5-Ton Worth my Trouble

[packardbob]

I have been a member for awhile but don't know a whole lot about 5 Tons and I wish my first post was under better circumstances. I am interested in purchasing a 5-Ton and was informed that the city I work for has one that they may be interested in putting up for auction (silent auction). I went out to see it and the guy that was in charge of the truck before it was replaced, informed me that the only thing good on the truck is the engine itself, the rest is pretty rough...and yellow.

The truck has had a dump box put on the rear for sanding roads, and the radiator has had a hole put in it and ends soldered shut for a shaft off the crank to come through the front to drive the hydraulics for a plow. The original fan has been removed and replaced with two electric fans that the guy says don't get the job done, it will overheat if it isn't watched.

Since the pictures were taken, the tires have started to go flat but was thinking about super singles anyway, but I still don't want to pay for lousey tires. The truck DOES NOT RUN and there is a constant draw on the batteries so they don't hold a charge for very long at all. Im guessing it is some of his custom wiring for lights shorting out. Is this truck even worth my time and effort? If so, how much would a reasonable offer be? I really don't know where to start or if I even should. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[NDT]

I think the dump bed is worth about $3000 on the civilian market. Looks to be a frame stretch? That is not fun to put back to M820 wheelbase.

 

[area52]

What do you want to use it for? An actual use or just "to have and look at" (like alot of us ).

The radiator would be expensive to replace or repair. Are you going to use the plow and dump bed? You could sell those off and make some of your money back.

Why doesn't the engine run?

 

[packardbob]

I actually planned on keeping the plow and bed, I don't really plan on using it for anything too constructive, I just like the way they look and drive. I had no idea the frame might be stretched, but I guess looking at it closer, it is a bit long. The engine doesn't run because it has been sitting for about 6 years, with a little TLC it would probably start, but the city has no interest in getting it running before a sale. The truck has been poorly customized to plow airport runways here, the plow has had two feet cut off both sides and I'm not sure if it is even worth anything since it's been cut. The truck was painted yellow to aid in visibility from the air and the wiring was put in for plow lights. I'm not sure if I would want to repair the radiator and I really can't if I keep the plow, but I was thinking of working out a better way of moving air through the radiator that the two small fans currently in use.

 

[BEASTMASTER]

if i was closer i'd take the plow off you're hands.

 

[m16ty]

That truck dosen't look too bad from the pics. It is definitely worth fooling with. At what price is another story. I pesonally wouldn't give over 2k BUT I'm cheap.

I hate sealed bids. You can bid $2,000 and win but the second place bidder may have only bid $1,000. You'll pay $2,000 the way most sealed bid auctions work.

 

[derby]

Not to disuade You ,but I have heard of those old Cummins siezing up if they sit too long. I would see if it is free, if not I would pass. If You have a use for it dump,plow and the heavy tools to work on it then go for it. You could probably find an M813 or M54 from the "other" sources that might be less work and expence in the long run. Don't get me wrong ,it has potential, but You don't want your first truck to be a nightmare. Good luck and let us know how things went.

 

[Alredneck]

Man I hate when they chop up bridge trucks! I been looking and found over a dozen, all chopped up. White Owl surplus has one in sad shape but they dont want to sell it for anything much less scrap value even though they are sending it to the scrapper. What since does this make? I met a guy in AZ who had two pretty Bridge trucks, except the beds were chopped off behind the header panel. Hyd controls still there and everything. This guy tells me him and his uncle are thinking about bobbing it for a 4x4. THen they want some ridiculous price for the other one, I told him you cant get top dollar for a truck thats been butchered, he got pissed!

 

[packardbob]

I've been doing a little research on the M820 expansible, it honestly looks as if it was built that long to begin with. The attached pictures (they are not mine and I thank whoever they belong to) look like the same wheelbase and I know that is what the truck had on the rear before it was converted to a plow. Thanks for you input so far. Yeah, sealed bids suck, I've been begging the city to do a public auction on it, vehicles go for crazy cheap at city auctions. And thank you a great deal about the tip on the engines seizing up, I'll ask if they will let me in to see if it will crank over a few times (it's within airport boundaries and requires special clearance to go through the fence). The city does contract with people to move snow off the streets when the city plows are overwhelmed, this would be about the only thing I would use it for to make money off of it, but I think over time if the truck holds up I could earn my money back if I can get a good enough price on the truck.

 

[papabear]

I would say if ya can get it for 3K...buy it.

 

[jcappeljr]

looks good,buy it..