Won a GL M931 that I haven't picked up yet and was wondering if there things I should especially look out for before starting it up. (it was sold as "driven onto lot")
Of course I'lll check engine & trans oil, and coolant. From one post I read the brakes can be stuck if it's been sitting a long time. Anything else?
At least I don't have too far to go with it, just about 60 miles. Since all I'll have is a bill of sale, no title or license on turck, it there any legal way to drive it home? What do you guys usually do, just take your chances with the DOT?
2010 Heartland Sundance
2008 F350 CC/LB 6.4L
2005 Yamaha R6 (My need for speed )
1984 M915A1 AM General
1984 M871 Southwest Truck
1984 M925 AM General W/W
1971 M35A2 AM General WO/W
1968 M105A2 Johnson
1962 M105A2 Johnson
One thing you'll be doing is smiling while you're driving it. They drive really nicely. Oh, and the transmission will shift nice and smooth after it warms up so don't panic when the first 15 mins of cold shifts slam you around a bit...it's that thick engine oil in the trans.
Have you read the -10 manual? If not, do so before you go pick the truck up. There is a lot of information in there you should know before operating the truck. (No excuses! It is in the 5-ton Manual section of the Forum ).
The rear brakes will very likely be stuck, 931's really like to do that for some reason. Take a big hammer with you, a few raps on the drums and rocking the truck back and forth should knock them free. Give them good raps, but not hard enough to leave dents on the metal, if you make marks you are hitting too hard!
Remember to stop after a few miles and check your hub temperature to make sure the brakes are not dragging. They will get real hot, real quick if they are!
Make sure you are at a complete stop before shifting from forward to reverse, or the other way. That transmission does not take kindly to doing it otherwise.
Pretty much all else you need to know is in that -10.
Beautiful truck, u will LOVE it, But I hate to be the one to say it, U bought it and dont know what to do next? Like said above there are about a gazzillion threads waiting for U to read, I am just asking no disrespect, i am sure u know alot more buying a tractor, here are a few things, 10wgt oil is the power steering, any motor oil is oil that will work in the motor , the mil uses 15/40 but in the day they used straight 30, 15/40 is whats recommended, the trans uses 10 wgt motor oil also, some have changed it on this site , i felt these trucks have used 10 for millions of miles and will run just fine on these fluids millions more, The transfer case and trans are to be respected, do nOT shift from forward to reverse or visa versa while rolling or high at a high idle, these transes are a 9 to one ratio in reverse, this is not a design flaw, it was what was asked for and they got, they work well and will last indefinitely with proper handling, they will slam into reverse and that is why the bulletins say NEVER back up in LOW because it is SOOOO Low , these are side shift transes and when they shift in low reverse it is like a sledge hitting the side of the case, and walla, a cracked case may result, this is easily avoided, There has been millions of miles after just some driver training and these problems went away, it was driver error, like 99 % of things that go wrong with our trucks, its good to ask, but take some time to read up too, alot of stuff on this site, Is this your first 939 series vehicle? if U want any other info i might be able to help with pm or e mail, . good luck... Sweet ride...
It's my first M939 series truck so I was just looking for the what-not-to-do items. Good to know about the trans stop-before-reverse rule and the brake sticking problems.
When you say don't back up in low, do you mean low side of transfer case? I can see that 9:1 in low range would get really slow.
I was suprised they didn't have an EUC requied on the sale, unless that's just an oversight. Though I'd call tomorrow and see about scheduling a pickup time. (Got to look into temp license too)
If they let me, I may go in one day and check the truck over, see if it will start, and if batteries are down, bring them home for a charge, and then go back to drive it home.
It's my first M939 series truck so I was just looking for the what-not-to-do items. Good to know about the trans stop-before-reverse rule and the brake sticking problems.
When you say don't back up in low, do you mean low side of transfer case? I can see that 9:1 in low range would get really slow.
I was suprised they didn't have an EUC requied on the sale, unless that's just an oversight. Though I'd call tomorrow and see about scheduling a pickup time. (Got to look into temp license too)
If they let me, I may go in one day and check the truck over, see if it will start, and if batteries are down, bring them home for a charge, and then go back to drive it home.
It is not just that it is slow going in low range reverse. It actually means that you might damage your transfer case if you use low range reverse. I have even heard of transfer cases cracking! The data plate with the max and min speeds (directly in front of the steering wheel) actually says DO NOT USE REVERSE IN LOW RANGE or something like that.
Bought an M931...now what?
)
They drive really nicely. Oh, and the transmission will shift nice and smooth after it warms up so don't panic when the first 15 mins of cold shifts slam you around a bit...it's that thick engine oil in the trans.
