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DUKWs are quite a bit heavier than the standard GMC 6 x 6, but share
almost exactly the same drive train. Nearly every transmission failure
I've seen on a DUKW has been one of two things; either the pillow block
bearings (on top of the intermediate axle) or a combination of the
transfer case or intermediate diff - seizure - one goes west and takes out
the other in whatever order. I suspect that the intermediate axle output
from the transfer is more prone to failure.
Having seen several owners struggling with their machines I resolved to
leave my drive train as Uncle Sam built it. Even the common European
trick of using a slightly larger rolling radius tyre causes them to have
difficulty pulling themselves out the water - not that that would bother
an ordinary 6 x 6 much.
In my discussions with other owners one of the most telling comments about
preventing failures was from a Dutch chap Cees Korevoir (and yes, I did
mess up spelling his name, and even more apologies if he was Belgian)
Cess is no longer with us, and his DUKW always looked respectable but
unassuming. He kept it just the way he bought it (from Uncle Sam again)
but paid particular attention to having even ly worn tyres all round,
especially on the back four where he thought that any difference in wear
made them prone to wind up the tranfer case when used on tarmac.
Gordon
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Apr 04 2000 - 21:57:13 PDT