• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

San Antonio Ft Sam Houston Recovery Complete!!

cookeemann

Member
89
22
8
Location
Woodbury, GA
HUA!!
Deuce 2 recovered successfully from Ft Sam.:jumpin:
500+ miles/no issues other than one tire removed for peace of mind:) , rear main seal leaking and clutch slipping last 175 miles (probably due to the main seal)
19?? M35A2 former Med Bde Truck
Multi, Softtop, heater, a few new Titans (and some REAAAALY old Coopers), Operator's Manual, Mx History Paperwork, 19K miles/1400 hrs

Left Clovis at 1800 Wed night, drove as far as some town I can't remember about 1 1/2 hours from San Antonio and spent the night at the Super 8.

Got up to severe thunderstorm warnings from the NWS and yes, it was moving right for us. Yep, it hit 15 minutes into the recovery and held me up 2 hours. Not afraid of the rain (worked aircraft flightline for 20 years) but that lightning and wind was a different story. Even got so dark the street lights came on. Bad wx!

Met Chester at the office with my paperwork - good dude. He'll work with you. He sent me to the lot to meet up with Rod - another good dude who also has a bobbed Deuce. He's a lot of help and they're not real pushy with the time or with whatever mx you need to do to get your truck running. Rod even brought out a slave cable in case we needed it.

Walked around old girl and found she had a few new tires and about three that were shot. One was so flat it had swallowed the valve stem. Checked the brakes and -- holy cow, good pedal! Checked the fluid (yeaaaaa, no vent line, had the vent cap) and it was full of new fluid, yeaaaa!

Oooo ooo, rust on the bottom of the radiator, hope it holds. Popped the hood, loosened the rad cap, pshhhhhhht, it had pressure. Good sign, topped off with about a gallon of antifreeze.

Looked like weather moving in , then CRASH, lightning, thunder, 40 MPH wind, sideways rain.....ugh. On hold, wet, cold sitting in the 'Yota chompin' at the bit - was right in the middle of unloading the batteries.

Rain let up (after two NWS warnings on the radio - yep, it's right on top of us) a little so I finished looking under the hood. Belts o.k. (got spares with me anyway), new air filter - cool, a couple 'fresh' oil leaks so I know it at least ran 'recently'. Cutoff cable not frozen. Eghhhh, found a rust hole in the floor and rear of cab. No problem. Patch and cover with bedliner.

Crawled underneath. All three diff's low. Filled to first knuckle, trans, trans case all good. No leaks from master cyl - cool. Everything else looks o.k. underneath. Maybe a rear main seal leak (oh yeah, figured that one out on the way home).

Hit the batt switch and at least got a click. Mx manual says they were 'new' in January but put my new ones in anyway. Getting closer to hitting the switch! Pulled the cutoff out, flipped the pwr, got the air buzzer - sweeeet! Hit the switch, BIG click and then everything dead. Doh! Checked the starter connections, found one a little loose, tightened, buzzer's back, hit the switch, same deal. Ugh. Hmmm, must be a conn in the battery box. Wiggled the cables, heard the one that connects the batteries together crackle - came apart in my hand. Did an expedient field repair/replacement. Buzzer back on, cutoff out, hit the switch, rolled over no problems - sweet! Left switch on, drained the primary filter. A little water but not worrisome. Cutoff in, switch on , buzzer buzzin', quick prayer, hit the switch and she roared to life in about 1/3 a second. Hittin' on all 6 and running like a sewing machine!:jumpin: Ooooooo, and a whistler! LOVE that sound!

O.k., buzzer buzzin' until pressure came up. Holding 120, cool. Pressed brakes - great pedal. Pushed a few times and then checked for leaks under the truck. None. Awesome. Aired up the tires with the glad hand hose. Hmmmm, where's that inside rear tire's valve stem. Swallowed whole. No biggie, three on that side are good and two are new. Two on the other side are Cooper's and worn out but hold air (found out later they're shaped like an egg apparently).

Checked the lights. They all work inside and out. HUA! No drips, no knocks no ticks, looks like no problems. Prepped to roll out.

Drove up the hill to level ground. Idle for 5 minutes, shut down and checked oil. Added about a quart, visual inspection again and good to go. Headed up to Rod's office to check out. He handed me his personal cell number and said to call if I had any problems and that he knew some guys in the area as well. Sweet! Another quick walk around and then headed to the back gate.....
 
Last edited:

cookeemann

Member
89
22
8
Location
Woodbury, GA
Filled up outside the gate where everybody apparently drives a car the size of one of my tires and thinks if there's a space, it belongs to them, no matter if I'm backing up or not.......but I digress....

