How to get my new deuce home?

[Little Red]

I just bought a Deuce and a half and am debating on how to get it home.
I bought it from a rural fire dept in Eastern WA and I live in Western WA about 300 miles one way.

It is said to run and drive well, (it was taken out of service in May 2011) but has not run since.

When I went out there to take a look at it, they could not start it because the batteries where dead.

Here is what I know about it:
It’s an 1968 M35A2 (I think, the auction listing said M45A2, but they had 2 others and they all looked the same and where M35A2’s, so it could be a typo, I forgot to check the data plate)

They told me it has not been used much for the last several years and has been parked outside.
They brakes where redone in 2006.

They are going to take the water tank off and then they will try and charge the batteries for me and see if it will start up.

If it runs should I try and drive it home (about 300 miles) or get it towed?
And if I have to get it towed, who would I contact and what can I expect to pay for it?

Thanks for the help…

 

[Little Red]

Here is a picture of the deuce. (hope this works)

 

[nk14zp]

Congrats on the m45a2. Best bet is to get it hauled or towed.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I can assure you that it's an M45A2 and at one point had a water purification body on the back. Congrats. I would go to the jatonka site and download TM 9-2320-361-10 and TM 9-2320-361-20 manuals and commence to reading.

 

[Goose2448]

Welcome to SS. I think that is a M45a2, basiclly a Deuce with a water tank. Do your reading before driving it. There are a bunch of tips, like dont put your thumbs inside the steering wheel, unless you want to be known as Mr. Fingers! Do what you feel is best, if it runs, drive it around the lot a little, and inspect it with a fine tooth comb. If you have any feeling of something going wrong, have it towed.

 

[Little Red]

I was not sure about it being an M45A2 since the auction listing also said it is a 5 ton 6x6.
To me it seems like it’s a 2.5 ton 6x6, so I thought all might have been a typo?
Anyway from what I could find online the only difference between the M35A2 and M45A2 is that the 45 was used as a water tanker/fire fighting truck.

 

[srodocker]

You know when are you supposed to go get it? would be a fun trip over. and glad to see you made it over to this website

 

[Little Red]

You know when are you supposed to go get it? would be a fun trip over. and glad to see you made it over to this website

I was told they will have it running and ready for pick up on Thursday.
But I can wait till next week if I can’t make it over there this week. I will have to pick it up on a Thursday though as that is my only full day off right now.
And thanks for mentioning this website to me, it has a ton of useful information.

 

[srodocker]

dang was going to say come to the rally on saturday if you can. were exactly is it again? was going to say i can help but i work thursday night.

 

[Little Red]

dang was going to say come to the rally on saturday if you can. were exactly is it again? was going to say i can help but i work thursday night.

I work nights too and have Friday morning off as well, it is located in-between tri cities and Spokane.

 

[srodocker]

dang. long haul in my deuce hehe. what you doing saturday morning thats when our mini rally is in roy. i have a link in my signature

 

[Little Red]

dang. long haul in my deuce hehe. what you doing saturday morning thats when our mini rally is in roy. i have a link in my signature

I have to work on Saturday morning and probably won’t have the deuce picked up yet.
I see this is rally #5 so maybe I can make it to the next one…

 

[srodocker]

theres been more then 5 but this is just the little rally i organize. if you have any questions go ahead and PM me anytime or email srodocker@gmail.com. DEFIANTLY read the manuals!

whats your plans for it?

 

[Recovry4x4]

I was not sure about it being an M45A2 since the auction listing also said it is a 5 ton 6x6.
To me it seems like it’s a 2.5 ton 6x6, so I thought all might have been a typo?
Anyway from what I could find online the only difference between the M35A2 and M45A2 is that the 45 was used as a water tanker/fire fighting truck.

The M45A2 was delivered as a chassis/cab without a body. It could have received a whole host of different bodies from draglines to darkroom bodies. In the case if yours, it had an erdalator body on it. Basically it was a van body that had a 1500 GPH water purification unit inside. This was obviously discarded by the FD in favor of the tank. Is there an extra lever to the left of the drivers seat going to linkage behind the seat?

 

[Little Red]

whats your plans for it?

First I will have to figure out the best way to get her home.
Then I will probably play around with her for a while and decide whether or not I am going to keep her.
I really want to get one that has a box unit on the back that I could turn in to a camper. So I might want to sell or trade it at some point or if I decide to keep it, I will probably repaint it and find a flat or stake bed for the back.

The M45A2 was delivered as a chassis/cab without a body. It could have received a whole host of different bodies from draglines to darkroom bodies. In the case if yours, it had an erdalator body on it. Basically it was a van body that had a 1500 GPH water purification unit inside. This was obviously discarded by the FD in favor of the tank. Is there an extra lever to the left of the drivers seat going to linkage behind the seat?

That makes sense and explains why it does not have a regular flatbed on the back, I will have to check if it has an extra handle by the seat.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Check with the FD, maybe they know where the van body is. A gutted erdalator body can make an excellent camper.

 

[islandguydon]

Hello, IMHO, what better way to get to know your new girlfriend, I say buy her some new battery's for her and drive her home, they always like fresh battery's.

 

[3dAngus]

After they charge and start it up for you to test drive, I would shut it down and then restart and make sure the batteries have enough power and it pops right up. Then, I would test the batteries with a hydrometer, just to be sure. If questionable, buy a battery or two locally.

Carry some fuel filter along with you. Get them in advance and have them on hand. Also, make sure you have an emergency air line made up so you can hook up the the glad hands in the back and pump up the tires, if necessary.

If she starts, runs, and there doesn't seem to be any issues, I would just drive it home myself, though paying the bill for a tow would be less risk. The cost savings in doing so might not be that great, because you have fuel costs both ways in a chase car, plus another $120 or so in diesel fuel costs to make the leg home with the deuce at 10MPG.

You can learn a lot by driving it 300 miles, but you could get stuck with a tow bill along the way too. Check on towing costs, then decide for yourself.

 

[nk14zp]

Have you driven a truck as big as a deuce before? AN untested new to you truck and a 300 mile trip is not the best time to learn if you are not comfortable with it.

 

[Big Z]

The further it moves under its own power, the cheaper it will be to get home, and by no small amount.