Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

[mdd0127]

I finally got a spot cleared and leveled to park the M292A2 and when I tried to expand it, everything is rusted stuck. The 4 square lock bolts on the sides and the main side extending mechanisms are just stuck. I tried WD40 but it feels like the bolts will twist off before it lets go. It's going to be really hard to get any lube inside where the corrosion is because of the design of the body. I was thinking about drilling some small holes to get the little red WD40 tube through but I'm not really sure where to drill. I think the only other option will be to drill all of the rivets out, lube everything, and re-skin it. I'd hate to have to go that route but I just can't figure out how to access the internal mechanisms from the outside. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks,
Danny

 

[maddawg308]

I'm not real certain about the layout of the -292 body and how it opens, but hopefully I can interject a couple suggestions that make sense.

Don't use WD40, it's great for squeeks and light duty stuff, but it evaporates fast and doesn't penetrate too well for the heavy duty stuff. Use something thicker like PB Blaster, it will creep into the rust and work better on heavier "stuck" problems.

Also, remember, heat is your friend. Get a torch and heat the crap outta the the bolts. High heat breaks the covalent bonds formed by iron oxide, expands the bolt and crushes the rust. When it cools, the bolt contracts and rips the rust apart. Do alternating cycles of lube, heat, lube, heat, lube, heat until the bolts give way. Patience is a virtue, and having a lot of it will help you through this problem.

Some pics will help us determine what the best avenue of approach is...

 

[gimpyrobb]

I agree with the PBBlaster or a product called Yield.

 

[54reo]

Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

I agree with the PBBlaster or a product called Yield.

Or Kroil.

It is the only thing that works on steam turbine studs. BIG studs, 6" threads.

http://www.kanolabs.com/

 

[Alredneck]

RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

PB Blaster eats rust five meals a day! It lives off that stuff, scrumsish!!!

 

[steelsoldiers]

RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

I second the Kroil! My 923A2 project would not have been complete without it!

 

[nattieleather]

RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

If I remember correctly on the 292...the side walls move out and then the inner wall splits in half to cantalever open for the floor and celing. The side wall move in tracks and there is a ratchet type gear at the end of the body to more each side. Get one of the above mentioned oil and spray on the ratchets. Also I believe the ends of the tracks are open on the side wall. See if you can squirt up into the tracks with the lube.

Good luck.

 

[mdd0127]

I doused it with PB yesterday, let it soak all day, whacked the bolts with a sledge and nothing! I'm bringing the torch out today. I used AeroKroil all of the time when I was an industrial maintenance tech and it smells just like PB blaster. I think it's the same stuff. I'm going to spend a little more time on it today and get some pics.

Thanks guys!

 

[Elwenil]

Also try an impact on it. The hammer action can break loose a lot of stuff as well. Just be sure you are using it to work it loose (back and forth) and not trying to power through whatever corrosion is causing the problem.

 

[m-35tom]

i would reccomend you find someone with one, M-4 body, all the same on 2 1/2 or 5 ton or trailer. look inside the access plates when open to see what you are up against. too much whacking on the square drive will just round it off and then you will be worse off. many of those leaked water inside and the mechanism got really rusty.

 

[mdd0127]

I got the passenger side open but still no luck on the driver's side. Now I know how the mechanism works though and I got plenty of PB into all the right spots. Hopefully a 1200 mile road trip will loosen things up. I'll keep you posted!

 

[FreightTrain]

Wish i could find the stuff again.I used something made by VHT(Yea,the same guys that make the bling bling paint at the auto parts store) a while back.That stuck was mean!When it touched rust it started to bubble and fizz like crazy.If you sprayed it on anything else it would just sit there.Wish I could find more of it.It REALLY worked great.But PB blaster works real good too but so far I have found nothing like the VHT stuff.

 

[Mike_Pop]

When I had my expansible van body, the rails were tweaked a little bit. It's possible that your tracks may be slightly bent. They should open up quite easily with the tool provided to turn the ratchets.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

July 11th, 2008.

Another suggestion for fluids to break loose the expansion mechanism? I might suggest Automatic Transmission Fluid, as it is a very light weight oil, generally not prone to evaporating quickly, and which has the tendencies to follow cracks and crevices in mechanisms..... I generally use it to break free stuck pistons and such, and it rarely ever fails.... Marvel Mystery Oill is, of course nothing more then ATF, and it works equally well. Other then that, time, oiling, tapping (with a LIGHT hammer) and patience will do much towards breaking the unit(s) free. I might also say, be rather careful with the application of heat, as there are many items on a Deuce that won't take well to a torch (like CARC!). Good luck, happy hunting and I do hope the beggar breaks loose for you....
Sincerely,

Kyle F. McGrogan


1971 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" Desert Storm and Vietnam Veteran Deuce
1968 Johnson Corp M105A2 Trailer, Cargo
1967 Hercules MEP023A Gas Gen-Set APU
1963 Swiss Army Cargo Unimog S.404.114 MB

 

[bulldog_mack13]

mdd0127 , hey talk to the boys in the MVCC , they would be a huge help and its a great club for CO guys

 

[mdd0127]

The latches that are stuck are the square drive ones on the side of the body that rotate 1/4 turn to lock the upper halves of the sides down when contracted. They are very soft metal and the one that's still stuck is really boogered up from the last person that tried to expand it. I got both of the passenger side ones, and the front driver's side freed up but the rear driver's side one is going to twist off before it moves. It's already bad enough to require a pipe wrench. I'll probably have to pull the skin on that side to get in there and cut it out. I've tried everything but Kroil(can't find any) and naval jelly(no way to get it in there). I'll tackle it again when I get to CO.

If any of you guys are parting out an expansible body, I'd like to talk!


Thanks again guys.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

Re: RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

PB Blaster eats rust five meals a day! It lives off that stuff, scrumsish!!!

 

[Crash_AF]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

Rancher's Supply down in Lamar has a couple of expansible bodies... dunno if they'll sell parts off of them or how much the parts would be though.

Later,
Joe

 

[Elwenil]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

Pick up some Mopar Rust Penetrant at the local dealer or some GM Heat Control Valve Solvent, it's the same stuff also. It will eat rust like nothing else but it's not cheap.

 

[kc8sfq]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Expansible Van Body Corroded Stuck!

>The 4 square lock bolts on the sides and the main side extending mechanisms are just stuck.<

In reality, the problem is almost guaranteed to be the top dead bolt. Water gets in there from the top and rusts it solid. Or at least mine is. Fortunately, mine wasn't properly latched so I could get it open and access is available from inside. Don't force the 1/4 turn mechanism. It is a rack-and-pinion device and you'll strip it out long before you break the top dead bolt free. In the rack device, I have removed the clevis pins, one by one, and the culprit is definitely the top bolt. I'm going to cut an access hole in the interior paneling, just like the one that allows access to the rack device. That will allow me to free, or disassemble the top bolt.

Good luck with it.