Wrecker vise differences, Anchor/Wilton

[zebedee]

Whilst reinstalling the straightened bumper, I decided to adjust the position of the vise, on it's plate as one of the holes had been drilled through the edge of the bumper!
It's an Anchor vise, 3 mounting lugs vs the 4 lugs of the original (??) Wilton.

Looks like one of the upgrade hole was hastily burnt through.. that will be filled. This is the under side of the plate.


Clamped with 1" Aluminium backing block. This will sinc heat away from the initial weld pool but surprisingly doesn't melt.

This is a 4" (jaw size) Wilton "Bullet" that I picked up - base needs repairing, just for info - the M816/M543/M936 uses a 5" vise.

The Wiltons mounting lug patern is not a square, again, this pic is jusr for reference, from the 4".

4 original Wilton holes, inservice replacement Anchor holes (one shared), note foreward hole drilled (burnt?) through bumper (can just see edge of repaired bumper through hole) and 3 new holes for it's adjusted position.

Anchor #5 vise in approximate new position.

My 816 came with an Anchor vise, but the the bumper mounting plate had other holes.. It appears that the Anchor vise was an inservice change from a Wilton. The Wilton, has 4 mounting lugs, whereas, the Anchor, only 3.

Note one of the holes for the 'upgrade/replacement' Anchor vise had been drilled through the bumper, the edge of the top flange, weakening it. So, I repositioned it, 3 new holes, and will fill the upgrade holes, but keeping the Wilton holes.

 

[zebedee]

Just for clarity, I'm adding this pic -




.. and yes, top right ANCHOR hole (in this pic) will need a packing shim between vise plate and bumper brace bracket (which was also burnt on it's edge for the inservice ANCHOR replacement and now repaired). This will be similar to the rear hole of the tow shacke that bolts to frame end and not through the bumper flange.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Here’s some info on other wrecker vises. The spec calls for a 5” combination vise (regular and pipe jaws). A number of vises meet the spec, but have different bolt patterns for the base.
The NSN, at least for the common 5 ton wreckers from m62 to m939 series is 5120-00-243-9072.

The Wilton vise is a model c2 and bolts right in to the front mounted plate as well as the rear mount on the m62. The first ones were made in Chicago, then later ones are made in Schiller Park.
Here’s a friend’s early c2 on an m62. The vise was moved to a front mount plate in service, but originally is mounted to the back on m62 models.

In the late 1970s, the Wilton C2 got an updated casting, as well as other changes. Here’s a pic of the one going on my m62 eventually. These often had regular locknuts holding the swivels, I made some normal swivel handles so no wrench is needed.

Another vise that’s listed on part target under the NSN is the L. S. Starrett Model 325. I’ve yet to see a picture of one in service on a wrecker, but it’s technically correct. These have a 3 bolt base that has a smaller pattern than the Anchor vise in the original post. Here’s a shot of one that we’ll end up using in the shop.

 

[msgjd]

Nice Job and informative !

somewhere along its time in the system, my M62 had its vice, mounting plate, and all the hoist-related Bii items robbed from it , but I gained a full set of (tire) triple-chains and a pair of singles.. I sure could've used the missing Bii more than once .. Have yet to need the tire chains (on the wrecker, anyway)

your pics and template A+++++ ... I have been considering building a new plate .. I have an old 6" shop vise that threatens to flip over the whole welding table whenever I use the vise to hold something I am wrenching on .. At my age now I don't think I would be able to flip over the M62

 

[MotorTMan]

My 816 has an Army applied big Yost 33C on it. There were no modifications to the plate, as it has the same base bolt pattern as the Wilton C2.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Another common vise on the later wreckers is the Yost 33C. Here’s a pic of one on an m936a2 at the Weare, NH show.

Just for fun here’s an inservice pic of a vise that’s not quite by the book. This is most likely a m543, with a Wilton C3 mounted. The C3 has 6” jaws, but is much larger than the C2. At least at the time, the C3 used the same baseplate as the C2 so it’s a bolt on modification.