A3 Bed recovery QUESTIONS??? - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

USAFSS-ColdWarrior · 03-14-2010, 10:35

BACKGROUND INFO:
I'm anticipating a recovery in the very near future of an ex-Volunteer Fire Department M35 Cab and Chassis, along with an extra still-in-the-crate rebuilt multi-fuel engine. The VFD has replaced their 1968 AM General with an M35A3.

In the process, they pulled the A3 Bed (dropside? with troop seats & bows) so they could reuse the Brush-Fire unit from the older truck. They then GAVE the A3 Bed to a local "pack rat" who dropped the bed into one of his goat pens.

I have only seen the bed from about 250 ft away, but it looks great. I'm figuring that an appropriate CASH offer will "recover" the bed from the goat pen to go onto the Cab&Chassis Deuce that I'll be picking up.

There will be a forkfilt available near the Firehouse for lifting the engine and "misc. parts" crates onto the truck. I hope to set the bed onto the deuce first though.

QUESTIONS:
1. Other threads state the A2 bed weight at about 2000# - Does anyone have an accurate weight for an A3 Dropside bed with Troop Seats and Bows?

2. The ground conditions in the goat pen probably won't support the forklift, so I'm going to have to GRUNT-Labor-Lift the bed to the 40-42" Deuce frame height. Any suggestions on how best to do this would be helpful.
***My initial thoughts would be to lift the front end of the bed (hydraulic jack or long timber/pipe leverage) and blocking it up enough to get the deuce under that end. Then lifting the back end while either backing under the bed or using pipe as rollers, rolling the bed onto the truck frame. For the trip home, I'd strap the bed down if unable to align the bolt holes to bolt it down.*** Any thoughts?

3. Any other input on such a recovery????

Thanks in advance.

4x4 Forever · 03-14-2010, 11:53

As a thought,

Blocking a cribbing is good. I ahve found that landscape timbers cut into 2' lengths are the best and also the cheapest.

You might be better off finding someone with a lowboy trailer and place the bed on 4x4's, strap it down. You can play with it at the house under better conditions to place it on the deuce.

Just my

.

Good Luck!

Nonotagain · 03-14-2010, 13:18

I'd probably use an engine cherry picker and some cribbibg with a 4x4 spanning the bed width, then back the nekkid truck under the bed.

Other than that, if the ground is too soft to support the cherry picker, just drag it to soild ground, then repeat step 1.

NDT · 03-14-2010, 13:22

Drag the bed with a tractor under a tree or some other sturdy overhead brace, then use a comealong to winch the bed up and drive the truck under it. 2000 lbs is correct.

clinto · 03-14-2010, 14:19

1. I do not have an accurate weight for the A3 bed but I think the 2K figure is high for a standard bed. Jones posted a picture of his A2 bed hanging on a scale at something like 1460.

2. If there is ANY way to get that forklift in there, do it. That's 10 million times easier than what you are proposing. Is there a way to get some PSP for the lift to drive on? Huge sheets of thick wood, with 2x4's or something?

I would spend my time trying to engineer a way in there for the forklift as opposed to trying to engineer a way to lift the bed manually*

*This advice all from a person who has not seen the AO you'll be in.

papabear · 03-14-2010, 17:22

Hmmm...gotta friend with a rollback wrecker? The operator could just pull the deuce bed up on the deck and then place it on the deuce for you if he is a good operator.

OR...just hire someone with a boom wrecker to lift the bed and set it on the deuce.

I always consider my time worth something and the safety aspect as well.

I know money is an issue for us all but sometimes it's just better to pay up and:

Bob H · 03-14-2010, 17:40

So how did the guy get it from the VFD to the Goat pen?

4x4 Forever · 03-14-2010, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by clinto

1. I do not have an accurate weight for the A3 bed but I think the 2K figure is high for a standard bed. Jones posted a picture of his A2 bed hanging on a scale at something like 1460.

2. If there is ANY way to get that forklift in there, do it. That's 10 million times easier than what you are proposing. Is there a way to get some PSP for the lift to drive on? Huge sheets of thick wood, with 2x4's or something?

I would spend my time trying to engineer a way in there for the forklift as opposed to trying to engineer a way to lift the bed manually*

*This advice all from a person who has not seen the AO you'll be in.

1. I agree with #2, if you have the money and the means to get to the item.

2. Lifting 1500 to 2000#, 30+/-", to get on a lowboy is considerably easier than going to 42" (or more) and backing the frame under it in a muddy field. Placing it on a lowboy and taking it home to a more stable working area makes sense and is considerably safer. You would also be able to look and see what you have and see if you need to do any work or cleaning on the underside.

3. This advise comes from a person that did not have the money to hire a crane to lift a 48' steel hull weighing 9000# to a heighth of 36" to back a trailer under it. Thats the AO I've been in.

USAFSS-ColdWarrior · 03-14-2010, 23:44

Thank you, gentlemen - Your thoughts are definitely appreciated.

The RollBack is actually my preferred plan, but we're looking at backing it into the narrow goat pen (downhill) then hopefully getting back out. The bed was dropped directly off the A3, so it had no problem climbing back out to the paved road. Hence, my thought of muscling the bed onto the deuce for an equally sure trek back out of the soft dirt.

I'm also considering a 16' two-axle utility trailer behind a F-350 4x4. But that would still mean lifting one end at least 28"and then shoving the trailer under.

Dragging the bed to a tree is out ot the question - this is west Texas... What's a tree? Actually, the trees we have are marginally able to hold up a tire swing!

Any underside cleaning has already been anticipated on this end of the recovery - that's why the bed may just be strapped to the chassis for the short trip.

The forkflit option is still full of questions - I've not seen the forklift - I may be any size, warehouse or off-road - I just don't know at this point.

I also have the option of laying a track of oilfield pipe and using that steel as runners upon which to drag the bed up to the pave road where the whole picture becomes more favorable.

I just have to get out there and do a better ReCon on the battlefield.

I'll keep y'all posted.

In the meantime - keep the think tank pumping those good ideas to me. THANKS

USAFSS-ColdWarrior · 03-15-2010, 00:46

One more thought....

The VFD's new A3 has a winch - may be able to winch it onto a low trailer easier than any of the other options. Then just recouple the trailer to the F350 and boogie down the highway!