• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

M1010 for my daughter the field biologist

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
paint your Lisle 12400

If you get the Lisle 12400, I recommend painting it a very bright color. I end up doing much of my work at night, outdoors with a work light, and a black tool can be hard to spot among the black belts and the black engine parts. It would be very easy to leave that tool in among your belts, not see it upon final inspection, and start the engine with disastrous results. I dropped mine in among the belts several times, and had trouble finding it sometimes. This worried me enough that I made it a point to locate that tool before starting the engine, just to be sure it wasn't down among my belts again. Mine is yellow now.

photo (1).jpglisle12400.jpg
 

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
Spare tire storage, and changing a tire

Since I needed to take off the front wheels to replace the kingpin springs to fix my death wobble, I figured this would be a good time to rotate the tires, and test out the gear and process for changing a flat -- massive failures on several levels.

First, the spare tire carrier defeated me. I eventually used the jack on the carrier (4) to hold the tire up while I did battle with the screw (5) that keeps the tire in place.
spare.JPG
I tried to imagine my daughter doing this by the side of the road, in muddy or snowy conditions. There has to be a better way. Has anyone developed a better mechanism for holding the spare under the bed? I know some folks mount them on the bumper, but we use the doors all the time, and that would be massively inconvenient. Some talk about mounting them on the door, but that's a lot of weight on a structure not designed to handle such weight. Front bumper would interfere with the radiator, and look like ****. I've seen roof mounts, but this truck is already top heavy enough. I think under the bed is the right place, but surely there must be a better way... Has anyone tried using the cable & windlass approach Chevy uses on other vehicles?

Once I got the spare out, I cleaned off the decades of mud and rock that had accreted to the upper side of the wheel. The tire looks like it has never been used. I drove on it for a few miles, and the newly-appeared sidewall cracking makes me think it might be original equipment. Failure number 2, clearly a candidate for near-term replacement.

The third failure was with my 24V impact wrench. The documentation says it's rated for 380 lbs of torque. Ha! It can neither break loose a lug nut, nor torque one to 140 lbs. I used a breaker bar for the former, and a torque wrench for the latter. Once the impact wrench had given its all, the torque wrench needed another 1/4 turn to torque the lug nuts to 140 ftlbs. I'm debating whether the torque wrench is useful enough to keep in the truck. We'll see...
impactwrench.jpg

The fourth failure was that the rear wheel was rusted to the truck. No amount of pounding, kicking, levering, lowering and raising would break it free. So I put the lug nuts on a little loosely and drove it back and forth a couple of times, braking vigorously. That broke it free. I cleaned up and treated the rust. Had the tire been flat, I don't know what I'd have done... Probably use a can of fix-a-flat to get it inflated enough to drive on it so I could break it loose. Yuck!

The fifth failure was the jack. The truck came with a 6-ton bottle jack with a flat round head on the ram. Not cool. It was enough to lift the truck onto blocks, but I'd not ever use it without a wheel on the truck. Clearly another candidate for near-term replacement. What do CUCV owners carry for a jack one might use to change a flat by the side of the road? This jack/stand combination looks interesting, though perhaps more cheaply made than I'd prefer, but is there a better option? I'm looking for something effective that's also compact enough to live in the truck.
jack.jpg

Changing tires is quite a project in my driveway on a sunny day. I hate to think about my daughter doing it at night in inclement weather in the mud. If there are mods to make this easier, I'd love to learn about them. I did search... As it stands now, I'd tell her to call StateFarm if she gets a flat. AAA doesn't service trucks this big, so I got StateFarm's RV roadside assistance service. Compared to the big RVs they service, the CUCV is easy.

I appreciate any suggestions from those with MV experience. I'm making progress with this truck, and learning a lot, but it seems I have a long way to go.
 
Last edited:

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,808
113
Location
GA Mountains
The cable hoist deal from a later truck would work fine. They can be had dirt cheap from the pick a part places. Get one from a late GM van that had 8 lug rims. You will need to add a crossmember for it. This is a great location for a spare but they need to come out every so often. They are way out of sight and way out of mind most times. The factory screw jack will work but it's a pain. For now I use a bottle jack but I also pack 4x4 cribbing. In a flat situation I drive the flat up on the 4x4 so that the minimal travel on a bottle jack will work. Lugnuts! Well, I'll get called a fanboy for this but I have the Milwaukee M18 impact I travel with. Mine is the older 2663 model but the lug nuts don't stand a chance against it. When I installed the 255 tires, I mounted them myself and went to Walmart for balance. One look and they wouldn't even think about bringing the truck in. With my bottle jack and that impact I pulled and installed 4 tires and stayed ahead of the balance guy time wise. They have an even bigger 1000#ft impact now that is calling my name.
 
