M62(A2) Wrecker Recovery

[HvyEng]

Hello,

I'm new to the forums, and pretty new to big green steel. What we have here is a 1953 IHC M62 Wrecker, upgraded to an "A2" equivalent standard at some point. From what I can figure out so far, it was in the Minnesota NG until 04ish, then to a State agency, where I bought it from.


Overall, its in good shape, but has unfortunately and obviously been abused at some point (more on that later). It has the mounting points for "H" frame floodlights, with no lights on the shipper. The transfer case / winch levers are reversed, and it has the boom leg stowage on the sides


There is some rust on the inside of the fenders and the wrecker bed but for a '53 that spent a lot of time in MN its not bad at all.

The multifuel starts with a little effort (about 10-15 seconds of cranking), but it has a few issues. The power steering is INOP, I haven't done any troubleshooting on that yet. The air system won't pressurize, after connecting to my M35 the clutch roto chamber is blowing air straight through, even when the lever on the wrecker bed is off. The boom moves through the full range up, down, left, and right, and extend, but won't retract past about 13 feet.


The boom seems to have been badly overloaded at some point, there are pushed-out bends on the back of the shipper, and the underside is creased in. The boom pulley end is cut from cable rub. When retracting, it seems to bind against the shipper near the boom pulley end.


Overall, its a great truck, I'm planning to start with the battery compartment, then air system and power steering, I'm not sure what to do about the boom and shipper, I think they both will probably need to be replaced.

This is going to be a long term project, right now its going to be used for light work around the property. Eventually, I'm thinking its destiny will be back in early OD green.

Over the last few months, SS has been an absolute wealth of information, thanks to all who have posted and added!

There are some questions I'm hoping someone can help with:
1. I have the copy of Army Motors 137 and have scoured this site and many others searching for bits of M62 history. Does anyone know of any hidden resources that may help discover more about the trucks history?
2. Any ideas about the boom and shipper?
3. There are a couple of posts about replacing the roto-chamber with with a standard brake chamber, but with a single side clamp. Every one I've seen has two sided clamps, does anyone have a P/N for one with a single side clamp?

Thanks,
--Dan

 

[red]

wcuhillbilly might be able to point you in the right direction on the brake can for the clutch, he's mentioned it before. Much cheaper than what the mil surp dealers want for the roto chamber.

Uh, ew, yea, that boom is bent. The first pic of the side profile makes it clear. Safely there are 4 options:
1. Take it to a crane shop that will fix it (expensive, probably more than you paid for the truck)
2. Find a m62 being parted out and swap it's crane
3. Swap the bed completely. Another m62, a m543, m816, m936
4. Remove the crane and replace it with either a gin pole setup or a knuckleboom

Most welders won't touch rebuilding a crane due to liability concerns.

What I would do (keep in mind I'm not a purist) regarding the crane. Either completely remove the crane and mount the winch onto the bed, or pull the extension out of the crane and cut off the main boom just before the damaged section. Then use the long support legs as a gin pole setup. It's cheap and allows the truck to safely lift things again (only from the rear). With the crane damaged as it is, there is no safe lifting.

 

[clinto]

1. I have the copy of Army Motors 137 and have scoured this site and many others searching for bits of M62 history. Does anyone know of any hidden resources that may help discover more about the trucks history?
2. Any ideas about the boom and shipper?
3. There are a couple of posts about replacing the roto-chamber with with a standard brake chamber, but with a single side clamp. Every one I've seen has two sided clamps, does anyone have a P/N for one with a single side clamp?

1. https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?118761-Old-army-training-video-of-wrecker-model-M62

2. I'd replace the boom and shipper with a good used takeout. Use that job as an opportunity to rebuild the cylinder(s) and hoses. It's part and parcel of owning one of these. A 5 ton wrecker is a lot of maintenance but it brings a lot of capability to a lot of jobs.

3. No clue.

 

[Tracer]

HvyEng, looking for someone close to you who can help with wrecker parts, or knows someone who has them. Just North of you, try White Owl, Kinston, NC. 252-522-2586

 

[zebedee]

HvyEng, looking for someone close to you who can help with wrecker parts, or knows someone who has them. Just North of you, try White Owl, Kinston, NC. 252-522-2586

Not sure if they were connected, but we recently drove along 70 (4th July weekend) and there was a complete wrecker body at the front of a small yard, on the South side a few miles West of Kinston, maybe 11 miles... I seem to remember a "Kinston 12" mile sign some time after I saw the wrecker body. It did not look like a exMil truck business, more like construction company or haulage company. It was next to the trees/bushes that were the property line..
I think the wrecker was off of a 543/816 - can't be sure, it was on the ground with the spare wheel (carrier) to the front and I didn't see if the cupola guard was curved or rectangular (nor did I see the back - winch control box for 936).

Hope this helps.

 

[HvyEng]

Thanks Red,
Thats the bad news I was afraid of. I'm definitely no "rivet counter", but the AW boom is pretty much the defining feature of the M62, so my first choice is to replace the shipper and boom, but we'll see what necessity leads to. I'll definitely "gin-pole" it if anything is lifted.

Thanks Clinto,
Thats a great video, I had never even seen the interior of an M39 series before getting the M62. I watched that video and read TM 9-8028 Maintenance 5-Ton OP OM JUN55 and TM 9-2320-211-10 Operators Manual M39 30NOV77 CHG 20AUG82 cover to cover each at least three times. When I tried the boom for the first time that video was on my cell phone for reference.

Thanks Tracer,
I'll give him a call.

Thanks Zebedee,
That may be the same one from Tracer, I'll check them out.


There is a ways to go with rejuvenating the core truck, so there is time to look for a Boom and Shipper. I was reading in another post that the M246/M819 would fit on the M62, has anyone tried it?

Does anyone know anything about the H-frame floodlights? the only place I can find any reference is in the TM 9-2320-209-35 Maintenance DS GS DM M44-A1-2 M45-A1 03JUN65 under the M108.

Thanks,
-Dan

 

[red]

The floodlights are unit level mods, same with the organization of the equipment on the bed. No real set design for that or what was carried by each wrecker.

The extra length of the m246/819 wrecker booms would be a nice upgrade if you can find one.

 

[HvyEng]

Good call on White Owl! They have a wrecked M62 with what a appears to be a rusty but straight boom. I'm working on buying the whole thing and salvaging a few other bits and pieces too. I'm going up next Saturday to take a closer look.


Thanks for the tip!
--Dan

 

[gimpyrobb]

Post up anything you don't keep off that truck! They aren't making any of those parts any more!

 

[Tracer]

Good call on White Owl! They have a wrecked M62 with what a appears to be a rusty but straight boom. I'm working on buying the whole thing and salvaging a few other bits and pieces too. I'm going up next Saturday to take a closer look.
View attachment 690112

Thanks for the tip!
--Dan

Good news Dan. Also try B&M Military Surplus, they're in Upstate NY. 518-563-6656 They're online and carry parts for 2.5, 5, & 10 ton trucks. Their website also says they have parts for M62 wreckers. Can't hurt to have a couple of extra parts sources.

 

[ODFever]

It looks like you'll need a wrecker to remove the wrecked wrecker bed and boom. Then you'll need to use the wrecker to pull the wrecker bed and boom from the wrecked wrecker, and install it on the unwrecked wrecker!!!!