I am going to look at my first Deuce on Sunday......

[bart6453]

And on that note I have a couple of questions.

What can I expect from my neighbors???? I live in Minnesota (so we are all pretty hick) and in a college/residental neighborhood. I have no HOA or anything like that. I am planning on parking on the street in front of my house once in a while.

Secondly....is this thing going to crack my driveway? I just had a new one put in and certainly won't park on it until the frost is completely out, and in fact may wait about a month after MNDOT takes the frost restrictions off the roads to park on my driveway. But it was not poured with a Deuce in mind. It's about a 5" pad with rebar every 4 feet on center....I think it's 5,000 LB concrete.

Thanks for the input, just looking for real world experience here. I know the technical answers and the legalities.....but boots on the ground is always better.

 

[littlebob]

Check your local codes and get to know your neighbors. A lot of the potential neighbor problems might be avoided if they have a connection with you beforehand.
I don't know much about concrete, but I wouldn't with the little I do know.
Good Luck!

 

[clinto]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/1981-will-deuce-crack-damage-4-slab.html

 

[roscoe]

Give some more details on your prospect truck. I can't see that the deuce will be a problem on your drive as far as weight - it is dispersed on 10 tires. I have a truck with greater weight on 6 tires and haven't had any problems on quite a bit of new construction. Keep us posted on your find.

 

[bart6453]

The truck is a standard issue M35A2, I don't know enough about them to tell you much more. I will be painting it solid tan or black...most likely black.

I know the concrete should be able to handle it....but is it wise? Like I said, it was poured with 5000PSI concrete (the standard is 4000PSI), just because that is all they use in our area.

 

[m16ty]

It's hard to say with neighbors. Some love MVs and some hate them.

As far as the concrete goes, it all depends on what's underneath the slab. I've seen 4" concrete hold 80,000lb forklifts (in our shop) without so much as a crack and 8" concrete that fell apart with little more than small car traffic.

A 4" slab will hold a temendous ammount of weight if the ground under it is stable and it was poured right. Concrete is very strong under compression but is very weak in tension. With a solid base all you are doing is compressing the concrete against the solid base and the concrete will hold. When the concrete has voids or soft spots under it puts the concrete in tension and it will fail.

The only reason the concrete bridges you see don't fall down is because they have cables put in them when the beams are poured. The cables are stretched with several thousand pounds on them and then the concrete it poured. After the concrete dries the ends of the cables are cut (releaseing the tension into the beam). This process keeps the concrete in compression and makes the beams very strong.

 

[bart6453]

The truck is a standard issue M35A2, I don't know enough about them to tell you much more. I will be painting it solid tan or black...most likely black.

I know the concrete should be able to handle it....but is it wise? Like I said, it was poured with 5000PSI concrete (the standard is 4000PSI), just because that is all they use in our area.

 

[67X]

If you dont mind me asking..where in MN are you located..im in Lonsdale. I just got my truck not that long ago..you will love it.
As far as where you live the college part scared me a bit. I would be nervous about my truck being vandalized. How long have you known your neighbors? Couldn't hurt to go on over with some beers and talk to them about it. who doesnt appreciate free beer?

 

[littlebob]

The truck is a standard issue M35A2, I don't know enough about them to tell you much more. I will be painting it solid tan or black...most likely black.

I know the concrete should be able to handle it....but is it wise? Like I said, it was poured with 5000PSI concrete (the standard is 4000PSI), just because that is all they use in our area.

The concrete thing is probably region specific, what works in your area might not
on the gulf coast where I live. The garage was poured with 8" slab and 12" footings and standing strong. The driveway out front was only 4" with no footings and cracked from trucks.

 

[bart6453]

If you dont mind me asking..where in MN are you located..im in Lonsdale. I just got my truck not that long ago..you will love it.
As far as where you live the college part scared me a bit. I would be nervous about my truck being vandalized. How long have you known your neighbors? Couldn't hurt to go on over with some beers and talk to them about it. who doesnt appreciate free beer?

I am down in Mankato.

The college thing is okay, I am kind of like the guy who takes care of the kids when their cars won't start or they get stuck....so we have a mutual respect thing. The college kids come over for beers when I am working in the garage. I help them when they need it, they don't let anyone screw with my stuff. The neighbors are a bit fickle....some like me....some hate me. So I am just wondering how they are usually received sitting out and about. Kinda curious.

My base prep was not the best in the world but not the worst either...mediocre to be honest. I hope it's okay. That's why I will certainly not drive on it during frost restrictions.

