# We have been looking at these for awhile



## HELIXX

We have been looking at these for awhile. 
Looking at getting two and a fuel truck.
These run around 4 to 5K


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## BasecampUSA

With a ma deuce on top? Yeah !!! 

Go man go...


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## HELIXX

Here's the fuel truck. They run around 2.5K


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## ajsmith

Sweet, wish we had some close by around here. Not that I could afford it right at the moment, but soon!!


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## HELIXX

ajsmith said:


> Sweet, wish we had some close by around here. Not that I could afford it right at the moment, but soon!!


From what I'm told they are EMP Proof.


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## MrSfstk8d

Well, yes and no. If it's running, it will keep running. Hell once she's running, you could take the battery out and it will still run until you kill the fuel solenoid. Battery could potentially get knocked out though, so restarting could be... challenging. They come with the NATO plug for slave cables standard. These still have the duece style split ring tire. So, these are the M32, M35, etc. series vehicles. I preferred the M932, M935 series, with the larger tires. Higher ground clearance, wider, stable, not sure if you'd have to change the axles or just hubs for a conversion. But, all told, I'd LOVE to put together a small fleet. Plus, I already know how to turn wrenches on them!!!


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## nj_m715

The M35's I worked on had pull cables to shut off the fuel and you could do it by hand under the hood if the cable failed. You can replace the old grave-digger tires with the newer single wheel tires and rims, but have you ever driven one? 
They are loud, slow, under powered fuel hogs. With that said, they are tough transportation and easy to work on IF you can find the parts. I had the pleasure of driving one to Ft Drum. It was like sitting in the first row of at the drag strip for 8 hrs. You better start doing pulling ups to be able to turn the wheels especially at slow speed and learn to drive with your thumb outside the wheel, not inside. If you hit a pothole or other object the wheel can jerk hard enough to break your thumbs. They handle and ride like a tank. You could have a smoother ride if you slide down a stair case on your rear end. 
Don't worry about the batteries, they "should" live through an EMP. If they don't you can push/pull start one because they are sticks. Just remember to push the shut off cable back in first. 
As hard as I sound on them, I do like them, but I have driven a '70 cj w/o a top in the winter just for kicks. It had 33" tires no power steering and a stock 4 cyl. It couldn't get out of it's own way, but it was one of my favorite vehicle. 
Overall, I'd suggest a cheap, common (easy to get parts) vehicle. You might be better off with a used school bus, Uhaul or something like that. Anything built on a GM or Ford or other common frame should be easy to source parts in junk yards or local shops. I have a diesel powered '89 F250. They're a dime a dozen and easy to work on with very little electronics, but if you know what you're getting yourself into then go for it. If you want to test drive one, just cut the muffler and power steering belt out of your truck, stuff wooden blocks in between the axle and frame so the suspension can't move and you now have a duece.  
Just make sure you can get parts to keep it running or else you have a nice lawn decoration. For what it's worth I spent 6yrs as a National Guard mechanic and 3 yrs as a driver before that. I'm not just talking out of my butt.
If you choose to get them, you can save a lot by spending the time to go to the DRMO yourself. The resale guys mark them up quite a bit. I've seen guys buy 2 at a time from the auction. Get one running and tow the other home. That's my opinion in a nut shell, let me know if you have more questions.


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## oilcan

MrSfstk8d said:


> Well, yes and no. If it's running, it will keep running. Hell once she's running, you could take the battery out and it will still run until you kill the fuel solenoid. Battery could potentially get knocked out though, so restarting could be... challenging. They come with the NATO plug for slave cables standard. These still have the duece style split ring tire. So, these are the M32, M35, etc. series vehicles. I preferred the M932, M935 series, with the larger tires. Higher ground clearance, wider, stable, not sure if you'd have to change the axles or just hubs for a conversion. But, all told, I'd LOVE to put together a small fleet. Plus, I already know how to turn wrenches on them!!!


If the electrical system goes, they're _very_ easy to bump-start. That is, if you can park it on a slope.

