HEMTT M984E1 Wrecker on the mend

[mudguppy]

Thanks feldmarshal,

I have been told that they ride and drive pretty smooth for their size and weight capacity. ...

oh, boy....... someone lied to you.


i'll put it to you this way: if you ever intend to leave pavement, or even find youself on poorly paved roads, then you should consider padding the interior of the roof so it hurts less.

 

[paradeduty]

Hey Travis,

You are probably right - I was wondering why they would have gone through all of the trouble of upgrading the new HEMTT's to air ride seats and the 4-point seat harnesses. The air ride seats - well OK, but the 4-point's would be a little bit of an extreme change if all was smooth sailing in the cab! Can't be a whole lot rougher than my 5-ton running empty - I've lifted the whole back end of that girl off the ground taking potholes in the gravel roads around here at speed. Yea - who needs Cedar Point! But I love the Military 8x8's and the HEMTT is going to be what she is going to be. Each of my trucks has its own "personality". Sometimes too much "personality" for my hind end! I'm hoping that it is similar to the M656 that I used to have and the HMTT that I have (TACOM prototype 5-ton "HEMTT"). Definitely going to be stiffer since the 5-tons were a very light weight chassis for use in the water where the 10-ton is all work. Kind of funny checking out the obvious difference in the springs between the 5-ton 6x6's and the 5-ton 8x8's (amphibious). The 6x6's are so overbuilt in comparison. But, when you have 10,000 lbs (or more) tossing around in the back as you bounce/plow/crawl your way across the rough countryside, I would say that overbuilt is better! We had quite a few offroad adventures in the M656 - never was brave enough to put her in the water though. For its weight (about 20,000) it handled great with the low ground pressure from all of that rubber. Just kind of "floated" over stuff and down the road. Felt like she could never get stuck - a very dangerous thing! Hey - its all for fun (and sometimes reminding folks of what others are doing for us).

Take Care, Dave

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Very interesting, good to know. Actually I have read quite a bit of the law as it stood within the last 8 months or so, althought I can't say absolutely that I have read every bit of it as I can not remember for sure. But, based on my memory, I do not think that Michigan has an exclusion for historic wreckers (or other vehicles being used for their intended purpose, for that matter). I am going to have to get some serious, quasi-professional, legal interpretation before I do any actual wrecker sort of operations on the road. I would have to assume that once you "lift" a vehicle for towing ala wrecker, whether by a HV or not, you might be in a whole different arena as it comes to insurance (classic vehicle insurance). Remember, even if the State and the DMV says its OK to do, State Farm (or your favorite ins co) may have a different opinion - and that is not in the law books. Time will tell!

Dave.

You are absolutely correct - the INSURER is the one holding the TRUMP CARD !

Even here in Texas, with some very MV-friendly laws, you cannot fault a LEO who chooses to stop you. They have to enforce SO MANY laws that John Q. Public cannot expect all LEO's to know the fine details of the laws that apply to only a few vehicles (MV's). And, typically, the TxFMV Laws are, in fact, EXCEPTIONS and EXEMPTIONS written into laws that are otherwise CONTROLLING in nature, rather than "permissive" by exclusion. That is exactly why I carry a 3" 3-ring binder with printed copies of the applicable laws under the seat in the Deuce. A good Boy Scout abides by the Boy Scout Motto: BE PREPARED.

Keep us informed as your restoration continues.

Best regards,
John

 

[paradeduty]

Absolutely, John.

If I "lifted" a vehicle for over-the road hauling, I would almost be expecting at least some very inquisitive once-overs from our boys in blue. Lets be fair about it. You put one of these trucks in front of another (even 5-tons and deuces) and tool on down the highway - you're not talking about a Honda pulling a plastic jet ski here! (I'm not sure which would weigh more: the Honda or the jet ski and trailer!) I'm just going to be happy to drive it and play a little as it is. I think the wrecker has the highest capacity (don't know about longest reach though) material handling crane of the HEMTT's. I do know that the wrecker has the most stable design for outrigger supports for the MHC. They are a lot like those for the firetrucks and utility basket trucks. These are triple extension arms that extend 45 degrees down and out to compensate for the high off-road frame height/tire clearance. Should be fun.

Take Care, Dave.

 

[Ord22]

Thanks hatteras,

You're right - I have heard of a lot of boats with twin Detroits and such. I think they were even put in the buses on an angle or sideways or something in the rear. Maybe it was the trans that was on an angle - I don't know - deffinitely something I have never played with.

Take Care, Dave.

the older buses had either the 8v71 or 92. they were placed in the rear. they are set in there on its side. when you open the access door, the intake is looking at you, actually! the trans setup like a front wheel drive. it came out and at a angle, with the driveshaft connected to the diff, and it all sat on a cradle. weird looking setup!! you will have to see it for yourself to understand. after disconnecting everything, you have to pickup the rear of the bus up and roll it out on a stand, made specifically for that engine/ trans. i seen it happen at my job twice. haven't seen another since.

