I drove the M929 dump truck version for a couple years in Germany. It had smaller tires and duels in the rear. I hauled everything from garbage to troops, explosives and tank ammo to support gunnery's. Loved that truck.
I have to question the mileage gibcasto4724 claims to have put on a 5Ton, I actually was in the middle east and currently own a 5Ton that is a 1990 and it only has 3544.7 miles on it and was rebuilt at Red River in Texas.
Cool little tidbit fact : I pulled my 1943 halftrack along side this beautiful beast the other day, and we realized they have the same external door handles which were originally used on 1936 Fords. Nice video
Truth! YelWing - Thank You! The Scale Fun Fly at Deleo Field is August 17th. I intend to bring THOR for the event. It would be Awesome if your M15A1 Half-Track could join Us!
I'm U.S.A retired. To say this is a beast is an understatement. The only way to make it more fun is if it had a manual transmission. I really appreciate you being able to identify what try of military vehicles you own and smart enough to realize what you are dealing with. I've seen several videos where the person who owns the vehicle has no idea whether to call it a Douce and a half or 5 ton. So, thanks again.
I worked for a diamond drilling outfit as a teenager, we had an AM General 813. I loved driving that truck on the old overgrown mining switchback roads. Put her in 6 wheel, forward crash over some 8" trees at the switch to get enough room to back down to the next switch, back over some more trees, forward... repeat. Really narrow roads, could have one on the tandems hanging out in the air, but I always felt safe in that truck.
Man I really love 5-ton trucks. I got to drive one once... it was an awesome experience. I own an LMTV today, but would love to have a 5-ton. Great looking truck you have there!
Thanks! Yes, everything is a whole other level. I'm running 16x20's over the original 14x20 tires. The wheel tire combo weighs about 490lbs. When I had to swap out a flat the first week I owned the truck, that was quite a learning experience. 20T jack, 6' breaker bar, 1.5" socket...much bigger torque wrench... I learned "respect" very quickly. Hence my quote: "Nothing Happens Quickly in THOR...."
I remember meeting Virgil and Thor on their maiden run up Berdoo Canyon! Great fun seeing that beast on the trail and everyone we came across that day got a kick out of seeing them. It helps that Virgil is a genuinely nice guy.
Jason and Samantha, Thank You for the kind words and support! Jordan & I had a blast on that trail run. We especially appreciated the universal support and welcoming atmosphere of the Crew and participants.
Virgil I’m new to these trucks . With that said I broke the transfer case in the truck we have at work .I could not get the air system for the tires to work anything you can tell me would be helpful . I’m in Victorville .ca would like to meet you someday
One of my two MOS while I was in the Marines was Motor Transport. Our class in 1982 got the first of the 923 Series 5 Ton Truck's. It was nice and clean. We all loved to drive it and it rode well. I have been wishing I had one for year's. My other MOS was a M60 Tank Crewman. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to have two MOS. Most people only have one. Semper Fi !! Oorah !!!
I remember when we got these in the mid '80s. In my unit, H&S Co., 6th Motor Transport Battalion, USMCR, these replaced Vietnam era M54s, we never got the 800 series. Our first was an M923 10 wheel model painted plain old Forest Green, then the A1s with the "Super Singles" and no CTIS. The best part was the fact they had HEAT! In the Northeast those cold winters sucked in the old M54s.
Owned a M-35 Reo and that was real work driving that beast. The M-900 series came with automatic transmission because few could drive a stick. The M-35A3 was laid out along the same lines as the Am General but the Army didn't want them. The rebuilt to the A3 cost over $75.000 better spent on a newer truck
The M35A2-M35A3's were both built by AM General and Kaiser.Several Manufactures made the M35A2,only the two I mentioned made the A3's.The A3's were built from 1993-1999,the Military did have them in Service for a couple of years.The only difference is the Frontends and then they have a 3116 Caterpillar,which made 390 HP,it was also used in the first Variants of the LMTV/MTV 2 1/2/5 Ton Trucks (1994-1998) before using the 305 HP 3126 Caterpillar (1998-2004),they now use the 275 HP C7. The M35A3 and M109A4's also had 1400×20 CTIS Singles had a Allison Automatic.Due to a smaller Transmission,Different Axles,and Different Gear Ratio,they had a limit of 45 MPH and a maximum of 53 MPH.The only real thing decent about them was having Caterpillar Engines,they were much more Powerful than the Multi-Fuels used in the A1 and A2's,and had alot of life expected than the LT/LDT/LDS Engines,while also being much bigger in Displacement.
And the story continues.There are a lot of spare parts for the 900 series trucks and accessories and a lot you can do with them. I have a 1985 M923a1 and liability insurance runs around $250 a Year. Enjoyed your video.
Thank You fredboat - I totally agree regarding parts availability & support (take a close look at my shirt :) ) - thank you for sharing the additional information!
Great rig! I'll be getting a LMTV in the near future for my ranch and as a recovery/emergency response vehicle for where we live out in rural Oregon. Love this kind of stuff. Luckily for me there is a shop about two hours away that specializes in refurbishing and maintaining them. If you wanna bring Thor up to our ranch in Oregon for some wheeling come join next 4th of July and be in the town parade too! Not joking!
