Just won my first MV! A 1990 M923A2 from Fort Hood. -Have a few general questions.

[davo727]

The phone # to get your Texas 144 hour temp registration is 888-368-4689 , that is the DMV motor carrier division . You need to press whatever # for the overweight-oversize or temporary registration option in their phone **** selection. They will have you fax them your insurance card and you pay them $51 over the phone and they email you your permit and you can select the start date and time for whatever you need.

 

[trooper632]

Class B for the Air Brakes is a must legally speaking. We are rooting for ya!

The class B is for the weight, You will need an Endoresment for the air brakes

 

[2nDefense]

The phone # to get your Texas 144 hour temp registration is 888-368-4689 , that is the DMV motor carrier division . You need to press whatever # for the overweight-oversize or temporary registration option in their phone **** selection. They will have you fax them your insurance card and you pay them $51 over the phone and they email you your permit and you can select the start date and time for whatever you need.

Sounds great - thank you for the information! I will pay the invoice early tomorrow then call and get the temp tags

 

[2nDefense]

Class B for the Air Brakes is a must legally speaking. We are rooting for ya!

The class B is for the weight, You will need an Endoresment for the air brakes

Really appreciate the answer! Looking into study material now.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Congratulations on your win & a safe drive home! Keep us posted as to how things go!

 

[2nDefense]

Congratulations on your win & a safe drive home! Keep us posted as to how things go!

Ok, so I drove up to see it today. - Not moving yet. - Tomorrow

Looks like all filters read March 11. - So I know it was in for service last in 2011.
Hood has June 11 on it. -This is the date it hit the lot where is still sits. (I asked) -It was a national guard truck and is at a national guard lot.

Batteries look new. A couple of them are 11's. The other two look as new but are 09,07.

EXIDE 6TMF - They all look new - but only recharge will tell. They are all trying to charge separate now. I cleared walmart of chargers.

From what I can tell, the tires were replaced new at the same time. - All 7.

I am guessing between march and june of 11 it had a front right blowout. The middle passenger has sagged because of that and is now cracked at the bottom and will need replaced. There are light cracks on drivers side that show age. All other tires look off the shelf.

All fluids were already topped. Batteries had just enough juice to buzz high pitch and show gas. - nothing else.

It's full of fuel btw! Score!

So here's where the hairy parts come in.

Please advise:

There is a local that they had me call that says he gets all of the surplus tires.
Says he has used rubber only for 100 if he has it is stock
Says he definitely has new rubber only for 250 in stock. -said he knows a guy who mounts for 20 or so.


That being said. - Tires are Michelin 14R 20 XL with the wavy sidewall.
DAVO727 tells me that those with the wavy sidewall are prone to blowouts.

Given that the front right blowout new, I can't argue much on that one.

Anyone have any knowledge of these?
Tire guy said he has other brands too. -I'm cheap but prefer not to be cheap and dead.

Is that a good price?
Is that a good tire?
Should I buy?
If is is good, does anyone in College Station to Houston want me to pick one up for you?

 

[spartan_185]

I just got my truck from the same sale hauled in today. I can say that all of Michelin XL tires on my truck are trash, They are 90% tread and are dry rotted big time. I can truthfully say that if I had done a drive off recovery, I probably wouldn't have made it 30 miles on the current tires. Those XLs are very volatile once they start to degrade. The rest of the truck is in excellent condition and it started and ran/drove great after a jump from my M1008. My truck will probably get a brand new set of 395/85/R20 XZL tires. $250 for a new 14.00R20 is a pretty good price at retail, especially if they are Michelin XZLs, although swapping them out is half the fun. Good Luck.

 

[davo727]

I met him and loaned him my budd socket, ext and breaker bar, two 20 ton jacks and wood blocks and said good luck.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Not to hijack this thread but I'd be nervy riding on those XL's and they seem to always be in a state of decay if not dead flat. $100 isn't a bad price pending tread % and if you need a tube or not. I wouldn't mind putting them on a trailer or something light weight but never on a steer tire ever! Sure the XZL's look mean but they do seem to ride a little better on pavement. You can't really go wrong with the Goodyears either but every tire it needs to be judged independently of course.

