What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

[TechnoWeenie]

View attachment 678974

Got my GSS Air Ride seats back from the upholstery shop. Even included embroidered US stencils in the recycled shelter half canvases. These things are unreal and PERFECT. And I have the only two like them.

Those look awesome, just like mine! U.S. embroidery and all! Keep up the good work!

 

[someoldmoose]

Very nice seats. On my punch list.

 

[Jericho]

Nice seats !

 

[74M35A2]

Ummm, I haven't done anything to my 5 ton, so there.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

5 ton radio van, or did you put the box on?

It came exactly like that from the scrap heap. The previous owner kept everything stock and stopped working on it half way through the inside of the box (I'm guessing due to liner issue).

 

[simp5782]

Picked up the 818 and it needed a ride home. Not running, something minor and needs brakes cause it has no pedal at all. Replaced my water pump belt. again. It was loose and starting to shreek. I think it was a defect belt. I am hoping this will be my last water pump belt with the installation of a inline electric water pump before too long. Went ahead and flushed the system since I had some left over residue from the black pepper leak stop. Installed new LED's in the front. Replaced my RPM cable since my compressor discharge line burned it. Replaced the old air dryer that is my on shelf save my butt replacement. Degreased the whole engine bay and underside again. Mocked up my electric fan system I am going to install. I am going to add two more fans I believe and I can make it work. Maybe. Those little puppies are 24v and put out 3400cfm's each. Removed the seat back and seat bottom in preparation of adding my AC unit and replacement seat. and I hauled a little LMTV back home that is headed to Austin, TX.

 

[someoldmoose]

The two fans in your mock-up pic are more than enough. If you want more, that's cool but they draw a lot of amps. I would wire one to come on with the A/C and both with the temperature switch or if they are two speed then both on low for A/C and both on high for temp. I also have a full power over-ride switch in case the sensors drop out. If the radiator is clean and I presume the condenser is new then those two fans are even overkill. Never hurts to have more though.

Curious - where are you sourcing the electric water pump ? Would love to lose the mechanical.

 

[simp5782]

The two fans in your mock-up pic are more than enough. If you want more, that's cool but they draw a lot of amps. I would wire one to come on with the A/C and both with the temperature switch or if they are two speed then both on low for A/C and both on high for temp. I also have a full power over-ride switch in case the sensors drop out. If the radiator is clean and I presume the condenser is new then those two fans are even overkill. Never hurts to have more though.

Curious - where are you sourcing the electric water pump ? Would love to lose the mechanical.

Electric fans pull 6.2amps each., My condenser has 3 fans already mounted on it and will be going behind the cab. They draw 4.6amps each. Amps are not an issue at all. My manual fan clutch is on a switch so I can turn it on if I need air that bad. I generally gross 54 to 66,000lbs so the more air the better. especially with a tail wind.

Any electric inline water pump that is the right OD in side will work. 12 or 24v either way. Just need to know what size hose you want to put it on.

 

[someoldmoose]

cool, thanks

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I did some light swapping on the front end. I like LEDs, obviously, and I'm always looking for something better. I found it...

The old lights:
Trucklite 1st generation headlights - going strong for 3 years now.
Ebay 80w spot/flood lights - not military and made in China...but crazy bright.

The new lights:
JW Speaker 12/24v Mil-Spec headlights - Made in USA with correct military connectors
Whelen Pioneer Plus 24v scene lights - Made in USA and designed/built for fire service.

I've been trying to get rid of all the Ebay specials and get back to better lighting that was actual Mil surplus. Seems trivial, but I prefer to keep everything on the truck military. It doesn't have to be correct for the truck, but I prefer things to be surplus, or at least made in the USA, or made by me (still made in the USA). Oshkosh has been using the JW Speaker lights in their newer vehicles and there was a Whelen lighting upgrade kit for the HEMTTs that used the Pioneer series of lights.

I was on the fence with the new look after I finished installing them...until I took a stroll down the road. Those lights make a huge difference. They are here to stay.

The old ones


The new ones


Old and new comparison


Complete



I made all new connector cables for the batteries. I was able to use the old ones for a short while when I went to the 4 battery configuration but it wasn't very organized due to their lengths and some of the cables were showing their age. All the ends were soldered and finished with all new terminals and proper color marine heat shrink.



Most of my bed tiedowns are rusted solid on the inside. I've gotten some freed up but it's only a matter of time before I'll have to do it again. Decided to start over and replace them all so I can hit them with a little lube every now and then to keep them in good shape.

I found a different style than the standard tab version. Some of the hooks on the straps and chains I have don't work well with the tabs. This style is a direct replacement but uses a D-ring instead. I like these much better. They appear to have been used exclusively on the M548 Tracked Cargo Carrier.

 

[Buffalobwana]

Sweet. I'm diggin those lights. Let me get you my address so i can dispose of those old lights for you.

 

[Bhpdbrad]

Love the look of those lights!

I checked the JW Speaker site and did not see those same lights... What Model Number/Series are they and/or your source of supply?

Also, any blockage of the air intake on passenger side of front grill from the Whelen light(s)?

I did some light swapping on the front end. I like LEDs, obviously, and I'm always looking for something better. I found it...

The old lights:
Trucklite 1st generation headlights - going strong for 3 years now.
Ebay 80w spot/flood lights - not military and made in China...but crazy bright.

