Another M543a2 joins the big tire crowd - 16.00's are on...

[wanderingwillys]

Also FINALLY got some time to get some paint on the side of the crane so I could re-hang the new operators booth (the OEM one was kinda crunched with a big old forklift mark across the front edge...)

It's a bit of a pain to get all the hose routed properly; the main return line and pressure feed for the two boom lift cylinders are a particular bear...

It got dark prior to getting everything buttoned up but the booth is on with a few service bolts and I am going to finish off the hoses soon...

Did get to swap out all the rotten wood blocks for the ones I made from ABS and they fit nicely!

Matt

 

[srodocker]

hehe nice! i was over watching brad and dan figure out how to get that engine on the trailer. as the pallet broke and brad was running around trying to see what equipment he could use to get the other side up heheh

 

[BKubu]

Great job! The truck is really coming along.

 

[lilnorske]

She's looking great! Bummed I'm missing out on all the fun, but I'll be there to help bring the cletracs back to life

 

[wanderingwillys]

Well 7 hours of working in the rain was about as much fun as getting your stomach pumped... But it needs to get done...

I managed to get all the hydraulics reconnected and the cab bolted up... Fastened all the clips for the new hose blocks I made and pulled the 2nd hydraulic "fuse" out of the boom retract line and replaced it with a home run line.

Also got the hoist motor hung and the hydraulics to it connected...

Finally pulled the outriggers out (one needs a little tug still, dirt trapped under it) so they can be replaced and next weekend we can lift the bed onto the chassis!

Need to secure the main hydraulic pump driveshaft and scrounge up a power divider out of the spare bits then we can sling the bed from the outriggers and have the truck and crane make friends!

 

[srodocker]

nice!!!

 

[wsucougarx]

very nice. Looking great!!!

 

[R Racing]

Nice job !!! Thats going to be a BEAST when its done !! I was wondering were you got the nice clean plain jane rubber mud flaps from ??

 

[wanderingwillys]

Nice job !!! Thats going to be a BEAST when its done !! I was wondering were you got the nice clean plain jane rubber mud flaps from ??

Thanks - the flaps were from Six Robblee's - which is a west coast trailer equipment supplier... Might be able to get the manufacturer from them or have a pair shipped - I think they were like 8 bucks each! Cost more to ship than buy...

You're welcome to this pair once I get the bed on as it has it's own flaps built in... just pay shipping and they're yours

Matt

 

[R Racing]

YES I NEED A SET LOL !! JUST PM ME SHIPPING and we get the ball rolling lol . THANK YOU !!

Jim

 

[zoto6ixty]

Great job!

Looks good, I have one of my own too and have just got started. I am wondering about the wheels you used specifically the type and what lug nuts were used. I have bought a set of 16.00x20 with 10 lug wheels but they wont fit. Can you help?
thanks

 

[wanderingwillys]

The wheel is the M-series 5-ton Combat rim with the 5/8" studs, 20 stud rims... They use a 3/8" cross section o-ring to seal the rim and make them a tubeless wheel; the bolt pattern is a 10 lug Budd pattern...

The tires are michelin XZL 16.00r20 with the mil spec square bead shoulders made for these rims.

What is causing the issue? - bolt pattern, offset, rim to drum clearance, ect?

I am using the OEM lug nuts - I have the tube nuts on the rears at the moment until I get some more front lug nuts for the rears since I have gone super single...

More info on your problem is needed

 

[wanderingwillys]

Up she goes...

Well I had a pretty grim night friday evening after trying to spin the Duece and trailer in my driveway - decided to try and drive around to the second driveway - it didn't work so well in the pouring rain and she ended up stuffed into a creekbed up to the front axle - now I really have to get the wrecker working! I did get the Cletrac off the trailer prior to making the final move that sank the truck; all the grass had standing water on it and the truck just slid sideways down the hill instead of backing up...

Oh well - life goes on; Jules will wait patiently for a tug...

Saturday went much better! We ended up rigging the bed and using Brad's yard wrecker to pick mine up and stage it so I could back under it... Minor hiccup when the forward chain loop hopped out of the hook as he set my bed up onto the back of his to steady it for moving forward!

She didn't fall, but kinda swung around and looked pretty sketchy... Managed to get where we could support it with the loader and re-rig it - went smoothly after that!

Still need to bump the bed about .5" forward and to the pass side - the rear u-bolts almost make it and the front is just a tad offset...

Tonight I changed out the clown hook that was on there and put a OEM Crosby on - need to clean out the cable termination fitting and get rid of the wire rope clamps but it's better; also made an adaptor to run the hoist motor with an electric drill so I could wind the cable onto the drum properly and get rid of the bridsnesting.

Took the power divider to the shop for overhaul and repair so that'll be the next step...

Matt

 

[srodocker]

ooo nice! cant wait to see her running

 

[wanderingwillys]

Just more eye candy...

Some more pics with the bed up on there - the truck got big in a hurry!

 

[srodocker]

how much he charge for a wrecker bed?

 

[wanderingwillys]

I bought the whole truck from him (well Jerry, actually) - just been building it slowly over the last year and a half - out of town too much but it's been going faster recently...

I dunno what he'd sell a bed for - I can ask him about trucks - likely in the 9-10k range - depends how much work they need...

He has 4 or 5 more project trucks - most are 816's - I think this was the last M-543 - might have a 900 series project as well...

Matt

 

[srodocker]

no need to ask have no money in that range. next purchase is some tires mmm 395s

 

[bratpackdad]

Mighty fine work! Looks like it's turning into a sweet truck.

 

[wanderingwillys]

no need to ask have no money in that range. next purchase is some tires mmm 395s

I know the feeling - there is a reason I am doing this one piece-meal... I watched a nice LVT-4 wander by for sale that I woulda loved to take home but 35K was way out of my budget and the logistics of a chunk like that are beyond me at the moment....

Some day...

After the Cletracs and a weasel or two