M109A3 conversion in progress, setting the standard

[mastergunner53]

I got feedback my slide shows were not working, i found out u need to click the link at top left of the video screen on this site, so if u see repeat pics, it's because some of the guys could not see the slide.
I decided to install hardwood floors, i've seen campers and how the carpet looks after 1 weekend of camping!!! Now, i just sweep it out and maybe hit some spots w/ a rag, DONE DEAL!!

 

[mastergunner53]

In my cabinet work, i used solid oak stiles with solid oak drawer fronts and baltic birch pull out drawers with ball bearing glides. I wanted the pull out drawers under the counter so i do not have to kneel and crawl like a plumber! haha I finally got tired of trying used rv air conditioners, so i stepped up and bought a new 11,000 btu A.C. unit, roof mounted.
The 1 confusing pic is my 40 gallon fresh water tank under the dinette seat with the pump in front of it, i included a city water hook up for using city water from a hose.

 

[mastergunner53]

Here are some of the cabinet work, sorry if i did not rotate some of the pics! haha I found a great deal on a propane stove and oven so i chopped the cabinets to make it fit! In the overhead cabinets aboue the dinette i now have a radio to keep me forgetting how much work this is!

 

[mastergunner53]

Above the sink in the overhead cabinet, i installed a 55 amp power converter, when running the generator or plugged into shore power it converts 115 volts to 12 volts to power the 12 v. lights,water pump,circuit boards for the fridge,water heater,radio,exhaust fan in bathroom and charges the house batteries at the same time.

 

[mastergunner53]

I just installed a onan/cummings r.v. generator in front of the pintle hitch, it is an 2800 watt propane fired unit. the propane runs great at all altitudes and compared to gas generators. it supplies full power to the camper with everything running!

 

[mastergunner53]

Here are some pics of a hitch i designed ,fabricated and welded, thank God i am a welder/fabricater. It was real fun figuring the layout for this one. I used 3/8" angle iron for the side mounts, then 3"X1/4" wall square tubing for receiver support. then i incorporated 3"angle to mount up along each side of the frame for extra support. in the rear outside of corner angles, i welded plates that bolt to the rear cross member to give side sway support. Under the receiver i welder a 5/8" support under the receiver that goes up the back of the cross tube. I made this unit so the end of the receiver is far enough to the rear of the vehicle so the trailers do not bind up against the rear corners of the van box. It helps to have the trailer to the rear of the bumperettes. I put this hitch close to a class 4. Everybody wants 1, but they do not want to pay for one? Oh well, i just tell them to figure it out and build 1 themselves, haha!

 

[RAYZER]

very good work! is the wood floor solid or engineered?

 

[mastergunner53]

Hi Ray, thank you! The floor are tongue and groove sections 3/8" thick x 8 "x 4" long. tHey clip together and are locked in place. They are removable if needed.
After seeing how dirty and messed up a carpeted R.V. is after a weekend, i decided to install the hardwood floor! Im happy i did because clean up is a breeze!
Richard

 

[wsucougarx]

uh...WOW!! Outstanding job!

 

[scottjhl]

<--- is drooling with envy... you have DEFINATLEY changed my ideas on what to do...

I am sure that both Rayzer and I both want to see picutres of the throne .

I take it that you basically disasembeled an rv getting those parts.

GREAT JOB! - I do like the video - look forward to part 3 with all the pictures incorporated (maybe its just me that likes the video) - but pictures do good too

SUBSCRIBED!!!

 

[jesusgatos]

Wow, looks like you've done a really nice job with that thing. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Clay James]

How are you keeping the cabinets closed during driving? I've been trying to think of the best way to latch mine.

 

[n2ojunkie]

Nice job, I have a ah "work in progress" but its usable. I really like the rv table and bed combo. How wide is that? I have a couple of pics of mine on here somewhere. Is the generator loud enough to keep you up at night being right under your bed like that? Can I ask why you went with such a big fridge? I could of picked up a full size rv fridge but decided against it due to the limited room.

You did a really nice job and i'm not saying anything bad, just asking.

 

[mastergunner53]

drawer catches

To Clay James,
good question!
I used hidden hinges for the doors, they are spring loaded to help stay closed. On the drawers inside i used rv type ball bearing glides that have a built in stop to resist opening during driving.
On the drawers for example under the fridge, i used an earth magnet catches that are behind the drawer face and match the earth magnet bored into the cabinet stile. In a couple of drawers, i think i need to install a double roller catch??
We will see after i do some good driving!

 

[mastergunner53]

N20junkie,
Well, mine is also in progress! I think it is about 32 or 33 inches wide by 6'-1" long. I plan to build a 1 foot extension with 2 legs in case i have a female to join me! It will be stowed upright on the future bathroom wall out of the way. It will clip on the sides of the 2 dinette seat frames with matching cushions.
As far as the generator, this one is a RV camp model, i believe it is under 70db. Good question about sleeping with it on, I haven't done that yet! haha I think i will not need it running while I sleep. If it is 100 degrees outside at night, then i think I shouldn't be camping in that weather!
I do have a shore power wired to the truck, so if I am at a campsite with shore power, then i can just plug the truck in and use the A.C.
At a camp site, it is not allowed to use the generator after a certain hour, although i prefer to be camping away from many other people.
OH, the fridge! haha Well, I'm Italian American and we like much food! haha. The width is not much wider than a small fridge, so i went tall too! I like the fact I have a freezer that gets down to 6 degrees! I really like a good old root beer float!!!
I guess i could of gone with a smaller unit, but i have enough counter space and I got this unit from my friend that owns an rv repair shop!
The new RV fridges are not cheap!!!! This one was 600 dollars and is in great shape.
Thanks for the nice words!!

