M35A2 or M35A3? Pro's and Cons of each

[Tanner]

Gentlemen -

I seem to be the only respondent here to note that OP is located in Wisconsin (current land of MV registering chaos); has anyone pointed out the potential grief that OP might go through in trying to get a newer M35 variant registered with WisDOT?

You want a driver or a parade/display queen?

'Tanner'

 

[jollyroger]

Good point Tanner.......And the beat goes on.

 

[92RT-TT]

Tanner thats a good point. I would like to be able to drive it to more then just parades.

I'm hoping to drive an a3 next weekend so unless it really changes my opinion I am really leaning toward an A2 just because of looks and the 5 speed.

I haven't searched yet for this but I'm guessing there are tons of threads on "what to look for when buying an A2"
I'll be doing some searching for threads but are there any things to really "watch out for" when looking at an A2?

 

[wsucougarx]

Another point to make is this. How many vets are going to look at your A3 and share stories of their yesteryears driving that ugly thing? Now the A2 has been around since the early 50's. Just something to think about because you brought up about parades. Let the debate begin once again I have had a few vets come up and discuss their experiences of the deuce. Of which most was good. From basic to Vietnam to Desert Storm etc

 

[AceHigh]

There were no A2 models in the 1950s! But I know what you mean.

Licensing is a factor. On my A2 I just hung an antique plate and went. The a3 does need a weighted plate and annual inspection.

 

[jollyroger]

As-built original A1's and A2's are of Kaiser and AM-General manufacture, however it is common to find rebuilds of former gas-powered REO and Studebaker models having A1 and A2 multifuel configurations.

Although the A2 version is by far the most common, there are four different iterations: Standard, A1, A2, and A3 iterations. These changes mainly had to do with the engine and transmission components. Standard M35 had a REO "Gold Comet" or Continental OA331 inline-6 gasoline engine. Some had 4-speed transmissions but most had "direct 5th" transmissions. The gasoline-powered deuces were built primarily by REO Motors, however, Studebaker also had a manufacturing contract from at least 1951 up into the early 1960s. Curtis-Wright also had a contract in at least 1958 to build deuce dump trucks with the Continental gas engine.

Thank you Wikipedia for the quotes.

So it appears from Wikipedia that you could in fact have a 1950's M-35A2 if the engine and transmission had been upgraded.

 

[swampzr2]

Gentlemen -

I seem to be the only respondent here to note that OP is located in Wisconsin (current land of MV registering chaos); has anyone pointed out the potential grief that OP might go through in trying to get a newer M35 variant registered with WisDOT?

You want a driver or a parade/display queen?

'Tanner'

What is " OP "

 

[swampzr2]

There were no A2 models in the 1950s! But I know what you mean.

Licensing is a factor. On my A2 I just hung an antique plate and went. The a3 does need a weighted plate and annual inspection.

What do you mean by "weighted plate?"

Don't A2's require inspections?

 

[92RT-TT]

OP means original poster as in ME lol.

Weighted plates meaning in WI we have plates that have stickers for different weight classes so a heavy truck may have a C weight where a half ton could get by with a B weight class sticker.

 

[AceHigh]

Don't A2's require inspections?

Most people in WV do not have antique vehicles inspected, but you can if you want.

 

[swampzr2]

Are there any issues registering an A3 in Illinois? I called the sec of state and got pricing up to 16,000 # and it was around $250 for the year.

They said there shouldn't be a problem.

What problems are you guys having in WI?

 

[dittle]

Your 16000# is close to actual vehicle weight depending on configuration but don't you have to register off of GVWR which would be just shy of 26000#'s? Maybe you can license lower weight but then if you so much as have lunch in the cab with you're overweight.

Different subject but I just found this quote online:

"The M35A3 is more user-friendly for soldiers and is just a better vehicle
> all over," said MAJ Ken Hickins, Regimental S4.
>
> Cost savings on maintenance of the A3 will be 200 percent over the 2.5-ton.
> The A3 will also have a longer life expectancy than that of the old truck.


I would say that the life expectancy isn't anywhere close to the A2 life cycle. Cost savings is debatable but I would bet that it is wrong as well.

 

[swampzr2]

Your 16000# is close to actual vehicle weight depending on configuration but don't you have to register off of GVWR which would be just shy of 26000#'s? Maybe you can license lower weight but then if you so much as have lunch in the cab with you're overweight.

Different subject but I just found this quote online:

"The M35A3 is more user-friendly for soldiers and is just a better vehicle
> all over," said MAJ Ken Hickins, Regimental S4.
>
> Cost savings on maintenance of the A3 will be 200 percent over the 2.5-ton.
> The A3 will also have a longer life expectancy than that of the old truck.


I would say that the life expectancy isn't anywhere close to the A2 life cycle. Cost savings is debatable but I would bet that it is wrong as well.

I was planning on bobbing my A3 so I figured I could bring the 14,000# weight down to 11,000 #. I could then carry 5,000#'s of cargo. As long as you dont exceed the 16,000# you should be good.

