M1028 A1 Contact Truck with M887 contact body and Wisconsin Generator

[Al Harvey]

I'm looking for a couple answers on the generator/welder setup in the back of at M1028A1 Contact Truck, it has the Wisconsin Air Cooled 4 cylinder. Been working on this for a couple of days and have had issues with the generator not cranking. Also my marker and tail lights would work sometimes and then they wouldn't. I believe I have found my main issue, the lights would work with the truck off, but the moment I hit the generator starter they would cut out. If the truck was running they would dim while it tried to crank but would stay on. The first thing I did was get in the back and start cleaning all the ground contacts since that's the normal cause of issues like that. Then I started looking and there was a large wire running from the front battery to the positive wire for the generator setup. After looking through the two M887 TMs we have on here I found out it's suppose to have it's own battery in the back and someone was trying to run it off the front battery. I think this is my electrical issue, but now for my question. Oh and the reason the lights are going out is that they are grounded to the ground panel of the generator instead to the body.

Does anyone have a picture of where the battery for the generator is suppose to ground at? I can't find one in the TMs.

Would there be any issue with running the cable from the front battery to the positive of the rear battery to make sure it stays fully charged? I can't think of an issue with this other then a slightly higher load on the front battery.

Also is there suppose to be a panel under the generator or is it suppose to be open for cooling?

 

[Recovry4x4]

I can only help a little on this one. If you look at your box right in front of the welder, you will see where that area has been modified to clear the fuel tank on the CUCV. When this area was in it's designed shape, that is where the battery for the welder was. It was never tied into the truck as the welder charged it while running. Running a charge cable back there would be fine but I'd take the extra precaution and use a battery isolator. In the rear, the harnesses had to be mended together between the 887 body and the CUCV. Some are wired pretty pathetically. Check that real close and also make sure the body has a suitable ground to the chassis. They are normally mounted on rubber and could use a ground strap. Post up some pics, I have a similar setup sans genset. Aslo, the area under the genset is open for air flow. Just crack open the sunroof for complete ventilation.

 

[Al Harvey]

I was guessing that is was suppose to be open, how much road junk builds up through the opening? So the battery went in below where the generator sticks out? In the TM that I looked at, they had the batter mounted on the tray behind the control panel. That's probably where I will add one, there is enough room and I'll just have to build a couple of mounts. Good idea on the the isolator and I will be adding a ground strap from, probably the frame to the genset frame. Here are a couple of pics.





I'm gonna have to replace this Terminal Block, I'm gonna see if our local Radio Shack has a 50amp one before I order one.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I don't know if it was a field mod or what but all of the 887s I've seen had the battery in that well where your fuel filler is. When I got my body from Speddmon, I elected to take it without the welder/genset. Attached is my solution for that space.

 

[Al Harvey]

That's a cool idea. Slide it out and put the leg down. My vice is still on the tailgate, but I'm gonna have to replace the wood at least since it's starting to sag a little in the middle. I'm wanting to get this truck fixed up so that it will be a convoy support truck for shows with some distance (if I can keep my drivers around that is) but also so I can have power at displays. I still have to work on the sunroof since part of the rivets have come out and one of the prop guides is broken. Do your doors lock? I've thinking about getting the locks keyed so I can lock the doors individually. I do have the locking rods that cover each door, but they are such a pain to take off when needing to get something.

 

[Recovry4x4]

My doors do lock. It didn't come with a key but I was able to get one on ebay and it worked. My back doors need some love to get the lock working but I do have a padlock and a hasp there. 319 turned me on to a company that still has the lock cylinders. I need to see if I can find it. I also had to replace my tailgate wood. Mine didn't have a tailgate vice but I added a little bitty Wilton there too. I use the little one quite often. I moved it way off to the side!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Additional! http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?82043-M1028A3-need-key-code-for-older-SECM-body

 

[MatthewH]

On my M887, the battery was located up top, within the elec components. In your second pic, there's a large empty spot between the front of the box and the silver overspeed box, battery goes there. A group 31 fits nicely.
I've seen on GSA/Forestry trucks they had cables run up front to run off the main truck battery, should work as long as your not running the Genny and the truck at the same time.
The hole in the floor is correct as well. Since it air cooled, when you operate the genny, your suppose to open the top as well, and it circulates air. I've never had issues with road grime and crap coming in mine while driving down the road, even during rain or snow no issues. I did build a plywood cover though, mainly for storing during the winter to keep critters out.
Need any pics lemme know. Mines pretty original, had 1 hour on the meter when I got it. Changed the oil/filter and she fired right up. Welds great, run awesome

 

[Al Harvey]

Thanks MatthewH, I might hit you up for some pics as I get further along. Do you have oxy/acet tanks mounted in yours? The plywood cover is a great idea for critters, there are signs of critters once living in it. I think I will run a cable back to keep it charges off the truck but have a cut off that I can pull when needing to run the generator. I'm gonna get the plate pulled out, after I get a replacement terminal block, and clean and repaint it. I'll also build some brackets for the battery at that time since mine are gone.

