Have truck will travel
- Thread starter Mr_Vism
- Start date
- Location
- Pile of Bones, SK
It looks like an MLVW, is the M35A2 the same truck? If so the CF is phasing out the MLVW so you may see some up for auction soon. That's assuming they don't all end up as range targets! I don't know where or how they go about this but it may be a possibility. Maybe someone who has bought surplus vehicles can chime in.
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I used to own one of these.
The M35A2 is similar to the MLVW but not totally. The MLVW was a Canadian purpose built truck by Bombardier I believe.
Anyhow, you should be able to find what you are looking for in the US as they have been surplusing these for years now and there are plenty of dealers with parts etc.
PM me for specifics if you like.
Chris
The M35A2 is similar to the MLVW but not totally. The MLVW was a Canadian purpose built truck by Bombardier I believe.
Anyhow, you should be able to find what you are looking for in the US as they have been surplusing these for years now and there are plenty of dealers with parts etc.
PM me for specifics if you like.
Chris
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
A good forum to visit would be the G503 forum. It has a section for the 2-1/2 ton cargo trucks. You may have a problem these days getting US military goods out of the US, mind you.
The M35Cdn was based on the US M35, but has some pretty unique features. The engine/tranny are the Detroit Diesel 8.2 fuel pincher engine, and the transmission is an Allison. Also, the M35 Cdn has the flat drop side body of the US M35, but with the larger 11.00 X 20" single tires as opposed to the M35's smaller 9.00 X 20 tires with duals on the rear. This makes the Cdn truck sit appreciably higher.
The Canadian winch is a hydraulic type powered by a PTO/pump on the transmission, while the US truck used a PTO with shafts to a mechanical transmission. So while a Canadian winch, along with the frame extension kit, will work on a US M35, the PTO will likely be different, and you would also have to retrofit the oil reservoir, the hoses, and the controls.
The good news is that many MLVWs are now being cannibalized and then sold for reasonable amounts of money. ICAN is the organization that sells off the federal government vehicles, so if you keep an eye on their website, you'll see the MLVWs come up for sale fairly frequently. Seems to me there is even a couple out in the local scrapyard in Brandon, although I can't remember if one of them had the winch outfit.
Personally, I liked the Cdn MLVW. It had it's weaknesses, mainly in the 1950 generation of brakes and powertrain, but it sure beat the heck out of the old M135s. The Allison transmission and the 8.2 engine were a good combination. 25 years later, many of the trucks are still in service with their original engines and transmissions. The truck I operated as a mobile repair team (MRT) before I retired had HLVW bucket seats, a thermostatically controlled auxiliary heater in the cab, the back had enough heat and creature comforts to make army camping fun, and yet had all the tooling and spare parts a guy could want to keep a battery of vehicles in operation.
The M35Cdn was based on the US M35, but has some pretty unique features. The engine/tranny are the Detroit Diesel 8.2 fuel pincher engine, and the transmission is an Allison. Also, the M35 Cdn has the flat drop side body of the US M35, but with the larger 11.00 X 20" single tires as opposed to the M35's smaller 9.00 X 20 tires with duals on the rear. This makes the Cdn truck sit appreciably higher.
The Canadian winch is a hydraulic type powered by a PTO/pump on the transmission, while the US truck used a PTO with shafts to a mechanical transmission. So while a Canadian winch, along with the frame extension kit, will work on a US M35, the PTO will likely be different, and you would also have to retrofit the oil reservoir, the hoses, and the controls.
The good news is that many MLVWs are now being cannibalized and then sold for reasonable amounts of money. ICAN is the organization that sells off the federal government vehicles, so if you keep an eye on their website, you'll see the MLVWs come up for sale fairly frequently. Seems to me there is even a couple out in the local scrapyard in Brandon, although I can't remember if one of them had the winch outfit.