The new lights:
JW Speaker 12/24v Mil-Spec headlights - Made in USA with correct military connectors
Whelen Pioneer Plus 24v scene lights - Made in USA and designed/built for fire service.

I've been trying to get rid of all the Ebay specials and get back to better lighting that was actual Mil surplus. Seems trivial, but I prefer to keep everything on the truck military. It doesn't have to be correct for the truck, but I prefer things to be surplus, or at least made in the USA, or made by me (still made in the USA). Oshkosh has been using the JW Speaker lights in their newer vehicles and there was a Whelen lighting upgrade kit for the HEMTTs that used the Pioneer series of lights.

I was on the fence with the new look after I finished installing them...until I took a stroll down the road. Those lights make a huge difference. They are here to stay.

The old ones
View attachment 679480

The new ones
View attachment 679481

Old and new comparison
View attachment 679482

Complete
View attachment 679486


I made all new connector cables for the batteries. I was able to use the old ones for a short while when I went to the 4 battery configuration but it wasn't very organized due to their lengths and some of the cables were showing their age. All the ends were soldered and finished with all new terminals and proper color marine heat shrink.

View attachment 679487

Most of my bed tiedowns are rusted solid on the inside. I've gotten some freed up but it's only a matter of time before I'll have to do it again. Decided to start over and replace them all so I can hit them with a little lube every now and then to keep them in good shape.

I found a different style than the standard tab version. Some of the hooks on the straps and chains I have don't work well with the tabs. This style is a direct replacement but uses a D-ring instead. I like these much better. They appear to have been used exclusively on the M548 Tracked Cargo Carrier.

View attachment 679489

 

[Tinstar]

How about a source for those bed tie downs?
I like those a lot!

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Love the look of those lights!

I checked the JW Speaker site and did not see those same lights... What Model Number/Series are they and/or your source of supply?

Also, any blockage of the air intake on passenger side of front grill from the Whelen light(s)?

They are basically the Evolution 8700, which is the 1st generation, but have Mil connectors and a few other differences. JW Speaker has come out with a couple more generations now. I think, but don't hold me to it, that all the versions are multivolt. The civilian version will have are standard connector though. The ones I have are 12v/24v but I'm not sure if that was just for the military version.

When I first put the original top light in front of the air duct I didn't notice arena difference in flow. I think mainly because that area is recessed which still creates forced flow. The old lights were deeper and touched the screen over the hole. There is about an inch of space behind the new light. But lets be honest here...I don't think anything could hurt the flow anymore than the design itself. When I get around to it, my new MRAP blower motor will likely suck that light right into the duct though.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

How about a source for those bed tie downs?

I happened across them on Ebay. The seller had 16 total and I bought him out. Yesterday he listed 6 more and I bought those too. I need 22 to do a complete M923 bed so that worked out well. I'm not sure if he will list anymore or not though.

NSN 2540-00-919-2905
P/N 10950080

 

[Buffalobwana]

Are you rebuilding your truck one piece at a time? I'd like to poke through your "junk" pile.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Are you rebuilding your truck one piece at a time? I'd like to poke through your "junk" pile.

Yes...well kinda.

It's no fun driving a vehicle if you always have to worry about it breaking down. I just try to keep it in top shape so I can enjoy it. Some of it involves new parts but I rebuild/repair/fabricate parts too. My truck is probably a little over 50% NOS parts at this time. And honestly I'm probably only a few large parts shy of having a complete truck in boxes of NOS spare parts.

I have no doubts about my truck when I take it out. It can be a lot of work to keep it that way but that's just part of the hobby for me. I just try to be very proactive on my maintenence and repairs. If I ever get behind on them I'll end up with the same thing as my very first vehicle I bought...a nice truck, turned into a scrap truck, with much time and money invested but nothing to show for it in the end. One of life's expensive lessons for me.

Junk pile, haha. I have no room for one of those. Working out of a two car garage leaves me severely lacking on space. I do keep a few old things but mainly for sentimental value. For instance, I still have my original shutterstat and fan clutch. Those two objects were completely foreign to me when I first got the truck. I could've just replaced them but I did the research to get rebuild kits and on how to rebuild them. This turned out to be very profitable because I rebuilt a large amount of both for a local guy who paid handsomely for the work. That's not why I kept my originals though...



It's because those are the only ones I could never get to work right no matter how many times I tried, go figure. I kept trying though because i wanted to know why I was unsuccessful. They are sentimental because they were failures. The greatest thing I've learned in life is that if you learn nothing from a failure, then it really was one.

Well, I got to rambling a bit but stay tuned for Swamp Donkey's Life Lessons Part 2. I'll shut up now.

 

[gottaluvit]

Finally installed the new hood insulation that I robbed from the hood I got from ss member jbulach. The holes didn't match and my hood actually had two more of those spot welded attachment "nails" than the new hood. Glad my hood still had all the push washers and red protective caps. I concluded them "nails" just get attached at random. I also cut down a set of wiper blades that were originally for an MRAP, that I had from some service kits, and installed them. Tuesday she got a six hour post winter go over. Then yesterday drove it 250 miles roundtrip to south Columbus pulling an M1082 trailer fully loaded on the return. Next week I am off to Findlay with a fully loaded M1082 and the covered M929 as my "quarters".

 

[farmerboywyotech]

Finally got the drop hitch finished for the old girl. Not to bad if I do say so myself.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[gimpyrobb]

OWWWW

My neck!