Slightly larger tires (395-85R20) are easy to fit, but aren't really needed in most cases. They do look cooler, though...



nj_m715 said:


> The M35's I worked on had pull cables to shut off the fuel and you could do it by hand under the hood if the cable failed. You can replace the old grave-digger tires with the newer single wheel tires and rims, but have you ever driven one?
> They are loud, slow, under powered fuel hogs. With that said, they are tough transportation and easy to work on IF you can find the parts. I had the pleasure of driving one to Ft Drum. It was like sitting in the first row of at the drag strip for 8 hrs. You better start doing pulling ups to be able to turn the wheels especially at slow speed and learn to drive with your thumb outside the wheel, not inside. If you hit a pothole or other object the wheel can jerk hard enough to break your thumbs. They handle and ride like a tank. You could have a smoother ride if you slide down a stair case on your rear end.
> Don't worry about the batteries, they "should" live through an EMP. If they don't you can push/pull start one because they are sticks. Just remember to push the shut off cable back in first.
> As hard as I sound on them, I do like them, but I have driven a '70 cj w/o a top in the winter just for kicks. It had 33" tires no power steering and a stock 4 cyl. It couldn't get out of it's own way, but it was one of my favorite vehicle.
> Just make sure you can get parts to keep it running or else you have a nice lawn decoration. For what it's worth I spent 6yrs as a National Guard mechanic and 3 yrs as a driver before that. I'm not just talking out of my butt.
> If you choose to get them, you can save a lot by spending the time to go to the DRMO yourself. The resale guys mark them up quite a bit. I've seen guys buy 2 at a time from the auction. Get one running and tow the other home. That's my opinion in a nut shell, let me know if you have more questions.


Just a little background on me. I drive 6x6 trucks for fun, not the military. (Thanks for your service, nj.) Some of my recreational road trips from Ohio include IN, MI, GA, NC, KY, TN, etc... I do all my own maintenance, and hunt down my own parts, with a little help from my equally nutty friends.

"Grave digger tires"... Depends on who is working on them. Be careful and respect the design, and it's do-able. There are still a few truck tire shops that will work on the lock ring wheels. (I just do them myself)
Loud? Yup. Easy fix? Add a muffler.
Slow? Kinda. Stockers will max out around 60mph on flat ground.
Fuel hog? Not really. 10mpg average ain't bad for a 14,000 pound truck.
Hard to steer? Yes. It doesn't take that long to get used to it, though. And the thumb-busting reputation is well deserved. My first slip up was mild, but it taught me a valuable lesson! Also, power steering kits are available, but pricey.
Rough ride? Yup. Drop a load in the bed, and it smooths out nicely, though. 
Battery survival? Depends. The stock 6TL's stink on ice, so replace them with real truck batteries that have threaded stainless posts.
Parts availability? All over the place. A good bit of your regular wear-parts inventory can be picked up at places like napa. Some of the more specialized stuff will have to come from surplus dealers.
Auction vs. dealer vs. private sale? It's a toss-up. The auctions are very complicated, slopping over with paperwork, and the complete process can last for several months. (But they charge your credit card as soon as the auction ends) Also, the increased bidding competition means prices sometimes get pretty close to retail on high-demand items. Then there's the 10% buyer's premium on top. Factor in the cost to ship, or your costs to pick it up on their schedule. Then there could be a hole in the engine block that wasn't mentioned in the description... Dealers tend to mark the stuff up to pay for the hassles on top of their outlay and operating costs. The good news is there are private sellers all over the country, and most can be found over the internet.


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## nj_m715

I'm not knockin' them, just pointing out some pro's and cons. Most people see them and think they look cool, but never drove them. One little case in point, I was activated in '96 when we got about 3' of snow. I was assigned to drive a duece to transport medical workers and people who needed critical care from home to the hospitals. After a few hours of driving around in the cold with no heat my toes starting to get frost bite. through a couple pair of wool socks. I picked up some good thinsulate work boots put cardboard on the floor to keep my feet off the steel. I caught a little crap from a green Lt. for wearing brown boots, but our motor Sgt. had enough common sense to back him down. It made me feel for the Vets who drove those things around Europe. 
There's a guy a few miles from me who will "bob" a truck, turning it into a single rear axle. They look pretty sharp on the 5 ton tires. 
Around here grave diggers are the old direction tires, that will dig a grave for your truck if you hit mud. As soon as the truck stops moving forward, it starts moving down if the driver doesn't know enough to back off the go peddle. It's not about the split rims.


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## MrSfstk8d

Yeah, that's what I was thinking when you mentioned the grave diggers NJ. Muddy holes. And yes, I've driven them a lot. Ones I had were auto though. Bob tail (dual axle with trailer shoe, not bobbed axles) with a 42' trailer. Loads of laughs in the Colorado mountains on a game trail, after days and days of spring rain, let me tell you. Never trust a green LT as your convoy commander, just sayin'. Also got my bus license in the Colorado mountains. Ah, the joys of the speed retarder. I think I spent more time in motor stables than the assigned mechanics. My job was como repair, but I'm pretty good at it, so sometimes I'd get done in a timely manner (or wait on parts, lol). Would have done DS work if they'd have shipped me the major A's. Would have likely done a better job too, lol. Fortunately, I worked with some good motor Sgt.s who could tell I knew what I was doing, and were very supportive of me working on my own, and my squad's vehicles.


