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M1088 camper conversion

ckouba

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Couple steps forward, couple steps back...

Noticed my compressor cycling more than I thought it should. Since I wrapped up the CTIS repair, it made sense to start digging into that. I thought it was the leveling switch for the cab air ride, but the more I poked through it, the more I realized it was coming from the driver's air bag itself. I pulled it out to do some investigation and found this atrocity (when sprayed with soapy water):



Explains quite a bit. I had replaced one of them when I first got the rig (I think it was this one?) so I started looking up my info, finding this post:


I will do some calling around on Mon to see what I can find. Otherwise, I may look into the replacement set I've seen publicized on FB. Anyone used that yet? Any thoughts? I am not excited about replacing the OEM ones every ~3k miles.

I put the bag back in so the truck is functional and have moved on to another exciting step- installing the glycol heater for the hydronic system. We have a trip to the desert planned for Feb and I really want to have this system set up so we can use it on the trip. There will be 3 heat exchangers around the habitat and will also give me hot water without running the motor.

Functional heating and wiring up the 110V outlets are the next two big things on my list, apart from keeping the truck mechanically up to speed.
 

Third From Texas

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I've seen the new alternative on FB.

It appears to be much improved over that first guy's design (that <insert_points_of_compass_flippers> later copied and sells).

By far the best solution I've seen yet (beyond the A1R designed that completely removed the problem...hey, I've never had an airbag as a result).
 

ramdough

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Anyon have info on what is on FB? I don’t use social media.

I bought the KA5066 for my truck and so far I am really happy. Not sure if I would be more happy with the FB one…but curious what the guy is selling all the same.

Btw, I got the ka5066 for $200 ea when I got them.


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ckouba

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Anyon have info on what is on FB? I don’t use social media.

I bought the KA5066 for my truck and so far I am really happy. Not sure if I would be more happy with the FB one…but curious what the guy is selling all the same.

Btw, I got the ka5066 for $200 ea when I got them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Doug, will poke around for one of those.

I think this should get you a glimpse of the FB offering without joining FB:

Edit: no it won't. Will try to find a different way in.

Not being terribly successful....
 
Last edited:

ramdough

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Thanks Doug, will poke around for one of those.

I think this should get you a glimpse of the FB offering without joining FB:

Edit: no it won't. Will try to find a different way in.

Not being terribly successful....
Maybe some screen shots ? Copy paste pictures? I am more curious than anything.


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ckouba

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From their FB post:

I’ve been quietly developing these longer travel, adjustable cab air ride kits over the past couple months and have come up with something that I think is what the FMTVs should have come with from the factory. The first kit that I designed and built has been on a wildland fire truck for almost four years and 12,000 miles before being removed for R&D on these kits. We have gone through multiple full and partial revisions to find components that work very well together while providing a close-to-OEM look. Some of the noteworthy points that set these apart are: they are limited by straps and bump stops that were engineered to provide 65% greater suspension travel than the OEM and provide roughly 23% more overall weight capacity with a protected air spring. Dampening is achieved by means of two, large, ADJUSTABLE Heavy Duty shock absorbers that are mounted to provide maximum tire clearance. These kits are also fully user-rebuildable with commercially available off-the-shelf parts, will come with new Grade 8 hardware, and will be fully-assembled besides reusing the OEM brass NPT/compression fittings and nipples from the OEM air springs. At this point I am gauging interest in producing them. I would be offering them in your choice of tan, green, and black powder coat.









 

ramdough

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From their FB post:

I’ve been quietly developing these longer travel, adjustable cab air ride kits over the past couple months and have come up with something that I think is what the FMTVs should have come with from the factory. The first kit that I designed and built has been on a wildland fire truck for almost four years and 12,000 miles before being removed for R&D on these kits. We have gone through multiple full and partial revisions to find components that work very well together while providing a close-to-OEM look. Some of the noteworthy points that set these apart are: they are limited by straps and bump stops that were engineered to provide 65% greater suspension travel than the OEM and provide roughly 23% more overall weight capacity with a protected air spring. Dampening is achieved by means of two, large, ADJUSTABLE Heavy Duty shock absorbers that are mounted to provide maximum tire clearance. These kits are also fully user-rebuildable with commercially available off-the-shelf parts, will come with new Grade 8 hardware, and will be fully-assembled besides reusing the OEM brass NPT/compression fittings and nipples from the OEM air springs. At this point I am gauging interest in producing them. I would be offering them in your choice of tan, green, and black powder coat.









