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Rare diesel Jeeps

Ecomike

NAXJA# 2091
NAXJA Member
Location
MilkyWay Galaxy
I just heard back from a Nissan Diesel engine Guru friend of mine. Here is what he said:

"Actually, they're not all that rare these days. I've seen five on
eBay in the last year. They're finally being surplused after base
closures. Invariably, they are offered for about twice what anyone
would actually pay for them."

"They are 2WD but with a transfer case (used to reduce the gearing) and
feature SD33 non-turbo engines. They are probably not warmed up prior
to pulling a load (towing aircraft), so the low miles shown on them
are not kind miles, nor are they highway miles."

Some of you off road guys might be interested in the high torque diesel engine and high torque gearing on this beast. Says it can tow 40,000 lbs. I am guessing that it is at or about 5 mph, LOL! So, what, put 40" tires on it and wheel it, LOL?
 
Just putting my .02 in, I'm in the military and we don't take great care of our tugs....I wouldn't buy one that's used and 10,000 miles on a towing engine is quite a bit of start ups and shut downs, and short trips....at least at our airfield.
 
Any idea if it is a manual (and if so the model) or AW4 auto transmision?
 
SD33's are not exactly torque monsters.

I've driven a couple different vehicles with SD-33T(with the turbo) and they were gutless, I can't imagine driving one without a turbo.
 
53guy said:
Just putting my .02 in, I'm in the military and we don't take great care of our tugs....I wouldn't buy one that's used and 10,000 miles on a towing engine is quite a bit of start ups and shut downs, and short trips....at least at our airfield.

I'll second this, our tugs are never warmed up and never driven more than 1 mile for everytime they're started. Ours only tow 25-50k pounds at about 5 mph though. :eek:

It wouldn't surprise me at all if that "10,000" mile engine and drivetrain had over 5,000 hours on it.
 
MisterFubar said:
SD33's are not exactly torque monsters.

I've driven a couple different vehicles with SD-33T(with the turbo) and they were gutless, I can't imagine driving one without a turbo.

I am under the impression that the LOW END rpm, torque on the SD33 was pretty high compared to gas engines (low end)?

You say they were gutless, but what were you towing, 50,000 lbs?
and what kind of gear ratio did it have?

I'd guess that this rig is not highway worthy, speed wise, but more like a forklift, unless you regeared it, or replaced the transfer case since the transfer case adds extra gearing (note I was told this is a 2wd, with a transfer case with extra gearing in the transfer case) at least according to a Nissan guru, friend of mine.

The SD33 should be good for 1 million miles if the oil is changed regularly. I know they still build the SD22 I have in my jeep for use in forklifts. They get the same kind of poor treatment and last what seems like forever.

I'd be more concerned about what it has a for a transmission and it's condition, than the engine.
 
Ecomike said:
I am under the impression that the LOW END rpm, torque on the SD33 was pretty high compared to gas engines (low end)?

You say they were gutless, but what were you towing, 50,000 lbs?
and what kind of gear ratio did it have?

I've never actually driven a tug equipped with or towed anything with an SD33T, but I have driven a couple 1980 IH Scouts with one and that is what I was basing my gutless remark on... but I'm also used to driving Scouts with very torquey big V8's in them.

I imagine an SD33 would be comparable to a 2.5 in a cherokee and the SD-33T would be comparable to the 4.0 in drivability. Only I bet you'd use less fuel with the diesel.
 
We call them "Bobtails" in the air force and mostly they are used to tow munitions trailers not aircraft. In fact I don't think they have ever been used to tow air craft. The loads they tow are on average 10000lbs give or take depending on the munitions they are hauling. The trailers themselves weigh around 4000lbs and regularly towed in tandem.
The AGE guys use them alot also towing 12 heaters behind one bobtail like a game of snake. Mostly we use ford powerstrokes and Dodge Cummins, I think I may have only seen two or three Jeeps still in service in the Air Force.
 
Mstrkage said:
We call them "Bobtails" in the air force and mostly they are used to tow munitions trailers not aircraft. In fact I don't think they have ever been used to tow air craft. The loads they tow are on average 10000lbs give or take depending on the munitions they are hauling. The trailers themselves weigh around 4000lbs and regularly towed in tandem.
The AGE guys use them alot also towing 12 heaters behind one bobtail like a game of snake. Mostly we use ford powerstrokes and Dodge Cummins, I think I may have only seen two or three Jeeps still in service in the Air Force.


I do this job known as AGE. We use them much more than ammo does. Its true, we mainly use fords now, dodges are on the way out the door.

They do tow unmanned ariel vehicles (UAVs) but thats about the biggest plane they tow. Some do have lockers in the rear, however they usually need a rebuild. I've towed 136,000 lbs one time with one of the dodge 4wd bobtails. Illegal as shit, but fun. I routinley tow 18,000 with these. However it is not nice miles. they are not properly warmed or cooled, and everytime you leave the vehicle, you shut it off (about100-150 time/8 hour shift)

The vehicle tops out at about 20 MPH. If anyone gets one of these, let me know. There is an old AGE trick to make it MUCH faster,
 
The CJ10 has the SD33, 727 Torqueflight, and a 208 transfer case locked in low range. Shift the t/c to 2 high and boogie down the road. :laugh3:
There is one sitting close by here that I looked at not too long ago. My neighbor is a heavy equipment mechanic and he said that is a very good low rpm torqe motor.
 
Dustin_Z said:
I do this job known as AGE. We use them much more than ammo does. Its true, we mainly use fords now, dodges are on the way out the door.

They do tow unmanned ariel vehicles (UAVs) but thats about the biggest plane they tow. Some do have lockers in the rear, however they usually need a rebuild. I've towed 136,000 lbs one time with one of the dodge 4wd bobtails. Illegal as shit, but fun. I routinley tow 18,000 with these. However it is not nice miles. they are not properly warmed or cooled, and everytime you leave the vehicle, you shut it off (about100-150 time/8 hour shift)

The vehicle tops out at about 20 MPH. If anyone gets one of these, let me know. There is an old AGE trick to make it MUCH faster,

I am not sure if that old AGE trick you speak of worked on the old Jeeps. Now get your hands on the Ford's and we can talk.... But I agree with everyone else, these trucks are abused to no end. I cant remember a single time that I actually cared what happened to the bobtail so long as there wasnt an ass chewing at the end of it.
 
I have 2 of the CJ10a's... and yes they are gutless. But once you change out the 4.88 gears and the detroit in the Dana 70 and put it in 2 hi it's not to bad. I usually put them on Waggy frames to get it more road friendly. Stock the CJ10a has a WB about the same as an old flatfender. And in stock form the 'tug' is 6060lbs because of the huge counterbalance plate under the bobtail bed.... and they were nice enough to weld the plate to the frame :(. Basically the SD33 motor in the tug's are turbo motors (with squirters and 5 ring pistons) but without the turbo. And yes it was the first Brute!
 
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