M1010 for my daughter the field biologist

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M1010 pics

Pics of the mechanically-refreshed M1010, under its shade tree. It runs great. Working on the interior, electrical connections/grounds, and secondary systems like A/C and heat.

 

[tim292stro]

The fresh air intake is in the kick panel in the footwells. The intake vent is at the base of the windshield, so water drains down the inside the firewall and A-pillar, and splashes out to the floor material. Once there, the padding which is a shredded cloth holds it against the metal until it rusts out and drains. Then with its proximity to the front tires, the splash up from the wheels gets into the hole and then the real trouble starts.

Because water is allowed into the body cavities (eek ) the water is allowed into any open passage - the water vapor from evaporation when the truck's body is warm is allowed to travel up the a-pillars to the weld seam at the top cab corners. Water can pool in the rockers too if the drainage is not good or plugs are missing. That the places these square bodies rust: floorpan, cab corners, and rockers...

 

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Try doing a 12-gauge diamond plate steel floor. Thicker than the stock metal (and I'd imagine much thicker than what LMC will sell you...), has a nifty anti-slip surface so those muddy boots from being in the dirt all day wouldn't slide around so much.

The places where I have rust are in the compound curves. I don't know how I'd bend 12G diamond plate to match those compound curves. How would you do that??

 

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The fresh air intake is in the kick panel in the footwells. The intake vent is at the base of the windshield, so water drains down the inside the firewall and A-pillar, and splashes out to the floor material. Once there, the padding which is a shredded cloth holds it against the metal until it rusts out and drains. Then with its proximity to the front tires, the splash up from the wheels gets into the hole and then the real trouble starts.

Because water is allowed into the body cavities (eek ) the water is allowed into any open passage - the water vapor from evaporation when the truck's body is warm is allowed to travel up the a-pillars to the weld seam at the top cab corners. Water can pool in the rockers too if the drainage is not good or plugs are missing. That the places these square bodies rust: floorpan, cab corners, and rockers...

I'll add a point. Running the wire brush, I accidentally nicked my door seal. Rookie mistake, I know. A stream of water shot out 6-8" into the air! I was using a wire cup on a 4.5" grinder, and suddenly the back of my hand was getting wet!?!? So there's another contributing factor to the rocker panel rust. The water seals are actually acting as plumbing bringing water to the steel... Now I have to go find new door seals that are not hollow...

 

[tim292stro]

That was a hyperlink to a picture on a different forum. You don't strictly need to keep the curves, you can cut flat pieces and wle them together to recreate a hump. There will be sub-frame under the steel, as long as you keep the rocker attached or the same door dimensions - and keep the bottom of the cab from spreading, any steel you put in there can serve the need of keeping the weather and drivetrain out of the passenger compartment.

 

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I like how you're not hesitant to tackle the rough spots, jpg; more power to you.

Thanks. We put all this energy into fixing and preventing rust underneath, and inside places like rocker panels. I wasn't expecting to find it inside a truck that never saw salt. Once I found it, I'm feeling driven to eliminate it to the extent possible.

 

[tim292stro]

IMHO rubber seals need to be replaced roughly every 15 years, for these trucks if they still have the original seals, they would be due for their second set by now.

More advanced PM these trucks probably never saw.

 

[Another Ahab]

i'm hoping you consider starting a travelogue thread for your daughter and her "rolling home" so we can all send our good wishes and support. This has been a great thread, and an interesting enterprise.

 

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i'm hoping you consider starting a travelogue thread for your daughter and her "rolling home" so we can all send our good wishes and support. This has been a great thread, and an interesting enterprise.

Thanks!

The M1010 definitely comes with an SS account. It's an essential part of the package for any operating MV, IMHO. Membership in the local 4WD club is also part of the plan, in case she ever needs a tow out to the road and SS isn't available. (We have tow bars and a pintle hitch that will fit a standard 2" receiver.)

FYA, here is a picture of where she works. She walked to get here. The M1010 will allow her to set up base camp much deeper in the wilderness than other vehicles, and it provides better protection from predators than a tent. The Forest Service roads wind way back into the mountains, but they are often poorly maintained and far too rough for an SUV.

 

[Another Ahab]

FYA, here is a picture of where she works. She walked to get here. The M1010 will allow her to set up base camp much deeper in the wilderness than other vehicles, and it provides better protection from predators than a tent. The Forest Service roads wind way back into the mountains, but they are often poorly maintained and far too rough for an SUV.