What is his price? They look nice.


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ckouba

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He has posted $950 plus shipping.

After thinking about mine, I confirmed that I actually had picked up just one used OE unit to replace the dud in the cab when I bought the truck. Not remembering which one I replaced, I may now end up doing both. I have a feeling it was the other side though, based on the nuts and bolts and their affinity for each other.

I can also confirm that p/n PP997900 should be the correct p/n for just the airbag portion of this assembly. It is commercially available presently, with someone telling me they have them in stock. I have a local lead on a possible replacement unit, and will see what options that may bring. Feb might seem far away, but LOTS to work on between here and there!
 

Ohiobenz

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He has posted $950 plus shipping.

After thinking about mine, I confirmed that I actually had picked up just one used OE unit to replace the dud in the cab when I bought the truck. Not remembering which one I replaced, I may now end up doing both. I have a feeling it was the other side though, based on the nuts and bolts and their affinity for each other.

I can also confirm that p/n PP997900 should be the correct p/n for just the airbag portion of this assembly. It is commercially available presently, with someone telling me they have them in stock. I have a local lead on a possible replacement unit, and will see what options that may bring. Feb might seem far away, but LOTS to work on between here and there!
Your mirror anti vibration bracket info was extremely helpful. I made a prototype today and ordered materials and fasteners so I can add that in my kit.
I'd like to send you a heated mirror timer kit in appreciation. Drop me an email with your address and I'll send it out.
 

ckouba

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Your mirror anti vibration bracket info was extremely helpful.... I'd like to send you a heated mirror timer kit in appreciation.
Hi O-B,

Your circuit kit arrived today. Thanks!! It's getting cold around here and will be a nice function to have.
 

ckouba

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Replacement cab suspension arrived yesterday and was installed last night. Went with non-OEM offering from Bentley Metal Fab in Cedar City, UT, which offers bolt in replacement using commercially available hardware with excellent quality at reasonable pricing and great service. I am in the middle of my hydronic install for the habitat so I haven't gotten out with it yet, but I expect it will do just fine!



 

ckouba

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I've been struggling daily with getting my hydronic heater to properly function, so I took some time off to tackle something else. I've wanted more fuel on board, especially now that I will be (eventually) burning diesel for heat and hot water too, so I picked up two spare fuel tanks and did some cut and paste to get one big one. By my rough math, I have just shy of 100 gallons now, which even doing off-road stuff should net me at least a 600 mile range with some reserve.

Didn't take many pics in process, but you get the idea of what I did by looking at the "after" shot:




I would have done the winch cable space as well but our "yellow" tank is already in that area.

Just ordered a new sender (33 - 240 Ohm, if anyone is wondering) and will make up the new fuel pickup tube today as well. Will sort out the mounting mods when I am ready to pull the current tank off the chassis. It still has the original 58 gallon tank for now.
 

ckouba

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Can you put something of roughly the same weight on the other side of the truck to counter balance this 800 lbs ?
I will be pulling the current tank and replacing it with this one. The delta is only about 300# (~35g * 8 #/g = 280#).
 

chucky

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Just food for thought every time we mount something heavy on these trucks we should really be trying to keep as balanced as much as possible with us already being top heavy on a slope !
 

ckouba

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I posted my troubles on the ExPo forum, seeing as they aren't specifically MV-related, but maybe someone has walked a mile in my shoes on this forum.

Chinese hydronic diesel heater- this one specifically.

It's installed and bled reasonably well. Heat cycle starts, pump kicks on briefly, and then would cut out and error the controller, so I hard wired the pump with its own 12v supply. Things started to run well, and the whole process begins and makes progress until 15-18 minutes, where it gets to ~62°C and then shuts down. Flashes an error of E-14, and entertainingly enough, the trouble shooting guide skips -14 and -15.

There is a tech support email address but so far no response.

On one hand, this was going to be a ~$250 gamble and I may just move on to the high $ Euro brand, but the furnace fires up and seems to do well enough heating the the glycol that it seems dumb to spend ~$2k if there's just something small I am missing. Anyone seen this before? Any good ideas to work around it?
 
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