Military Vehicles Thread

tkeaton said:
Anyone got a guy I could chat with if i were wanting to buy a truck?
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Just don't say you want a deuce! What are you wanting? I used to like the m939 series trucks, but the Stewart Stevenson trucks have definitely won me over, only downside is they dont look as good as a m939. But pretty mu h every other category they are better IMO.
 
Tacoma747 said:
Just don't say you want a deuce! What are you wanting? I used to like the m939 series trucks, but the Stewart Stevenson trucks have definitely won me over, only downside is they dont look as good as a m939. But pretty mu h every other category they are better IMO.
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:( Yea, looking for M35. Interested/able to help?

What are the m939 going for?
 
tkeaton said:
:( Yea, looking for M35. Interested/able to help?

What are the m939 going for?
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You will pretty much only find and M35 in private hands, so just check Craigslist and Facebook marketplace is about the best I can tell you. The m939 trucks are pretty comment on Facebook and Craigslist as well, I would highly suggest one over a m35. Everybody thinks a deuce is cool until they drive a 5-ton. there are also those that say guys that drive the five tons are wimps because of the power steering and automatic transmission, but you will see how tough you are when you get a m35 and have to do a three-point turn.
 
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And if you decide to go for a Stewart Stevenson, i have a m1078 with winch (which is rare). $12k. It is a super nice truck. I still need to fix a few things on it but not in a rush as I am waiting on title paperwork. The ride/drive of the S&S is way better than a m939. Plus, the cabs are better sealed and have much more room (read that as---tons of room). I wasn't a fan of them at first (back when i still had a m939) but I have not had a m939 truck for a few years probably. I don't even look at them on auction anymore as they are hard to resell based on the auction prices they normally bring.
 

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tkeaton said:
I've had my teeth rattled out by my isuzu cab over axle...obviously not apples to apples, but how's that ol girl on the bumps?
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Rides better than a deuce, or 5-ton. The cabs are air-ride. Now granted the seats suck, but that is an easy swap to $100 jeep seats. It really is no comparison between the trucks, plus, the S&S comes in 4x4 or 6x6, so where most people never need 6x6 it makes for a much better truck than a bobbed deuce or 5-ton. Don't get me wrong, the m939 trucks are simple, reliable, don't ride horrible, and the look cool. But for something you plan to use and not just on a farm the S&S wins hands down in my book. I have driven a m939 through a rainstorm. I came out wet on the other side! The S&S may have leaks here or there but most likely they are easily sealed (such as the turret cover is a common leak point--remove it, silicone it, and reinstall). To seal up a m939 or m35 you have to silicone your windshields shut, and then silicone the doors/windows shut once you get inside, but that makes getting out tricky once the silicone dries.
 
Welp. I bought a M35a2 this weekend. :shaking:

So, i now need (want, duh) the following:

PTO winch and bumper
6 - 2piece beadlock wheels, cheap is key, nothing fancy.

@Tacoma747 you able to help? Time is not a factor, if i need to wait up to 6 months, that's fine.

On the way to buy it, I passed two carriers hauling what I think were M1078. And of course seeing them in person made me want one of them things too.

Wife is super stoked, naturally.
 
I don't have a single deuce part here. Check with Jim Henry's truck sales in Albemarle. Tell him I sent you (Michael), and whatever you do don't pay with $50 bills, he will cuss you out. You need m35a3 wheels, or MRAP wheels with adapters. Neither are necessarily easy to find.

I highly suggest buying a big electric winch (Sherpa makes nice ones) and don't fool with the PTO winch.

I do know where a factory deuce winch is, I can see if I can find out if they still have it, but won't be till late April.


tkeaton said:
Welp. I bought a M35a2 this weekend. :shaking:

So, i now need (want, duh) the following:

PTO winch and bumper
6 - 2piece beadlock wheels, cheap is key, nothing fancy.

@Tacoma747 you able to help? Time is not a factor, if i need to wait up to 6 months, that's fine.

On the way to buy it, I passed two carriers hauling what I think were M1078. And of course seeing them in person made me want one of them things too.

Wife is super stoked, naturally.
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tkeaton said:
Welp. I bought a M35a2 this weekend. :shaking:

So, i now need (want, duh) the following:

PTO winch and bumper
6 - 2piece beadlock wheels, cheap is key, nothing fancy.

@Tacoma747 you able to help? Time is not a factor, if i need to wait up to 6 months, that's fine.

On the way to buy it, I passed two carriers hauling what I think were M1078. And of course seeing them in person made me want one of them things too.