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She's no wall flower to tackle this undertaking, and clearly she is also a tough cookie. Walking in country like that is NOT a "walk in the park".

But, that country is so beautiful; I know it makes it all worthwhile to her. I've done my share of wilderness backpacking, and loved every minute being in country like that. I know the thrills she gets being there.

My hat is off to your bold and intrepid daughter. She is made of tough stuff!

 

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No longer rusting...

Driver's side floor plan is solid. I wire brushed it thoroughly, sprayed it with Rust Reformer, and then with Rustoleum Trim & Bumper paint. I figure bumper paint might stand up to boots a little better than others. This is not cosmetically ideal, but it is no longer rusting. I'll figure out cosmetics later.


Passenger side floor pan has terminal rot on the corner between the floor and the transmission hump. To stop the corrosion process, I wire brushed it and painted it with Rust Reformer. I need to order a new floor pan and weld it in. The NBC screws that were corroded in place were not accessible from below, so I ground them flush with the floor and then pushed them through. I'll weld those holes closed when I weld in the floor pan. Second picture below shows the rot in the dark with a light below. Clearly terminal.


In addition to the usual wrenches and screwdrivers, this is what I used.


I based this approach mostly on reading threads from cucvrus. I don't have a needle scaler, so I use the wire brushes to remove the rust. I used the grinder wheel to remove unwanted metal, like the welded-in radio mount and the frozen NBC mount screws.

 

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Headlight socket corrosion

My headlight sockets were corroded. I had high beam on the left, and low beam on the right. I used a gunsmith's file to clean out the sockets. It's about the same thickness as the headlight prongs, so it worked well. I bought mine years ago. The current version appears to be 290-600-105WB Eze-Lap Diamond Needle File, Fine, Flat Ward, but you should call them and double-check the dimensions if you want to buy one for this purpose.

I used No-Ox-Id A Special on the contacts. It's a contact grease with all the properties of dielectric grease, plus it has a chemical that eats any residual corrosion (oxide) that might be on your contacts. They use it in the power industry, and for serious antenna connections where a little corrosion can make a big difference. Now the headlights work properly.



Now I need to figure out why my hazards are so anemic...

Edit: I saw Home Depot has $10 needle file sets that include the small flat one depicted above. You don't need the fancy diamond gunsmithing one, IMHO.

Edit: My hazards were anemic because the 30-year-old flasher was weak. I replaced it with an HD Delco flasher, and the hazards are strong now.

 

[Tow4]

I had similar rust issues under the floor mat of my M1028A2. I just removed the mat and as much rust as I could by scraping, needle scaling and wire brushing. Then I used Ospho to treat the rust. After washing off the powder residue from the Ospho, I used red oxide primer over that.

I have found that unless you can sand/media blast, it's very difficult to get rid of rust and it usually comes back from underneath the finish. I also have found red oxide primer very durable (I have some angle iron brackets I made 10 years ago for my antenna tower that are exposed to the weather and still have no rust and the red oxide is holding up fine), so I didn't paint over it. I use rubber floor mats that can be removed to wash the floor if I get a lot of dirt or mud inside. If I get any rust coming back, I can easily take care of it and touch up the red oxide.

However you end up finishing the floor, I suggest you don't completely cover it with a floor mat or carpet. Individual mats for passenger and driver side will keep from trapping moisture and be easier to keep clean.

 

[Another Ahab]

I used No-Ox-Id A Special on the contacts. It's a contact grease with all the properties of dielectric grease, plus it has a chemical that eats any residual corrosion (oxide) that might be on your contacts. They use it in the power industry, and for serious antenna connections where a little corrosion can make a big difference. Now the headlights work properly.

View attachment 579075

That looks like good product. I usually just use something like a silicon di-electric grease on terminals.

Where do you buy THIS stuff?

 

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That looks like good product. I usually just use something like a silicon di-electric grease on terminals.

Where do you buy THIS stuff?

I just google for it and pick the best price. A tube lasts many years, so the vendor used last time might not be the best choice this time. Sanchem makes it. and you can call them to purchase directly. flea-bay and amazon usually have it. Good Ham Radio antenna suppliers will have it. Really good CB antenna suppliers will have it.