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## nj_m715

Here's a truck modded by that guy. I like it, it's too rich for my blood.



















military made pickup on steroids


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## HELIXX

We have seen most that were sale with the the power steering conversion already done. If not the company that used to make the conversions that went out of business is back by popular demand.
I will glady pay for the conversion. Much cheaper than the two 7.3 ltr. Ford diesel crew cabs we bought a couple years ago. lol
Also driving these for fun or nesesscity is way different than having to do it for a living.


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## JerryCanMan

*Jerry Cans*

This may not be a fuel truck, but it's the next best thing!

For Sale: Nato Jerry Cans for $74 plus S/H

Basic information:

20L Nato Jerry Can (5.28 gal)
*These are brand new NATO Jerry cans, V-mouth, new seal and locking pin.
*Fully paint coated, inside and out.
*Internal breathe pipe for splash-proof pouring.
*The Jerry Can is center spline constructed and made from pressed steel sheets. These babies can withstand a 10ft drop full of liquid and still not leak. Now that is tough.
*These Jerry Cans are the real deal, and they will NOT leak, no matter what position you put them in and they don't have that "CARB" compliant.
*Only available in green at this time.

I have attached a couple of pictures of Jerry Cans for your visual pleasure.
These are what you would be receiving. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am not here to trick anyone out of their hard earned money. My only intention is to do business in a trustworthy, honest and morally upright fashion.

Thanks for looking and please feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions.

Come check us out on Facebook, just search, "Jerry Can Kingdom"!


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## JerryCanMan

I am very involved in emergency preparedness myself and hope by offering these Jerry Cans I can help others be as prepared as possible as well!


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## BasecampUSA

I just picked up 30 of these at the store just before New Years:

Gerry Can, Nato, 4 Cans [136601] - $149.95 :: Colemans Military Surplus LLC - Your one-stop surplus store with Army/Navy products for hunting gear, camping gear, emergency products, and survival products

They threw in 4 for free for the larger purchase...

I bought 2 fast-attach spouts... not the hassle of GI gas cans... flip open, clip on and it's done!

Freight extra...depends on where you live.

I happened to be driving through the Hershey PA area...

I heard at a gun show that the US military won't offer anymore US gas cans anymore... liability issues.


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## HELIXX

JerryCanMan said:


> This may not be a fuel truck, but it's the next best thing!
> 
> For Sale: Nato Jerry Cans for $74 plus S/H
> 
> Basic information:
> 
> 20L Nato Jerry Can (5.28 gal)
> *These are brand new NATO Jerry cans, V-mouth, new seal and locking pin.
> *Fully paint coated, inside and out.
> *Internal breathe pipe for splash-proof pouring.
> *The Jerry Can is center spline constructed and made from pressed steel sheets. These babies can withstand a 10ft drop full of liquid and still not leak. Now that is tough.
> *These Jerry Cans are the real deal, and they will NOT leak, no matter what position you put them in and they don't have that "CARB" compliant.
> *Only available in green at this time.
> 
> I have attached a couple of pictures of Jerry Cans for your visual pleasure.
> These are what you would be receiving. Nothing more, nothing less.
> 
> I am not here to trick anyone out of their hard earned money. My only intention is to do business in a trustworthy, honest and morally upright fashion.
> 
> Thanks for looking and please feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions.
> 
> Come check us out on Facebook, just search, "Jerry Can Kingdom"!
> 
> View attachment 1062
> View attachment 1063


Not sure if that has anything to do with trucks..........