Headed out of San Antonio and boy was that fun, 6 lanes, downtown, ROLLIN'!. Couldn't wait to get on the open road.

She was beatin' me TO DEATH. Felt like those tires were square;-).........first chance, that flat one's gotta go.....

Rode about an hour with the spousal unit in the chase vehicle giving me an occasional thumb's up. Stopped to topoff gas and have lunch at Cracker Barrell and decided this was a good time to get that inner tire off and put it in the bed. Stopped for help at "Ultimate Automotive and Tire" in Kerrville TX. Alonzo, the owner put two of his guys on the Deuce job and they knew what they were doing. They pulled the tire, fixed a stripped inner lug bolt, aired them all up to 50 psi and broke free all the lugs/bolts in case I had a flat on my trip. Cool! If you ever need a place to stop for help comin' out of San Antonio, these guys have their act together and George and Joey were quick to get us back on the trail! Hat's off to those guys.

Rolled back onto the interstate and it's STILL beating me to death. I guess this one sat for quite a while. Hopefully it's just those worn out Coopers. It beat me all the way home.....

On the second fill up, the gas gauge started working (and she came with a half a tank of diesel, hua!) so now I've got 165 degrees, 120 psi, 60 psi oil, 52 MPH and about 2300 RPMs......all the way home, no changes.

Weather, lunch and tire ordeal put us a little behind so we decided to stop the night in Sweetwater TX since momma was tired. Clutch started slipping pretty good coming up the last few hills into Sweetwater so I figured old girl needed a break. Bedded her down for the night.

Next morning (Friday), started out about 0630. Clutch still slipping but manageable. When time for an auto parts store to open, I'll get some brake cleaner to maybe get some of the oil off the pressure plate (at least I think that's what it is) and try to limp her home. Still holding 50-55 on the flats.

Stopped in Post TX to top off and get a cup of coffee/gas for the 'Yota. Bought some brake cleaner and sprayed pretty good through the flywheel drain. Lots of goop ran out. Held in the clutch, sprayed again, more goop. Let her dry out a minute and hit the road again. Not much improvement.

Finally stopped one last time in Muleshoe TX, 40 mins from Clovis. Shot more brake cleaner on the housing, then flushed at the car wash. Let her sit. Much better now. Will at least make it home and if I cook the throw out bearing, at least it'll be in my neighborhood and I won't need a high dollar tow job.

Pulled into front of the house and let her cool down about 1315. Mission accomplished. Whew. 2 for 2 in the last two weeks. One from Riley and one from Sam Houston. Bobbing the cargo next week, then figure out the rear main/clutch situation. But at least she's driveable.

I LOVE THESE BIG GREEN TRUCKS!!!!!!!!rofl

Cheers Ya'll,

Cookeemann
 

Attachments

Last edited:

M35A2-AZ

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
3,214
382
83
Location
Tonopah, AZ
Good write up and great road trip[thumbzup]
Good road trips are always fun!!!
Great looking truck!!
 

91W350

Well-known member
4,414
57
48
Location
Salina, Kansas
How was the transmission level? Sounds like I missed another fun round! Wish I could tag along for the bobbing operation, be a good learning experience. I would like to do one for myself. How high are you going to put the bed? After looking at all the different photos, I like the ones that the bed sits low, close to the fuel tank. I can see the other side as well, where they use the trailer bed with frame and mount the box a little higher. You planning to use the trailer springs or source a set of front deuce springs and hangers? So many options, thanks for sharing the photos.....it looks like a great time! Glen
 

TexAndy

Active member
1,427
15
38
Location
Bee County, Texas
Congrats.

Yes, the FT Sam GL guys are definitely the easiest of all the GL folks to work with.

I think the first deuce I picked up out of there, Rod push started for me with his fork lift.
 

cookeemann

Member
89
22
8
Location
Woodbury, GA
She's back operating under her own power! Went to put on the bed today but the dork at the hobby shop was too interested in getting home to see the Dallas game I guess. Later next week maybe........
 

Attachments

cookeemann

Member
89
22
8
Location
Woodbury, GA
19 degrees this morning and she fired nearly straight up. 4wd all the way to the base and home today, not a problem.

NDTs not the best in snow but what an awesome drive!

Some 395s and a couple odds and ends and she's g to g.
 

Attachments

cookeemann

Member
89
22
8
Location
Woodbury, GA
Good news = finally scored some 395s for my Bobber
Bad news = sold it this morning :(

I miss it already, but it went to a local military retired disabled veteran who is now hooked on MVs.

Now I can focus on the M109.

Long live the Bobber "Waltore".:(
 
Top