A trip to Redstone Arsenal

Or "How I learned I should have bought a Dually instead of a half ton".

So somehow (don't ask me how) clintogf talked me into going and picking up these rebuilt deuce air shift transfer cases she bought. I borrowed my buddy David's car trailer and left here at 5am in the F-150. I bought a new Prodigy trailer brake controller last week just for this special event.

Am I ever glad I did! Each crate says it weighs 573 lbs., so that's about 6300 lbs on an 1800 lb. trailer and my truck is rated for 7700............. so............. it was heavy.


As usual Theresa was extremely helpful as was the fella (Michael?-can't remember) who expertly loaded all the crates for me without so much as scratching David's trailer.

I also got to meet SS member "Charlie" (ChuckW on the G) who was nice enough to drive a LONG way out of his way to meet me to give me a mule driveshaft I bought from him. I offered to buy him lunch and he wouldn't even accept that!

Either I smell really bad or Chuck's a heck of a nice guy.

Left here at 5am, got home about 5:15pm. Truck got about 12.5 mpg overall, including the trip back which had the overdrive turned off for obvious reasons.

Enjoy the pics!

C

So thats where those went. Great score. Good to hear it was a safe trip.

wanna sell um?

They sure look nice. I had no idea they weighed that much though. I would have guessed about 300lbs for the case and maybe another 50-75 lbs for the crate.

Ah ha! I knew they weighed about 500 lbs. Just didn't have a scale to quantify my back pain.

WOW Way cool!

clinto said:

Either I smell really bad or Chuck's a heck of a nice guy.

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I vote for BOTH.

I think maccus should qualify for an incredibly senior discount clinto?

jwaller said:

wanna sell um?

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I personally do not. I would keep all of them if they were mine, but clintogf would kill me if I did that. As is, I practically had to sign a legally binding contract to keep 2 for my trucks.

So she will be selling them. She'll have 8 or 9 to sell.

m16ty said:

They sure look nice. I had no idea they weighed that much though. I would have guessed about 300lbs for the case and maybe another 50-75 lbs for the crate.

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rebel_raider said:

Ah ha! I knew they weighed about 500 lbs. Just didn't have a scale to quantify my back pain.

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I had originally guessed 3-400 each. But each crate is stenciled 573 and I can barely slide them around on the diamond plate surface of the trailer. They are definitely heavy. It was all my little half ton could do to get stopped and that was with working trailer brakes and fresh brakes on the truck.

maccus said:

Glad you made the trip ok. Are you going to sell some? I should get a spare and they look just like new or maybe better. The government had them rebuilt in 2008 for a ton of money. Well it will be nice as one knows all the seals etc. are fresh which is a lot better than taking a chance on a used unit, at least for me it is. If you do decide to sell some put me down for one.

EDIT: Just looked at the pics again. Looks like all the parking brake stuff is there. Is it and are the parking brake shoes with the unit?

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Thanks. Yeah, as I was telling Jwaller, she will be selling 8 or 9 of them. I need at least 2 for my trucks and we may keep another 1 or 2 for her trucks.

I felt the same way about unknown used vs. rebuilt. It's waaaay too much work for me to pull one bad unit (or a sprag) out, install a used air shift that goes for $4/500 only to find out it pops out of high gear or needs bearings, etc. Then you have to do it all over again. I'd rather just buy a good known unit and be done with it.

Yes, they have all the parking brake hardware and shoes and it's all new. That's almost $100 right there.

I will put you down for one. Clintogf says she will take one M48A2 as trade for one transfer case

papabear said:

I think maccus should qualify for an incredibly senior discount clinto?

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No comment

Clintogf, don't forget I want one too. Mine just started popping out of high and I want to swap it and be sure for AK.

Just wondering why you didn't put 2 or 3 in the bed of the truck Clint?

Ferroequinologist said:

Just wondering why you didn't put 2 or 3 in the bed of the truck Clint?

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1.
I thought the tongue weight was already overloaded and didn't want to push it.

2.
I would have had to disconnect the trailer to get them in and I was on a tight time schedule to meet Charlie.

3.
I didn't want Mr. Forklift driver to risk hurting my already hurt bed.

1. Ok

2. Ok

3. It was already hurt. Knucklehead! lol

Well, at least he is not asking you for a wrecker Maccus.

I guess that he is happy with a couple of transfer cases for now.

I have the transfer cases up in the classifieds now. There are a few more pictures in the ad that are not in this tread.

Here is a link:

Govt. rebuilt Deuce air shift transfer case - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

Well, at least he is not asking you for a wrecker Maccus.

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I might have a wrecker for sale......oh wait......I wouldn't be Wreckerman then.