks in my opnion, since
1. I HATE my neighbors.
2. your not gonna break something with a simple oops.
3. I hate my neighbors, code enforcement came out again.
4. when your neighbors hate the 1 Duece in your dirveway, bring the other 5 to spend the night.
5.

 

[319]

RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

I think it's a great idea. You have what is needed, a place to keep it, a job, a parent with a job, and what I think is most important, THE INTEREST. Do your homework (I always tell my kids that too) and you'll get a good one.

 

[avengeusa]

RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

i am a master mechanic, cars, motorcycles, ect

I do not know the fist thing about a deuce, and I did not stay at a holiday inn last night

I am sure the tm's posted here, and with all of the help you can get on this site will get you through the confusion easily, go slow, and listen to the advice given, get large tools and you will be fine

a guy on this board is local to me, he has a ton of experience on the deuce, i am sure whatever i cannot figure out could be learned from him

 

[Rolling_Eudaimonia]

I've been recently fascinated by these big trucks, but I feel out of my league. I'm a college student that isn't particularly mechanically inclined, but the allure of these trucks keep pulling my interest.

So my question is.. well, in the title. Is it a stupid idea for someone who doesn't know their way around an engine to get into such a hobby? I can do basic things but I've never even owned a diesel, let alone something with more than four wheels. I'd understand if the answer is a simple "no". I don't want to get over my head, but I am willing to learn.

Any help/links to relevant FAQ's is greatly appreciated. I'll be doing some more searching on the forum later but I'm up waay too late and I have things to do tomorrow.

Thanks!

I'm a college student, I live in Louisville go to the University of Louisville for Philosophy and drive a deuce and half around town as a daily driver... Because it is fun to drive even in a city like Louisville. Well you can get books on diesel engine repair and so on. I don't even own a set of tools... I have an older brother who's got the tools.

So I would say this how much do you want to learn about a big-diesel truck and how much money do you have???

 

[gimpyrobb]

RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

I think it would be great IF, its not going to be your daily driver. Weekends and parades. There is ALOT of expensive parts that can go bad on these trucks. I wouldn't have been able to afford it when I was in school.

 

[dm22630]

RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce?

You WILL spend more on tools & parts than you do on buying the deuce.

I.E. -- Tires (used) $100/each, air lines, lights, wiring, PAINT, body work, DOT5 brake fluid ($25/quart), windows, etc.

I dont think it takes a genious to work on them, they are a 40 year old technology.....which is probably the only way I seem to figure things out. BUT.....if you do the work yourself, you can BUY the tools you need & still end up paying less than what a mechanic would charge you to do anything. AND....you dont "need" to buy an air compressor, I run my air tools right off of the rear air line on the deuce.

Due to your situation, I would definitely buy from a private seller. Buying from GL is like rolling the dice, and there is a very good chance that minor problems would prevent you from driving it off the base.

Just pay a little extra & get one that someone has taken care of, and is selling because they are moving or simply need the money.

 

[SETOYOTA]

better to learn on a M35 than a CUCV. IMHO

 

[Pawnshop]

Everything on a Deuce is simple, BIG and simple. Spend some time in and under one and you will be suprised how simple it really is. I had some shade tree mechanic experience but, like you, never had owned a diesel or a 6x6 (I had a 4x4 once but it was junk and I never used the front axel), the majority of my wrench experience was with air cooled VWs! Driving one is like driving a large pickup truck with a heavy trailer, it takes longer to stop than you are used to, the steering takes extra stregnth to operate at low speed, but it is easy to learn to safely operate. Most of all, Deuces are extremely fun! The best part for me is the reaction of the children when they see and hear it, I will never get tired of that There is likely a local MVPA chapter in your area and if the members there are like the guys around here you will have no shortage of help and advice for you, you may have the only MV in the club with 6 wheels, but general wrench skills will be there. AND I can report that parking a Deuce in front of a gunstore will DEFFINATELY bring in business, making your boss very happy I am the firearms manager at a pawnshop and park mine in the back yard where it can be seen through the chain link fence, even in the back yard it gets lots of comments, but when I park it up front they pull in just to ask about the truck. I know of a gunstore in Ft.Worth and a surplus store in San Antonio with a Deuce out front, and I am sure there are more. You will enjoy it greatly, and if you don't for some reason, the truck will be very easy to resell. GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!

 

[SrIrie]

The deuce is one of the simplest trucks you can buy (K.I.S.S.). Anyone with any mechanical ability what so ever can fix them and if something gets you stuck read the tm’s they were written for people who have never even played with Lego’s. As long as you can read and fallow instructions the tm’s will walk anyone through the repair and maintenance of a deuce. Sometimes finding the right tm takes more time than doing the job, but most every thing is in there. As for tools mostly you need just basic hand tools there are only a few specialty tools needed to work on a deuce and you will find what you need and don’t as you go. For me its one of the only vehicles I am still smiling with when it’s broke and I have to fix something.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a de

Big truck little truck, get something from another country, then the manuals are useless, I cant even pretend to read German, but I figured out how to fix my truck.
Oh the Duece is a great vehicle to learn heavey trucks in my opnion, since
1. I HATE my neighbors.
2. your not gonna break something with a simple oops.
3. I hate my neighbors, code enforcement came out again.
4. when your neighbors hate the 1 Duece in your dirveway, bring the other 5 to spend the night.
5.

 

[bugei]

No body mentioned this, but make sure that you have a few strong friends who will help you when you need help, there are some parts on dueces that are pretty hard (and dangerous) to move around when you are alone.

i am a pretty good gas mechanic, but had never worked on a diesel before, the tm's make it pretty easy, the descriptions and diagrams are great. i also have a couple of friends who are heavy diesel mechanics, and they are usually willing to "splain" stuff when i get stuck or dont quite know what to do.

i gotta say, i have never worked on anything that is as straight forward or as much fun to work on as the duece. they are designed to be pretty easy to work on and with only a few exceptions you can get to everything pretty easily. i was kind of burnt out on working on cars, the duece is so much fun, i am really getting back into it.

btw, they are also "chick magnets". i have owned some really trick stuff, cars, trucks and motorcycles, but NOTHING has gotten the attention that the duece and wrecker get.

 

[Pawnshop]

Girls that like big trucks are much more attractive to me than the frilly girls who don't want to get dirty

 

[LibertyDeuce]

Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce

Took me 2 years of reading and asking questions before I bought my deuce. GLAD I did it. Read all the TMs, ask questions, go slow, and have patience. Just

 

[oifvet]

RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce

Hang around someone that messes with these trucks for a little while.

Learn, watch, help, listen, learn some more. Then maybe buy something down the road.

Sometimes, when you dive into a new hobby too fast, you'll get frustrated and spend money. Then you'll have regrets. That'll seperate you from the hobby really fast. You'll never come back.

 

[TommyG45]

RE: Bad idea for a non-grease monkey to get a deuce

It's more fun if you can get married first so that you can make just the right impression on your new bride when those big tools come rolling into the shop.

I see a lot of possitive feed back here, I wouldn't give my deuce up for anything, they are that much fun. Just a word to the wise, it takes a bit of an infrastructure to keep them running and more importantly safe. If you get one, don't take chances with it. Make sure you can do what needs to be done so those around you on the road can go home to their families at night. As a younger person, your not so adverse to risk. These trucks are no joke. When used and maintained properly, shown some respect, they can be hours upon hours of fun. My suggestion is to think twice. Your buying a lot of metal.

If you go for it, spend lots of time here, theys guys will never stop short when it comes to help.

Tommy