Mechanical Mule - M274

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Charlie..
here is a good mule web site..About 1/2 way down the page it shows two guys with a mule and a 106MM Recoiless rifle on it and the guy that is posing with the RC rifle would only take one shot like that...shit come out both ends of those baby's and the trigger man would be fried by the back blast..but it is a good site..
neat Little machine..

http://www.m274armymules.com/mule_history.htm

[Wpns 421]

Hi Guys Sorry I have been out of the link and thanks to my son Alain I am Back. here are some pictures of our Mule. It is a M274A5 with quad steering. This is a great little vehicle, we use it for all kinds of things such as hauling parts, towing Carolle's M38A2 or just playing in the snow. As someone said these are expensive vehicles, the one we have cost us $6500 USD, we bought it from David Kelone in the US. He has all the parts and when he sold it he gave us extra parts such as plugs, points etc.
This vehicle will be going to all the shows this summer. We have modified a 3/4 ton trailer to haul it behind our CUCVs or it will fit in the back of a pickup with a 6ft box.

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

Originally Posted by Wpns 421

Hi Guys Sorry I have been out of the link and thanks to my son Alain I am Back. the one we have cost us $6500 USD, we bought it from David Kelone in the US. He has all the parts and when he sold it he gave us extra parts such as plugs, points etc.
We have modified a 3/4 ton trailer to haul it behind our CUCVs or it will fit in the back of a pickup with a 6ft box.

is that a 6' or 8' bed needed on the pick up? Do you back it on with
foot basket facing toward the rear and overhanging the tailgate?
(Is the tailgate up or down with this hauling method?)

a photo would be nice!

(really hope its a 6')

Bryan

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

http://www.merrickvillemotorpool.com...ruck_field.jpg

http://www.militarytrucks.ca/Images/.../M274_Mule.JPG

links to pictures from Merrickville Motor Pool
Looks like electric start with charging system and 4 wheel steer.

[Wpns 421]

When we got our Mule we had a Ford F150 with a six foot box. You need to load the Mule with the engine next to the cab and the steering towards the rear. Also the tailgate stays downs and to compensate for the weight on the tailgate you should have 2 2x6 ft boards 8 ft long and park the mule on the boards , this will distribute the weight on the bed and lighten the load on the tailgate.
When I picked mine up from Dave Kelone he had ramps to load the Mule.

Gilles

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

thanks for the info Gilles, ok so take 2x 8`2x6 (or wider)
to help with load distribution and ramp it in with hand controls, got it.

[chris vickery]

So....Bryan. Am I to understand that both you and Fitton have Mules now?
I am eager to get mine back together. I have owned it since last October and it still looks the same as when I purchased although I do have all the parts to put it back together.

[The_Stainless_Steel_Rat]

Originally Posted by The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

thanks for the info Gilles, ok so take 2x 8`2x6 (or wider)
to help with load distribution and ramp it in with hand controls, got it.

ok here is what that looks like...



thanks again, works awesome!

the 2 slightly wider boards to the side are my Ramps (8' long 2x10s)

the wires on the tailgate are for the trailer I'm towing.

[Local Chap]

Originally Posted by Alex Blair

..About 1/2 way down the page it shows two guys with a mule and a 106MM Recoiless rifle on it and the guy that is posing with the RC rifle would only take one shot like that...shit come out both ends of those baby's and the trigger man would be fried by the back blast..

I think it's the angle of the pic, but if you look at where his feet are, he is actually standing next to the firing position adjacent to the mount, not behind the breech.

[Col Tigwell]

Now I recall the Australian army having some of these, at least we got to the stage of doing trial loadings in a Boo and C130.

I wonder if it was a one off evaluation machine or did we actually use them.

Regards

Col

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Col,
Pretty sure there is at least one Mule here, at the Bandiana Army Museum. Did a quick check on there website, but it is not shown.
Rich.

[Col Tigwell]

Could have been one we borrowed from Vietnam

Col

[Wpns 421]

Actually there were trials done on the Mule in Australia in the early 60's, I found an interesting article on these trials. Basically the Mule was well liked, but the trial authorities gave it a bad report because of the tip over problem. It was found that at high speeds the vehicle had a tendency to flip over while pulling a sharp turn especially to the left where the driver sat especially loaded with a high center of gravity. During the trials a driver was killed when the vehicle flipped over. If you receive the MVPA magazines there was an article on the Mule last year in the Military Vehicle magazine and it talked about the trials.
Also Mules were used by the Aussies in Vietnam.

[captw]

Hi Charlie...Brian Asbury has at least one...also, I bought a 1966 M274A2 last year and have since sold it to Greg Anderson in Bancroft...Wilf