 

[MatthewH]

Yep, I've got oxy /acetylene tanks mounted. I've got a T tank of oxy that slides into the side door and lays right behind the genny itself, and an AC5 acetylene up front in the holder provided.

 

[Al Harvey]

Could you post up a picture of your tanks when you get a chance. I think that's how I'm gonna put mine in. Also could post a picture of where your gen battery grounds at? The positive cables (one small one larger) are still there, thankfully they just used the eyelet hole and bolted it to the wire from the front battery.

 

[MatthewH]

Will do. Headed to work, so it will be tomorrow before I can get out to the shop for pics

 

[eme411]

my truck also has the Dodge body on it , gen was missing so I installed a 120/240 gen , great power source for events and for running tools on recovery jobs,

 

[eme411]

this set up works for me in the back , tow bar is stored in the cylinder rack on the floor , fits just right, I was happy in a way that the old gen was not there , don't need to look for 35 year old parts , truck is ex Gulf war 1, truck was still tan when I got it , I'll try and post a photo of the logo that was on the front fenders , palm tree , 2 M-16's and wrench,

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

Well I tried to reply to this thread yesterday but couldn't get the pictures up. So the ground lead on my truck goes to the front side (as it is sitting in the truck) of the generator and is fastened under one of the starter mounting bolts. The battery mounts just behind the control panel with a couple of simple angle brackets. To me the TM shows all of the brackets mounted backwards or upside down. This truck was a GSA/ forestry service truck and did have a lead going to the trucks battery with a disconnect switch mounted on the panel. I would not hesitate to add a small charging wire from the trucks battery to the gen battery to keep it charged as long as it was protected from being shorted everywhere. Of course if one battery decides to go bad, it would certainly drain the other one. Also if the truck battery gets weak, you would be trying to pull a lot of amps through that small wire to help start the truck and you might let the smoke out. But a good size breaker would fix all of that.

I once recovered an M923A2 that the alternator shorted out on. I towed my M1009 behind it with a single 14 gauge wire running up to the truck batteries. Ran the truck, lights and heater for 400 miles with the M1009 running keeping the batteries up.

Good luck on your project. Can't wait to see it.

The third picture shows the oxygen tank in position and a view to the SNOW below. What holds that oxy tank in place anyway?

 

[Al Harvey]

Thanks Monkeyboyarmy, once I get the battery tray cleaned up I'll put a battery in. I do agree the TM shows all kinds of brackets. I was thinking about putting a circuit breaker in near the front battery and a cut off at the control panel. I have to get the wire from the front battery secured up since they have it sitting on the exhaust in a couple of places.

What holds the tank....gravity and Murphy? LOL

 

[Al Harvey]

Quick update, ran a braided ground strap from the frame up to the generator frame where the other grounds are connected. Now it will crank like crazy and the lights aren't going off. Next I'll get the plugs replaced and check the cap and rotor and points.

 

[MatthewH]

I used 2 ratchet straps to secure my O2 tank, and one ratchet strap around the acetylene tank.

 

[MatthewH]

Here's a couple pics. Originally the welder had a draw straw into the Dodge gas tank, and since M88x series get terrible mileage, and my gas gauge was inop, I modified the center left cabinet to hold a 5 gal boat can. It feeds into a spin on fuel filter, then feeds into the fuel pump on the engine. I used a quik disconnect style fitting so when I'm done, I can pull the fuel line and let it run out of fuel, for extended periods of sitting.
I have it set up for mobile welding and repair work, so next to the boat tank is a rack that holds sealed tubes of various welding rods, made out of the bent driveshaft from the truck, thanks GL.
I also made the cable holders you see in the third pic, they hold 100ft of welding cable that came with the truck, as well as another 100ft coiled up on the floor.

 

[MatthewH]

Couple more pics
I moved the air compresser and set it on top of a old 11 gal air tank, for more capacity. I found while using an impact or air tools the small wall mounted wasn't enough. So I plumbed in the extra tank, as well as mounted the hose reel to the side wall.
Its pretty empty right now, as my home shop share alot of the big tools as the mobile unit does.
As for locks, none of mine work, it has a field mod where they use a long piece of pipe that slides down the side of the box, and has a hole at the front for a pad lock, and a washer welded at the other end to keep it secure. The O2 door has a barn style clasp that closes over itself and is locked via a padlock