Deuce recovery at Frankfort complete

[number9]

Finally got to go get my Deuce today. I also picked up a M105A3 for rwoods. Got up early this morning and sold one of my motorcycles and did the title transfer at the clerk's office with the new owner. Then it was on to pick up the "big truck" and head to Frankfort for the green iron.

First we went and found rwoods M105A3. Looked to be in good shape and road worthy. Hooked it up to the wife-units Yukon and pulled it out of the yard.

 

[number9]

Then we drove back to the Deuce to install the batteries and bumper shackles and drive it down to the loading dock.

My boys couldn't wait and hopped right in. Oldest just had to wear his "army jeans and shirt".

They didn't like the low-air buzzer

My first ever drive in a Deuce.

 

[number9]

Wife parked over on the side and tried to keep the boys under control while me and my father-in-law loaded the Deuce up.

Getting the Deuce on the trailer and strapped down.

 

[number9]

My father-in-law was a HUGE HELP. I wondered about using straps, but he assured me it'd be fine and it was. Truck was solid as a rock the whole trip home. We did stop and check the load about 25 miles out and all was fine.

I couldn't get the landing gear on rwoods trailer locked in the up position for some reason, so I double-strapped it up out of the way. Also strapped the light cable so it wouldn't hit the road on the way home.

All strapped down and ready to roll out.

 

[number9]

Made it to my father-in-laws place in eastern KY without issue. He had another trailer that he's built ramps onto. We backed up to it and folded the ramps down on the big trailer so we could back the Deuce off it and then drive it off the other one. Hence why we chose not to haul the M105A3 after thinking how we were going to get unloaded. We could have used his backhoe to get the M105A3 off if needed, but just decided to let the wife pull it home. She said it pulled fine and the surge brakes must have worked really good too as she said it wasn't pushing her at all when braking. I had called her on the cell several times during the 100 mile drive to see how she was doing.

Birds-eye view from the Deuce getting ready to back it off the trailer.

'mon-back, 'mon-back.......

 

[velociT]

Congratz!

 

[number9]

No problem......... you got it............

Yee-up........ good job Dad..........

 

[number9]

Hey, watch my truck with those ramps will ya

Rolling the straps up and moving the big trailer out of the way

Driving off the ramps. We have touch-down..... another Deuce has landed.

I think my father-in-law was as tickled as I was with the Deuce. He loves about any kind of old heavy iron.

Got up the road to the place it's gonna live and keep his other "stuff" company, turned into the side road and the Deuce died. Out of fuel. Oops. He had some fuel close by and we put 5-gal in it and she fired right back up and we drove it on up to the lot.

We parked rwoods trailer and headed to get some grub and then make the 100 mile trip back home so I can go to work tomorrow. Man I should have taken 2 days off. I'm dog tired, but just had to post up story and pics before hitting the hay.

Hopefully next week when I'm off on Christmas break I can put the headlights in, change the oil & filters, install the solargizer, get the battery box lined out, fix the air leak on the air-pack and put the new rear axle seal in and play with this thing. I can't wait

 

[Buckeye2000]

Great pics! My recovery is Tuesday and I can't wait!

 

[rwoods]

number9, Thanks for the recovery. This is one of the reasons, I spend so much time on this site -there are so many people on here like you willing to help someone they never met. And it is always a plus to see a family sharing the fun. Thanks again. Ron Woods

 

[rwoods]

Almost Home

This M105A3 is almost home – just 3 more miles where she’ll be joined with the Number 1 project. Many thanks are due Jason and his wife who recovered her from her Frankford, Kentucky base and let her rest a spill in West Liberty, KY. Yesterday, she made the 200 mile trip through the Cumberland Gap to Tennessee via Landcruiser. She pulls straight as an arrow and almost stops own her own. We have a short to-do list: give some attention to the seams in the cargo cover, replace a tail light bulb, massage the landing gear and find a stabilizer jack (any leads would be appreciated; I have already contacted Bulldog – if they’ll supply one, I’ll post it for you other M105A3 owners).
Below are some pictures, including a close up of the surge brake arrangement and the dangerously weak landing leg attachment (check out the size of those two tiny bolts, there are only four altogether that attach the jack to the mount). The Williams upgrade kit is too pricey for me so I may develop something on my own that is removable and won’t destroy anything original. Ron

 

[number9]

Trailer looks good behind the A3 Ron. Glad to see you made it home okay. Gonna get those Rib-eye's soaking tonight and eat them tomorrow

....

 

[number9]

Fixed a couple of those ribeye's today AWESOME !!!!!! (so much for my diet today)

Thanks again Ron !!!!!!

....

 

[Heavysteven]

This thread brings back memories. I also had my truck hauled from Frankfort.