deuce for sand offroading?

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum, so if I'm posting this in the wrong spot please correct me. I tried to find a similar post using the search option, but didn't have any luck. If I'm using the search incorrectly and there's already a post like this please redirect me. Anyways, I was at my local beach this past weekend ( off-road beach that allows 4x4 vehicles to travel on the sand) and I saw what I think was an M35A3. I don't know much about these vehicles, but it would be awesome to get into one of these (or something similar) and use it for my weekend beach trips. How do these perform in the sand? The one I saw , was a 6x6 , but was told there's also bobbed trucks that go to my beach. I will be looking to spend around 10k. I was also looking at a bobbed 1990 BMY M931A2, but that may weigh too much. If I'm not mistaking, less weight is better for sand offroading. If anyone has a suggestion for a different vehicle I would definitely be open to that. How's the maintenance on these? Can I rely on one to take around 10 weekend trips (120 miles round trip) a year without having any serious issues besides regular maintenance?

Thank you in advance,
Nick

A little more money but you get what you pay for.


https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?181513-98-s-amp-s-m1078

Thing looks like a beast, how often do you take it on the sand?

Thanks,
Nick

nrmartini said:

Thing looks like a beast, how often do you take it on the sand?

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Mine never leaves pavement because I just use if for shows and parades. However, it does have a working CTIS with a "SAND" function so you don't have to worry about manually airing tires up/down. And it's already a 4x4 so no modification needed. AND it has Air Conditioning in case the sea breezes aren't enough to keep you cool.

Awesome, I'll definitely keep that in mind, thanks for the response.

Nick

nrmartini said:

Thing looks like a beast, how often do you take it on the sand?

Thanks,
Nick

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I have mine loaded with a service box full of tools. I run up and down the beach here in Nome supporting gold mining operations. I have put on 30 k on it in the last year with nothing more than lubing it and changing the oil. The crappy roads did kill a rod end on my drag link other wise fro the last month I have been making 160 mile round trips up the kugarok highway at 58 mph, and the road doesn't meet highway for you guys down south it looks more like a section of the paris Dakar rally course. I have driven all varriants of military vehicles on the sand nothing beats the lmtv especially if the ctis works.

Hi snowtrac, thank you very much for the reply. If a LMTV would be a better option I will definitely do some more research on those.

Thank you,
Nick

A few issues to research .
[h=1]Cracked! Something else to check on your FMTV...[/h]
[h=1]Bad drive shaft?[/h]
[h=1]LMTV Alternator Disaster, engine now catastophic[/h]
[h=3]Cab and spare hydraulics problems M1078 LMTV[/h]
[h=1]LMTV Transmission won't engage[/h]

porkysplace said:

A few issues to research .
Cracked! Something else to check on your FMTV...


Bad drive shaft?


LMTV Alternator Disaster, engine now catastophic


Cab and spare hydraulics problems M1078 LMTV


LMTV Transmission won't engage

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And deuces never have ANY problems sarc/

I really don't want to start anything about mine is better than yours. some of the short comings on a duce can be over come and some cant. You would be hard pressed to purchased a duce, bob it, add power steering ,and a modern diesel engine for 15k. The duce looks cool and sounds cooler with the c turbo. you cant get around the fact they ride rough off road, the cabs leak in the rain and the brakes suck. It all adds character to the ride. I believe most of the problems could have been prevented had the drivers treated the trucks more like commercial vehicles and not like their Hondas. I always get out and do my pre trip inspections, I know what a grease gun is, and most of all I know my truck if something doesn't feel right I check it out. I think there are far less alternator disasters than there are on the 5 ton control boxes which are Usually related to operators to. There is also knuckle boots and wheel seals on the duce along with torque rods. All these trucks have their issues, I spent more time working on 5 tons and duces than lmtv's in Iraq, and also when back home working full time for the guard. the lmtvs are more complex, but really not a bad truck. At the end of the day its all about what fits your needs a a cool classic looking duce or a more modern but uglier lmtv. one of the things I like the most is in the lmtv you don't need hearing protection to talk with the passenger, and I don't have to dig snow out of the seat to drive it after a blizzard. if I lived in Arizona I might like the option of being able to pull off the canvas top.

mkcoen said:

And deuces never have ANY problems sarc/

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Deuce don't have near the problems or expense for repairs as a FMTV. Just giving him information on what to research before buying. There is a gladhand on the deuce to change tire pressure with , yeah you have to get out of the truck to do it but they rarely fail. The biggest problem with a multi-fuel deuce is the throttle rod sticking for sitting and wheel cylinders leaking from sitting . They also have a simple electrical system.