Many a hour behind the wheel of this thing. Fording a river at Ft. Lewis and the water was at foot level. Also did a hill climb with a 600 fuel pod didn't think I was gonna make it.
Great overview and details. I had a M925A2 (winch variant) which was a love-hate relationship. Working on these things is no joke. Mine fought me tooth and nail on EVERYTHING. So much CARC paint and lock-tite on stuff. But, it was a blast to drive both on-road and off-road. The ride quality is truly world-class TERRIBLE. It's really unfortunate how rough it is, especially off-roading. And as you mentioned, it's a "bull in a China shop..." off-road. Here in Colorado we have a lot of Jeep trails which are narrow and the 5 ton was beating up on trees and making 2-way trails into 1-way trails. It's quite necessary to have a spotter ahead on these mountain trails (use a 2-way radio). Would I get another one? Hell yes! Actually, I'd like to take the MK23 (6x6; 7-ton big bro) for a test ride. :-D
This was my truck in Motor T in the Marine Corps. Love this truck and would love to have one. Looking at buying one and was wondering about registration in California. Historic vehicle nice. I new this truck top to bottom and inside out in the Marines.
The 939 series a re really very nice trucks to drive and work on, if your used to driving a Deuce it like stepping 40 years forward stepping into a 939. I got mine with 1300 miles on the full rebuild pack and drove the truck 600 miles home the next day, it even came with a full fuel tank (90 gal.) the truck has been pretty flawless in the 4 years I have owned it. Mine is running the 855 naturally aspirated Cummins and it does not have CTIS (central tire inflation system) The reason I went the route I did is because I am very familiar with the 855 ci based engines and CTIS although it sounds like a dream come true its very complicated, expensive to maintain and can be problematic which =$$$$$$ This truck is my second most enjoyable truck to drive behind my M977 HEMTT
You are correct regarding the complexity of CTIS. Took me 9 months to triage the issues I was having with the system. Hub seals, wheel valves, computer......When it works, it's pretty cool though. When it doesn't, well, it's a bit frustrating.... The 855 Cummins is a beast of a motor in your rig. I think they'll run forever!
@@vitale6633 I have avoided CTIS on all my trucks so far but it looks like that may come to an end Vitale, I really want a Mk 23 7 ton LMTVR OshKosh and guess what, you got it only comes with CTIS, I love learning new trucks and new systems but just dont want to have to learn about CTIS! Your truck is an extremely nice looking truck Vitale congrats and they sure are a pleasure to drive arent they!
@@karlk6860 There are some great CTIS debug resources both online (Spicer Corp website) and at the steelsoldiers.com forums. In one thread there's a Spicer Engineer contributing and answering questions regarding how the system operates and tips for debug. I'll search for the link and provide it when I find it. If the wheel hub seals leak, the system will flag an error. Usually that's the first place to start - and it's a great opportunity to repack the wheel bearings :)
My grandfather drove a truck like this in Korea. He loved it so much that he bought a decommissioned troop carrier after he got back to Canada. He eventually gave it to his 11 kids. They use to have off road parties with it until it broke down deep in the woods where it sits to this day. An almost incomprehensible pile of rust that's half reclaimed by nature. I seen whats left of it for the first time last week.
The 900 series trucks didn't come in to work service till th Early 80s. in 1967 if you were driving a 5 ton truck with multi fuel engine it had to be an m-54 Kaiser built truck. Most likely it had the continental 465 turbo charged multi fuel. Earlier models had Mack engines. I drove them all, including the 800 series and the mk-48 series as well as the 900 series. Also hauled tanks with the m123s pulling the xm-793 tank trailer. USMC here.
The M939 5 Ton Trucks weren't made by AM General until 1982,1987 was when they were made by BMY Harsco.1982-1994 is their Timeline.There are three Variants that use the G177/1100×20 Tires (A0),49/1400×20 Tires (A1),and 53/1200×20 CTIS Tires (A2).The A0-A1 use the NHC-250 Cummins being Naturally Aspirated,while the A2 use the 6CTA Cummins being Turbocharged. The M39 5 Ton Trucks were made from 1951-1969.International Harvestor,Mack,Diamond T,Reo,Diamond Reo (Pre-1967/Post-1967),Studebaker,and Kaiser all built them.And it didn't matter what year they were built,there were Variants all together that used three different Engines.Your A0 5 Ton Trucks had a R602 Continental Gasoline,the A1 5 Ton Trucks built by Mack had a EDNT-673 Mack,and the A2 had either a LDT/LDS-465 Multi-Fuel.More of the A2's used the LDS than the Deuce & A Half,and they also had different Turbos,alot of them were C or D,not many being A,and yet the same Turbos were used in complication on the M35A2's and M185/M109A3's.
