jeeper61 Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt_Floor_Poor Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 If that thing is any good at all, with that crane that sounds like a smokin’ deal. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Who doesn't and agreed that won't last long at that price 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ny bill o Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 25 minutes ago, hardtail said: Who doesn't and agreed that won't last long at that price ad says it was listed 18 weeks ago, so it lasted that long, at least.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeper61 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 The draw back is the need of brake work With the listing time there likely room for a discount Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldscoutdiesel Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 King of Obsolete has one and seems to get a fair amount of work out of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeper61 Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 certainly looks like it could be handy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNY Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 Local tow company has 2 of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermechanic Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 agree on the good price. top speed is too slow to be safe in todays traffic. gas motor gets about 3 miles to the gallon. a few big towing outfits around me got their start with these, as soon as they can get something more modern, they do. army wrecker then goes to the back lot, and sits. can't sell them, somebody will then be looking for a slice of your business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeeper61 Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 That's a site machine throw a plow on it to plow your road 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKwelder Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Was around them a bit when I was in the USAF, or at least the current model at the time, M936A2. I’m not sure I would want to climb on and off them anymore, my knees twinge just thinking about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mader656 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 8 hours ago, supermechanic said: agree on the good price. top speed is too slow to be safe in todays traffic. gas motor gets about 3 miles to the gallon. a few big towing outfits around me got their start with these, as soon as they can get something more modern, they do. army wrecker then goes to the back lot, and sits. can't sell them, somebody will then be looking for a slice of your business. I feel that way about post drivers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandhiller Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Our VFD has three 5t 6x6's. The oldest being a 1972 AM General M818. It is a tough old campaigner. BUT, it is small in the cab. I can only imagine the '55 is even smaller yet. I'm thinking it is governed at 59mph. Doubt the '55 will do much better than 45. off road is where it shines. It will run away from the one ton grass rigs. Jeeper mentioned "on site" and I agree. It would be cool to have around the ranch but I would hate to have to road it anywhere very far. There are companies that are supporting these old military trucks with parts so that may or may not be an issue. The young guys all want to get rid of "C44" but it was the first truck I had control of the build and holds a place in my heart. We have fought a lot of fire together and I use to keep it out at the ranch. I will make sure it stays around as long as it is capable of going to fires. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Doctor Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Why does it have a Continental engine? If it’s an IHtruck, why wasn’t a Red Diamond used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermechanic Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1 hour ago, Farmall Doctor said: Why does it have a Continental engine? If it’s an IHtruck, why wasn’t a Red Diamond used? IH was one of a few manufacturers that built trucks for the us govt. All of the manufacturers build to the same plan. If it was made by Kaiser, it had a 6602. If it was made by Mack, it had a 6602. If it was made by Studebaker, it had a 6602. if it was made by Oshkosh, it had a 6602. And so on. Can you imagine the confusion if you were the manager of the government motor pool, and in your inventory were parts for a dozen different versions of the same vehicle? How about if you were the mechanic and you needed to 'borrow' a carburetor from a shot-up or otherwise damaged truck to repair another? How many hoods would you lift to find the same engine? Government issue is just that, all built to the same plan. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 I ran one in the Army for two years but it was the newer 800 series with the 250 Cummins the rotator was also updated and had front and rear winches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Neubauer Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Local tow company runs this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 when the gov started to phase out the 900 series I bought 11, 5 tons at gov auction and stretched them to be used for potato bulk trucks farmers up here like them for digging in wet weather, 900's had better brakes but the 800's where a better truck all around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1 minute ago, Cliff Neubauer said: Local tow company runs this one. that is an 800 series there only down fall was the juice brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 14 hours ago, sandhiller said: Our VFD has three 5t 6x6's. The oldest being a 1972 AM General M818. It is a tough old campaigner. BUT, it is small in the cab. I can only imagine the '55 is even smaller yet. I'm thinking it is governed at 59mph. Doubt the '55 will do much better than 45. off road is where it shines. It will run away from the one ton grass rigs. Jeeper mentioned "on site" and I agree. It would be cool to have around the ranch but I would hate to have to road it anywhere very far. There are companies that are supporting these old military trucks with parts so that may or may not be an issue. The young guys all want to get rid of "C44" but it was the first truck I had control of the build and holds a place in my heart. We have fought a lot of fire together and I use to keep it out at the ranch. I will make sure it stays around as long as it is capable of going to fires. 2 1/2 ton and 5 tons had the same cabs for years, nose and front fenders changed with each series to accommodate changes in engines we had a few duce's with the muilti-fuel engines sometimes we would go down to the flight line and fill them with JP-4 that would make fly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 On 2/5/2022 at 7:56 AM, jeeper61 said: certainly looks like it could be handy that is a nice photo, But if he was in my section, I would have busted him for not having his outriggers down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandhiller Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 2 minutes ago, m.c.farmerboy said: 2 1/2 ton and 5 tons had the same cabs for years, nose and front fenders changed with each series to accommodate changes in engines we had a few duce's with the muilti-fuel engines sometimes we would go down to the flight line and fill them with JP-4 that would make fly! When the FD told me to go get a truck for myself I thought I wanted a duece and a half. But after comparing, the 5 ton won out. Looking back, I am glad we went that way. We now have a M1078A which is technically a 2 1/2t but way better than the old ones. This beast will go anywhere and is pretty comfortable to drive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 they also made a version with a fifth wheel plate and no rear winch we had one in my section with a step deck for pickin up pieces of downed aircraft it was ok on good going but most of the time we just hauled the step with a tractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m.c.farmerboy Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 4 minutes ago, sandhiller said: When the FD told me to go get a truck for myself I thought I wanted a duece and a half. But after comparing, the 5 ton won out. Looking back, I am glad we went that way. We now have a M1078A which is technically a 2 1/2t but way better than the old ones. This beast will go anywhere and is pretty comfortable to drive. I had a chance to buy a few of them but heard the had a lot of problems a buddy bought 2 and wished he'd bought none Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandhiller Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 8 minutes ago, m.c.farmerboy said: I had a chance to buy a few of them but heard the had a lot of problems a buddy bought 2 and wished he'd bought none Ours has been trouble free. We get a shot at them before the public does. The Forest Service retains ownership, we pay a one time lease pmt. Can have it for as long as we want it. We have had our M818 for sixteen years on a $5000 one time lease payment. The FS is real good with parts support also. But........ I am hyjacking this thread so will shut up now.........sorry jeeper! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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