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## nj_m715

Damn! The fuel is cheaper. Around here people are changing from oil to gas heat and that makes plenty of 275g tanks available for bulk storage for free. Car Washes have 30 and 55 gal drums for free. Most scrap yards want the tires and gas tanks removed from junk cars so that makes spare on-board tanks free to cheap. Add one or two to the BOV and the trailer. After all, the price is right. For small 5 gal cans, I do like the US fuel cans and lever action donkey dicks and I few a couple. You're right Basey the screw on type are a pain, but they work fine. For the price I mostly use these:








They have a vent in the spout so they don't chug. Sure you can't mount them up-side down, but who needs to? I've never had one spill or leak on me. They are about $30 or so and I've found them at the home stores, tractor supply etc. As you can tell I'm cheap. I like to get the best bang for my buck. Nothing against those other cans ( I have some) but every buck I save can go toward something else I need. That's one reason I like a wood stove and wvo. They leave more $$ to "reinvest". Every $400 I don't spend heating the house or $70 to fill the tank allows me to put food on the table.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. It's related because trucks need fuel. Sure it probably belongs in the vendor section, but who am I to say it?

Some guys have used forklift or junk yard parts to add power steering. Pirate 4X4 has tons of DIY info. haven't been there in years, but I'm sure it's still good. A few companies make after market kits.


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## HELIXX

nj_m715 said:


> Damn! The fuel is cheaper. Around here people are changing from oil to gas heat and that makes plenty of 275g tanks available for bulk storage for free. Car Washes have 30 and 55 gal drums for free. Most scrap yards want the tires and gas tanks removed from junk cars so that makes spare on-board tanks free to cheap. Add one or two to the BOV and the trailer. After all, the price is right. For small 5 gal cans, I do like the US fuel cans and lever action donkey dicks and I few a couple. You're right Basey the screw on type are a pain, but they work fine. For the price I mostly use these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They have a vent in the spout so they don't chug. Sure you can't mount them up-side down, but who needs to? I've never had one spill or leak on me. They are about $30 or so and I've found them at the home stores, tractor supply etc. As you can tell I'm cheap. I like to get the best bang for my buck. Nothing against those other cans ( I have some) but every buck I save can go toward something else I need. That's one reason I like a wood stove and wvo. They leave more $$ to "reinvest". Every $400 I don't spend heating the house or $70 to fill the tank allows me to put food on the table.
> 
> Oh yeah, almost forgot. It's related because trucks need fuel. Sure it probably belongs in the vendor section, but who am I to say it?
> 
> Some guys have used forklift or junk yard parts to add power steering. Pirate 4X4 has tons of DIY info. haven't been there in years, but I'm sure it's still good. A few companies make after market kits.


I don't think I'll need that if I have this...... :scratch


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## oilcan

Sorry, the whole grave digger thing flew right over my head. I usually get stuck in a futile attempt to explain that the wheels aren't as dangerous as most would think. I guess I got a little myopic there! Anyway... Most of my problems with the NDT/NDCC tires involve sliding sideways, although they sure can dig pretty deep.

You sure are right about there being a difference in driving these things by choice or as a job. That's the main reason I mentioned it.

If a truck doesn't have a heater kit, there are a few tricks to make things more liveable in the cold. My first 6x6 was missing the panel that coveres the bellhousing in the cab, and I had to drive the thing with one window half way down on the trip home from MI in January. Oh, and the jacket came off at the first rest stop. The panel eventually got replaced, but the option is always there. And venting any gasses out of the cab was never a problem for me.

I can't really get down with a bobbed truck. It's just a personal thing, I guess. The process does help with the turning radius and loses some weight, but you also lose two brake drums.

Power steering kits seem to be running around $1300. I've bought entire trucks cheaper than that!

Jerry cans... They sure are handy, but the prices can sometimes get out of hand. Reenactors and WWII collectors are buying up the older US ones. Luckily, the .gov is surplussing out the newer plastic scepter cans, and I've been getting them around $20 to $30 each. Good stuff.

Helixx, If That M49 A2(C) is priced at $2500 like you said earlier, jump all over it. I know a guy that got one at auction for almost 8 grand...


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## JerryCanMan

Yes, you can get them for cheaper, USED. Yes, you can get plastic ones cheaper but they are weak and can't take a beating. Yes, you can buy a huge fuel truck for a lot of money, but you cannot beat the price I'm offering for these Jerry Cans BRAND NEW. 

Not everyone is planning on staying where they are and Jerry cans are mobile. I can't throw a parted out full F-250 gas tank on my shoulder or a 33 gal drum.

I am just trying to help. If you have your own ideas of how to store gas, more power to you!

Cheers


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## HELIXX

JerryCanMan said:


> I am just trying to help.


No your just here to make a buck.
Sir could you please stay off any and all my thread in the future and sell your wares in the dedicated buy sell section. :scratch
I just joined here and already I have been haranged by commercial advertising just like a late night imfo-mercial. <NOT HAPPY> :spam::spam::spam::spam:


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