You should take that rig on Trooper Tyree's October 2022 Great Smoky Mountains Convoy. See HISTORY in MOTION magazine 'Events' listing of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
You're not the real Joe Shmuckatelli … the real JS came within a c*nt hair of almost not graduating with me! I know this because my DIs were always telling me about this mysterious Joe who always made us do extra PT!
Nice. I would advise acquiring one of the optional 30,000 to 40,000 pound winches that fit this truck. Get this one stuck and big bucks for getting something to pull you out, unless you have a friend with the right equipment, and a good heart.
Yes, having equally equipped friends is very beneficial. Since this video was published I've added a pair of Sherpa 25K winches to both the front and rear on custom mounts. While not fully up to what one would want, I'm hoping the 24v Sherpa's have enough pulling capacity combined with a snatch-block to enable self recovery. I chose the electric Sherpa's as I was able to fabricate mounting plates that integrated into the existing bumpers to retain the original look. The military hydraulic winches require extended bumpers. To support the 24v winches I re-installed the four 12v batteries, which is the typical military configuration for this class of truck. Most people run just a pair of 12v batteries for civilian use....
I'd buy a torque stick to keep onboard and put your torque wrench in the garage instead of bouncing around. Just a suggestion from a desert field tech. Love the truck!
These trucks have four air tanks on board: Wet Tank, Emergency Tank, Primary Tank, Secondary Tank. They also have a pair of air connections (aka Glad-hand air connectors) front and rear for Service and Emergency interconnect with other vehicles (Towing or being Towed) to run the spring/air brakes. I have an adapter attached to the Service glad-hand with a standard air hose & coupling which I use to air up the tires of other vehicles when needed. I can attach any standard air tool to that hose as well. Onboard air pressure is 120psi max. So, i guess the answer to your question is Yes :) although I currently do not have any air tools onboard. I'll give it a try this weekend. :)
@@vitale6633 I had Garbage trucks years ago and we had a one inch air wrench for changing tires We always used it with shop air but not off the truck air supply pressure was not a problem as both were about the same just not sure what vlume would be required for tire changing other smaller tools for sure no problem
Yes, all the technical manuals are available on the steelsoldiers.com forums. Now, "Easy to Work On" is potentially a matter of Youth :) When the Tire/Wheel combo weighs 490lbs (upgraded to Michelin 16xR20's), for me, things move a bit slowly. Thank You for your Service: MOS 3521 Automotive Maintenance Technician
It would be a "Bull in a china shop" on the streets & highways and in traffic. Off-road is where it was meant to be. I had an '83 Chev K20 which I called my weekender (hauling 2x4s, sheetrock, furniture, and appliances), and for snow emergencies (walking through drifts and around stuck cars). This would be a huge step up. What couldn't I haul, although I'd be first to be called for anyone needing to be moved or pulled out of a ditch.
For Those Interested: here's a link of THOR participating in the SoCal Steel Soldiers Fall Rally: th-cam.com/video/z2KcI6vKu1g/w-d-xo.html Great People, Great Fun. The lead truck is an Oshkosh 7Ton - A Total Beast! THOR did successfully climb the shales hill after airing down to Sand Mode via CTIS.
You should buy some truck tire bars, they way they are shaped, much easier to put tire on, I wonder if anyone ever upgrades the cab on those, like put a highway tractor cab on it.... I've seen them bobbed and it looks cool, but either a cab with no sleeper or a very short sleeper.... sorry by bars I mean the type guys who do road service for truck tires, sledge too, they have a pointed type they use for breaking beads. Murphy's soap, sorta solid, tire guys here use it for mounting tires that the bead wont sit down, can save you off road if you break a bead, fill up the crack with Murphys and as the tire fills you just scrape it off and put back in pail, really helps with mounting tires too, put a light coat on bead..
Good suggestion - I'll look into the tire bars and Murphy's soap. Changing the tires on the split rims (which I've done for all 6 tires) was quite the project. I did one wheel/tire each weekend over 6 weeks. Then I drank a lot of beer :)
The 813 was much preferred in the Marine Corps and many were retained well into the early 2000’s. It was from front to rear a much more reliable and simpler vehicle.
Do you know if CA registers HMMWVs as historical vehicles? It seems like CA has something against HMMWVs and won't allow those to be registered but will register larger trucks like your.
Awesome. I'm a wildland fire faller looking to make one of these into a multi-use fire truck. Are the California diesel regs and vehicle age an issue with registration? Thank-you. Ian.
Just curious about you saying you didn’t need a CDL in California cause you have it registered as a historic vehicle. I’m interested in one but don’t want to get a CDL and don’t want commercial enforcement grounding the vehicle. Does your DMV documents say no CDL required?