I used dielectric grease too, until I learned about this stuff. Some contacts oxidize quickly, so it's nice to have a grease that will eat any oxidation that remains after cleaning contacts. It's especially handy for female contacts, where it's tough to clean inside small spaces without damaging them.

 

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I got under the truck and took a closer look at the dysfunctional boarding ladder latch. A spring loaded pawl bolted to the truck engages a plate on the side of the ladder, locking it in place. My plate was located an inch too far aft, so the pawl could not engage. I couldn't move the pawl forward without grinding away where it's mount was welded to the frame, and re-welding it further aft. I avoid welding on frames wherever possible, for lots of reasons.

I couldn't move the ladder further forward. It bumps up against the cross brace in the frame. The plate was a 1.5" length of angle iron welded to the ladder. Someone had bent it back, probably in an effort to get it to engage the pawl. They got it bent far enough to touch, but by then it was at such an angle that the pawl simply slid off. That angle iron was useless, so I ground it off. While I had the grinder out, I disassembled the ladder, wire-brushed off the rust that covered it, and sprayed one side with rust reformer. I'll finish painting it tomorrow, & reassemble. I'll weld on a new latch and then the ladder should be good to go.

When cleaning the headlight contacts, I noticed that the screws that secure the headlights were so rusted that the screwdriver had difficulty engaging the slot. Also, some were missing. So I replaced them all with stainless steel screws. I also noticed that the steel housing behind the headlights was rusty, so I sprayed it with Rust Reformer. I hate rust.

The rear door latch had a couple of screws loose. I removed the adjacent access plate, so I could hold the nuts while tightening the screws. The access plate screws engage steel clips that clip to the aluminum wall. Those clips were rusty, so I cleaned them up and hit them with rust reformer. I replaced missing access plate screws with stainless steel ones. They're a poor match for the OD screws, but they're better than nothing.

So we're fixing rust and other issues as we find them. This is more a refresh than a restoration. I hope to get the truck back on the road tomorrow.

No pictures today. I'll try to get some tomorrow.

 

[Another Ahab]

When cleaning the headlight contacts, I noticed that the screws that secure the headlights were so rusted that the screwdriver had difficulty engaging the slot. Also, some were missing. So I replaced them all with stainless steel screws. I also noticed that the steel housing behind the headlights was rusty, so I sprayed it with Rust Reformer. I hate rust.

There is nothing in this world worse than a slotted-screw. I have no idea why anybody even manufactures them any more.

I was wondering about your grinder. I can't figure out the make (that shape and branding color is unfamiliar to me). Do you know what make of grinder you have?

 

[ODFever]

jpg - I have 2 tubes of NO OX. I use it on the battery terminals of all of my vehicles. It's great stuff! One tube will last the average MV owner nearly a lifetime. You don't need much of that stuff on the posts and the terminal threads.

 

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jpg - I have 2 tubes of NO OX. I use it on the battery terminals of all of my vehicles. It's great stuff! One tube will last the average MV owner nearly a lifetime. You don't need much of that stuff on the posts and the terminal threads.

Agreed. It's great for battery posts. I also use it on all electrical connections, especially grounds and antennae. Whenever I'm about to make an electrical connection I never want to see again, I coat it with this stuff.

My old boss had a saying. "99% of electrical problems are connector problems". This stuff removes corrosion from the list of possible causes.

This is especially relevant when the connectors are aluminum. For MV folks, that probably only comes up in antenna connections... I'm told that aluminum very quickly forms a very thin layer of oxide when exposed to air. So even if you clean it with fine abrasive immediately prior to coating it with dielectric grease, it still re-forms that oxide layer. I was taught that No-Ox-Ide A Special eats that thin layer of oxide, and then serves as dielectric grease.

I just use it on all electrical connections, especially those involving dissimilar metals, where corrosion can be a real problem. Before crimping a connector on a wire, I coat the wire. Before screwing a connector to a terminal, I coat the connector. Etc.

 

[Another Ahab]

Agreed. It's great for battery posts. I also use it on all electrical connections, especially grounds and antennae. Whenever I'm about to make an electrical connection I never want to see again, I coat it with this stuff.

I went ahead and ordered tube of the stuff, (like $1 based on your alls comments here and figuring it'll last me my remaining lifetime (THAT'S a sobering comment).

Do you need to lay it on "thick", or is it more a wipe-on kind of thin film that's all that is needed/recommended?