M54-A2C Does this sound a good deal?

This truck has come up for sale in the UK today. I have emailed the guy who owns it. Do you guys think that this sounds a good deal. I do have a few questions though.

What is the NSN number for this truck with a winch? If the truck NSN says for example that it is an M54-A2 w/out winch, but this guy says it's fitted with a winch and dropside body, does that mean it was done outside the Army, or does the Army do this sort of thing all the time?

Are the fuel consumption figures for the M35-A2 and M54-A2 much different? I would expect the 5 ton to drink more, but by how much?

Would this have an air operated front axle?

Says it has power steering. Is this original?

What sort of things do I need to look for if I go and have a look and test drive? What problem areas do I need to look at??

Here is the add. Thanks for your help on this one guys....



Reo M54-a2 5 tonne cargo Turbo Diesel
Manufactured by Kaiser Jeep Corporation. Delivery date: 04-1968 Truck is finished 3 colour camo, with matching plastic rear cover, fitted with dropside body, arctic hardtop and winch. Has power steering.MOT exempt.Ex Marltrax. UK Registered and Taxed. Spares included. £5750, ono.

Front axle Should be sprag type. Power steering is original I think. Its more or less a scaled up deuce. Bigger, expect 5 mpg or so. It'll haul more and tow more, but it's proportionally slower and more expensive to feed. Big advantage is that you can sit on the ground under it and reach up to work on things with plenty of space to stick your head and not slouch at all. The Deuce is at an awkward height were you can't sit up but laying flat is a pain. I had an M813 (Cummins engine and other minor differences, but otherwise the same as an M54). They drive the same, but the 5 ton is just bigger and you can feel it. My M813 also wandered while steering. I don't know if that's the 809 series or all of the 5 tons, but the deuce seems to have an easy amount of trail in the steering whereas the 5 ton was wanting cargo weight to induce the trail in the steering. On the drive home, I had to constantly DRIVE the truck to keep it in my lane. The Deuce stays in the lane and you can actually relax a touch.

Squirttruck can probably tell you more as he has an M54 5 ton.

Wellll, lets see if we can help here. If it cam wit the drop sides, it is the "C" model, M54-A2C, if just an A@ then fixed side bed of 14 feet, may or may not be heavy cargo with additional tiedowns and tool boxes. It came with power steering as Ryan said, original was ROSS HYDRAPOWER (spelling?), but may have had conversion to 800 series with power box and slave cylinder on right side. Both are fine and are proper. Typical is 5 to 6 MPG (you do the conversion..). They do like to be loaded, and they have to be DRIVEN. (This plat part makes the 2-1/2 drive like a sports truck. They do have a sprag front drive, BUT it is not problematic like the one that the 2-1/2 had, partially due to more robust design and partly to the air shift control via transmission poppet valves. Refit with a winch is not uncommon, if done properly no issue, try it out and listen to the PTO. Clearance on the gears is critical. If it sings it may be to tight, if it clunks to loose, how much do you intend to use it? If to tight it will burn the gears even if not in use. That truck runs 200 feet of cable and should have a 3 roller flairlead. Biggest thing is that they are some bigger but MUCH heavier, like almost twice the weight. An M35-A2 goes roughly 12,500 pounds (is said close guys..) the M54-A2 w/w has 9000 pounds on just the front axle. Tires can be fun also, at 251 pounds each and the spare goes up in the bed, ugh.

Drive the truck, notice how it shifts, it should have good power when empty, shift the transfer (when moving)(be careful of max speeds, see shift plate)check the brakes, they have good brakes when all works.

Hope this helps, I am bad to ramble

Tips: Take a look at the oil in everything via drain plugs. See that the first thing out is oil not water. Condensation will get in there. Does it make good air pressure? It is important on a 5-ton with a lot to stop. Check the little metal cylinder on the transfer that controls the sprag direction. It can get corroded up inside from moisture in the air, and not move properly making the front axle appear dead.

If it wanders a bit, usually the toe-in is a little wide.

All of them have power steering. The old style is a little less powerful, but will get the job done fine. As mentioned, winches are a nut & bolt job.

Think about 1400-20 singles if not already equipped, they make it much smoother riding, faster, and a LOT more impressive. No mods other than wheels & tires required for that. My M54A1 weighs in right at 22,000 pounds.