Hello Sam, Excellent Question! First "Safe Harbor Statement": I'm not a CA DMV representative or authority - Your Mileage May Vary :) THOR was originally sold at Government Auction (See GovPlanet.com for current listing of vehicles for sale), then changed hands 2 more times before my acquisition. The previous owners never applied for On-Road registration. While I had a complete paper trail, I felt that hiring a DMV Registration professional to assist with the registration process was the right course of action. The process took 2+ months to be granted the Historic Vehicle classification and registration. As such, THOR is not classified as a Commercial vehicle, and thus no explicit CDL exemption is required. Now, with that stated, I encourage anyone considering owning an M939 series vehicle to pursue a CDL. I am currently in the process of applying for my CDL. At a Minimum, one should read and understand the M939 Operators Technical Manual (TM-9-2320-272) as well as the CA CDL Handbook. Both are full of excellent Operation and Safety information. Registration as a Historical Vehicle does come with important use restrictions. For example, I cannot drive THOR to work. I cannot use THOR to run errands. Basically, use is limited to Special Events, Parades, Demonstrations and Maintenance runs. If you desire broader flexibility in usage, then you may want to pursue a different registration path with the associated licensing requirements. A great resource for military vehicle information is steelsoldiers.com. SS has dedicated forums for the different classes of vehicles. I hope this information is beneficial in your pursuit of a retired military vehicle.
I am in CA and did research on these before (not) buying one. I found NO exemption in the vehicle code requirements for a "historical vehicle". CVC says you need a Class B license to drive anything with three axles. Period.
@@Mrdax707 Thank You Sal for your research and contribution to the dialog. Did you not pursue your acquistion on the basis of licensing requirements? Application for a CDL is straight forward and highly beneficial to understanding the safe operation of a vehicle of this type as I mention in my reply to Sam above. I have had the first-hand experience of interacting with CHP and BLM officers. Once Received a very polite reminder (no citation) regarding operation of the vehicle with people in the truck bed and that CA law requires ALL passengers be properly secured with a federally approved restraint system (except during Parades which THOR has also participated). The class of my license was not considered an issue at that time. As I said, I'm not a DMV representative, nor CHP officer :)
I drove the M929 dump truck version for a couple years in Germany. It had smaller tires and duels in the rear. I hauled everything from garbage to troops, explosives and tank ammo to support gunnery's. Loved that truck.
When I went to Desert Storm I was the recipient of a brand new 5ton..I put about 27,000 miles on it..
WoW! That's a lot of miles in a short period of time. Mine came home with 34K miles after 21 years of service.
thank you from canada
@@vitale6633 Wow,that's practically new,you got lucky with that beast.
I have to question the mileage gibcasto4724 claims to have put on a 5Ton, I actually was in the middle east and currently own a 5Ton that is a 1990 and it only has 3544.7 miles on it and was rebuilt at Red River in Texas.
Man, you're legend.
Definitely a dream truck of mine! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Cool little tidbit fact : I pulled my 1943 halftrack along side this beautiful beast the other day, and we realized they have the same external door handles which were originally used on 1936 Fords. Nice video
Truth! YelWing - Thank You! The Scale Fun Fly at Deleo Field is August 17th. I intend to bring THOR for the event. It would be Awesome if your M15A1 Half-Track could join Us!
Vitale Wilkins I will try to be there
@@vitale6633 Great information, beautiful truck!
You know your vehicle is serious when it requires a “pre-flight” inspection and a 17’ long torque wrench
i always do one on my m35a2, not as big as the five ton trucks but still scary when you lose brakes, been there done that not great
I have to agree, drove a 5 ton in the service, it's one of the main things I miss and would be awesome to have one.
Great video and information!
Thank You for Your Service!
Drove one of those for 4 years in ft Benning Ga,1986-90 very impressive vechicle
You got me wanting one of these beasts now!
I'm U.S.A retired. To say this is a beast is an understatement. The only way to make it more fun is if it had a manual transmission.
I really appreciate you being able to identify what try of military vehicles you own and smart enough to realize what you are dealing with.
I've seen several videos where the person who owns the vehicle has no idea whether to call it a Douce and a half or 5 ton. So, thanks again.
Thank You for the kind words. Yes - THOR requires respect and patience - or someone gets hurt - usually me
Brought back good memories of driving HQ-35 out in "The Field" at Fort Irwin.
I worked for a diamond drilling outfit as a teenager, we had an AM General 813. I loved driving that truck on the old overgrown mining switchback roads. Put her in 6 wheel, forward crash over some 8" trees at the switch to get enough room to back down to the next switch, back over some more trees, forward... repeat. Really narrow roads, could have one on the tandems hanging out in the air, but I always felt safe in that truck.
The 813 might have been the best vehicle of any kind ever adopted by the US military. It was supremely reliable.
Man I feel old and love that truck. When I was in I drove the OLD M54A2. Very cool truck.
Man I really love 5-ton trucks. I got to drive one once... it was an awesome experience. I own an LMTV today, but would love to have a 5-ton. Great looking truck you have there!
I have to agree, drove a 5 ton in the service, it's one of the main things I miss and would be awesome to have one.
Great video and information!
I love these kind of trucks! Thank you!
Always loved old military trucks. Heck they will last forever.
He’s right about having to amass a set of new very large tools. I own several of these trucks and two LMTV’s and everything about them is HUGE.
