Attention!! Please use caution when driving vehicles home from auction! - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

steelsoldiers · 07-15-2009, 23:57

Hello all,
Numerous threads have been brought to my attention lately. Unfortunately, the problem with these threads has been the description of illegal or unsafe actions while recovering a vehicle from an auction site.

There have been tens of thousands of vehicles auctioned off from GL and GSA auctions over the last couple of years. Many of the vehicles range in size from 3/4-ton CUCV's to 5-ton 6x6's. I am sure that Steel Soldiers members have been some of the busiest bidders out there (myself included) judging by the action on the forums. The vehicles that we have been buying are sometimes as good as a fresh rebuild and sometimes as bad as a residue truck. This can either make the task of recovering that vehicle from the auction site easy or a nightmare.

Here are some of the problems that I have been seeing in threads:

Driving a truck home with no insurance
Driving a truck home with no tags
Driving a truck home with poorly functioning brakes or no brakes
Driving a truck home with lighting or other electrical problems
Driving a truck home with broken or missing drive line parts
Driving a truck home without performing a basic check of important fluids and systems
Driving a truck home that you don't really know how to drive
Driving a truck home with flat tire(s) or tires in poor condition
Etc, etc, etc....

We as a group need to be extremely careful when recovering and then operating our military trucks on a regular basis. All it would take is one serious accident where the MV owner was negligent for the government, LEO's, politicians, news media, and others to clamp down on our hobby. We don't need the bad press and you don't need the jail time. Ignorance is not a good defense!

I know a lot of you are operating on a limited budget, but you really need to allow for a little extra expense when you are setting your max bid in case you need to hire someone to recover a less than perfect truck for you. At least that way you won't feel trapped into driving your new truck with problems off base.

If you have never driven a deuce, 5-ton, etc..., contact a SS member near you that has one and see if they will let you test drive it. You will feel a lot more confident in your skills and won't be trying to learn how to drive it coming off the GL lot.

There are a bunch of threads on here about recovering vehicles. Read up and you will learn what to do and what not to do. Download all of the manuals from the SS server and familiarize yourself with all of your new truck's systems.

With a big truck comes a huge responsibility. A 13,000 lb deuce or a 22,000 lb 5-ton will smash a normal car into little metal meatballs. God help you if the car is occupied.

If you take all of the necessary precautions and still have a problem, please think twice before posting it on SS. We don't need to give any groups who are against the MV hobby the ammunition to put us down. From now on, threads that describe unsafe or illegal behavior when recovering a vehicle will be edited or completely deleted by the moderators.

Please feel free to add to my list of other unsafe or illegal activities if you think of others. This thread is not directed at any one particular person, so please don't PM me and ask if I was talking about you. If we work together on this we can make a difference and protect our hobby.

Thanks,
Chris

bassetdeuce · 07-16-2009, 00:12

I fear that a bad accident is inevitable with some of the carelessness going on, but I hope I'm dead wrong. Who was it that said "tires and brakes rule, else the driver is a fool"? They were correct. It also helps to train your brain to react to a stuck throttle situation, ie engine stop/ cutoff, clutch, and brake. Trying to think wayyyy ahead when driving a truck you're not used to is prudent. The DRMO building at Ft Jackson comes to mind.

m16ty · 07-16-2009, 00:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelsoldiers

If you take all of the necessary precautions and still have a problem, please think twice before posting it on SS. .

I understand what you're getting at but sometimes problems may need to be talked about. For instance, if you bought a truck and on the way home the driveshaft fell out and I read that it had happened to you I'd think " the next time I drive a truck home I need to double check the driveshaft so I don't end up like Chris". I'll admit the harm may outweigh the good though but it's something to think about. I agree that illegal activity should be posted.

frodobaggins · 07-16-2009, 00:38

I don't really see a problem with no tags, but if you are driving home an unsafe truck, or a truck with no insurance, you are an idiot. There is no excuse for those two, none at all.

DUG · 07-16-2009, 00:46

Some of the M105 recoverys I've read about here are pretty scary. Two stacked on top towed by a small truck or the guy who towed two behind and steadied them with cargo straps. Classic.........................

m16ty · 07-16-2009, 00:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by frodobaggins

I don't really see a problem with no tags

I don't either if you want to risk the ticket but I think what Chris is saying is just don't post on here bragging about it

.

DavidWymore · 07-16-2009, 01:07

Maybe this post should have been a mass PM?

papabear · 07-16-2009, 01:32

I think the post served it's purpose.
Some fellers seem just **** bent to overload trailers, disregard safety concerns and even drive MV's without insurance.
As somewhat stated above...individual actions/risks may effect us all in the hobby.

If we can't afford to do it right...let's just save up and wait until we can. As stated...once that tragic accident happens...the person on the ground will feel the immediate effects...but we will all feel the after shock!

It really ticks me off to read on the forum...or anywhere else about an SS troop taking crazy risks/chances that may effect us all...so please...if ya can't do it right and safely...leave it alone until ya can.

PS...If ya do something stupid...and get by with it...please don't brag about it here...others may try and not be so lucky!

steelsoldiers · 07-16-2009, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by m16ty

I understand what you're getting at but sometimes problems may need to be talked about. For instance, if you bought a truck and on the way home the driveshaft fell out and I read that it had happened to you I'd think " the next time I drive a truck home I need to double check the driveshaft so I don't end up like Chris". I'll admit the harm may outweigh the good though but it's something to think about. I agree that illegal activity should be posted.

Right. I was going to add something about exceptions to the rule just for that reason. There are some things that happen that none of us would expect to happen and those should be talked about. Thanks Ty.

Bill W · 07-16-2009, 08:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by m16ty

I don't either if you want to risk the ticket but I think what Chris is saying is just don't post on here bragging about it

.