Posted by Merrill Fish on January 29, 2000 at 13:55:01:
In Reply to: 500 SERIES POWERWAGON LOCKOUT HUBS posted by Britt in Cool, California on January 28, 2000 at 13:10:30:
OK, you guys, we're all on the same side here; Power Wagons are great trucks! Period. Even the early '70s had their good points, although I think they could be improved upon; I'v seen them all do some pretty amazing things. Now, my war story; again? oh, no!
NO BRAG, JUST FACT.
The company I used to work for used W500s as material trucks for power line construction. They were overloaded and needed exemption permits for highway use. They had 318 Poly engines, with 5 speed trans, and 2 speed transfer case; a 20,000 lb winch in front with the pto on the transfer case. Some also had a rear mounted winch. Both were long shaft with capstan capability. They were, in a word awesome, in their ability to soak up abuse; sort of the Timex of working trucks. On one particular job in the desert of SoCal, we could not drive the heavy line trucks in to the pole sites because of the deep, soft sand. So, we'd take a Dodge about 250 ft out in front of the heavy, and purposely dig it in up to the axles. Then we would hook the winch cable to the heavy and just pull it right up to the front of the Dodge, back the Dodge another distance, yes, it usually just crawled right out of its hole, and we'd do the same thing all over again..
Merrill Fish