Official Deuce Aftermarket Wheel Thread

[treeguy]

Here are just a couple of the latest pictures I have of my work so far. The first picture is a 1/4" plate (all 3/4" dia. holes). This plate was for working out any possible bugs and a permanent pattern. The second picture is of a 1/2" plate being drilled for holes to clamp it to the milling table. The third pic. is of a stack of three plates with the completed Deuce 6 hole pattern. I have chamfered this top plate and am 3/4 the way through drilling the 20 holes for the studs to press into.

More to follow soon.

 

[scuzzytc]

are these going to be available for purchase? I have contacted several of the other plate makers with no reply.

 

[treeguy]

I am REEEEEELY going to have to think about that.

#1 They are very time consuming and tedious to make this way

#2 Liability........

 

[gringeltaube]

I would.......

1) .... put a price on it so that it covers material and workmanship + some extra (for beer)!
2) ..... advertise and sell them for off-road use, only!

Keep up the good work!

G.

 

[TJP]

subscribed

 

[treeguy]

Here is an update on my wheel adapter project. The pictures kinda show the story so far. The six plates are all drilled and they make a great platform to remove the centers of the FMTV wheel halves. Soon the squares will become circles!

 

[treeguy]

Here are some photo updates. I am finishing the radiused edge on the last two plates. They fit into the FMTV wheels nicely, but I am noticing that the lip (larger wheel half) where the 20 studs were is slightly angled in/up (in twards the theoretical axle). So it would seem that when the two halves are bolted together that this lip would clamp/squeeze flat against the smaller half's surface. I also need to touch up the rim's mating surface to the plate with a sanding wheel. There are various burs from the stamping of the holes and the raised weld bead from the factory.

Does anyone know what the torque should be for the 20 nuts? I have looked around and am not sure if they would be the same 450-500' lbs used for HEMTT wheels. Also, how accurate is 80' lbs for a torque for the brass nut that seals the valve stem? I had read that in someones thread. Does that sound to anyone else to be a little excessive for brass, especially for compressing the rubber gaskets?

 

[Welder Sam]

opcorn: nice

 

[Recy Mech]

Great thread. Subscribed.

Everyday a school day.

 

[mich6212]

opcorn: nice

x2!

 

[treeguy]

Just finished up the plates last night. I've test fit them on the truck and now I need to paint and assemble (which is more work than it sounds). I also need to press in the studs, that would be 120 of them for 6 wheels! The rims need to be bolted and tacked to the plates after they have been trued to eachother for radial run-out. T h e n ........... maybe I'll finally be able to put rubber to metal!!!

 

[treeguy]

After some research I found TM's for the LMTV's. They are the TM-9-2320-365-20 series. The assembly of the wheels and nut torque for the 20 studs are found in -3. The 20 nuts are to be torqued to 210-240 foot pounds and the axle's 10 lug nuts to 415-475 foot pounds (which is quite a but more than the deuce nuts torqued to 325-350 foot pounds per TM 9-2320-209-10-4). I'm glad to finally have some firm numbers backed up by the TM's, I hope others may also find this usefull. Also, the 20 nuts are the flange and self locking type turned with a 15/16" socket.

 

[ODdave]

I know there where questions about the wheels I modified and if there would be a problem holding mud. I just cant remember where it was asked. Well from the pic you can see there are other parts of the truck that hold more......

 

[jisco38]

Very impressive work!!!

 

[treeguy]

Hi Guys

Here's the latest work. All the wheel studs have been pressed in and all the parts cleaned and painted. The picture with the 20 nuts was taken just after it went for a spin to verify the adapter plate mating to the rim for radial run-out. Next the plate was tack welded to the rim in five locations and all the nuts removed. No feeler gauge fitting in between there! I have four final products and two left to spot weld and paint. The average radial run out is around .020". This is as good as it gets trying to mate those two parts together. The wheel half itself had its own deviations. We'll see how it feels when the rubber hits the road! There really is a light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[gringeltaube]

............... The average radial run out is around .020".......

WOW! .... that is only 0.5mm!? Excellent results and looking very good so far !!

Keep on going, you are almost there!


G.

 

[BOV Prepper]

Beautiful. How much per wheel?

 

[treeguy]

Priceless!!!!

After spending all my available free working on this project and realizing its complexity, I can't put a price on my own wheels. Machining these plates by hand is time consuming and I don't know how anyone could put a price on them to make it economical for the buyer. The six squares of 1/2" plate alone was $334. At this point I need a break, we'll see what the future holds for making future plates. I know that I'd at least like to make two more to use as my spares.

 

[trukhead]

Dear Santa Claus, I want for Christmas New 6 hole aluminum 6 slotted wheels for my M35A3. They shouold look like old keystones or cragers.

I ant them with the same offset as the original wheels.

I want them with a deep drop center in the rim between the beads so I can mount them with soapy water and tire spoons and a rubber hammer.

I want them to have the pads for mounting th4 CTIS stuff, but I want to add a one way check valve between the CTIS and tire so I can inflate the tires up to the 80 psi they are designed to run.

I want the rims to be machined for MPT Beads and capable of inflating to 90 PSI.

I want to continue t use the stock Michelins that are on the truck. I want a second air fitting boss on the rim so I can add a dump valve. I been good Santa Claus so will you give me 10 of these? Please

 

[asgtoolman]

Dear trukhead, I received your letter, but want to know "HOW GOOD DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU HAVE BEEN?"

signed
Santa Claus