Not saying it can’t happen but I haven’t heard of any runaway LMTV motors and single circuit brakes aren’t exactly safe.

I’ve owned 10-15 deuces so not like I haven’t been around them but don’t appreciate vehicle bashing by people who don’t own LMTVS. I can bash it on my own.

mkcoen said:

Not saying it can’t happen but I haven’t heard of any runaway LMTV motors and single circuit brakes aren’t exactly safe.

I’ve owned 10-15 deuces so not like I haven’t been around them but don’t appreciate vehicle bashing by people who don’t own LMTVS. I can bash it on my own.

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So he started this thread about buying a deuce and in the first post you pimp your for sale ad for your LMTV with no other information or anything to add about deuces and it upsets you because I posted KNOWN problems with LMTV's . This is posted in the deuce form but your first post has nothing to do with deuces , your the one who tried to hi-jack the thread and turned to a LMTV thread.

porkysplace said:

A few issues to research .
Cracked! Something else to check on your FMTV...


Bad drive shaft?


LMTV Alternator Disaster, engine now catastophic


Cab and spare hydraulics problems M1078 LMTV


LMTV Transmission won't engage

Click to expand...

I think that the goal here is to remind people that broken stuff on the Deuce is $$ to fix, but on the LMTV/FMTV you are quickly into the $$$/$$$$ area when it affects engine/tranny. M35A3 owners can probably somewhat relate.

The Deuce is great for some thing the LMTV is great for some things. Some thing on the deuce suck and I'm sure some things on the LMTV suck.

The OP needs to look and read about all the good AND bad of both to see what's right for him.

I love my deuce's ( yes I have more than one). It's great for a sonic run or going dirt roading around town. But I'm getting too old and too tall to take it very far without having to go to the chiropractor.

Asfor the LMTV I can't say anything about them. Because I know nothing about them just what I read here.

Asfor sand I think there is a reason sand buggies/sand rails aren't made by Mack truck Just saying lighter is better. The bigger it is the bigger the tow truck needs to be , when it goes wrong.

I live in a desert and "our" lake is Elephant Butte in south-central New Mexico. There are many there with MVs specifically for the sand, used to pull 5th wheel trailers. Most are 5 tons. Some deuces. I have not seen a single LMTV for that out there. You also do not see bobbed trucks pulling trailers.

The 6x6 trucks do great out in the sugar sand pulling trailers. However, most of these trucks are stored close to the lake eliminating the need to highway drive very far.

nrmartini said:

Hello everyone, ~
Anyways, I was at my local beach this past weekend ( off-road beach that allows 4x4 vehicles to travel on the sand) and I saw what I think was an M35A3. I don't know much about these vehicles, but it would be awesome to get into one of these (or something similar) and use it for my weekend beach trips. If anyone has a suggestion for a different vehicle I would definitely be open to that. How's the maintenance on these? Can I rely on one to take around 10 weekend trips (120 miles round trip) a year without having any serious issues besides regular maintenance? ~............................
Go down the beach when a Deuce is there and go talk with the driver owner. Tell Him what you just wrote here and offer to help with whatever He/She might be doing with maintenance. He/She will tell you more than I can write here. Nick ~

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Send us (post) pictures here. We want the pictures. Have fun.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMMYOEGgtHc

Here are some pics lmtv on the beach and the second one gives you an idea of recovery equipment required once get big iron stuck

on the beach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAroBbgOBis
Many flovors of trucks to choose from.

An A3 (9 (ninety eight) that was up on all 6 tires sold on GSA for under $4k. If I had have had the money......well you know. It's serial was over 5000, so one of the last. In my opinion, that is the best truck to bob (if you don't want the size of a 5 ton). Bobbing is shortening the frame....I'm not shortening, but am going to 4x4 on my A3. There are lots of comments on the tranny, so I won't go into it here...it's not as bad as some think. Brakes...dual circuit 50/50 air assist with 1 1/2" wheel cylinders all around.