• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

The 10x10 pls is home!

paradeduty

New member
727
28
0
Location
Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.A.
Well, pretty much - had it trailered to a heavy truck shop near my home to run through the basics and give it a basic "educated once over" before she sees any appreciable road time. Put some new 65's in her and the Detroit fired right up - what a feeling. Push button allison 5-speed seemed to shift fine - not sure if the transfer case and diff. locks are engaging as had some tire spin off of the upper rear deck of the RGN trailer. The driver said that the wrecker operators that did the load mentioned that it seemed that the TC was being finicky - but it could be a product of sitting for a while - might loosen up with some tender motoring around. Watching the rear-most axle steer in the mirror is a trip. Brought home the 6TMF batteries out of it to see if they will hold a charge as the battery cables are sized for EXACTLY that size of battery x 4. Trust me - no movement on those cables. Batteries looked really good though so we'll see. More to come for sure. On a side note, as it turns out one of the mechanics at the shop used to drive the M984 HEMTT Wrecker during his service days so I'm sure they will be seeing that old girl down there too! Dave :razz:
 

Attachments

axlr8

Member
424
0
16
Location
Rushford MN
You have the Hemtt manuals? I got some Hemtt student training workbooks and stuff of the sort, If you want I can send you em.
 

paradeduty

New member
727
28
0
Location
Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.A.
Hey Gang -

Yup, she is a lot of truck (about 36' and 55k lbs) but on my maiden circle around the back lot to park her for the night she handled smooth as could be.

axlr8 - thanks for the offer. I will deff. let you know. Not sure how accurate they would be though. This truck is sort of the "next generation" of the basic HEMTT design if you will. Remember the good old 3-Lever light switch - doesn't have it. Everything is rocker switches - EVERYTHING. Even the engine layout is a little different. I had my guesses as to why there was no grill on the skidplate for the front of the cab as on the standard HEMTT's. Sure enough, the PLS has the radiator lying flat horizontal OVER the Detroit 8V92 (much like the HUMVEE's I think).

gimpyrobb - It was sure hard to not start some serious "playing", but there are a few things to check out first. The dash guages did not "power up" but I think this may have to do with only being able to install 2 of the 65's due to the original battery cables. I am used to the good old positive and negative with not much fuss - this girl has at least a dozen factory "taps" off of the battery terminals to feed who know what so I am leaving well enough alone until I can get all 4 to fit. One of the "guages" was a low hyd fluid indicator - but as said, this may be a product of my temporary batteries to get her off the trailer.
 

emmado22

Moderator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
7,058
147
63
Location
Mid Hudson Valley NY
HEMTT Manuals wont do you any good. You need the PLS manuals. No matter how similar the cabs look, it's a totally different machine. I "owned" 3 PLS's and several versions of the HEMTTs in the Army.

How is your flatrack collection? I had 5 M1077 flatracks for every PLS, and often needed more.
 
Last edited:
Top