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Hauling 5 tons in a deuce

M35a2duece

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Hauled 9800lbs of landscaping rock home in the deuce today. Worked great except turning it made loud popping noises on the rear. My first guess it's the leaf springs sliding back and forth on their perches. Anyone ever experience this popping?
 
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clinto

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Hauled 9800lbs of landscaping rock home in the duece today. Worked great except turning it made loud popping noises on the rear. My first guess it's the leaf springs sliding back and forth on their perches. Anyone ever experience this popping?
I couldn't tell you at what weight it gets louder, but it does. Every time I've had a lot (7500+) in mine, it pops. I think it's the weight of the truck "pushing" the spring ends harder onto the ledge they sit on.

Obviously you should inspect the dog bones but I suspect it's just the weight.
 

gimpyrobb

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Yeah, I had over 5tons in mine and (highway)exchange ramps get EXCITING if you don't pay attention. She handeled the weight just fine all the way home from Columbus.
 

Barrman

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If you ever have the opportunity to drive a M35 with the bed removed. You will be amazed at how much the axles move side to side while just going straight. They move a lot. The dog bones keep them all connected. They are basically made just like the ball joints on modern cars. Metal stud in a big rubber type enclosure. That rubber will dry out and break eventually.

I used my Gasser M35 with a M105A2 attached to pick up some gravel for the drive way a few years ago. They severely over loaded me. I was at 38,300 leaving the gravel pit. 24,000 pound load between the truck and trailer. I threw a fit but they wouldn't and really couldn't get it back out with the equipment we had on hand. I drove very slow the few miles to home.

About a month later I was driving the truck home at night empty. The Gasser is a blast if you have a slight down hill to help wind the engine out in the gears. I was doing that and noticed a bunch of smoke in my mirror as I went past street lights. It drove and handled just fine but I slowed down and went on home trying to think through what could be smoking.

I had a broken dog bone end and one of the axles had moved to where the tire was rubbing the frame. Didn't hear it, feel it or see it as I walked around the truck to drive away. Crawl under the truck and check. A prybar to lightly check for movement is also a good idea.
 

Recovry4x4

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Deuce rear suspension is a work of art. When loaded the rear housing brackets have a higher coefficient of friction so when the spring is finally forced to move, it does so with force.
 
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