New Purchase...M816!

Gents,

I have been searching for a long time on a Wrecker to help with logging/building a home on our property in Tennessee. I finally pulled the trigger on a 1976 AM general M816 I found only a few hours from our place. I have had my Deuce for almost 3 years but have never owned a wrecker.

The truck runs well, the crane operates and in general it seems to be in good shape. Paint is a little rough but so was my M35's when I got it.

I already pulled down the M800 series Operators manual and maintenance manuals and have gone through them from cover to cover.

I am asking some of the experts here for any suggestions on what to do first (i.e. what to check, common issues with the M816 or Garwood crane...etc) once I have the truck delivered.

any help is greatly appreciated!!!

If you need it.moved i can handle it. What part of TN?
I know the truck is in Jackson
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Hey Wes,

Thanks for the offer, the truck needs transported to Thorn Hill just north of Morristown. The truck is going to be stored until I get back from training in about 40 days.

Any help is appreciated, most shipping offers I got were pretty high $1500+. The company selling it was the lowest so far.

If your in the area and could help I would be very thankful but don't want to ask you to drive really far out of your way.

Nick

Welcome to having a m816. It is a hard working vehicle and extremely versatile.

Grab an air powered grease gun and 5 tubes (yes, 5 tubes) of grease and hit every fitting.

Under the bed is the PTO shaft that powers the crane. It's sitting at a 35 degree angle (very steep) and about 3ft long. Take a look at the condition of the boots on those joints and the CV joints themselves. There is a oval shaped box next to each of those CV's, go ahead and replace the oil in those which should be 90w or similar.

Check the oil in the 90 degree gear box (what that PTO shaft connects to) at the base of the crane.

Welcome to the wrecker club! There are loads of good threads and tips - just got to get creative with the searching. Kinda frustrating at times...

Thanks for saving one. Yea the paint is a little rough, but it looks like she doesn't have a lot of rust. Worst thing I can see is the front bumper needs some attention. Good luck with her.

Nice find, it will serve you well. Lube it , check all the hyd. Hoses for dry rot. Set the boom support legs
before heading down the highway, don't want to blow a lift cylinder gland seal due to the boom
bouncing up/down. I stock the spin on oil filter adapter for the NHC 250 Cummings.
Have them listed in the classified. Makes future oil filter changes a breeze. Also find a copy of the
operators manual and keep it in the truck. Have fun, be careful.

Some kids get all the cool toys!

Congratz!

I am a former owner of one of these beasts and they are a great toy to have.

Most of the advice above is sound so follow it.

Let me address the hydraulic hose issue. That vehicle is prob 40 years old if not older. Those hoses will last a long time but when they go they usually go in a spectacular manner and that big tank holds a lot of very expensive fluid. If the right hose goes most of it will end up on the ground. If that happens in a public place you are going to get a big cleanup bill if the spill has to be cleaned up by the authorities.

I replaced a couple of hoses on my M816 and one or two on the M936A2 I was babysitting (oh how I miss that truck).

In my neck of the woods one of the big hoses will cost you about 150-200 bucks to replace.

I think I figured that to replace them all at once would have set me back some where around 2 grand.

The guy that designed the manifold that controls the crane (in the operator's seat) was a compound idiot. You have to be a double jointed contortionist to get to some of those fittings. On some of the newer 816 cranes and the M936 cranes there was an access panel installed that made getting to them easier. It didn't make swapping them out easier, just getting to them. You will need some big open faced wrenches to swap them out. Big adjustables won't work because you can't get them in there.

When I was in the Army we used the wreckers more for the crane than for an actual wrecker. Most of the time when we did actually use them for recovery we just flat towed the disabled vehicle and did not use the wiffle tree or axle clamps to lift the front end.

I don't know how you will be registering it or how you intend to insure it but mine was insured as a "Boom Truck" with Progressive on a Semi-Commercial Farm policy. It was not insured as a wrecker and my agent told me that if I turned in a claim for using it as a wrecker they would deny it and drop me like a hot rock. If you plan to use it as a wrecker you will more than likely have to have commercial tow insurance and that will break the bank (that was the case for me). I was allowed to tow a regular pintle trailer that would hook to the military hitch (had to send them pics to clarify that).

For sure secure that boom. Looks like the front winch may have issues but most can be addressed by reading the TM and by posting questions here.

The hard top is a big plus.

If I ever get another one I'll put the super singles on it just because they look tough.

