From: Bjorn Brandstedt (super_deuce@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed Jan 01 2003 - 05:22:45 PST
Happy New Year!
It's pouring rain and about 50 degrees here in the Blue Ridge Mountains as
I'm writing this-some winter...
About military knuckle booms. As many of you may know, I have had one on my
deuce since about 1995 and wouldn't leave home without it.
In an article in the 1999 March/April issue of MVM you can read how it was
installed and how I have used it. It is the most useful device one could
possibly add to the truck.
My HIAB 765A came from a 1968 Navy International Loadstar. I paid about
$4,000 for the International with the crane back in '93.
My deuce was originally an M49A2C (fuel tanker), so it had the PTO
installed. You need about 24 inches of space behind the cab for the crane.
It adds a lot of weight to the vehicle, about 3,500 lb, which loads the
front suspension, but by extending the boom over the bed, that can be
reduced (see article on driving on side slopes MVM issue #87).
Some of the things I have used the crane for include, loading and unloading
"myself" just about anywhere, serviced my other vehicles by lifting them off
ground for access, in a tow truck configuration (extending the boom over the
back of the bed) to haul other vehicles,using the outriggers of the crane to
lift part of the deuce for changing tires or adding headroom when working
under it, swinging the boom to one side to add weight (=traction) to the
tires on the uphill side when driving on side slopes. The crane was used to
lift the winch off the truck one time and the bed itself another time.
The boom can be positioned within inches of the vehicle's perimeter with
great precision.
We have even used it as a swing for the kids by extending the boom
vertically with a long rope attached. We picked hard to reach apples one
time by having one of my kids ride in a sling on the extended boom. Ihave
used the crane to straighten dents in the sheet metal (fender). It also came
in very handy one time when I drove into thick mud and got the front end of
the vehicle stuck. By using the outriggers and the boom, I could push and
lift myself out while piling wood and rocks under the lifted wheels. My
situation was similar to what you see in the picture on page 58 in the Feb
2002 issue of MVM and, thanks to the crane, needed no outside help getting
out.
The crane is used on a number of military vehicles, including the HEMTT(?),
Deuce, FMTV, Navy (International)Loadstar and the Unimog.
If you can find a crane for under $3,000, go for it, they cost at least
five times that much, new.
There is a picture of the deuce with the boom extended about 35 feet on my
website, mayapplebrandstedt.com
If you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to try to answer them.
Cheers,
Bjorn
MVPA 19212
1968 M49A2C with HIAB 765A Knuckle Boom instead of the 1200 gal tank.
1953 M37 (my son's, under restoration)
VIC-1 intercom system, to be installed.
>From: Recovry4x4@aol.com
>To: <mil-veh@mil-veh.org> (Military Vehicles Mailing List)
>Subject: [MV] Knuckle Booms
>Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 04:44:20 EST
>
>Happy New Year!!! Anybody had any experience with mil surplus knuckle
>booms? What were they on? There is a company here that has a few and I'm
>considering one for my deuce. These things are still green. I can get a 6
>ton that needs a rotating cylinder(?) for $1800 or a completely servicable
>unit with new paint for $2600. Both prices are cash & carry and don't
>include a pump or PTO. They supposedly have a 16' hydraulic extension with
>3
>mechanical extensions giving it a 27' reach. This would make my deuce much
>more useful and is cheaper than an M543 wrecker. Thoughts, complaints,
>gripes, advice?
>
>Kenneth Engle
>Loxahatchee, FL U.S.A.
>AM General M-35A2 w/w
>Fruehauf M105A1
>MVPA #24371
>http://hometown.aol.com/recovry4x4/myhomepage/photo.html
>
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