Two more deuces home from Chambersburg

Was going to post these last week, but got caught up in the Rausch Creek trip, and had to wait for more time.

Me and Rob went to Chambersburg on Thursday, to pick up two more deuces and two M332 trailers from the GL site there. I must've got a lot number confused, because all the lots I looked at and wanted to bid on were cherry trucks, and one of the ones I got was a rustbucket, with holes in some spots, and an electrical problem that affected the whole truck's system. With a jump, it did run really well, and came with some nice options, so I can't complain too much. Plus, I only spent $2900 for two trucks and two trailers, so I think I made out well.

Trip went smoothly, no problems, both trucks hauled home at 55mph and 2300 rpm. Minor problem with the trailer hookup, forgot to hook the chains on one, and the the pintle worked it's way open. Luckily we stopped at a rest stop, and I found the problem before the ammo trailer bounced off and hurt somebody. My bad, dee dee dee!

Here's a few pics of the journey....

Minor problem with the trailer hookup, forgot to hook the chains on one, and the the pintle worked it's way open.

Click to expand...

Minor?!?!? Dam Mike, it would have killed someone!

you can see it in pic 2113...................the pintle is open and safety chains not attached.


I wont comment any more than that!

A guy I know near here once went over a train track crossing with his dump truck and equipment trailer. He forgot to lock the pintle and put the safety chains on too. When he went over the tracks at about 45 MPH the trailer came off the truck and went into the oncoming traffic. It hit a car head on and killed the man(his own brother)! Be careful and check your trucks and trailers (pull over and look things over often).

I knew there was a reason I say a prayer before every ride in a military truck! Guess the big guy was looking out for me that day.

When hooking up the trailers, the pintle on Rusty was very, um, rusty! I had to hammer open the safety latch, then hammer open the pintle mouth. I then told Rob to hook up the trailer, and left it at that. He hammered the mouth closed and put the pin in, but forgot about the safety latch, so the pin went underneath it, doing nothing. Bumping down the road gradually opened the mouth, to almost wide enough to allow the pintle to come out, but not quite. Good thing we stopped when we did and checked everything out. So it's both of our faults, really. He didn't know about the safety latch and how it worked, and I forgot to check everything out before I left Chambersburg. SO, we were really lucky on Thursday!

Good trucks, though. The nice one is really primo, no rust on it anywhere, new cargo cover in the bed (folded up in the wrap). This one we're going to put some add-ons, get all the BII items, and make it look real sharp. Rusty will make someone a really cool work truck or off-road rig. The power steering upgrade it has is kinda uncommon, and is great for off-road use as you won't ever again have to deal with busted thumbs in the steering wheel!

So how many m35s you have now? Mike, by the way I finally got my water pump in my m715 on Sunday, hope to fire it this week.

The way the trailers bounce, I am SHOCKED that you did not lose the trailer. Fortunately, it looks like the chains were hooked up.

maddawg308 said:

I then told Rob to hook up the trailer, and left it at that.

Click to expand...

I NEVER let anyone hook up a trailer for me. I ALWAYS do it myself, for this very reason.

you know guys.... here is the deal..... If we hurt someone or cause some sort of damage with our Military trucks you can bet your boots that will be the first step of the down fall of our hobby. There is already how many people wanting to stop the release of surplus items and what do you think they will say if a trailer comes off and kills someone, it slides down a hill and smashes in to something (happened already here) blows a tire and takes out a school bus full of nuns and school kids. I mean heck guys we need to be very careful and make sure that what were driving is in tip top shape and road worthy. One wrong move and it could be over for every single one of us.

Westech said:

you know guys.... here is the deal..... If we hurt someone or cause some sort of damage with our Military trucks you can bet your boots that will be the first step of the down fall of our hobby. There is already how many people wanting to stop the release of surplus items and what do you think they will say if a trailer comes off and kills someone, it slides down a hill and smashes in to something (happened already here) blows a tire and takes out a school bus full of nuns and school kids. I mean heck guys we need to be very careful and make sure that what were driving is in tip top shape and road worthy. One wrong move and it could be over for every single one of us.

Click to expand...

All great points, safety safety safety. We all make mistakes and as long as we learn from them I guess that's all that matters. And when we can pass it along to fellow MV'ers it might set off the old light bulb the next time some else is hooking up a trailer.

Like dogheads story, ya don't want to learn the hard way. Not to stray from the original topic, but that's the direction this thread is going..... There really should be a classification on a drivers license for the weekend warrior that does the occasional tow. The basics need to be covered. Load placement, securing a load, trailer condition, driving skills, safety, etc. Most of us use our head, but I've seen some real idiots and their piece of crap trailers on the streets. I watched a 25' boat and trailer detach from a truck in front of me doing 75mph. Don't know if it had safety chains or they broke, but it shot down into the median, dug into the dirt and rolled apart. Wild to say the least. Nobody was hurt thankfully. Another guy passed me on the highway when his tilt bed trailer (which wasn't locked in place), decided to tilt with 4 quads on it. Should have seen the traffic scatter. There are other things I've witnessed also, as I'm sure everyone has.
Anyway, I don't know what I would do if I lost a loved one because of stupidity that should have been prevented.