Last edited:

ODFever

Madness Takes Its Toll...
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,011
73
48
Location
Orlando, FL
I'm thankful you are so forward thinking.

Are you sure that AAA won't touch the M1010 for a tire change? I have used AAA many times to have my M1009 loaded on a flatbed and hauled to my mechanic. I've never made a service call. The M1010 is a pickup; I don't see why they'd have a problem with it. I think the key is what you tell the agent that creates the service call. If you tell them you have a 1 ton SRW pickup with a flat, they might not question it and send a standard wrecker for assistance. Don't mention RV to AAA unless you buy the RV coverage. Standard AAA, AAA Plus, or AAA Gold will assume you have either a Class A or a Class C and you'll have problems if you say RV.

I have the factory jack mounted under the passenger seat of my M1009. I've never used it, and have no plans on ever using it. I bought a heavy duty (ie TALL) bottle jack from Harbor Freight. I zip tied it to the spare tire holder in the back. I also zip tied a cross bar lug wrench to the spare tire carrier. I know that our trucks are quite a bit different. I'm sure you could find a place to stow a bottle jack and a 12 inch long pressure treated 8x8 block of wood to act as cribbing. You could try a bumper jack, but I don't know if CUCVs are suitable for their use. I keep a 12 volt tire pump in the back of my truck as well. It takes a VERY long time to air up a tire, but having it is a lot better than needing it and not having it.
 

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
Are you sure that AAA won't touch the M1010 for a tire change?
No, I'm not sure. My M1010 replaced a C3500 crew cab dually that was about 3' longer and 18" wider than the M1010. AAA wouldn't touch that C3500, so I had to go to the StateFarm RV service. I just kept it when I switched to the M1010.
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,808
113
Location
GA Mountains
I have AAA Premier and they have towed my M1008 with a steel topper before. No issues at all. Remains to be seen if they will touch my ambulance. The high lift is certainly a viable alternative and if your daughter will be deep in the bush, she should have one anyways! They are mega useful but do learn their limitations before heading out.

On a slight side road, did you ever look for the 28V Anderson connector in the back?
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,993
4,541
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Since I needed to take off the front wheels to replace the kingpin springs, I figured this would be a good time to rotate the tires, and test out the gear and process for changing a flat -- massive failures on several levels.

Changing tires is quite a project in my driveway on a sunny day. I hate to think about my daughter doing it at night in inclement weather in the mud. If there are mods to make this easier, I'd love to learn about them. I did search... As it stands now, I'd tell her to call StateFarm if she gets a flat. AAA doesn't service trucks this big, so I got StateFarm's RV roadside assistance service. Compared to the big RVs they service, the CUCV is easy.
That was a bad day for sure on a whole lot of levels.

I'm a big believer in Roadside Assistance, but of course you need to be on a road to get the assistance (i.e., off-road, and you're "up the creek").

Also keep in mind the Catch-22 of all insurance (even the roadside assistance):

- you pay the premiums for the service

- but if you ever USE the service, then the kindly insurance companies immediately jack-up your premium (wash, rinse, repeat).
 

ODFever

Madness Takes Its Toll...
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,011
73
48
Location
Orlando, FL
jpg - I just got off the phone with AAA. I have Plus coverage which includes 100 miles of free towing. I asked them if there were any modifications I would need to make to my coverage level if I purchased either a Ford F350 Quad Cab 8' Bed DRW or comparable GM 3500 series truck. The agent put me on hold and spoke to a roadside assistance specialist for further information. The agent came back and told me that the truck I inquired about is covered as long as it doesn't have monster truck tires on it or a major lift kit installed. I also inquired about the RV package. She said the base RV level coverage is needed for travel trailers up to 32 feet. Anything larger than that requires the higher level package. I also inquired about AAA Premier. It includes 200 miles of towing, and would add an additional $40 per year to my bill every year. I hope this information assists you. Give AAA another shot. I firmly believe in having backup plans. My car insurance roadside assistance and towing is my last resort. I use AAA for towing, but only when absolutely necessary. I prefer repairing my vehicles in my driveway than on the side of the road.
 

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,993
4,541
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Anything larger than that requires the higher level package. I also inquired about AAA Premier. It includes 200 miles of towing, and would add an additional $40 per year to my bill every year. I hope this information assists you. Give AAA another shot.
An additional $3-$4/ month, for the added service, sure seems pretty reasonable.
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,808
113
Location
GA Mountains
I have Premier and I swear by it. Now that all I have are CUCVs, it just makes sense. I bought my DD in Miami 96 miles away. Since I hadnno one to drive it back I called AAA. The guy towed it without complaint. I did give him a nice tip though.
 

