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WHAT?!? $582.00 Won Us an XM818 Tractor ! ! !

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
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Hey Chaplain,
I remember October and November as the "rain" months from when I was stationed there. It's changed? Hope and pray that all goes well with your recovery!! "your in good hands" comes to mind! LMBO
Indeed, October usually does bring rain to San Angelo. But so far as the coming week goes there is no substantial chance of precipitation in the forecast.

We would be BLESSED with rain and I wouldn't complain if it did, but as you suggest, we WILL be prepared.
 

MyothersanM1

19K M1 Armor Crewman
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Nice find there[thumbzup] I kinda like the SHERIFF script and star paint job with the light bar! Good luck with your recovery and be safe!
 

MyothersanM1

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Here's a couple of ideas for other paint schemes...Sorry, for the shameless hijack:oops:[thumbzup]

hnpca0210a-vi.jpghnpca0208-vi.jpg

Some years ago Los Angeles County Sheriff had a small fleet of Deuces and M809-series trucks painted up in all black with white doors sporting the SHERIFF script and star on the doors. They have all disappeared and I never got any pics. They were awesome looking trucks especially the long bed M814.
 

BnaditCorps

Member
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Location
Solano County, California
Here's a couple of ideas for other paint schemes...Sorry, for the shameless hijack:oops:[thumbzup]

View attachment 583849View attachment 583850

Some years ago Los Angeles County Sheriff had a small fleet of Deuces and M809-series trucks painted up in all black with white doors sporting the SHERIFF script and star on the doors. They have all disappeared and I never got any pics. They were awesome looking trucks especially the long bed M814.
Dam those look good
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
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Thank you Gentlemen for your paint scheme suggestions.
Please review previous posts. The plan for painting has already been decided.

==========================

RECOVERY UPDATE:

On short notice, I'm going to make a solo RECON trip to Midland to scope out the situation.

I'll be carrying basic tools and supplies, camera, and TWO FRESH 6TL Batteries (from our Deuce) to attempt a start-up if everything passes inspection (fluids, belts & hoses, Air lines, etc.).
If she starts, I'll let her self-charge her batteries for as long as I'm on site. I'll then reinstall the driveshaft if all the hardware is present. If she doesn't start, then we'll punt with the hauling option.
HOWEVER, if she does start I'll button her up and return to San Angelo. To do a drive off, I will need to arrange insurance and obtain a ONE WAY TRIP PERMIT. Then I'll return on Monday, Wednesday or Friday (have commitments on Tuesday and Thursday) with a Soldier B to fire her back up and drive her home.

No matter what I find and no matter how things play out, I KNOW that this is another time that God is going to show off!!! We serve an AWESOME GOD !

Rolling out at 0700hrs.
Pray if you're so led.
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
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Location
San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas USA
RECOVERY UPDATE:

On short notice, I'm going to make a solo RECON trip to Midland to scope out the situation.

I'll be carrying basic tools and supplies, camera, and TWO FRESH 6TL Batteries (from our Deuce) to attempt a start-up if everything passes inspection (fluids, belts & hoses, Air lines, etc.).
If she starts, I'll let her self-charge her batteries for as long as I'm on site. I'll then reinstall the driveshaft if all the hardware is present. If she doesn't start, then we'll punt with the hauling option.
HOWEVER, if she does start I'll button her up and return to San Angelo. To do a drive off, I will need to arrange insurance and obtain a ONE WAY TRIP PERMIT. Then I'll return on Monday, Wednesday or Friday (have commitments on Tuesday and Thursday) with a Soldier B to fire her back up and drive her home.

No matter what I find and no matter how things play out, I KNOW that this is another time that God is going to show off!!! We serve an AWESOME GOD !

Rolling out at 0700hrs.
Pray if you're so led.
SITREP: RECON AAR:

Well, this weekend has been a BLAST !!!

Friday evening was Recon Trip prepping and and early lights out (relatively speaking).
Then Saturday I was westbound just before dawn, scoped out the location of the truck, hooked up with the Sheriff's Deputy/Point Of Contact for the Midland County Sheriff's Office, together we had fun getting incredibly DUSTY working on the truck. All the fluids were EXCELLENT, hoses look great, and the belts and the batteries were cold and DEAD. The eight rear tires, while about 7-8 years old look "showroom new". And, every part sheltered from any occasional west Texas rain was otherwise covered with 1/4-1/2" of good old DUST !

My only MISTAKE was simply connecting my Deuce Batteries to the truck with jumper cables... This immediately voided most of the charge in the deuce batteries, but at least PROVED that she will crank - there just wasn't enough juice to turn her hard enough to fire.... But I believe that when recovery time comes she may just be able to make the trip under her own power.

While I checking fluids etc, the Deputy recalled some "parts" that might be around the far side of one of the buildings... Turns out they still had all the parts for the SPARE TIRE RACK (excluding fasteners).