Go for it.

ddg

how much difference in speed is there between an 813 and an m54 as far as take off and crusing is concerned?? i always wondered the difference between the multifuel and the cummins in this department

Thanks guys for the replies.

Man, I didn't realise that the 5 ton was almost double the weight. Can I take it all this extra weight is the chassis? That must be one mean chassis. I bet they never rust, as they are too thick.

I can't make my mind up guys. 5MPG is BAD........... REAL BAD.........

So to travel 5 miles, that's going to cost me £4.37, or USD $7.67.

I think the fuel tank holds 78 US gallons, which is;

78 US Gallons = 295.23 litres

295.23 litres X 0.96 = £283.43 per tank or

1 tank of Diesel at UK prices will cost me $496.58 USD.

Doesn't that want to make you weep. No way I can afford to run her on Diesel. Will have to run her on Paraffin or Kero. That's the only option I have.

Kerosine is cheaper there? *blink*

Mudlord, my experience is that the takeoff speed is similar, the 800 will make speed sooner due to more horsepower, once you pass the HOLE between 3 and 4. If both are operated at rated speeds, then top speed is the same. The 800 will hold speed with a load better again, it has a LOT of engine. But I have never had an issue and have many miles at roughly 44,000GCVW at highway speed (50 MPH, 52 is max) with my multi.

M35A2, yea that weight is in the chassis, suspension, and driveline. The engine weighs the same as the 2-1/2, but after that the parts get larger. The cab is the same and the bed is 2 feet longer and has much heaver ribs.

Hope this helps

Squirt-Truck said:

Mudlord, my experience is that the takeoff speed is similar, the 800 will make speed sooner due to more horsepower, once you pass the HOLE between 3 and 4. If both are operated at rated speeds, then top speed is the same. The 800 will hold speed with a load better again, it has a LOT of engine. But I have never had an issue and have many miles at roughly 44,000GCVW at highway speed (50 MPH, 52 is max) with my multi.

M35A2, yea that weight is in the chassis, suspension, and driveline. The engine weighs the same as the 2-1/2, but after that the parts get larger. The cab is the same and the bed is 2 feet longer and has much heaver ribs.

Hope this helps

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Thanks ST.

I haven't had an email off the guy yet. I might send him another email asking if he wants to sell or not?

I think I'm going to set up a bio diesel operation. I need to speak with Cranetruck about this, because I think he does his own home brew.

Here in Holland we have those ridiculous fuel prices too so I burn half kerosine and half well sifted used engine oil in my Duece. Kerosine is about half the price of dieselfuel.
I sift the mix through huge coffeefilters, or nylon lady-stockings

Scrambler said:

Here in Holland we have those ridiculous fuel prices too so I burn half kerosine and half well sifted used engine oil in my Duece. Kerosine is about half the price of dieselfuel.
I sift the mix through huge coffeefilters, or nylon lady-stockings

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Can you get nicked for running that fuel in Holland. If we get caught in the UK, we are in serious trouble. The smell gives it away. Where do you get your Kero from? Does she run OK with the used engine oil? Does she smoke and smell?

Yes, you're not allowed to drive on anything else than dieselfuel but, you're not allowed to curse either...
In Holland, the kerosine (petroleum) has an additive (some sour-something) which they can figure out that you have it in the tank, or the heating fuel, which is fairly the same except it is painted red. Both are illegal to use as fuel but in Belgium they don't have the additive in the kero, so that helps. Good for me because I live about 5 miles from the border... The used oil makes the fuel nice and black and no red and no sour-stuff.
The half-half mixture I use runs better than the regular Diesel fuel. Diesel is too thin; I need to add some oil anyhow. Once I've been asked by a policeman (or so, in fact, that was in UK, close to Duxford) where I was at a petrol station. He looked into my tank and asked me why it is so dirty. I excplained that in previous times all my fuel had been stolen out of the truck, three times, and now I just add a gallon of used oil so people don't steal it any more. It helps. When he was watching I poured in some oil out off a jerrycan. When he walked away he was laughing...

That's funny! You really pulled his leg.

What about using biodiesel as an additive? How much are you permitted to add and still call it an additive?

Bio diesel is illegal in the Netherlands... has to do with taxes. Gov't can't make enough profit out this.... So we don't have it.

hey i got an idea! stop running around the taxes and go get a govenment Grant for Alternitive fuel exparementaion....

you guys probably dont have those thought if they are that mean about it

Awesome thread guys! I learned a lot. Thank you.