Michelin XL (left) - Prone to "wavy sidewalls"
Goodyear (center)
Michelin XZL (right) - Arguably the best of the bunch

**The above is from observation and personal accounts only.

 

[davo727]

When I was in my pickup riding behind Mark in his XZL tired truck - man that those tires were howling! My goodyears way quieter

 

[ntxcop]

2nDefense,

You wrote that the batteries were low, only allowing for weak buzzer and fuel gauge to power on. If the charger doesn't work, and you end up replacing the batteries, make sure to check the height of the new batteries, and verify they do not touch the underside of the seat. If the new batteries are taller than the stock 6TL batteries, you can remove the pieces of padding and wood in the bottom of the battery compartment to give your new batteries more clearance, otherwise you stand the chance of touching the battery posts to the metal underside of the seat and shorting out/causing a fire. Don't ask me how I know....



Good luck with your new beast!

 

[ntxcop]

One more thing, I believe Fuzzy Toaster said it, but you can operate the 5-Ton with only two batteries. Here is the wiring diagram for both the 4 battery and 2 battery set up.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Looks like your seat warmer function worked as intended ntxcop. But yes are correct, you can run these trucks off of 2 batteries instead of the 4.

 

[davo727]

Battery height : Just got 2 exide 31 XHD and the top of the terminals are 7/16 inch taller than the MIL batteries.... Will see tomorrow about fit, truck lives at my other place 45 miles from me.

 

[davo727]

The thread starter 2nddefense made it home with his truck Thursday evening. Im sure he will fill in the details.

 

[2nDefense]

Mission Success! Just got in with the much needed tool loans, and knowledge of davo727.

Truck runs great and has almost all new serviceable parts. I'm dead tired after leaving at 4am and getting in now. Will give details and a couple pictures tomorrow!

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Class B required.

 

[mkcoen]

Battery height : Just got 2 exide 31 XHD and the top of the terminals are 7/16 inch taller than the MIL batteries.... Will see tomorrow about fit, truck lives at my other place 45 miles from me.

Series 31s will fit but you have to take the wooden spacers out that the 6TFMs sit on. I put a couple in mine the day after I got home.

 

[2nDefense]

Ok a little slow getting back on here but here goes.

Went up on Wednesday to inspect truck and grab batteries. - Worked out well. 6-7 hrs drive and 2 hrs actually there but did what I needed.

Got out around 4:30am on Thursday and headed that way. One small unintended route change through waco (thanks apple maps) and we got there about 8:30am

Just knew the kids would love it there. - They were 'wow' for all of ten minutes then ipads and iphones in the car. Think I'm gonna ground them out doors in the near future.


Batteries on, Powered up in less then a second - first try!

As for changing the front tire - There are no words . . . . Without that huge socket wrench from davo727 I would not have stood a chance.

I'm a fairly big guy at 235 and I was standing on it bouncing. - Spare had no pressure but looks new. Aired up, drove out and bought another tire and wheel for 250.

Truck ran like a champ for the first 150 miles. Then . . .
Power started dropping climbing hills to 1k or 1500 and 15-30. Then would surge back to 2k + and 55-60

Truck read 3/4 tank when picked up
Added 40bucks and stopped just because I figured it was more than enough.

Wondering if bad Fuel?
Added more fuel (another 40) and it ran great for about 25 miles.

Last 5 miles were same up and down.

Cranked friday easy but didnt move
Saturday harder -didnt move
Sunday not at all - tried draining filter and it had little to nothing in it. 6 oz of fuel maybe

Its parked on an incline hood high.

Prime doesn't seem to be priming. - Doesn't seem to be getting fuel.
Didn't have enough battery to really do more than 5 short turns or so.

Got behind on company business picking up truck - I run a brass and ammo company - so I had to spend the day today on that. Hope to get back to truck on wednesday.

Doing a turtle charge now. One at a time. Should take a while and be a better recharge.

Will send update and pics tomorrow.

btw. - one guy there bought 12 trucks.


Oh and just my luck, belts, every filter, tires, everything that I can tell, was changed just before it blew that front tire.

And now they are three years old

 

[ntxcop]

Sounds like you had a fairly good recovery, with just a few slight hiccups!

I'm not a 5-Ton mechanic, but I'm sure the answer to your problems can be found with a search of the 5-Ton Forums.

Congrat's again on the new purchase and safe recovery!