Picking up my M818

[ke5eua]

Well the week is upon us, and a very blessed Memorial Day. Please remember to take a moment of silence at 1500 your local time to remember those fallen.

Now, thanks to trooper632 for selling me his M818.

The trip will start at Friday at a early wakeup of 0230. Conduct pre-trip at 0300, and the plan is to SP at 0330.

Trip should be fairly straightforward all the way to Sabinal, TX, arriving at approximately 1200.

From there I will link up with trooper632 (Donny), exchange cash, title, a little conversation and hopefully be on the road by 1300.

After leaving Donny's my wife will head straight back to Louisiana so she can attend an event one of my daughters has on Saturday. I will head to Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio to go to a buddies house and pick up all my tools I brought up earlier and rest for the night.

I will head out Saturday morning, no time specified really. I will take my time, stoping every 2 hours for my backs sake and to look over the truck to ensure everything is where it is supposed to be.

Depending on when I leave Saturday all depends on when I will make it home, being it is a 12 hour drive going 50 mpg I might stop for the night half way, all depending on how I fell.

Now, I have put many miles in military vehicles in the sand box. Did the convoy from Kuwait to Iraq and Back in 04-05 in my 934. Spent most of my time behind the wheel of a LMTV my first rotation, and my second was a toss up between my 1070, 931, or PLS.

I have the lube order, and -10 printed and binded and will go with me. I will have my phone, bluetooth headset and my regular wired headset just incase. Water is a must, will pickup some icy cold water along the route.

Only thing I wish I could do would be add a power port for the trip in the cab, but since the battery box is outside I don't want to run a long wire out the cab just for 12v. Unless someone knows of a 12v tap in the cab somewhere to tee off of.

Will do the window trick to help keep the cab cooler, but as we all know, it gets hotter than a street girl in church in these things in the summer.

I plan for a uneventful trip, but have thought about the what if situations.

Tools I am bringing with me:
Complete craftsman set
20 ton pneumatic jack
1:57 torque converter for braking lug nuts
air hose to glad hand adapter
air hose
air chuck
zip ties
ratchet straps
electrical tape
butt connectors and wire stripers
few odds and ends

I feel confident in my supplies and my abilities to drive this trip.

I feel as if I am prepared, but I know all to well you can prepare all you want but the unexpected will still sneak up and find a way to happen.

I know I know, but as soon as I get back and wash her down I will post pics.

 

[trooper632]

I'm going to throw in an extra spare just in case, we will figure out where to secure it (fifth wheel plate maybe).

 

[ke5eua]

I was thinking back deck, but we shall see.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Good luck on your entire trip & be safe. That's a long trip & it will probably be warm to say the least so open up the windows to the level you are comfortable with. The front window will blast you right outta there at high way speeds, plus shower you with bits of road sand & debris, so open it enough to keep you cool. When I made my trip home from North Georgia earlier this month, the weather was cooler & half the drive was @ night; so temps were not a big concern. Stay hydrated & enjoy your trip.

Keep us posted as how your trip goes & take pictures!

 

[marchplumber]

Agreed, fluids for you. Also for truck? Oil? Antifreeze? Duct tape? Bailing wire? Distilled water for truck? Windshield works good, two inch opening at bottom and all other windows up. Preaching to the choir. I always suggest rubber side DOWN! Painted side don't steer worth a darn. Phone numbers of members along route? Lap top? Have a SUPER recovery and let us know. Been MANY years since I was in TX. 1st Cav 227 AVN. among others. Stay safe. "First Team"

God bless,
Tony

 

[ke5eua]

Agreed, fluids for you. Also for truck? Oil? Antifreeze? Duct tape? Bailing wire? Distilled water for truck? Windshield works good, two inch opening at bottom and all other windows up. Preaching to the choir. I always suggest rubber side DOWN! Painted side don't steer worth a darn. Phone numbers of members along route? Lap top? Have a SUPER recovery and let us know. Been MANY years since I was in TX. 1st Cav 227 AVN. among others. Stay safe. "First Team"

God bless,
Tony

Fluids defiantly. Debating bringing laptop, got all the tms on my phone.

I'm bringing two batteries with me that I have been conditioning for the past week. Crossing my fingers on those. I'm going to pick up my dad's booster packs we use on the tractor just in case.