 

[12vctd]

The a4's are air bagged have a cat and air condition a diff cab and spare tire mount thats air over hydro. Ride really smooth but have issues with the air bags

 

[Ord22]

hey paraduty
do you have all of your towing adapters? youtube detroit diesel and you will find guys running the 2-cycle engines, i.e 8v71,8v92,6-71 and 6v53, 16v,12v. all kinds! its amazing to see that guys still want to keep these engines running.

 

[12vctd]

also for off highway airing down makes a world of diff in the ride

 

[mudguppy]

... I think the wrecker has the highest capacity (don't know about longest reach though) material handling crane of the HEMTT's. ...

i had to research this once: IIRC, it does have the highest peak rating but the crane on the M983 was higher capacity at farther reach. if i remember that correctly...

i agree w/ you on the outriggers - they are the nicest of the HEMTTs. however, if the ground is soft, consider putting an additional (larger) pad under the outrigger pad. i've had the outrigger come back up w/out the pad and we had to dig it out.


and, also from memory, the E1 model was basically a DRMO package that upgraded the wheels/tires and some little odds/ends. when we sent our A2's in for rebuild, they came back w/ combat wheels and were designated E1's. that's about all we could find different on them.


don't know if you've checked yet, but to you have the remote controller for the MHC? that's a lot of fun...

 

[mattg2448]

Did you buy this off of GL? It looks like a nice truck, but oddly familiar!

 

[NEIOWA]

Thanks hatteras,

You're right - I have heard of a lot of boats with twin Detroits and such. I think they were even put in the buses on an angle or sideways or something in the rear. Maybe it was the trans that was on an angle - I don't know - deffinitely something I have never played with.

Take Care, Dave.

Many V72 and V92 were used in fire trucks thru the early 90s. Most of these are now being retired. Typically low miles (as mil vehicles) and well maintained (at least if still in original owner's stable).

8V92 usually only in big ladder trucks (100ft+ aerials). 6V72 and 6v92 in other custom cab fire trucks. Late 80s 100ft sticks can be found for scrap price if brand is one that is an orphan from a mfg that no longer exists. Typically would be a early 80s 100ft tick with a high HP 8V92 with Allison with 35-100k miles. So if you need a running take out or just a block.

 

[Danger Ranger]

Speaking of the detroits....I was at the National John Deere Two-Cylinder Expo at Waterloo, and one of the exhibits there was a 4020 with a 6V92 Detroit swapped in. Others have done it also, with bigger ones....here are the pics. Yes that is a random guy, and yes, sorry for the slight blurryness.

 

[deuceaid]

Speaking of the detroits....I was at the National John Deere Two-Cylinder Expo at Waterloo, and one of the exhibits there was a 4020 with a 6V92 Detroit swapped in. Others have done it also, with bigger ones....here are the pics. Yes that is a random guy, and yes, sorry for the slight blurryness.

That is so wrong! ( in the bad term/meaning).... I cant believe I am from california, and I find it wrong to put a 2 cycle trashtruck motor into a good old JD,,, I know,,, I have driven and wrenched on a 4010 and 4020 for some time ........

..........( but I DO HATE the split-center ground 24 volt system on those tractors)....... ( JD electrical engineers had to be smoking more than cigs to make that!!)

 

[hankstrucks]

i finally met this guy that has a hemitt in ny today

 

[hankstrucks]

i have been asking about this guy for months i finally got his name and hr invited me to see his hemtt wow i is so clean almost new like

 

[Ord22]

paraduty

do you have all of your towing attachmennts for eack vehicle? good luck again with the rebuild.

 

[tm america]

Hi Dave,

Glad you got the old girl at home now. I get my Dello 100 40 at a local supplier that caters to the local fishing fleet, there are a lot of boats still using the old oil leakers (Detroits don't burn oil, they mark their territory).

You have a spare side recovery winch? I want one if you find another, it would go great with my HUGE ground anchor.

Stuart

i sure would like to get some measurements and angles off of one of those ground anchors so i could make me one to use with my deuce...

 

[Stalwart]

i sure would like to get some measurements and angles off of one of those ground anchors so i could make me one to use with my deuce...

When I get the time I'll probably make that info available but it won't do most people any good. You won't be able to recreate it with any precision without a couple hundred ton press and dies to bend VERY thick wall pipe and precision bend and bevel some 3/8" steel plate. Mine was not made from shop drawings but scaled from a photograph and it looks better than the original it was copied from. The one copied was very crude, mine looks like it was made as a production item. I only WISH I could say I made it. Here is what it was copied FROM, not the one I have:

 

[Elwenil]

Eh, that wouldn't be real hard for a fab shop to make. My buddy who makes rock crawler chassis has everything needed to do it and has the steel in stock. Cost would probably be more than it's worth for just a show piece though. It's basically a up sized, non-folding version of the Pull-Pal.

LINK BROKEN

 

[Stalwart]

ER . . NOPE, a tubing bender will NOT bend that thickness of pipe, roll cages are made from thin wall tubing compared to that. They would fail pulling out a 60,000 lb loaded truck! You can make something that LOOKS like it, but not one that actually works for such a large and heavy vehicle.