 

[mastergunner53]

Scottjhl,
WOW, I changed someones ideas? Well, i think that is good? haha.
I have a pic of the throne in one of the pics, Yes, it is a flushing RV unit.
I did all the carpentry(cabinets,dinette and flooring myself, but the fridge,water heater and generator I bought from my RV repair friend,sink stove and toilet i got from a friend who had a blown up trailer!
Then i bought the AC unit new! OUCH!!!!!!
Some guy who lived in a RV trailer tried to kill himself and turned the propane on in the trailer at night, then he fell asleep and forgot about it, next morning he woke and lit a cigarette and the whole trailer blew up and burned his face and hands badly!!
He lived and now it is worse than death! SAD STORY!!!!
Well, the owner told me i can have anything in the trailer so I got the stove, sink, toilet and some lights!
I never saw a trailer after blowing up like that! It blew both ends of the trailer off,the roof was raised and all the interior walls were blown off! The trailer did NOT catch on fire!!! It flash burned everything!
It's funny u liked the video, many people could not get it to work and asked me for pictures instead! SOOOO, more pics it is!

Thanks sergeant!!!!

 

[mastergunner53]

tire clearance to propane tank compartments

to srodocker,
I backed the truck up on a steep berm until the rear drive axle was completely against the frame rubber snubbers. I had at least 2-1/2" inches clearance to the propane compartments.
I think this will give me room for my tire chains. Remember that is maxed out on the travel of the axle and i do not plan to be going fast at that extreme, so i feel the tire chains will be just fine!
Thanks for the good question!!!

 

[jesusgatos]

To Clay James,
good question!
I used hidden hinges for the doors, they are spring loaded to help stay closed. On the drawers inside i used rv type ball bearing glides that have a built in stop to resist opening during driving.
On the drawers for example under the fridge, i used an earth magnet catches that are behind the drawer face and match the earth magnet bored into the cabinet stile. In a couple of drawers, i think i need to install a double roller catch??
We will see after i do some good driving!

'slam-latches' are another good option.

 

[n2ojunkie]

N20junkie,
Well, mine is also in progress! I think it is about 32 or 33 inches wide by 6'-1" long. I plan to build a 1 foot extension with 2 legs in case i have a female to join me! It will be stowed upright on the future bathroom wall out of the way. It will clip on the sides of the 2 dinette seat frames with matching cushions.
As far as the generator, this one is a RV camp model, i believe it is under 70db. Good question about sleeping with it on, I haven't done that yet! haha I think i will not need it running while I sleep. If it is 100 degrees outside at night, then i think I shouldn't be camping in that weather!
I do have a shore power wired to the truck, so if I am at a campsite with shore power, then i can just plug the truck in and use the A.C.
At a camp site, it is not allowed to use the generator after a certain hour, although i prefer to be camping away from many other people.
OH, the fridge! haha Well, I'm Italian American and we like much food! haha. The width is not much wider than a small fridge, so i went tall too! I like the fact I have a freezer that gets down to 6 degrees! I really like a good old root beer float!!!
I guess i could of gone with a smaller unit, but i have enough counter space and I got this unit from my friend that owns an rv repair shop!
The new RV fridges are not cheap!!!! This one was 600 dollars and is in great shape.
Thanks for the nice words!!

Ok thanks, I'm 6'1" so it would be a tight fit for me. And I have my gf with me sometimes also so I use a fouton(spelling?) I had left over from my daughters room.

I like food also but I had my Hd and her sister with me for a weekend and after a case of beer, 12 pack of coke we stop had room left over for our food. It would be nice to have a bigger one but I like the counter space for my 32" flat screen I take with me sometimes lol.

I too have shore power most of the time, but would like to have. Gen set that's quiet enough to mount and use at night. I use it mostly for deer camp and it gets cold, I have the furnace and two deep cycle batteries but would hate to have them run low in the middle of the night and not have any heat lol.

I have a roof mounted ac unit I got off a rv at a scrap yard. I plugged it in and tried it and it was putting out cold air but I'm having second thoughts about cutting the roof. I'm now looking at a window unit and putting it in the the front window over the cab. I have looked and a 5000btu unit should fit and not hit the cab. That would put it in-between my bath and shower if I put the shower in.

 

[SCSG-G4]

N20junkie,

I have a 6500 btu/h unit in my M109 Pantry that keeps it cool in this SC heat. The Army had modified my front 'window' area so where I got the unit installed is a good sized gap above the cab. See more pics in my thread "A Different kind of M109 Conversion".