I was 27th msb from 02-06 (when it disbanded and went to bliss) the 115th bsb till I got out in 08. Gordon playing commo for a year and half during my med board 11-13.

Fort hood, I miss it.

 

[ke5eua]

So I was thinking about if I needed help who would I call. I don't think ghostbusters would be of much use in this situation and att roadside assistance might laugh so...

I will be traveling along i-10 the entire route so if there are any members along the route between san antonio and baton rouge let me know if you would be able to provide any assistance, not that I am planing on needing any.

Donny, I forgot to ask, how accurate is the fuel gauge for either tanks?

 

[ke5eua]

Also, to answer my own question about finding a 12v source in the cab, looks like according to the schematic the cold start switch wire 569 comes off the 12v side.

Now I'm guessing, and pretty sure this is a separate switch than the ignition, as it has a separate circuit for the ignition switch. Oddly though they both handle starting?

Now the million dollar question, how many wires actually connect to the ignition switch, 3 or 6? If 3, what is this cold start switch, and does it even apply to the 818?

Edit:

Never mind was looking at it like it was a off-on-mom type switch. Realized what switch it was. Good to go now. Will tap into 569 to charge my phone during the trip.

 

[sigo]

The cold start switch is separate from the ignition switch. It's a simple wire coming off one of the batteries. It goes out to a glow plug in the air intake. That's all there is to the cold start system. Mine was cut on my M813 when I bought it from GL.

I don't recall any other 12v on 809 series trucks. Your other option would be just to pre-fab some wire, terminals, a 12v automotive socket, maybe an inline fuse and just run it up through the transfer lever boot, or one of the usual knockout holes in the floor or back wall. Lock it down with a few cable ties and you're in business. Easy enough and wouldn't cost anything if you have the parts laying around.

Good luck on your recovery.

 

[trooper632]

Cold start switch lights up when its turned on so I'm guessing it works, Fuel gauge works, but for accuracy who knows

 

[Jeepsinker]

You can call me if you have any problems. I just made that trip, but I did it all in one shot and with a side trip or two added in there. 337-401-2470. Give me a shout when you get on the west side of Louisiana if you want to have lunch or something. After that I'll come help you wherever you are along the way if you need.

 

[ke5eua]

Well picked up the truck from Donny.

Stopped at a car wash down the road and washed it off.

So far only one little issue but it couldn't have happened at a better time. Battery shorted on the 12v side right before I got on fort Sam Houston.

Rearranged the batteries so the can't move, load tested and the battery that provides 12v side was low but not damaged so put it on charge.

Put my locks on the door and just cooling off.

Calling it a night and get back on the road in the morning.

So far I am happy happy happy.

 

[trooper632]

Glad to hear everything is going smooth so far Michael

 

[ke5eua]

Yeah I put both batteries in the right box and I'm going to ratchet strap them down once the other one gets done charging.

I took the regular battery connectors and just used the screw posts.

 

[marchplumber]

God's speed. Rest up. Glad that things are goin 0k so far!

God bless,
Tony

 

[ke5eua]

So I put the battery back in but no dice. I feel the worst for the battery. Gonna jump the 12v side tomorrow morning and if it works I'm gonna run by Wally World and exchange my batteries.

I hear the relays clicking and clacking.

Only other possibility would moisture in the switches from when I washed it. It did take a couple tries to start after I washed it.

Either way, I will get it back up and running in the morning, and back on the road.

 

[ke5eua]

Ok good news, got it started with a jump. Going to jump it in the morning go to Wally World exchange batteries and get on the road again.

 

[ke5eua]

Ok so it's 2pm cst and I'm eating my lunch letting the ndts cool down.

Put the new battery in this morning, strapped it down and no issues.

Truck runs cool, haven't gotten the finger yet for driving 50.

My plan so far is stopping every two hours to let my back relax and the tires cool down.

I couldn't be happier. 300 more miles, so 2 more stops then I'll be home on the 3rd.

Donny, you have made me so happy.

Only thing, and I knew this was a possibility of happening was getting behind the wheel and after a while my mind would wonder to my first deployment.

It had brought back a lot of memories but I think it is a good thing. I've been keeping those memories locked in davey jones locker for so long mabey they needed to come out, just on its terms not a shrinks.

 

[trooper632]

Michael glad to hear your happy with the truck and its going great, god speed the rest of the way, I think you'll have great success with it.

 

[DJones]