Personally, I liked the Cdn MLVW. It had it's weaknesses, mainly in the 1950 generation of brakes and powertrain, but it sure beat the heck out of the old M135s. The Allison transmission and the 8.2 engine were a good combination. 25 years later, many of the trucks are still in service with their original engines and transmissions. The truck I operated as a mobile repair team (MRT) before I retired had HLVW bucket seats, a thermostatically controlled auxiliary heater in the cab, the back had enough heat and creature comforts to make army camping fun, and yet had all the tooling and spare parts a guy could want to keep a battery of vehicles in operation.
I know the canadians had the allison automatic transmission in the '50s for the Korean war, (my father-in-law drove them as an engineer) but they were crap apperantly. Mine is a 1969 Kaiser Jeep with a White six-cyl multifuel engine. Im not sure on the transmission though it is standard which I prefer for off-roading.
Major519, do you know how one can, with some ease, retrofit a cab heater in my US made truck? I used to live in the lower mainland of BC and never needed one because there temperatures never dip below -5 C at any given point in the year. But now I live in Alberta and would probably appreciate one of those more than a winch. Having duelies instead of super singles is a plus for not getting stuck, so I am less worried about that.
Major519, do you know how one can, with some ease, retrofit a cab heater in my US made truck? I used to live in the lower mainland of BC and never needed one because there temperatures never dip below -5 C at any given point in the year. But now I live in Alberta and would probably appreciate one of those more than a winch. Having duelies instead of super singles is a plus for not getting stuck, so I am less worried about that.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
The 50s deuce was the M135. It had a GM hydromatic transmission, which was not the best...I replaced many, many of those.
The 1982-83 Bombardier assembled MLVW M35Cdn used the Allison transmission. These proved to be very trustworthy.
The heater kit from the MLVW would fit right in to the US M35. These were a fairly standard set up. They were marginal, mind you, especially with a diesel engine. Basically, it could keep your windows defrosted, but you will not take your parka off in the winter. Then again, Alberta is not usually as cold as Manitoba is.
If you can manage to find a heater from an Iltis, they are very efficient, and in 24 volt. They can be mounted under dash, and once plumbed to the engine, will throw enough heat to satisfy the worst heater hogs.
Where exactly do you wire this heater into? I know there is a two prong plug on the passenger side of the cab for other equipment, but it's probably not that easy is it?
Im actually surprised that the canadian military is trying to sell off their current stock to get new stuff. Last I heard, we finally sold off the last of our Korean War stock. We were still using 1952 model year trucks in 1990 (thats when my father-in-law retired from the forces). I may be wrong in saying that the allison tranny was crap, but the trucks he drove had autos and failed all the time.
What about CEL Surplus in Morrinville? They deal in vehicles and/or parts, don't they? I moved to Edmonton in January, so I'm still trying to find my way around.
Im actually surprised that the canadian military is trying to sell off their current stock to get new stuff. Last I heard, we finally sold off the last of our Korean War stock. We were still using 1952 model year trucks in 1990 (thats when my father-in-law retired from the forces). I may be wrong in saying that the allison tranny was crap, but the trucks he drove had autos and failed all the time.
What about CEL Surplus in Morrinville? They deal in vehicles and/or parts, don't they? I moved to Edmonton in January, so I'm still trying to find my way around.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
The heater usually taps into part of the ignition circuit, at the master switch.
The old deuce was sold off as a fleet in 1984.. There were a few stragglers in the service, I recall doing the final inspection on one in 86. I still have the final message stating that this was pretty much the last one.
The old 1950s international 5 ton gas trucks were in service until the mid 90s, These included wreckers and cargo trucks. I even saw a straggler being sold off around 2004.
I have never dealt with CEL surplus. Your best bet to find Canadian sources for a heater kit would be go onto www.mapleleafup.org and register onto the forum there. The forum is more aimed towards WW2 vehicles, but does have a M-series section and is primarily Canadian.
The old deuce was sold off as a fleet in 1984.. There were a few stragglers in the service, I recall doing the final inspection on one in 86. I still have the final message stating that this was pretty much the last one.
The old 1950s international 5 ton gas trucks were in service until the mid 90s, These included wreckers and cargo trucks. I even saw a straggler being sold off around 2004.