Good luck with her.

It's not so much the boom bouncing up and down as tearing up the rotator gearbox from side to side motion. $02 of my experience!

With the hydraulic hose replacement this is a low pressure (below 3000psi) system. Most hose places will assume it requires 4000psi rated hose if you just tell them that you need a replacement and that costs much more. I've had good luck with this site before http://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydrau...ose-Assemblies/?page_no=1&fq=ATR_Diameter:1\"

Around Dayton, there has to be reliable low cost farm supply/workshop that crimps ends on hoses to make about anything (hose wise) at reasonable cost. Red is right about Surplus Center too.

If you are working on a house or building, it won't be lifting huge weights. A boom extension would get you above things better. I have a (removable) 10' extension on top of a three section boom and a long hooked bar to do demolition, using the double action, pulling with the boom extension cylinders. It's 52' reach is really handy for building (have sat 82' truss at 22' to the bottom from inside the building). I can't lift trucks however.

I could see a tapered 20-30' extension attached to the OEM boom. It appears however that buckling down by the lift cylinder rod end, of the boom, is a weak point that leverage could make worse...and a good place to reinforce while it'straight.

As others have said the hydraulic hoses would be at the top of my to do list. Every time I replaced a hose, another would let go. A blown hose can shoot a good 15' or better. (ask me how I know) You will need 1 3/8, 1 1/2, 1 5/8 wrenches for you hose fittings. Congrats on the m816!

@red,@scar59,@Wreckerman893, et all...Wow. Thanks for all of the good information on these old wreckers. I will definitely make sure the boom is secured before transport.

I also plan on using it more for the crane than the wrecker portion, mostly to move logs around (I have 4 acres out of 50 to log) and all kinds of heavy lifting. we have a log cabin in the works so the crane should come in very handy.

I noticed the bumper is a little gnarled up, nothing some heat and a little pulling/hammering cant fix.

Hoses and PM are first up to bat then some follow on upgrades are planned.

Any other suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!
Nick

All I have to add if you have to or do any of the hoses have plenty of kitty litter spread around well before hand.

Okay Nick looks like you need a battery box cover/ step, and a set of the long boom outriggers and does it come with any BII?
I have most wrecker stuff for sale and Wes can deliver for a small fee.

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csm davis said:

okay nick looks like you need a battery box cover/ step, and a set of the long boom outriggers and does it come with any bii?
I have most wrecker stuff for sale and wes can deliver for a small fee.

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if i ever get to go to south mississippi anytime soon

M62.

tobyS said:

It's not so much the boom bouncing up and down as tearing up the rotator gearbox from side to side motion. $02 of my experience!

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All points good follow them up. Nice truck, will look a really nice addition to your 'stock' when 'Tarted up'. Another point, Service the support legs (4) at the sides of the truck. Makes them easier (possible!) to extend out. Be AWARE (yourself and other users) that 'heaving' out those support legs CAN (if too vigorously/enthusiastically) pulled out to the extreme SHEAR the retaining PIN, and the that humongous mass , and weight is headed straight for 'parts' it really ought NOT to. (As the operator is likely FALLING BACKWARDS at that point.
I absolutely love my M62. wrecker truck. It is kept in 'mint condition'.

as someone here the other day said, these things are a "swiss army knife" of toys. All good points mentioned so far, I cannot stress enough to check that crane drive PTO shaft as when it fails it will destroy other parts made of "Unobtainium" and the boom will be in whatever position that is was in, until it is fixed. military suppliers will charge upward of 2K for that 36" shaft and those CV joints. (ask me how I know... better yet find the thread "Wrecker broken CV joint". Mine was down for 4 months....
Remember as Toby said, a boom extension is nice. as the 816, 936 only have an 18 ft boom, so setting rafters is limited..... 21' 6" from boom to ground full extension and lift... the 819 is the cats meow with the 26' stick.....
Nice acquisition, service her well and she will take care of you....
Davis is a good guy to know when it comes to these trucks......

Red and I are digging up ways to relocate the hydraulics under the bed and simplify the system for more user friendly arrangement, though I must say that he is probably moving much faster than I am.....

wcuhillbilly said:

Red and I are digging up ways to relocate the hydraulics under the bed and simplify the system for more user friendly arrangement, though I must say that he is probably moving much faster than I am.....

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Planning to have that project going in mid-late July. On chassis hydraulics here we go!