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
jpg - I just got off the phone with AAA. I have Plus coverage which includes 100 miles of free towing. I asked them if there were any modifications I would need to make to my coverage level if I purchased either a Ford F350 Quad Cab 8' Bed DRW or comparable GM 3500 series truck. The agent put me on hold and spoke to a roadside assistance specialist for further information. The agent came back and told me that the truck I inquired about is covered as long as it doesn't have monster truck tires on it or a major lift kit installed. I also inquired about the RV package. She said the base RV level coverage is needed for travel trailers up to 32 feet. Anything larger than that requires the higher level package. I also inquired about AAA Premier. It includes 200 miles of towing, and would add an additional $40 per year to my bill every year. I hope this information assists you. Give AAA another shot. I firmly believe in having backup plans. My car insurance roadside assistance and towing is my last resort. I use AAA for towing, but only when absolutely necessary. I prefer repairing my vehicles in my driveway than on the side of the road.
I have had AAA Premier for decades, for all drivers in my family.

In 2010, I had to move 2 vehicles 400 miles with 1 driver, so I put the S10 on a trailer and towed it with the C3500 crew cab dually. Half way there, I had a problem with the C3500. I called AAA and, after sending several tow guys who couldn't tow my C3500, they told me they don't tow things that large. I asked if I could upgrade to some other service to get it covered, and they said, "No". So I unloaded the S10, drove home and got what I needed to fix the C3500, drove back, fixed it, put the S10 back on the trailer, and went home.

Note that I was only asking them to tow the disabled C3500. I'd have followed with the S10 towing the empty trailer.

When I got home, I signed up for StateFarm RV coverage. When I had a brake line rupture years later, they towed me no problem. I did make it very clear to the dispatcher the weight and dimensions of the vehicle, so this time the first tow guy showed up with an adequate vehicle. I had learned from my AAA experience that it was not enough to say "C3500 crew cab dually". I had to tell them 8' wide, 23' long and 8000 lbs.

Yes, it would have been better to have what I needed with me. No, it wasn't practical to just buy what I needed locally.

5 years ago isn't so long, but perhaps AAA has changed their offerings since then. Or maybe the persone handling my case screwed up. I just know that with their premier service, they sent me 3 tow vehicles that were each too small to handle my truck, then they told me they can't help me, and they don't cover vehicles like my C3500. (They also didn't tow motorcycles when I needed it, which I also learned the hard way. I see they have a motorcycle service now.)

My M1010 is 4' shorter, 15" narrower, and 18" taller then that C3500, but the loaded weight is about the same. Maybe AAA would handle it. I haven't tried. I still have my StateFarm RV service. I know they will come if I need them.
 
Last edited:

Drunkle Scuzzy

New member
115
1
0
Location
San Francisco, CA
I've had AAA tow my M1010. I have the basic package, they put it on a flatbed and towed it to the mechanic. Be sure to measure the height of your rig on the flatbed and make sure the driver is aware of it, mine almost took it under an underpass that was too short... that would have been really bad. I simply gave the dispatcher the weight, height and width of the truck and it was no problem.

Reading all these stories of spare tire troubles I am going to make sure my tire and equipment are up to par before the next trip. Looking underneath the truck I finally figured out what the 'random, un-needed' padlock key that came with the truck was. It belongs to the padlock keeping the spare locked in place under the truck. I put that key back on the key ring. (So glad I didn't throw the key away, little voice in my head was right)
 
Last edited:

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,993
4,541
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
I've had AAA tow my M1010. I have the basic package, they put it on a flatbed and towed it to the mechanic. Be sure to measure the height of your rig on the flatbed and make sure the driver is aware of it, mine almost took it under an underpass that was too short... that would have been really bad. I simply gave the dispatcher the weight, height and width of the truck and it was no problem.
Yes, that WOULD have been bad; never would have thought to mention it to the bud. But you're right.
 

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
Jack/jack-stand combination

I used this jack/jack-stand combination tonight. It's not the highest quality tool I've ever used, but for less than $50 from Sears, it's safer than a bottle jack, and takes up less space than a bottle jack and a jack stand. The head is a little safer than the flat disk on most bottle jacks. This has replaced the bottle jack that came with my truck. I plan to use this to fix flats on the road.

The jack stand component has about a 8-12" of adjustment. You place it under the axle, raise the jack stand to nearly touch the axle, and insert the hitch pin. Then you use the bottle jack to raise it another ~8". Teeth and a pawl on the back then lock the jack stand in place, taking the load off the bottle jack. For me, this eliminated the need for cribbing and blocks.

jack.jpg
I read reviews that spoke of how this jack failed on first use, spraying oil around. Either they've fixed the problems or I got lucky and got a good one.
 