I have never dealt with CEL surplus. Your best bet to find Canadian sources for a heater kit would be go onto www.mapleleafup.org and register onto the forum there. The forum is more aimed towards WW2 vehicles, but does have a M-series section and is primarily Canadian.
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You'd think that with all our technology we'd get rid of the gas-pot engines and outfit these buggers with diesel engines. I cant even begin to imagine the crappy milage from a 5-ton gas. My dad used to have an old '75 Dodge single axle gas-pot dump truck. "Might as well set fire to the fuel tank". I still see those things around and they just SCREAM going down the road. I'm so thankful mine is a quiet multifuel.
P.S. That link doesnt want to open for me.
P.S. That link doesnt want to open for me.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
The Cdn army was trying to get over to the one fuel (diesel) concept for over a decade. The last major holdout was the Iltis, which is now gone.The small generators are now diesel, and even the tent heaters (yukon stove) is diesel.
I fixed the link.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
you'll be happy to know that the Army has decided not to use any more vehicle hulks as targets on the ranges.
So when they do sell the MLVW's I just hope that they don't get sold as scrap.
So when they do sell the MLVW's I just hope that they don't get sold as scrap.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
While the MLVW will likely be sold as a vehicle, one of the problems will be in trying to safety them, especially since their GVWR takes them well beyond the standard pickup. The lights do not meet DOT standards, and the single reservoir master cylinder will not pass muster for a truck of that year either. Bumper heights may be a bit off as well. Here in Manitoba they will have to be safetied annually.
I did all my hands on field time with the old M135 and M211 Deuces and can still feel that jerky old tranny shifting.The M135 was much better in the mud than the M211 due to the in-line 6 wheels,rather than the rear duals. My most vivid experience with them was laying one down on an icey mountain road while on winter scheme in the Ghost River wilderness area back in 1972.I still have the data plate from that one which my guys mounted on a "presentation plaque" as a vivid reminder of the old policy that officers don't drive. We later used the standard US M35A2C multi-fueller in the Middle East-a real workhorse with a rag top and manual tranny,and fun for an old prairie grain hauler to drive.That one was stone reliable and I can still see my guys keeping them mobile on a wing and a prayer with virtually no spare parts as we did repetitive 2000 km convoys to haul material from the Sinai to the Golan Heights and Lebanon after UNEF II was shut down in 1979.I wonder if the powers that be would let the troops paint their wives/girlfriends/mistresses names on the cabs nowadays? When the MLVW was being developed I advocated that we simply adopt the M35A2C with a hard top cab and a heater in the interests of interoperability/standardization with the major user.As it turned out, the MLVW proved to be a very durable vehicle.It got me off the parade square just fine on conclusion of my last parade-my last ride in a military vehicle.
BTW, super single setups are superior to duals. Get a dual wheel truck struck and you are toast- I have done it. One of the best upgrades on a M35A2 is to switch out those dualls for a set of supers. Another great upgrade is the power steering kit and lockout front hubs.
I know this from personal experience as I have been playing army trucks for well over 10 years...
I know this from personal experience as I have been playing army trucks for well over 10 years...
I've been a heavy dump truck driver for five and a half years (GVWR 60,000 kg), so my class 1 licence allows me to drive and insure my deuce. I've been stuck probably almost as many times as you have, so I know all about what happens when the mud meets the diffs. Unfortunatly, all modern "road" trucks are duels so I have no first hand experiance with heavy "singles" trucks. I often see pickups get stuck with four wheel drive where dump trucks just glide right over. I figure that it's better to have more surface area to keep your truck rolling, but, like I said before, I don't know the reason for why singles are better. My tires are 9:00x20. What size are the super singles?
I don't have my US literature on hand right at the moment but I believe US trucks use 14.00-20s for super singles. The last generation of US M35A3 trucks had these as upgrades and did away with the duals altogether.
Many of the old A2s were retro-fitted as well so there are plenty of spares Stateside.
Many of the old A2s were retro-fitted as well so there are plenty of spares Stateside.