Since this was really intended to be ONLY a recon mission, I decided that rather than working any kind of heroics with the batteries I would instead haul them home for a testing and deep charge, then see what plans evolved following those results.

So, we pulled all four batteries out of the M818 and added them to the back of the minivan. Covered them with a thick packing blanket and added the spare tire rack parts and the splash panels from the left side of the engine compartment that "they" had removed for some reason. I also loaded the driveshaft to carry home.


The BEST NEWS from this inspection is that the REAR driveshaft is installed and that part of the drivetrain should be fully functional. The driveshaft that had been removed was from the FRONT axle's driveline ! ! ! So all prior discussions of moving the truck via only the front axle's motive power are moot. Now I just wonder WHY the front driveshaft was pulled?!?!?

The Deputy also gave me the TITLE, so transfer and registration will be on an upcoming TO DO LIST.

IMG_1299.jpg IMG_1300.jpg YAY! A springer seat :jumpin:

IMG_1306.jpg Mud flaps and a rear-roller for winching up drop-trailers ! IMG_1305.jpg
I'm thinking of fabbing some gin poles for a little crane action !


IMG_1303.jpg IMG_1304.jpgOdometer: 06656.15 Miles !! 249.9 Hours on the clock!!
I know - KNOW - you cannot trust MV meter readings, BUT judging by the condition of this truck and the apparent LACK OF any rebuild tags (I failed to take pics of data plate(s)) I would not be too surprised if these are the original SPEEDO & TACH.

IMG_1307.jpg IMG_1309.jpg IMG_1311.jpg IMG_1312.jpg

Notice the THICK "preservative dust" on everything sheltered from the rain.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
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(...CONTINUED:)

IMG_1313.jpg Spare Tire Rack and other loose parts.

Once I got home I unloaded the four INTERSTATE Batteries....
IMG_1318.jpg IMG_1319.jpg IMG_1321.jpg
I set them on the Deuce tailgate and hosed off all that "protective dust". Will be taking them by O'Reilly for testing on Monday.

Well, that's it for tonight..... Stay tuned for more !

John
 

CUCVLOVER

Active member
Is the engine painted tan or is that dust?
Glad the recon when well.
The front drive might have been removed to either get rebuilt then they said why install the truck is for sale. Also it might be removed to keep some dumb dumb from running around in 6x6, just a thought.

Do you have the front drive shaft?
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

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Is the engine painted tan or is that dust?
Glad the recon when well.
The front drive might have been removed to either get rebuilt then they said why install the truck is for sale. Also it might be removed to keep some dumb dumb from running around in 6x6, just a thought.

Do you have the front drive shaft?
NO the engine is NOT painted tan... that's the "preservative dust" that gets all over EVERYTHING in west Texas.
Thanks for your thoughts on why the front drive may have been disabled. Good call.
I DO have the front driveshaft. It rode home with me in the minivan with all the other parts and batteries.
None of them was much for making conversation on the trip though rofl
 

Recovry4x4

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I think the gin pole idea is very good. The hard work is already done. How is the rear winch powered? This is such a cool story. I remember my first 5 ton win. It was a 67 M54A2C from GSA on a sealed bid. I was shocked to win it at $527. I miss the suspense of sealed bids and live DRMO auctions.
 

Warthog

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The spare tire rack and associated tool box where removed to make way for the winch and headache rack. I have a couple of the spare tire racks and should have the hardware if you need them. You will need to figure out someplace to mount them

M818 Spare Tire.jpgM818 Pioneer Tool.jpgM818 Spare.jpg
 
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USAFSS-ColdWarrior

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The winch is PTO driven.



Thanks, Warthog, for the tire rack info and offer. I think I've got all the parts and pieces, just lacking the fasteners which should be no problem to acquire locally.

Yes, location - location - location will be determined once I get the truck home. I don't think it would be "right" to mount the spare on the front bumper (Just kidding). I REALLY like the rear winch arrangement but failure to carry a spare tire is NOT good at all.
 

MyothersanM1

19K M1 Armor Crewman
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Keep the G286's particularly if they have little wear and no checking. They are a good radial and leaps and bounds above NDT 11.00 X 20's. I have seen in service trucks shod with them.
I am biased in this respect. I love the look of the duals especially when viewed from the rear and M809-series trucks look more "at home" with them. In addition, I am not a fan of super-singles...sorry, just not a fan.

My 2cents...:)
 

m715mike

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NO the engine is NOT painted tan... that's the "preservative dust" that gets all over EVERYTHING in west Texas.
Thanks for your thoughts on why the front drive may have been disabled. Good call.
I DO have the front driveshaft. It rode home with me in the minivan with all the other parts and batteries.
None of them was much for making conversation on the trip though rofl

John,

A quick recap... Your batteries were DEAD tired... You placed them under a thick blanket in the back of your van... And you expected conversation? I bet they slept the whole ride home to San Angelo! :naner:

I hope Mr. O'Reilly was able to wake your batteries up today!
 
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