New Purchase...M816!

[porkysplace]

Last weekend did not go as planned due to the sup-tropical storm in Florida...we received a lot of rain from the edges of the storm and our red Tennessee clay turned into jelly. Even the Cat was sliding around. We did get quite a bit of dirt work done on Friday with the Cat and Ford. The 816 batteries also gave us fits, turns out they were low on electrolyte (probably from being sloshed around while driving on multiple trips from home to property) SO we pull started it with the Cat. No pictures sadly we had our hands full between Dad and I but she fired right up. never had an easier starting truck.

Quick question for anyone with an 800 series truck, I noticed I have an extra set of cables in the battery box area, is this for a 4 battery set up?

We are going back down in June with topped off wrecker batteries, a lot of fresh diesel and hopefully picking up a replacement rear drag winch on a long weekend to finally build our structure for the equipment and probably gravel the driveway. More pictures to come.

The crane truck will be used quite a bit to help with that, it will be a 22ft x 26ft structure using a heavy military cover I got in trade as well as a ton of 2x4's, 2x6's and 4x4's to make a frame. Life is so much easier with a wrecker around, best money I've spent so far in building our cabin and developing our land.

Once its under cover I will be cleaning it up, fixing a few things and probably building a small extension for the crane to lift roof trusses...I am working with a crane company to help identify limits of whatever I come up with (no more than maybe 500 lb. lifting capability). I will share plans on here as well!

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A Cat 955 with a side dump thats one handy feature once you get used to the loader levers working backwards to the regular bucket.

 

[USAFNB]

@porkysplace - yeah it has been a handy feature. I was surprised to see the 955s configuration when I first saw it. You can't see it in the picture but it also has the d4e winch on the back and a bunch of other options. Some on here think it might have been a railroad machine due to it's great up keep and side dump.

And now that I'm used to the levers being reverse I like it a lot plus the auto level and reset to dig functions!

 

[porkysplace]

@porkysplace - yeah it has been a handy feature. I was surprised to see the 955s configuration when I first saw it. You can't see it in the picture but it also has the d4e winch on the back and a bunch of other options. Some on here think it might have been a railroad machine due to it's great up keep and side dump.

And now that I'm used to the levers being reverse I like it a lot plus the auto level and reset to dig functions!

The one I used to run was originally bought for work in the Saginaw Steering Gear complex ,it had a lot of tight areas that made loading trucks hard or a long run from the work area .

 

[USAFNB]

It definitely makes a lot easier dumping and less turning to dump dirt. I ain't getting rid of it anytime soon!

 

[fasttruck]

The crane u joints referred to in post 4 are "angle joints" as I recall on the lubrication order. Don't make a move without one of those. Also an item that most people do not lube is the drum lock on the front winch. If this is not frequently used it will get stuck and render the winch inoperative when you are stuck up to the headlights in mud. Wreckers have something like 100 grease points so as also mentioned min post 4 don't go after it with one tube of grease. Check the screw jacks in each corner of the wrecker body to make sure they work freely.

 

[fasttruck]

Picture of failed angle joint. Collar seizes and then motion of shaft wrips out rubber boot. Got a new one from Memphis Equipment. Forget what it costs.