gerktron01
New member
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- Location
- La Crossw, Wi
I recently found the web site IronPlanet and they had quite a few HEMTTs for sale of various versions. I was just playing around with the idea of owning one as a wild dream. I placed a bid and won the auction. I was shocked my bid won, as it wasn't nearly what the others went for at the time of auction. I sent the money and arranged the pick up of this beast.
This is me(arms in air) and the very kind friend who helped retrieve this beast from Fort Bragg, NC.
She is a 1983 M977 HEMTT. 13k on her after the 1100 mile drive back to Wisconsin. The trip was quite eventful......
When we arrived on base it was raining and they had the truck "ready" to go. I did a quick walk around and made sure the brakes worked well before we left the lot. It was a crap shoot if it was advertised and would make the journey.
We left the base and headed for the nearest gas station that would take this beast at the pump. The fuel gauge was dead and I had no way to dip the tank so we filled it up till the pump shut off and it turns out it was almost full from the beginning. (We weren't allowed to open anything on base due to rules and such.)
We filled checked the fluids and made sure the brakes were greased. After the fuel stop we left for Indiana where our hotel was. Along the way the trans temp gauge kept climbing and climbing. It finally got to the max the TM said to allow it and we found a Lowes to park and and check the trans fluid level and let her cool off. I started playing with the light switches and the gauge snapped back to the normal range. WHEW!!!! After that scare we figured we had to keep going if the temp was ok and was dropping as we sat there.
The trip through the mountains was interesting and foggy as all get out. The Jake brake worked great coming out of the hills and I hardly had to use the brakes. I got her up to 62mph on level ground at red line; 65 coasting down the hills. She is governed at 2100 rpm and will do that all day. Believe me.
The first pic is the moment we arrived in Indiana at 01:45. After a quick sleep we left for Wisconsin the next day as early as we could. Half way back I glanced down at the gauges like I had been all day and as I looked the oil pressure gauge dropped instantly to zero. I radioed my buddy in the chase car and we pulled over and checked the oil. She was a little low, but still on the dip stick. We added a ~ a half gallon and sat there. I got back in and hit the dash in frustration. I restarted the truck and the oil pressure gauge was working again!!! The bumps must have knocked a ground loose over the first 750 miles. At that point we were gonna go till we couldn't if we did actually loose oil pressure.
Thankfully everything worked out and we made it back to Wisconsin without any issues. Just found some things to fix throughout the winter.
I need to replace the traction control switch because it leaked the WHOLE trip home. We took the panel apart at the first stop because I couldn't build past 75 psi in the tanks. Turns out a few of the air lines for the switch were loose and the housing is cracked on the back side.
Other than that she is mechanically sound and starts instantly. I need to seal the cab and find a turret hatch.
This is me(arms in air) and the very kind friend who helped retrieve this beast from Fort Bragg, NC.
She is a 1983 M977 HEMTT. 13k on her after the 1100 mile drive back to Wisconsin. The trip was quite eventful......
When we arrived on base it was raining and they had the truck "ready" to go. I did a quick walk around and made sure the brakes worked well before we left the lot. It was a crap shoot if it was advertised and would make the journey.
We left the base and headed for the nearest gas station that would take this beast at the pump. The fuel gauge was dead and I had no way to dip the tank so we filled it up till the pump shut off and it turns out it was almost full from the beginning. (We weren't allowed to open anything on base due to rules and such.)
We filled checked the fluids and made sure the brakes were greased. After the fuel stop we left for Indiana where our hotel was. Along the way the trans temp gauge kept climbing and climbing. It finally got to the max the TM said to allow it and we found a Lowes to park and and check the trans fluid level and let her cool off. I started playing with the light switches and the gauge snapped back to the normal range. WHEW!!!! After that scare we figured we had to keep going if the temp was ok and was dropping as we sat there.
The trip through the mountains was interesting and foggy as all get out. The Jake brake worked great coming out of the hills and I hardly had to use the brakes. I got her up to 62mph on level ground at red line; 65 coasting down the hills. She is governed at 2100 rpm and will do that all day. Believe me.
The first pic is the moment we arrived in Indiana at 01:45. After a quick sleep we left for Wisconsin the next day as early as we could. Half way back I glanced down at the gauges like I had been all day and as I looked the oil pressure gauge dropped instantly to zero. I radioed my buddy in the chase car and we pulled over and checked the oil. She was a little low, but still on the dip stick. We added a ~ a half gallon and sat there. I got back in and hit the dash in frustration. I restarted the truck and the oil pressure gauge was working again!!! The bumps must have knocked a ground loose over the first 750 miles. At that point we were gonna go till we couldn't if we did actually loose oil pressure.
Thankfully everything worked out and we made it back to Wisconsin without any issues. Just found some things to fix throughout the winter.
I need to replace the traction control switch because it leaked the WHOLE trip home. We took the panel apart at the first stop because I couldn't build past 75 psi in the tanks. Turns out a few of the air lines for the switch were loose and the housing is cracked on the back side.
Other than that she is mechanically sound and starts instantly. I need to seal the cab and find a turret hatch.
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With fuel economy so low, even a little improvement makes a huge difference!