Thanks! Yes, everything is a whole other level. I'm running 16x20's over the original 14x20 tires. The wheel tire combo weighs about 490lbs. When I had to swap out a flat the first week I owned the truck, that was quite a learning experience. 20T jack, 6' breaker bar, 1.5" socket...much bigger torque wrench... I learned "respect" very quickly. Hence my quote: "Nothing Happens Quickly in THOR...."
beautiful rig
I remember meeting Virgil and Thor on their maiden run up Berdoo Canyon! Great fun seeing that beast on the trail and everyone we came across that day got a kick out of seeing them. It helps that Virgil is a genuinely nice guy.
Jason and Samantha, Thank You for the kind words and support! Jordan & I had a blast on that trail run. We especially appreciated the universal support and welcoming atmosphere of the Crew and participants.
Virgil I’m new to these trucks . With that said I broke the transfer case in the truck we have at work .I could not get the air system for the tires to work anything you can tell me would be helpful . I’m in Victorville .ca would like to meet you someday
Hoah love it it brings back memories I was a 63B stationed at fort Irwin.
Thank You for Your Service!
@@vitale6633 you welcome
One of my two MOS while I was in the Marines was Motor Transport. Our class in 1982 got the first of the 923 Series 5 Ton Truck's. It was nice and clean. We all loved to drive it and it rode well. I have been wishing I had one for year's. My other MOS was a M60 Tank Crewman. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to have two MOS. Most people only have one. Semper Fi !! Oorah !!!
Thank You for Your Service!
@@vitale6633 thank you very much.
Congratulatios! I have an M813, very spatial for me
That truck is the very definition of Badass, thanks for showing us Thor
I remember when we got these in the mid '80s. In my unit, H&S Co., 6th Motor Transport Battalion, USMCR, these replaced Vietnam era M54s, we never got the 800 series. Our first was an M923 10 wheel model painted plain old Forest Green, then the A1s with the "Super Singles" and no CTIS. The best part was the fact they had HEAT! In the Northeast those cold winters sucked in the old M54s.
Thank You for sharing your experience and Service!
Very interesting and entertaining 7 min chunk. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your truck!
Nice! I spent many a day in that truck. Well, a 900 series. Great job.
Thank You - Greatly Appreciated.
Beautiful and incredible monster, congrutulations
Thank You!
That is sweet one heck off a overlander bug out truck
Owned a M-35 Reo and that was real work driving that beast. The M-900 series came with automatic transmission because few could drive a stick. The M-35A3 was laid out along the same lines as the Am General but the Army didn't want them. The rebuilt to the A3 cost over $75.000 better spent on a newer truck
The M35A2-M35A3's were both built by AM General and Kaiser.Several Manufactures made the M35A2,only the two I mentioned made the A3's.The A3's were built from 1993-1999,the Military did have them in Service for a couple of years.The only difference is the Frontends and then they have a 3116 Caterpillar,which made 390 HP,it was also used in the first Variants of the LMTV/MTV 2 1/2/5 Ton Trucks (1994-1998) before using the 305 HP 3126 Caterpillar (1998-2004),they now use the 275 HP C7.
The M35A3 and M109A4's also had 1400×20 CTIS Singles had a Allison Automatic.Due to a smaller Transmission,Different Axles,and Different Gear Ratio,they had a limit of 45 MPH and a maximum of 53 MPH.The only real thing decent about them was having Caterpillar Engines,they were much more Powerful than the Multi-Fuels used in the A1 and A2's,and had alot of life expected than the LT/LDT/LDS Engines,while also being much bigger in Displacement.
And the story continues.There are a lot of spare parts for the 900 series trucks and accessories and a lot you can do with them. I have a 1985 M923a1 and liability insurance runs around $250 a Year. Enjoyed your video.
Thank You fredboat - I totally agree regarding parts availability & support (take a close look at my shirt :) ) - thank you for sharing the additional information!
I have a 1971 XM-811A - manual transmission, N/A Cummins 855, no CTIS. I get 4.2 MPG. It was my daily driver for three years.
Aside from the logistical standpoint. It's a amazing vehicle that will probably last another 40 years.
A beautiful vehicle man..
Thank You!. It's been my pleasure rehabilitate THOR to reliable operation.
Great rig! I'll be getting a LMTV in the near future for my ranch and as a recovery/emergency response vehicle for where we live out in rural Oregon. Love this kind of stuff. Luckily for me there is a shop about two hours away that specializes in refurbishing and maintaining them. If you wanna bring Thor up to our ranch in Oregon for some wheeling come join next 4th of July and be in the town parade too! Not joking!
Thank You Joseph for the Invite. I have relatives in Oregon - maybe we can make this happen!
LOVELY!. I got a 76 5 speed manual 6x6 with super singles KAI-M35A2
Many a hour behind the wheel of this thing. Fording a river at Ft. Lewis and the water was at foot level. Also did a hill climb with a 600 fuel pod didn't think I was gonna make it.
Thanks for sharing - They are a Beast!
@@vitale6633 I live in riverside around the corner from a guy that has a couple 5 tons and I think a deuce and half.
I enjoyed this video.
Thank You! I enjoyed the opportunity to work with Randy and Team at NotARubicon Productions. Great People!
Love those trucks!