 

[Digger09]

5000 pd concrete is strong enough with a good base. The rebar adds quite a bit of strength to it. If you have expansion joints in the concrete it is much less likely to break, this gives the concrete a little flexibly

 

[Bob H]

Here in Michigan, My 16,000lb M36A2 is not restricted by the MDOT frost laws.
The most weight is on the two front tires, yet it is still within the frost law limits.
The limits are tighter on the steering axle due to the forces generated when turning corners.

on another note, my pad in front of my garage is 3 1/2 inch thick with rewire (like fence) and I have not even worried about it. and yes the front end of the big truck has been on it many times.
The rears likey have less psi on the ground than a typical car say 7,000 lbs / 8 tires is less than 1000lbs on a 9 inch tire or less than 100 pounds per squre inch on your 5,000 psi concrete.

 

[jimm1009]

#1 rule, take a camera with you on your pre-buy inspection or viewing. A picture can worth many thousands of words when it comes to smal details.

Having a Deuce is really great but look at your intended storage, make sure he has a title or will get one BEFORE you give him payment, look at your technical expertise (training capability too), cost of insurance, and of course the real “biggy” is which type of registration that you are going to use when your Magnificent Beast comes home to you should you choose to purchase it.

Sadly, so many of us can afford it and can work on it but have neighbors or HOA like groups that can royally screw things up.

If your neighbors have kids, take them and the kids for a ride once in a while.
I took a little boy and their dad (I have a 3rd seat belt added) to Dairy Queen on a Saturday and it made all the difference in the world on how they view the truck sitting down the road from them. Try to not leave at "O-dark thirty" or come back too late at night and a muffler really sooths them too.
Just suggestions to consider but I personally wish you great luck and success in your purchase should you go through with it.

Read lots of TMs, ask questions, and remember above all else,



jimm1009

 

[derby]

I think 5" would be ok, but what did you use for fill? the fill and compaction make all the differance. Also you want good drainage keep that water running away.Did you end up with any bird baths?. I just poured a 36x32 pad 4-5" thick and even though I know it is on a solid sub. I wont park any of my trucks on it. it is just too expensive to chance. besides my wife would ring my neck if I cracked it with "that"truck. Check with the township on the parking issue and get everything on paper! don't settle for "it should be fine"

 

[bart6453]

Great info guys.... THANK YOU!

I think I have my bases covered pretty well.

The Deuces that this guy has all have current MN titles and such. I can register it as a 26,000LB truck for $209.25 per year, and my insurance should be about $100 for 6 months.

Anything a guy should look for specifically when I go to look? The guy I am going to buy from gets them and drives them 300-500 miles home, he says this gives him some saddle time to see exactly what all they need and fix the details. As a side note, he and his dad work in the heavy service truck industry , and do the 2 1/2 ton and 5 ton truck thing for fun. He says they like the military stuff because its tough as heck.

He also says he can get any parts I need and will sell them to me at cost if I buy a truck from him. He insisted that he never wants to be in the parts business, but as long as he does not need to inventory anything he has no problem with getting parts for people.

What do you think???? Being from Minnesota, I am inclined to believe he is honest, and frankly he sounds like a heck of a nice guy on the phone.

 

[Bob H]

Great info guys.... ..............and frankly he sounds like a heck of a nice guy on the phone.

It is rare that someone attemping to sell something doesn't try to sound like a heck of a guy on the phone.

I never trust a salesman when his lips are moving.

 

[bart6453]

It is rare that someone attemping to sell something doesn't try to sound like a heck of a guy on the phone.

I never trust a salesman when his lips are moving.

Ouch!!!! I am a salesperson which gives me the innately sensitive B.S. detector.

 

[67X]

Im 99% sure your buying from the same person I got my truck from...he's in Owatonna. I couldnt be happier with my purchase. And yes him and his father are very nice and helpful people.

-Adam

 

[CARNAC]

We had all sorts of MN folks move in down here from the Delta / NW Airline merger. So far most of them hate my deuce and CUCV. One tried to break my windshield. Know who it is but just can't prove it. The ones that did my fuel tank are most likely some kids I kicked out of here on 4 wheelers.

So don't assume MN folks like the military. You can have these down here back.

 

[bart6453]

We had all sorts of MN folks move in down here from the Delta / NW Airline merger. So far most of them hate my deuce and CUCV. One tried to break my windshield. Know who it is but just can't prove it. The ones that did my fuel tank are most likely some kids I kicked out of here on 4 wheelers.

So don't assume MN folks like the military. You can have these down here back.

Those are the inner city MN folks if they were from NWA....might as well be from chicago or detroit....the rest of the state is pretty rural to say the least.

thanks for the info though