 

[jollyroger]

Your 16000# is close to actual vehicle weight depending on configuration but don't you have to register off of GVWR which would be just shy of 26000#'s? Maybe you can license lower weight but then if you so much as have lunch in the cab with you're overweight.

Different subject but I just found this quote online:

"The M35A3 is more user-friendly for soldiers and is just a better vehicle
> all over," said MAJ Ken Hickins, Regimental S4.
>
> Cost savings on maintenance of the A3 will be 200 percent over the 2.5-ton.
> The A3 will also have a longer life expectancy than that of the old truck.


I would say that the life expectancy isn't anywhere close to the A2 life cycle. Cost savings is debatable but I would bet that it is wrong as well.

My guys have told me that the truck was more user friendly from an operator standpoint right up to where the operator did not understand how to use the CTIS or understand what it did and the truck would be submitted for service. Then when put back in service with nothing repaired they would be "called in" for not fixing anything. Big bone of contention. So they would have to "replace" something in order to avoid reprimand. Not a cost savings.

User friendly for the operator but not for technicians.

Since the trucks were upgraded there was a lot of confusion about the operation and capabilities of the truck. This was not the fault of the truck but more the human factor. The A2's and 5 tons could walk away from the A3's in convoy so they would be submitted for lack of power etc. Nothing to fix but again something had to be wrong with them so stuff got "replaced". After a while the trucks got pushed into a corner somehwere and not used much. Which is good for private A3 owners now but not a cost savings to the gooberment.

And I fear that with the short production run parts availability may be an issue for the A3 long term. Parts will be around. They will just be expensive kind of like they are now. A2 owners will be able to buy personal parts trucks for a long time. Let alone the A2 surplus parts availability.

 

[dittle]

My guys have told me that the truck was more user friendly from an operator standpoint right up to where the operator did not understand how to use the CTIS or understand what it did and the truck would be submitted for service. Then when put back in service with nothing repaired they would be "called in" for not fixing anything. Big bone of contention. So they would have to "replace" something in order to avoid reprimand. Not a cost savings.

User friendly for the operator but not for technicians.

Since the trucks were upgraded there was a lot of confusion about the operation and capabilities of the truck. This was not the fault of the truck but more the human factor. The A2's and 5 tons could walk away from the A3's in convoy so they would be submitted for lack of power etc. Nothing to fix but again something had to be wrong with them so stuff got "replaced". After a while the trucks got pushed into a corner somehwere and not used much. Which is good for private A3 owners now but not a cost savings to the gooberment.

And I fear that with the short production run parts availability may be an issue for the A3 long term. Parts will be around. They will just be expensive kind of like they are now. A2 owners will be able to buy personal parts trucks for a long time. Let alone the A2 surplus parts availability.

What you say makes a lot of sense. From the operator's point of view I can see how it would be easier to drive. From the technician's point of view these things are a PITA. My guess the "cost of maintenance" is why they are getting rid of them faster than planned as per the plans they wanted to use them for quite a long time.

 

[jollyroger]

There are a lot of reasons why the A3's are being surplused out.

And they are good trucks. I don't prefer them but you can't go wrong with either an A2 or an A3. The A3's have tremendous value for the prices being paid for them. They are basically new medium duty, turbo diesel, automatic tranny trucks for under $10,000.

Unfortunately for the A3 it was and still is a misunderstood truck. It also missed the mark on some performance issues. And there are replacements available.

Each generation of truck has gained about 5-10 MPH of road speed. I think if the A3 had an overdrive or could have run 60 MPH on road it might have been a different story for it's longevity of service.

 

[yeadon]

Thanks for all the info I had the same question.

 

[Bcurtman]

As far as what to look for in buying an A2, I would recommend buying a running, driving, already road licensed truck. This will ensure that there are no existing issues like brakes or batteries or engine issues that are unknowns, and having just a title to transfer makes getting it on the road much faster and simpler, read that as "fewer questions". Buying a gl truck is a pig in a poke, but if you know what to look for you can probably do ok. I have purchased over 20 vehicles from gl over the years, but my first deuce came from an individual, and it was exactly as he told me it would be. Never got a bad one from gl, but I nearly always had battery, driveshaft, and missing parts to contend with.

 

[tuckered]

Since the trucks were upgraded there was a lot of confusion about the operation and capabilities of the truck. This was not the fault of the truck but more the human factor. The A2's and 5 tons could walk away from the A3's in convoy so they would be submitted for lack of power etc. Nothing to fix but again something had to be wrong with them so stuff got "replaced". After a while the trucks got pushed into a corner somehwere and not used much. Which is good for private A3 owners now but not a cost savings to the gooberment.

And I fear that with the short production run parts availability may be an issue for the A3 long term. Parts will be around. They will just be expensive kind of like they are now.

The gov't works in mysterious ways. Is the A3 out of production? What is it being replaced with or are all of the 2.5 tons being omitted altogether?

thanks

Are the A3's multi fuel vehicles, like the A2's???

 

[Hoefler]

Its time for a throw down on this subject. Portable MMA cage to settle this dispute.