Semper Fi
Great overview and details. I had a M925A2 (winch variant) which was a love-hate relationship. Working on these things is no joke. Mine fought me tooth and nail on EVERYTHING. So much CARC paint and lock-tite on stuff. But, it was a blast to drive both on-road and off-road. The ride quality is truly world-class TERRIBLE. It's really unfortunate how rough it is, especially off-roading. And as you mentioned, it's a "bull in a China shop..." off-road. Here in Colorado we have a lot of Jeep trails which are narrow and the 5 ton was beating up on trees and making 2-way trails into 1-way trails. It's quite necessary to have a spotter ahead on these mountain trails (use a 2-way radio). Would I get another one? Hell yes! Actually, I'd like to take the MK23 (6x6; 7-ton big bro) for a test ride. :-D
Excellent video
Thanks for sharing.
This was my truck in Motor T in the Marine Corps. Love this truck and would love to have one. Looking at buying one and was wondering about registration in California. Historic vehicle nice. I new this truck top to bottom and inside out in the Marines.
The 939 series a re really very nice trucks to drive and work on, if your used to driving a Deuce it like stepping 40 years forward stepping into a 939. I got mine with 1300 miles on the full rebuild pack and drove the truck 600 miles home the next day, it even came with a full fuel tank (90 gal.) the truck has been pretty flawless in the 4 years I have owned it. Mine is running the 855 naturally aspirated Cummins and it does not have CTIS (central tire inflation system) The reason I went the route I did is because I am very familiar with the 855 ci based engines and CTIS although it sounds like a dream come true its very complicated, expensive to maintain and can be problematic which =$$$$$$ This truck is my second most enjoyable truck to drive behind my M977 HEMTT
You are correct regarding the complexity of CTIS. Took me 9 months to triage the issues I was having with the system. Hub seals, wheel valves, computer......When it works, it's pretty cool though. When it doesn't, well, it's a bit frustrating....
The 855 Cummins is a beast of a motor in your rig. I think they'll run forever!
@@vitale6633 I have avoided CTIS on all my trucks so far but it looks like that may come to an end Vitale, I really want a Mk 23 7 ton LMTVR OshKosh and guess what, you got it only comes with CTIS, I love learning new trucks and new systems but just dont want to have to learn about CTIS! Your truck is an extremely nice looking truck Vitale congrats and they sure are a pleasure to drive arent they!
@@karlk6860 There are some great CTIS debug resources both online (Spicer Corp website) and at the steelsoldiers.com forums. In one thread there's a Spicer Engineer contributing and answering questions regarding how the system operates and tips for debug. I'll search for the link and provide it when I find it. If the wheel hub seals leak, the system will flag an error. Usually that's the first place to start - and it's a great opportunity to repack the wheel bearings :)
My grandfather drove a truck like this in Korea. He loved it so much that he bought a decommissioned troop carrier after he got back to Canada. He eventually gave it to his 11 kids. They use to have off road parties with it until it broke down deep in the woods where it sits to this day. An almost incomprehensible pile of rust that's half reclaimed by nature. I seen whats left of it for the first time last week.
Help we have a M927/A with diff issues , need to change them.
These trucks were not introduced until 30 years AFTER the Korean war.
What a magnificent beast.
I had a 67 m935. It only had 10k Miles on it and was a multi fuel engine. Loved it
The 900 series trucks didn't come in to work service till th
Early 80s. in 1967 if you were driving a 5 ton truck with multi fuel engine it had to be an m-54 Kaiser built truck. Most likely it had the continental 465 turbo charged multi fuel. Earlier models had Mack engines. I drove them all, including the 800 series and the mk-48 series as well as the 900 series. Also hauled tanks with the m123s pulling the xm-793 tank trailer. USMC here.
The M939 5 Ton Trucks weren't made by AM General until 1982,1987 was when they were made by BMY Harsco.1982-1994 is their Timeline.There are three Variants that use the G177/1100×20 Tires (A0),49/1400×20 Tires (A1),and 53/1200×20 CTIS Tires (A2).The A0-A1 use the NHC-250 Cummins being Naturally Aspirated,while the A2 use the 6CTA Cummins being Turbocharged.
The M39 5 Ton Trucks were made from 1951-1969.International Harvestor,Mack,Diamond T,Reo,Diamond Reo (Pre-1967/Post-1967),Studebaker,and Kaiser all built them.And it didn't matter what year they were built,there were Variants all together that used three different Engines.Your A0 5 Ton Trucks had a R602 Continental Gasoline,the A1 5 Ton Trucks built by Mack had a EDNT-673 Mack,and the A2 had either a LDT/LDS-465 Multi-Fuel.More of the A2's used the LDS than the Deuce & A Half,and they also had different Turbos,alot of them were C or D,not many being A,and yet the same Turbos were used in complication on the M35A2's and M185/M109A3's.
63 B w/ H8 ID. This was what I worked on during Storm and Somalia. 356 Sig Co. TROPO HEAVY!
I did the same 54” tire swap on my M925A2.
