M756A2 pipeline construction vehicle

PS on this thread for another M756A2 http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?53460-M756A2-Recovery!-NY-DE-(pics)/page3 I noticed a weldment on either side of the headache wrack. On mine they have been cut off

Does anyone know what they are for?

There used to be adjustable flood lights there!

Recovry4x4 said:

Your left side pole is stock and as you said, the right side had some bastardization to it. The trunion has tabs on each round end that slide through the keyways. Once you have the trunion through both, you simply rotate it to lock it in place. The block pulley is pinned to that with a 1" pin. I wish I had taken more pics of the setup before I sold everything but I certainly have more pics at home.

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That helps a lot

Recovry4x4 said:

The 1965 series of TM 9-2320-209-10 and so on are your best sources of info on the pipeline truck. There were 2 different versions of the -10 from the same date. One had a seperate chapter on the pipeline truck.

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Thanks, I found these PDFs mentioned the M756, and downloaded them:
http://test.steelsoldiers.com/upload/M35/TM9-2320-209-10-1.pdf
http://test.steelsoldiers.com/upload/M35/TM9-2320-209-10-2.pdf
http://test.steelsoldiers.com/upload/M35/TM9-2320-209-10-3.pdf
http://test.steelsoldiers.com/upload/M35/TM9-2320-209-10-4.pdf

Recovry4x4 said:

I have (somewhere) a photocopy of some field testing of the pipeline bed on a gasser chassis. It shows quite a bit of info. I will try to find that and get a copy available.

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That would be an interesting read.

Recovry4x4 said:

There used to be adjustable flood lights there!

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I had a feeling that was what they were. Maybe they broke off, and were cut off to clean up the ragged breaks.

While rummaging through the storage compartments I found 2 telescoping legs

And this homemade looking crank. The legs I figure are for stabilizing the truck when the crane is deployed, but I do not know how they connect.

The crank is a mystery.

The crank is not BII. Check the back of the bed, between the tail lights and the tires. You should find the tubes for the stiff legs. The other end that those pin to are captured in the tube.

Recovry4x4 said:

The crank is not BII. Check the back of the bed, between the tail lights and the tires. You should find the tubes for the stiff legs. The other end that those pin to are captured in the tube.

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Thanks, I went digging and found the attachments for the stiff legs. One was hidden deep inside the storage tube, but I was able to dig it out.

I also photographed the two offset pop-up sheave clevises

Here is a photo of both legs deployed

Few random pics

Recovry4x4 said:

Few random pics

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Thanks for the photos. Earlier I was looking at your photobucket page on your M756A2 and noticed that the stiff legs stow in the holes under the roller at the end of the bed. The two pieces of each stiff leg have to be held together by a pin or bolt that is small enough to fit inside the stow hole. Would you happen to know what that pin or bolt is?

The legs stay attached to that knuckle that you dug out. You just swing them up and slide them in the housing. If memory serves me correct, there is a simple 1/2" pin that slides through the pipe and right through one of the holes in the bottom of the stiff leg. The pin that secures the telescoping section of the stiff leg is the one that secures them into the tube. Hope it makes sense!

Very cool. That would be a handy truck to have from time to time.

Recovry4x4 said:

The legs stay attached to that knuckle that you dug out. You just swing them up and slide them in the housing. If memory serves me correct, there is a simple 1/2" pin that slides through the pipe and right through one of the holes in the bottom of the stiff leg. The pin that secures the telescoping section of the stiff leg is the one that secures them into the tube. Hope it makes sense!

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Thanks that helps. The hole is about .805" ID. There is a chain on each leg, one of which has a cotter pin, which seems to secure a 3/4" pin that would hold the 2 pieces of the stiff leg together, and I guess that pin must secure the whole leg into the stow hole, so that part is starting to make sense.

This is from the parts TM,

Thanks cranetruck. my stiff legs are missing the T pins and chains. I will fix that.

Here are photos of the extra winch (Braden LU4 for a M37 or M715), and the chain and clip for the stiff leg. It looks like the chain is later, but the clip might be original. No T pin though.

I did a Google search for a T Pin and got the following

CM M817 Alloy Steel Tee Handle Clevis Pin, 3/4" Diameter, Pack Of 10 $21.99

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Reading through the TM 9-2320-209-10-1 (page 311 of 550) OPERATION OF PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION TRUCK. I read "maximum rated pull. Maximum (20, 000 lbs)".

I also seem to be missing something with the spare tire mount. The TM 9-2320-209-10-4 (pg 2-16) describes "2. Take plate (2) out of spare wheel (3)." I do not seem to have the "plate" that holds the wheel in place in the spare tire mount. Does anyone know where I can get this plate, or a good enough description for it that I can make one, and know how to use it?

The 3/4" Steel Tee Handle Clevis Pin, linked to above was a 1.5" too short for the stiff legs, and it was one for $21, not a pack of 10.

Try Tractor Supply for those clevis pins at a better price. The spare tire hoisting plate is the same as M35A2. Lots of those around.

NDT said:

Try Tractor Supply for those clevis pins at a better price.

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Thanks I found a 3/4" dia x 4.5" Hitch Pin at a hardware store that should work. It was only $5. But, the hair pin retainer chain was re-welded and is in the way, so I am going to have to cut it off and re-weld it first. I noticed that the stiff legs are like a puzzle, if they are not put back just right, they are not going to fit, which explains why my M7562a came with the stiff legs removed.

NDT said:

The spare tire hoisting plate is the same as M35A2. Lots of those around.

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Would be nice to track one down. I am plan to cut some steel today to fabricate a functional replacement, because I am taking it on the road soon.

Today I was at Jack's Gov'T Surplus, in Tucson, AZ. I was looking for a good spare tire mounted on a wheel, which he had, and I wanted the bracket for mounting my spare on the spare tire mount, which he had. While I was searching for the spare tire bracket I ran across a M756A2 bed with complete stiff legs, so if D2Diesel is paying attention, then he may want to arrange to have the bed, or just the stiff legs sent to him. That makes at least 2 plus a partial M756A2s in Arizona, and I think there is another one, but I have yet to track it down. Here are photos of the M756A2 bed with closeups of the stiff legs.

Jack's Gov'T Surplus 5181 E Drexel Rd, Tucson, AZ 85706, (520) 574-0300

Hi,

That must've been a great fieldtrip! Man that's a great bed. Thanks for posting the pics and contact info, I will see if he is willing to sell parts separately. I should just buy the whole bed but I'm not prepared for the shipping cost.

I sent you a private message.

Thanks again!