driving with one wheel/tire/axle off the ground

[Beerslayer]

Well I think a 14.5 spare would fit, but I might end up going with 15.5's and I'd rather use that space for another fuel tank anyway. The only spare I'd have would be carried on the trailer.

I was thinking to put another fuel tank in that space too.

What a great discussion!

How about this for simplicity? Cut a chain with a grab hook on one end, just the right length, and weld a tab with a hole in it to the truck bed frame that you could attach the other end of the chain to with a shackle?

I am thinking that you could raise the axle with a bottle jack, put a chain around the axle with a grab hook on one end, and the end with no hook could attach to your welded point with a shackle.

That should get you to the nearest llanteria.

Speaking of llanterias, were I going south I would run 11:00-20s.

 

[jesusgatos]

I was thinking to put another fuel tank in that space too.

What a great discussion!

How about this for simplicity? Cut a chain with a grab hook on one end, just the right length, and weld a tab with a hole in it to the truck bed frame that you could attach the other end of the chain to with a shackle?

I am thinking that you could raise the axle with a bottle jack, put a chain around the axle with a grab hook on one end, and the end with no hook could attach to your welded point with a shackle.

That should get you to the nearest llanteria.

Speaking of llanterias, were I going south I would run 11:00-20s.

Don't want to weld on these frames. Whatever I come up with will bolt onto the frame. Rather than having to wrap a chain around the axle though, I will probably weld-on some type of heavy-duty anchor-point. I'm thinking that will most likely be a couple of tabs that I can slip a bolt through. I'm just going to go sit down at my computer and draw something up. Stand by-

 

[chicklin]

I don't know what the question is. I've already explained why I don't want to carry more than one spare, but would like to have the peace of mind of being able to endure more than one flat.

Uh, isn't that exactly what I said? One spare and multiple extra tubes. First flat, put on the spare b/c it's quick and easy. Additional flats, break 'em down and repair/replace the tubes.

I don't know a darn thing about chaining up axles, so I can't really speak to the original question, but wouldn't this solution be a lot simpler/cheaper/easier?

 

[m109guy]

I'll never go anywhere? Well ****. I don't know what to do then, because I've already started moving out of my house and putting everything into storage. I'm planning to do some extensive traveling, and will be living out of this vehicle full-time for the next few years.

I would be really interested in hearing what you have planned for your M109 conversion. I could see living in the M109 for a couple of weeks at most, but a few years? You must have really come up with a interesting setup to be able to make use of all the available space in the back of the truck to be able to live it out of it for so long. Trust me, it may look big when empty, but once you start putting stuff in it, the space fills up fast.

Good luck on the project.

 

[chicklin]

I would be really interested in hearing what you have planned for your M109 conversion. I could see living in the M109 for a couple of weeks at most, but a few years? You must have really come up with a interesting setup to be able to make use of all the available space in the back of the truck to be able to live it out of it for so long. Trust me, it may look big when empty, but once you start putting stuff in it, the space fills up fast.

Good luck on the project.

Just read your page about your M109 RV conversion....all I can say is, wow.

 

[m109guy]

Just read your page about your M109 RV conversion....all I can say is, wow.

Thanks. It was a fun project. Did some camping with it this weekend and it worked out great. Though while it worked out well, I couldn't see myself living out of the truck full time. A couple weeks, maybe a month, yes. But it could get cramped pretty darn fast if living out of it for a very long time.

 

[drgreg]

What configuration is the trailer? If it uses the same wheel/tire combination could you use it as the donor rather than the truck? It sounds like you are going to have a good size load on the truck, so more wheels = better. If the trailer breaks your truck would not be messed up and you could get to civilization.

 

[jesusgatos]

Uh, isn't that exactly what I said? One spare and multiple extra tubes. First flat, put on the spare b/c it's quick and easy. Additional flats, break 'em down and repair/replace the tubes.

I don't know a darn thing about chaining up axles, so I can't really speak to the original question, but wouldn't this solution be a lot simpler/cheaper/easier?

Spare tubes are great, but what do you do when you blow-out a sidewall? And don't tell me it doesn't happen, or that it's not likely. That's not the point. I'm just trying to provide for one more 'what-if' scenario and I don't see what it could hurt to have a couple of extra brackets bolted to my frame that I'll probably never need to use.

I would be really interested in hearing what you have planned for your M109 conversion. I could see living in the M109 for a couple of weeks at most, but a few years? You must have really come up with a interesting setup to be able to make use of all the available space in the back of the truck to be able to live it out of it for so long. Trust me, it may look big when empty, but once you start putting stuff in it, the space fills up fast.

Good luck on the project.

...I couldn't see myself living out of the truck full time. A couple weeks, maybe a month, yes. But it could get cramped pretty darn fast if living out of it for a very long time.

Your 109 conversion was one of the first I found, and it helped to convince me that I could turn a Deuce into what I was looking for. I've designed the floorplan (and everything else) with living in it (and working out of it) indefinitely in mind. The floorplan makes pretty good use of space and there is room for just about everything that I'm planning to take with me. Plus, I'll have a12ft enclosed trailer that I'm building out of that M353 trailer chassis in-tow. That's going to be a fully-outfitted workshop and toy-hauler.

I've spent the last few months collecting parts and planning and learning everything I could about motorhomes. I've built a lot of off-road vehicles, but I knew NOTHING about RV's or plumbing or any of that crap at the beginning of this year.