You should take that rig on Trooper Tyree's October 2022 Great Smoky Mountains Convoy. See HISTORY in MOTION magazine 'Events' listing of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
Great Suggestion! thanks for mentioning the event. I'll look into it.
Wow, memories, I know the military mechanics tools well!
Painted 30 of them in desert storm and drove many in the usmc
Thank You for Your Service! Tough Times.
You're not the real Joe Shmuckatelli … the real JS came within a c*nt hair of almost not graduating with me! I know this because my DIs were always telling me about this mysterious Joe who always made us do extra PT!
Trained on one at Ft Leonardwood, Back in 1995
Fort lost in the woods
Thank You for your Service!
Nice. I would advise acquiring one of the optional 30,000 to 40,000 pound winches that fit this truck. Get this one stuck and big bucks for getting something to pull you out, unless you have a friend with the right equipment, and a good heart.
Yes, having equally equipped friends is very beneficial. Since this video was published I've added a pair of Sherpa 25K winches to both the front and rear on custom mounts. While not fully up to what one would want, I'm hoping the 24v Sherpa's have enough pulling capacity combined with a snatch-block to enable self recovery. I chose the electric Sherpa's as I was able to fabricate mounting plates that integrated into the existing bumpers to retain the original look. The military hydraulic winches require extended bumpers. To support the 24v winches I re-installed the four 12v batteries, which is the typical military configuration for this class of truck. Most people run just a pair of 12v batteries for civilian use....
Great six by truck see you on the dirt
Heading to Glamis next ... :)
Out of all the videos regarding military vehicles, this one actually offers a lot of useful information. What was your cost to purchase this unit?
Don't know the answer to that. Just posting to say I love your username! I may borrow that one for conversation.
I worked on those while in the Marine Corps Motor T.
Thank You for Your Service!
Wonderful to see. Liked & Subcribed!!!
I'd buy a torque stick to keep onboard and put your torque wrench in the garage instead of bouncing around. Just a suggestion from a desert field tech.
Love the truck!
Great suggestion and Thanks for the compliment!
Great explanation.thank you sir..
hell yeah! my compliments sir
Thank You Sir! Greatly Appreciated.
This Truck is incredible. Would love to drive one in Germany. Haha.
Nice. Make it cherry. Paint it brown. Make it your new daily driver.. You can bring back THE groceries(store) in that...
With the onboard air have you thought about an air wrench? You may not have enough air but adding another air tank might be worth it
These trucks have four air tanks on board: Wet Tank, Emergency Tank, Primary Tank, Secondary Tank. They also have a pair of air connections (aka Glad-hand air connectors) front and rear for Service and Emergency interconnect with other vehicles (Towing or being Towed) to run the spring/air brakes. I have an adapter attached to the Service glad-hand with a standard air hose & coupling which I use to air up the tires of other vehicles when needed. I can attach any standard air tool to that hose as well. Onboard air pressure is 120psi max. So, i guess the answer to your question is Yes :) although I currently do not have any air tools onboard. I'll give it a try this weekend. :)
@@vitale6633 I had Garbage trucks years ago and we had a one inch air wrench for changing tires We always used it with shop air but not off the truck air supply pressure was not a problem as both were about the same just not sure what vlume would be required for tire changing other smaller tools for sure no problem
@@vitale6633 The best air tool I've added to my M923A2 is a K3LA locomotive horn.
Great Truck!
AWESOME TRUCK❤❤❤🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
good truck
Thank You! :)
Nice I have a 923a2 also
I do believe if I'm correct the 5 tons is related to off-road load capacity. but on road it can like you said carry a whole lot more.
Cool ! Nice truck !
Thank You, and same to you M1038!
Did you happen to get any of the Technical Manuals other than the operators manual. They are super easy to work on. I was a 3521 in the Marine Corps.
Yes, all the technical manuals are available on the steelsoldiers.com forums. Now, "Easy to Work On" is potentially a matter of Youth :) When the Tire/Wheel combo weighs 490lbs (upgraded to Michelin 16xR20's), for me, things move a bit slowly. Thank You for your Service:
MOS 3521 Automotive Maintenance Technician
nice truck!
Somehow an H-1 Hummer just doesn't seem like enough anymore.
LOL ... Those H1's are much more practical and very capable. Why not have Both?! :)
And you'll be delivering me this fine steed …. next week will suit me Bueno! ;>)
How did you wire and keep your GPS stable like You did. How did you mount your electronics like you did . Would you do a video
It would be a "Bull in a china shop" on the streets & highways and in traffic. Off-road is where it was meant to be. I had an '83 Chev K20 which I called my weekender (hauling 2x4s, sheetrock, furniture, and appliances), and for snow emergencies (walking through drifts and around stuck cars). This would be a huge step up. What couldn't I haul, although I'd be first to be called for anyone needing to be moved or pulled out of a ditch.
LOL, True! Thanks for watching.
beautiful 👍
I would love to buy one of these.