Wife is super stoked, naturally.
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You could always just single out the wheels you have. I bought a good USED set of the Goodyear 395’s off eBay back when I did mine. Kept the stock wheels.
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BigSouth said:
You could always just single out the wheels you have. I bought a good USED set of the Goodyear 395’s off eBay back when I did mine. Kept the stock wheels.
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Looks like an A3? It should have had super singles originally why did you have to put them on?
 
Tacoma747 said:
Looks like an A3? It should have had super singles originally why did you have to put them on?
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That’s a long story and an expensive one. It’s an A2 that spit a connecting rod out of the bottom of the block. We swapped in a CAT out of a wrecked A3. Mated it to my stock 5 speed. That’s what led to the front end conversion to clear everything.
 
Yes that does sound expensive haha. I had an A3 once, slowest military truck I think I have ever owned, topped out at about 45. I have always thought the A3's frontend looks goofy. I bet that 3116 really brought that truck to life though, if you want a turbo off a LMTV you may could turn it up to 225hp. I have some turbos.
 
tkeaton said:
I’m not opposed to keeping stock, but the tales of the rims killing people has me second guessing.
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These are split ring wheels, not the 2 piece wheels you hear about killing people.
 
Tacoma747 said:
Yes that does sound expensive haha. I had an A3 once, slowest military truck I think I have ever owned, topped out at about 45. I have always thought the A3's frontend looks goofy. I bet that 3116 really brought that truck to life though, if you want a turbo off a LMTV you may could turn it up to 225hp. I have some turbos.
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I sold the truck years ago when all the repair parts went stupid expensive. After the military sold everything off, the big suppliers bought up all the stock and then promptly raised the prices too. I lived my childhood dream and my boys got to throw candy out of it in a parade. Bucket list checked off.
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Since I got it home I have:
-Tagged and insured
-Replaced all 6 wheel cylinders, adjusted to .020/.010 clearance on all pads, bled, went through >$40 of brake fluid, bled some more and got the stoppers dialed in
-Replaced axle seals, little cork thingy, and axle shaft seals
-Replaced all rubber hoses
-Replaced all zerks, put more grease through my grease gun then in its entire life to date
-Replaced parking brake cable (likely going to replace the shoes at some point in not distant future)
-Changed oil, filters, and coolant
-Removed/pressure washed/scrubbed interior, rebuild driver's seat linkages
-Removed, blasted, repainted: grill, mirror brackets, exhaust guard
-Racked up the most expensive single fill-up in my driving history
-Dismounted 4 extra wheels/tires that I got with the sale. Wheels have been cleaned and prepped for the 395s I got, just need to figure out tubes and flaps, local truck service center seems to have no clue about the flaps.
-Naturally replaced the shifter knob with a pineapple

Up until yesterday I was only bold enough to take it around the 6 mile loop around the neighborhood, having never driven one I felt it probably in everyone's best interest to pop my cherry on some backroads. Then yesterday, after being bored and frustrated at work (being essential and all :shaking:) I decided a longer shakedown was in order. Spent about an hour on everything from residential and highway, 4th and 5th really do feel like where the truck is happiest and other than being a 48-year old government-built truck feels quite solid.

The few times I've driven prior to yesterday I've noticed a fair bit of fresh oil on the starter and dripping below. I thought it may be dripping from the slobber tube, as there was a bit of residue at the bottom of it, but I could never isolate that is the source. Well yesterday when I stopped to be the jerk that took up 4 spots at the grocery store, I came out and saw a lot of oil coating the front diff, passenger side leafs, underside of the battery cabinet, etc. etc. A LOT of oil. Getting home I checked the level (one min after shut down as spec'd) and was down almost a quarter. Crawling underneath I cant pinpoint the source, but the passenger rear corner of the pan looks suspicious. There is still some oil on top of the starter, but nothing higher, nothing on the block/turbo/head/etc.

I've already put into a shopping cart for rear main seal, clutch pack, etc., thinking that with all I've read this may be the source, but something is nagging at me that it might be elsewhere.

Any suggestions? There are fortyeleven threads on steelsoldiers about the rear main but none seem to corroborate with what I'm seeing. But then again this is my first rodeo so maybe I'm wrong.

Tl;dr - Love the truck, cant figure out oil leak, kthx
 
Also, @Tacoma747 your call about the 5-ton or the S&S was not ignored. The wife was significantly less than enthusiastic when she saw the effort it takes to handle the deuce and has already said I need to be looking for something she can drive....so power steering, more reasonable turning, and less jarring ride are all in the future with another MV.
 
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