But I'm pretty happy with the way that this project is turning out.
I'll start a build-thread soon, but it's not much to look at yet. So far I've only got the interior cleaned-up, the sub-floor (3/4" plywood) laid down, the 1/2" PEX tubing for the radiant heating (yes, radiant heating) all routed-out and laid into the sub-floor, and the vinyl flooring installed (mostly).

Davis Cabinets is helping me build-out the interior, and I spent a week over there with them framing-out all the cabinetry. I'm going to finish installing the flooring and I'm going to paint the inside of the box this week, and then next week I'm going back over to Eugene to finish building/staining/installing the cabinets.

 

[jesusgatos]

What configuration is the trailer? If it uses the same wheel/tire combination could you use it as the donor rather than the truck? It sounds like you are going to have a good size load on the truck, so more wheels = better. If the trailer breaks your truck would not be messed up and you could get to civilization.

It's an M353 that I bought from Ft. Lewis a few months ago. Yes, it uses the same lug pattern, and I'm planning on running the same wheels/tires. But aside from an absolute emergency, I'd rather not have to leave the trailer behind.

I'm trying to locate a 12ft Uhaul-type aluminum box to set on top of the chassis. It's already got a 90+ gallon belly-tank in it and the drop-frame will keep the overall height lower than the M109. Should be awesome when it's done.

 

[bulldawg]

It's been many years since I even thought about lifting tires as big as you are talking about. It might be worth buying 2 or 3 small ATV electric winches to raise the axle and on your gin pole on the trailer. Work smarter not harder. All joking aside, using mechanical stuff to move heavy objects is much safer than doing it by hand (especially when in the boonies with no dustoff available).

 

[jesusgatos]

It's been many years since I even thought about lifting tires as big as you are talking about. It might be worth buying 2 or 3 small ATV electric winches to raise the axle and on your gin pole on the trailer. Work smarter not harder.

Exactly zero tires will be lifted by me. I took a spare tire with me when I went to pick up my trailer and had to use a dirt bike ramp to get it up into the van. I don't have any delusions about being able to He-Man those bitches.

 

[jesusgatos]

Alright, here are a few screen captures of a quick model of what I'm thinking might work pretty well. It's not to scale, and I haven't put too much thought into the best way to do this yet, but I wanted to move past the 'why' and talk a bit more about the 'how'. Constructive feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Hammer]

Use those kind of things on my tow trucks. Work great.
Just make it THICK, but not so thick the chain won't fit through and hook into easily.

 

[StrykerPez]

Holy ****!! y'all argue more than my state mandated anger management support group!!! Damn!

So basically, your question, if you were to somehow drive through a field of nails and old rebar and go through ALL your spare tires, in the middle of nowhere, would it be OK to chain up the rear axle to get you somewhere safe? YES. In an EMERGENCY you can remove the wheels on the rear bogie to use them as spares and then drive somewhere so you can fix your tires... fine. Not a long distance idea; you basically cut you load carrying capacity in half.

 

[mudguppy]

... Constructive feedback would be appreciated.

well, since that is exactly what i designed in my mind, i'll have to say those are absolutely perfect.

on edit: one thing that i would add is some way to capture/retain the free end of the chain through the upper bracket - maybe a piece that came off the bottom so that you could zip-tie the free end down so it doesn't bounce and let the chain come out of the slot....?

 

[jesusgatos]

Haha. Thanks, I knew that you and I were on the same page. I thought the simplest way to secure the chain would be to run a bolt or piece or wire or a zip-tie through the loose end to secure it to the length of chain that would be under tension. I don't work with Chains much though - there might be a better way to do it. Anyone have any bright ideas?

I'm going to spend a little bit more time on the design, and then I'm going to have some of these brackets cut and formed. Then we'll see how they work...

 

[chicklin]

Alright, here are a few screen captures of a quick model of what I'm thinking might work pretty well. It's not to scale, and I haven't put too much thought into the best way to do this yet, but I wanted to move past the 'why' and talk a bit more about the 'how'. Constructive feedback would be appreciated.

Would you even need the lower bracket? I don't have a truck to look at, but I was thinking you'd just loop the chain under the axle. Might save a little work and no modifications to the axle.

 

[jesusgatos]

Would you even need the lower bracket? I don't have a truck to look at, but I was thinking you'd just loop the chain under the axle. Might save a little work and no modifications to the axle.

Need? Probably not, but I'd rather have a bracket there than have to loop it around the axle. That much weight supported by a chain would maul the axlehousing if I was driving on rough terrain. That lower bracket that I designed would bolt under the lower link mount, but I might redesign that. Have to take another look under the truck to see if I can come up with any better ideas.

 

[jrou111]

I was out trail riding and had a dog bone come off. I had to chain up the front-rear axle to get it home. It took all of 5 min to do that and 30 min to get the tires in the bed

It's not a difficult job. BTW make sure you level the axle with the other one AND with each side. Mine had shifted up and sideways when I got on the road and put alot of strain on the differential. Anytime I would let off the gas to coast the rear would make a horrible noise.

 

[mudguppy]

... I thought the simplest way to secure the chain would be to run a bolt or piece or wire or a zip-tie through the loose end to secure it to the length of chain that would be under tension. ...

the simplest is usually the best - sounds like a winner to me!!