GovPlanet.com - Takes a few months for paperwork to process. Good luck in your search
For Those Interested: here's a link of THOR participating in the SoCal Steel Soldiers Fall Rally: th-cam.com/video/z2KcI6vKu1g/w-d-xo.html
Great People, Great Fun. The lead truck is an Oshkosh 7Ton - A Total Beast! THOR did successfully climb the shales hill after airing down to Sand Mode via CTIS.
Impossible to own and drive in the Netherlands. Due to extreme taxes and lack of space. But so cool a truck like this.
Thank You and great to hear from the Netherlands! Could be a handy vehicle during the winter though...
Hello. Are you in riverside? Saw the raincross In back
. Im planning on getting one.
Where can you buy these beasts?
You should buy some truck tire bars, they way they are shaped, much easier to put tire on, I wonder if anyone ever upgrades the cab on those, like put a highway tractor cab on it.... I've seen them bobbed and it looks cool, but either a cab with no sleeper or a very short sleeper.... sorry by bars I mean the type guys who do road service for truck tires, sledge too, they have a pointed type they use for breaking beads. Murphy's soap, sorta solid, tire guys here use it for mounting tires that the bead wont sit down, can save you off road if you break a bead, fill up the crack with Murphys and as the tire fills you just scrape it off and put back in pail, really helps with mounting tires too, put a light coat on bead..
Good suggestion - I'll look into the tire bars and Murphy's soap. Changing the tires on the split rims (which I've done for all 6 tires) was quite the project. I did one wheel/tire each weekend over 6 weeks. Then I drank a lot of beer :)
The 813 was much preferred in the Marine Corps and many were retained well into the early 2000’s. It was from front to rear a much more reliable and simpler vehicle.
I prefer my MTVR.
Nice truck sir
Thank You! I appreciate the positive feedback!
I NEED ONE!
Do you know if CA registers HMMWVs as historical vehicles? It seems like CA has something against HMMWVs and won't allow those to be registered but will register larger trucks like your.
Awesome. I'm a wildland fire faller looking to make one of these into a multi-use fire truck.
Are the California diesel regs and vehicle age an issue with registration?
Thank-you. Ian.
I love it,,how much. Do tires cost?
Tremendous 🌴
I like it!!!
Hell yeah
Good dependable truck
Muy bueno!
First stick shift I ever drove. 19 yo in Korea 96’
Trying to learn as much as I can about these before I win one from WPSN 😂
Just curious about you saying you didn’t need a CDL in California cause you have it registered as a historic vehicle. I’m interested in one but don’t want to get a CDL and don’t want commercial enforcement grounding the vehicle. Does your DMV documents say no CDL required?
Hello Sam, Excellent Question!
First "Safe Harbor Statement": I'm not a CA DMV representative or authority - Your Mileage May Vary :)
THOR was originally sold at Government Auction (See GovPlanet.com for current listing of vehicles for sale), then changed hands 2 more times before my acquisition. The previous owners never applied for On-Road registration. While I had a complete paper trail, I felt that hiring a DMV Registration professional to assist with the registration process was the right course of action. The process took 2+ months to be granted the Historic Vehicle classification and registration. As such, THOR is not classified as a Commercial vehicle, and thus no explicit CDL exemption is required. Now, with that stated, I encourage anyone considering owning an M939 series vehicle to pursue a CDL. I am currently in the process of applying for my CDL. At a Minimum, one should read and understand the M939 Operators Technical Manual (TM-9-2320-272) as well as the CA CDL Handbook. Both are full of excellent Operation and Safety information. Registration as a Historical Vehicle does come with important use restrictions. For example, I cannot drive THOR to work. I cannot use THOR to run errands. Basically, use is limited to Special Events, Parades, Demonstrations and Maintenance runs. If you desire broader flexibility in usage, then you may want to pursue a different registration path with the associated licensing requirements. A great resource for military vehicle information is steelsoldiers.com. SS has dedicated forums for the different classes of vehicles. I hope this information is beneficial in your pursuit of a retired military vehicle.
I am in CA and did research on these before (not) buying one. I found NO exemption in the vehicle code requirements for a "historical vehicle". CVC says you need a Class B license to drive anything with three axles. Period.
@@Mrdax707 Thank You Sal for your research and contribution to the dialog. Did you not pursue your acquistion on the basis of licensing requirements? Application for a CDL is straight forward and highly beneficial to understanding the safe operation of a vehicle of this type as I mention in my reply to Sam above. I have had the first-hand experience of interacting with CHP and BLM officers. Once Received a very polite reminder (no citation) regarding operation of the vehicle with people in the truck bed and that CA law requires ALL passengers be properly secured with a federally approved restraint system (except during Parades which THOR has also participated). The class of my license was not considered an issue at that time. As I said, I'm not a DMV representative, nor CHP officer :)
I want one with an Air-stream attached to the back
Google m934
I drove one in Germany with fuel twin 600gal.fuel tanks
that´s a nice truck design indeed ! never loved our MAN Kat
Thank You! It's pretty easy to drive, other than the sheer size. One must plan ahead :)
Just go to jiffy lube and ask for a tire rotation and oil change.then let the guy come tell you you need new wiper blades!!!lol