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
m1010 lower alternator belt

I'm maxed out on the range of adjustment for my lower alternator. The 52" Dayco belt has about 1,000 miles on it, and it's stretched to the point that I need to replace it. I wanted to go with a shorter belt, so it won't stretch out, and in hopes of gaining some clearance for the lower radiator hose. A 49" belt would be perfect, except when new it's too short to mount. Tomorrow, I go in search of a 50" belt.

I'm running without a lower alternator belt now, so I don't carve up my shiny new lower radiator hose. I have the GP Resistor Bypass mod, so my glowplugs run off the front battery. The rear battery is only used for starting. I put it on a maintenance charger tonight, and it indicated fully charged, even after starting the truck half a dozen times today. I knew it's a big battery, and the truck doesn't require much cranking at all to start, but I wasn't sure how hard I was being on the battery. It doesn't even seem to notice.

So my plan is to keep the rear battery on the maintenance charger when the truck is in the driveway. That will keep me going while I look for a solution to my lower alternator belt chewing through my lower radiator hose.

I bought a 19" straight dayco hose, in case I can't make the K30 hose work. I need to get my alternator belt sorted out before I know if I'll need that.

Helpful hint. I did my Advanced Auto Parts transactions on line, with in-store pick-up. That way, you can return items without a receipt. You just look up the order number in the e-mail it sends you confirming your order. This works better for me.

I'm not finding M1010 belt info anywhere, so I'll list what came on mine:
15450 11A1145 (power steering) Correct.
15520 13A1320 (lower alternator) Should have been 17510.
15600 11A1525 (upper alternator) Should have been 17585.
17585 13A1485 (A/C) Should have been 17590.
These were DAYCO Gold belts, which quickly stretched to the point of uselessness. It took less than 2000 miles. I'll be replacing them with something better.

Gleaned from TMs and wbparts.com:
Part#ApplicationNSNDAYCO style part numbers
42-6919 Upper Alt 3030-00-081-5436 175851759017591
42-6921 Lower Alt 3030-00-357-5506 1751017511
42-5023 PS 3030-01-148-2792 154501545515456
42-4877 A/C 3030-01-043-6749 15590155951560015605
 
Last edited:

ODFever

Madness Takes Its Toll...
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,011
73
48
Location
Orlando, FL

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
The shortest belt I can mount on the lower alternator is 51". It still rubs the lower radiator hose badly. So tomorrow I go to work on moving/torturing/trimming/replacing that hose, to get it out of the way.

The truck came with a 1/2" belt on the lower alternator, but the TM says it should be 0.650". That partially explains why it stretched so quickly.
 
Last edited:

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
I got my belts figured out and tensioned properly. Details here. Oops. Really figured out here.
I got my radiator hose out of the way of the lower alternator belt. Details here. I added antifreeze to bring the concentration up to snuff for New England winter.
In the process, I discovered a long-ago battery acid leak had eaten through one of my battery mount legs, and the inner fender. Details here.
My blower motor squeaks, so I picked up a new one at Auto Zone. Details here.
Tried adding the Stanadyne additive to my fuel. It changed the engine sound from a rattle to a hum. Details here.
I test-drove it, and the radiator hose leaked. I replaced the hose clamp and switched to a no-pressure radiator cap to limp home. Details here.
 
Last edited:

jpg

Member
611
15
18
Location
Boston, MA
I would be genuinely surprised to have you come back with advice from LN that the nested setup is okay - if so, I'll eat an extra taco (because let's be honest hats aren't that tasty... [thumbzup])
Interesting data point: I had to run without my lower (24V) alternator belt for a while, because it was eating my lower radiator hose. I put the rear battery on a little maintenance charger whenever the truck was in the driveway, as a stop-gap measure while I got the belt/hose issue figured out.

When I put the belt back on, after a few days, I ran the engine and tested the battery voltages. The rear battery was getting 15.3V, and the front battery read 13.1V. It occurred to me that this might be the "voltage regulator confusion" issue you mentioned before. The issue "went away" after a while. I imagine the rear battery was absorbing lots of amps at first, and that confused the upper (12V) alternator's voltage regulator. Once the rear battery was fully charged, the system stabilized with both batteries at 14.2V. The battery mfg says to keep the charge voltage below 16, so this all seems OK.

I mention this because you expected interference, and were surprised the Leece engineers said this looped Plan B approach was OK. So you were right, the 12V alternator's voltage regulator did get confused, but it returned to the desired equilibrium without straying outside acceptable limits. The front battery charging at 13.1V for a while is less than ideal, but I can't see that this would do any harm.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks