SS Demand for 20-ton rough terrain crane?

[maddawg308]

I found a military 20 ton rough terrain crane in Northern VA. It's been sitting by the road for many years, and looks complete but obviously needs to be put back into service after a long slumber. I'm not sure if it's for sale, I wanted to know if there was anyone here that could use one before I establish contact with the owner to see if he's willing to sell. It probably wouldn't be more than a couple thousand dollars, tops, since it's been sitting for a while unused. The below is NOT a pic of the crane in question, but is representative of the model crane it is.

 

[pa.rich]

There is one in Binghamton too (N.Y.) great condition but the engine on the crane unit has gone bad.

 

[wreckerman893]

I have actually driven these vehicles before. I was in an ammo unit at Fort Benning and we had several of them.
They are a maintainence nightmare. The chasis is driven hydrolically by a V-8 Cummins diesel. All four wheels are powered and it has front and rear steering and can crab sideways. It was notorious for blowing hydrolic lines and spraying hot fluid all over the environment.
I don't remember what type diesel powered the crane.
They were very slow out on the road and we had no tractor trailers big enough to haul them. We either road marched them or called the engineers to move them with a M-923 and lowboy if the mission was more than a few miles from the motor pool.
Unless you have a big wallet and are a glutton for punishment I would leave it right where it is sitting.
Just my worth.

 

[OPCOM]

in that case, would the wheels fit on an M35?

 

[wreckerman893]

in that case, would the wheels fit on an M35?

I don't know if you were kidding about the tires or not. They are on some very strange rims.
Unless there is a BIG lift kit involved I would think not.
I had the extreme misfortune of having to repair one that we flattened while clearing a range.
I won't go into great detail but it involved many implements of destruction, a can of axle grease and ether. I don't ever want the pleasure of that experience again.
Those wretched inventions of the devil were designed by an idiot and built by a government contrator for the lowest bid.
Run.....don't walk away from it.......run.

 

[OPCOM]

I was kidding. I suppose it is best used as a lawn ornament, in someone else's lawn!

 

[JDToumanian]

Kinda ugly, isn't it?

I'd much rather have the crane on a deuce chassis (not a M108, though I'd like one of them, too!) that was recently discussed / sold on GSA...

 

[maddawg308]

Okay, never mind - I won't ask on the crane. Apparently there is no interest in keeping these beasts operational, and for, what I hear, good reason.