Cool trailer and M35 parts truck recovery

[70deuce]

Got a serious rig now. We drove 70 miles south to Ft. Carson with my M818 and a friends M35A2 to pick up a 38 foot M9171 ex data center trailer minus the computers but full of some serious electrical distribution equipment and picked up another M35A2 parts truck. The trailer has air bag self-leveling suspension on both axles and the 5th wheel. Trailer rose up about 8 inches when the air was hooked up. Pretty smooth ride back there I imagine. Trailer weighed about 22,000 pounds leaving the yard. All external lights worked. Trailer brakes alone could stop the whole rig from 15 MPH. M818 doesn't like the altitude and hills we encountered going north from Colorado Springs. On level ground it did great. On level streches could hold 52 MPH with more throttle to go. But them dam hills!!!!!! It was like the trailer brakes applied themselves. But that's a NHC250 at 6000'. Got to love it. The M35 did fine pulling the the other deuce. Mag lights on the hulk. Steering locked. The pics in the yard of Mike standing in the drivers seat was Mike steering to get the two out of a tight yard. Sholud have given him some googles and a helmet and had him ride 70 miles home like that. Ray was constantly slowing on rises when he could to let me catch up. Overall uneventful recovery. More pics to follow

 

[M1075]

Looking good. Reminds of the song "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy"

 

[70deuce]

Goofed up the trailer Designation

The trailer is a M971 not what I put in the original post. Its officially called a SEMITRAILER, VAN: SATELLITE TERMINAL
OPERATOR, 10-TON, 4 WHEEL, XM971E2
(2330-01-163-5025)
SEMITRAILER, VAN: SATELLITE TERMINAL
MAINTENANCE & SUPPLY,
10-TON, 4 WHEEL, XM971E3


Phil

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

RE: Goofed up the trailer Designation

wanna sell that trailer?

 

[bulldog_mack13]

RE: Goofed up the trailer Designation

Sorry I couldnt make it today , i had to work at 9. Safty stand down day , but i did stop by and see rays truck and parts truck - glad you got it , looks great guys

 

[70deuce]

RE: Goofed up the trailer Designation

Jay we were at lunch at Burger King on base with the truck and trailer when you stopped by.

Phil

 

[70deuce]

More pics

Here are some more pictures. One note, we found the original delivery receipt from the factory to the Colorado National Guard in Golden, CO under a file cabinet. Will try to get a shot of that for a later post.

Phil

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: More pics

Nice thread guys. I've always liked the XM971 trailers. How close was that crossbeam? Wondering if dumping the air would have lowered the traielr enough?

 

[70deuce]

One more set of pics

Here's some more

 

[70deuce]

RE: One more set of pics

For Kenny, dumping the air would have brought the trailer down to ABOUT where the crossbeam was. We are going to remount the crossbeam 12" higher to ensure it clears next time. The only way I know to dump the air (after truck disconnect) is to open the air tank drain vavle. The check valves on this trailer really hold residual air for a long time.

Phil

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

RE: One more set of pics

70deuce-also what is on ur wheels studs that shows up whiteish...?

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Paint marker to show the lug nuts if they back off , ive learned from the gang to do that on all my trucks.

Phil -I tossed in the only picture of the M35 and M105 being pulled by the M818 that I have

 

[cranetruck]

Do you need to pull the wedges for off-road driving or do the airbags handle the rocking by themselves?

 

[steelandcanvas]

Phil, What are your plans for the trailer? Just curious.

 

[CanadaDeuce]

3 color camo M35 top's ?

Cudos on the new trailer

Tractor and Trailer look real cool, on a kinda related subject, I see a current 3 color top on your M35 both cab top and cargio cover, does anyone know where these can be had cheap ? also I assume they are not canvas ? ..... Ive only seen a few with there tough black bungee rubbers to hold them down to the bed, if anyone has any info pls PM me, Ive been told they are hard to get being they are still in current use.

thanks and grats on the new trailer .......

CanadaDeuce.

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: 3 color camo M35 top

www.gmacover.com

 

[bulldog_mack13]

RE: 3 color camo M35 top

GMA , i just ordered my new one

 

[co_rotorhead]

Nice rigs Phil! Glad all went well!

PS...you keep flying P-3's like that (avatar) and you'll spill the coffee! Dave

 

[70deuce]

Dave, in the late 80's we taught defensive air combat maneuvering with P-3's against F-16's and F-15's because of intercepts by fighters of the unfriendly countries in the Med. Mostly Libya and Algeria. Those flights were a blast to say the least. The avitar picture was nothing. The intercepts started with head on passes directed by NORAD sites playing an AWACS airplane. We did some real crazy things until one flight in our squadron that I was on not flying we ripped all the MAD gear out its mount in the tail because of the G load. The JAX squadrons I think were the only one who did this.

Phil

 

[co_rotorhead]

Good stuff, Phil! I was stashed at VP-48 for about six months and I was impressed with what those airplanes could do. Anyway, we needed some of that training...up in the North Pacific off the coast of Vladivostok were almost hit by a very low flying Bear F - came from behind and probably cleared us by less than 100 yds...then a couple of days later, and about 100 miles off the coast, we get jumped by two Hind D's...no one saw them comming. Thanks to the F-14 guys flying cap for getting them off our tails. Never yanked and banked and H-3 like that before...spilled my coffee!