General Questions

[signalcorps]

When installing the floor, do the side baskets go on first and the floor goes over the edge of the basket mount or does the floor go on first and the basket mounts go on over the floor?

 

[signalcorps]

Does anyone know the size of the square tube used to make the top weapon mount?

 

[signalcorps]

How wide are the factory front wheels?

 

[Mogman]

IIRC the basket mounts go under the floor, you install the floor first using the center bolts (loosely), you start with the rear most piece and work forward

 

[signalcorps]

Thanks Mogman!

 

[Crapgame]

Does anyone know the size of the square tube used to make the top weapon mount?

Without an actual mount on hand, using existing reference photos and known thickness of the frame tubing at 1.5" OD, I would bet the sides are 2x2 in square tube: (I can't remember who HQ4 belongs to)


and the front cross piece is 2x4 rectangular tubing. (In my album this one is titled "Dan's FAV Weapons Mount") that may help determine the original owner:


The Mk16 Surface Socket Mount specs listed on the BMGParts.com MK16-MOD8-STAND - Browning Machine Gun Parts (bmgparts.com) lists the base as 5.25" x 5.25" square with the bolt holes 3 7/16" center to center (perhaps 3/8" thick?).
(BTW Current Sell Price for the Mk16 Socket Mount, without train stop option-FAV use the Mk64 traverse lock bar, is $989.95 as of 18 Sept 2023) The Train Stop collar is another $300. You can use one of these 2 Mk64 Travel Lock Bars, the one with the slotted tubing rear interfaces with the T&E, the other pins to the MK64 cradle, I'm not sure which is more correct for FAV program:


The weapons mount plate on the above original? example is rectangular, so possibly was specifically for the flange mount for the M220 TOW Traverse Head which requires a bolt pattern of 5.75" center to center on the long side and 4.125" center to center onthe short side. These number help eliminate 5" and 6" as the width of the front cross piece rectangular tubing.

Edit: Dave C sold his in 2020 but I messaged him on FascistBook if he remembers any dimensions for the weapons mount.

 

[signalcorps]

That's the best photo I've ever seen of the weapon mount. I never noticed the gussets before. I am going to attempt to build it. Your info is SUPER!!!!!!
Thank You.

 

[Crapgame]

Surpise! Another Gusset! On the VIC1 Intercom Crew Box Mounts, Courtesy of David C:

 

[signalcorps]

I didn't see that one either. So the VIC-1 box fit snug against a gusset on each side?

 

[Crapgame]

This is the M220 TOW Missile System Traverse Head Flange off a HMMWV M1025 turret and there is another inside the crew compartment by the front passenger seat. Pedestal 557936. Its a cast aluminum part. I bet they just cut off the exterior two bolt tabs to make it fit on that rectangular steel plate on the "late" (as opposed to "early" bed frame breakaway mount, or trials breakaway weapons mount, we have no official nomenclature for this program) I have a couple of these off M1025A2 turrets if somebody needs one . I'll mess with it some more to help narrow down the overall length and width of that weapons mount plate.


Edit: Army Wisdom: Those internal bolt holes that mount the flange to the HMWMV Turret Weapons Station aka Tray and the Pedestal Mount inside the crew compartment, they are not equally spaced apart! Here is one of the drawings I made, showing an average spacing, that would need a 4.5" wide x 7.25" long mount plate, but with the front bolt holes 3 7/16" center to center the rear two 3 3/16" center to center. The 4.5" x 7.25" is allowing 1/2" between the center of the bolt hole and each side.

 

[Crapgame]

Side View, clearest photo of nearly 90 degree I can find, I'm sorry I can't remember who originally shot the photo of a FAV on display in a shopping mall or something:


It appears the overall length is a bit shorter at the rear (minus 0.5"?) than the overall length of the chassis top bars, the front cross bar is likely even with the front edge of the 1.5" OD A Pillar cross tube.

Fabricate the side square tubing to be the exact length of the chassis top sides so that if/when an original mount is examined you can always trim it to the exact length, if you care about that sort of detail? There are at least 3 of these "late" weapons mounts in existence, HQ4, Tan 107 at the North Dakota body shop, and Dave C's that he sold to the new owner in the Florida Keys.

A round stock lug welded near each front corner 0.625" to 0.75" OD, drilled and tapped for two bolts to secure the bracket strap under the side tube, the bracket strap appears to be wider than the height of the side tube (1.5" OD) so possibly 2" wide 0.125" flat bar? The distance from the corner to the center of the lug looks to be about the same width as the square tubing itself so 2" back from the inside corner?


Then referring back to the unequal spacing of the TOW T&E Pedestal bolt holes, examining the socket/TOW Pedestal mount plate, to my eyes the spacing between the rear holes appears to be closer than the fronts, as well as the space between the rear bolt holes and the plate sides looks thicker than the front, confirming the orientation of the TOW Pedestal on the plate?

 

[Mogman]

How wide are the factory front wheels?

I am not sure I understand, are you asking rim width?

 

[Crapgame]

The Operators -10 Page 1-3 & 1-4 is showing Front 5-lug 15x5 wheel, another source stating with E78-15 National Tire "Commando" Radials that are discontinued. A NOS pair sold on Instagram last year for $150-Mickey Thompson 4 ply Mini Mag might be a good substitute.



Rear 5-lug 15x5 offset with 31.0 x 11.50R15 BFG Radials, the 31.0x11.50R15 size being discontinued.

 

[Mogman]

Mine had plain ol LT street tires. and a totally worn out spare, evidently what they were putting on in Nevada
And the BFG Radials, the 31.0x11.50R15 on the rear and two spares IIRC

 

[signalcorps]

Someone answered me. The fronts are 5 inch wide rims. Thanks

 

[signalcorps]

Does anyone know the part number for front and rear Bilstein or other brand shocks?

 

[Crapgame]

Does anyone know the part number for front and rear Bilstein or other brand shocks?

Most would have a number stamped into the main housing tube. or engraved. You may have to pull the shock then do max expansion and minimum collapsed length.

 

[Mogman]

I have the numbers for the rear I think, might take a couple days, I conversed with Bilstein and they said those were European numbers and useless to them

 

[signalcorps]

I looked over the 2 front and rear shocks I have and could not find any stampings on them. The photos I see of new shocks have a part number printed on them but mine have been painted CAMO so no numbers.

 

[signalcorps]

Has anyone repro'd the plate for the Engine protection system on the dash? Can anyone please post a photo of an original plate? I have a photo of my old FAV dashboard with the engine protection but the words on it have faded so bad I cant even make them out. Thanks.