My BIG M925A2 Project Truck Is Home

[steelsoldiers]

Ferro, thanks, this one is a keeper, I promise!

Daniel, I agree! Those Seabee guys really know how to abuse a truck. I don't know which is worse, the saltwater corrosion or all of the missing parts.

 

[AMGeneral]

Chris,

I had a chance to look at you project truck last weekend(it was close to a cargo that i'm scraping up the $$$ for),Definetly a project for the faint of heart,but it's coming along nicely.Keep up the good work!!!

 

[southdave]

As I recall, most of our Tactical trucks where drmo hand me down. Alpha Co. were animals hardly ever saw a truck that was whole. But your truck is from ACB 2 Head quartered of little creek they travel with MEF, embarking to and from shore off a landing craft. To most seabee that was being sentence to hell. Too much Navy too many jarheads and way too many O's and not enough beer. They probly took it out on your truck . LOL. But I was with NMCB 1 & 4 and a couple other resever units cross assign to some active components. But anphib guy either love it or hate it,

 

[steelsoldiers]

As I recall, most of our Tactical trucks where drmo hand me down. Alpha Co. were animals hardly ever saw a truck that was whole. But your truck is from ACB 2 Head quartered of little creek they travel with MEF, embarking to and from shore off a landing craft. To most seabee that was being sentence to hell. Too much Navy too many jarheads and way too many O's and not enough beer. They probly took it out on your truck . LOL. But I was with NMCB 1 & 4 and a couple other resever units cross assign to some active components. But anphib guy either love it or hate it,

Cool history, Dave! Is that what the 2 in the red diamond on the bumper means? My 923A2 must have been from the same unit since it had the same markings on it. It had some saltwater corrosion on it too, but not as bad as the current truck. I would love to know what they used this truck for. It has line-x all over the bed including the hinges so there hasn't been any bedsides or tailgate on it in some time. There is a huge hitch sub-frame welded under the original pintle hitch location and there is a pintle on it about 12" below the stock location. Maybe they pulled a construction trailer or equipment trailer with it?

 

[steelsoldiers]

Chris,

I had a chance to look at you project truck last weekend(it was close to a cargo that i'm scraping up the $$$ for),Definetly a project for the faint of heart,but it's coming along nicely.Keep up the good work!!!

Thanks Brandon. Had I known you were going to be there, I would have sent you a to-do list!

 

[southdave]

Yeah that is the BEEP sticker I forgot what it stood for may some other seabee know. ACB's has alot of mainly Fleet sailor "except they are some real seabee mainly Construction Mech. Equipment Operators, some Builder not many. West Coast Is ACB-1 out of Coronado Island CA.

 

[halftrack]

Nice to see the porgress on your truck Chris. Mine has been idle for about 2 months now because of the Marines. It seems like I am so close to finishing but yet so far away.

Good work though!!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Chris,
When I was in the Navy I remember some Seabee trucks like yours pulling those gargantuan boats. Maybe that explains the hitch set up.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Dave, thanks again for the explanation.

Jason, hope you get back to work on yours soon. I know you have had it out driving so there can't bee too much left, right?

Adam, if that truck spent its life backing boats into the surf, then that would explain the rust and lack of bedsides/tailgate for increased visibility.

 

[jfnemt1ff1]

Keep your head up Chris, there is a light at the end of the road.
John

 

[steelsoldiers]

Thanks John. I am actually going to hit it again this weekend. I have a few more wiring repairs to make and then I am going to get to work on the air brake system. I also plan on letting the truck run for a while to get the coolant temp up so I can check that system for leaks. I also need to test the power steering system.

Probably only a couple more work sessions until I am actually ready to move the truck under its own power!

 

[Oldvw2]

Probably only a couple more work sessions until I am actually ready to move the truck under its own power!

Were you ever able to check the rear axles to see if the brakes were caged? I can't remember if it was this truck or the last one that you had caged the brakes on it to pick it up from Little Creek.... The cans, slack adjusters etc. don't look too bad on this one but you know how looks are when salt water is involved

 

[steelsoldiers]

Were you ever able to check the rear axles to see if the brakes were caged? I can't remember if it was this truck or the last one that you had caged the brakes on it to pick it up from Little Creek.... The cans, slack adjusters etc. don't look too bad on this one but you know how looks are when salt water is involved

The spring brakes were caged on this one when I picked it up from Portsmouth. I put the Kroil to the bolts last week in hopes of getting them off this weekend. I am really concerned about the condition of the front axle cans since they have been sitting for so long with the lines taken off of them. I am going to budget for some new ones to be on the safe side.

I am headed back to the local Ace today to pick up another sack of brass fittings. I found a brand new air dryer that hooks into the air supply for the CTIS so I will hook that up tomorrow. The front glad hands will go back on tomorrow too since that is a big source of air loss

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Chris, found a photo of the boats I was talking about.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Chris, found a photo of the boats I was talking about.

Nice! Thanks Adam. I saw one similar to that going down the highway near here. It had a big crew-cab International 4x4 pulling it.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Work Session Report

I spent a day working on the 925A2 yesterday. It only rained on me twice, so that was good. My primary focus was closing up open air lines and working on the electrical system.

I installed the front service and emergency gladhands. Then, I reconnected a flex line at the primary air tank. I also installed 2 low-air sensors on the primary and secondary tanks. Once I got those installed, I started the truck to look for more leaks. I found one at the wet tank where a fitting had been removed. There were 2 small lines hanging loose there. One went to the air dryer and I believe the other went to the brake relay valve. I didn't have a t-fitting or the required adapters to hook them up, so I used a pipe plug so I could move on down the line.

The air tank drains started blowing next so I was making progress. I shut them off and then there was a hose leaking under the dash. That supplied the air to the CTIS and required a in-line air dryer to be installed. Luckily, I knew it was missing so I had already ordered one and brought it with me. Then, the pressure gauges started climbing. Once they reached 90 pounds (I think) the secondary system kicked in and I had air leaking out of a wiper switch under the dash. Just for giggles I hit the brake treadle pedal and "woosh" the whole system dumped and wouldn't hold air anymore.. WTF?

I shut the truck of to listen for a leak, but it leaked down so quickly I didn't have a chance to find it. I started the truck again, but it still wouldn't build up any pressure. I climbed underneath it and discovered a 3/4" air line on the driver's frame rail was cut and leaking. I traced it back along the frame and found that it was the vent line from the rear relay valve. It is supposed to terminate in the air intake stack. It shouldn't have air coming out except when you let off of the brake pedal so that means the relay valve is stuck open. I either need a new valve or it has something to do with that other airline that needs connected at the wet tank. Hmmm...

Both of the front brake chambers were disconnected when I got the truck so I figured they were shot. I took them off yesterday and they were both full of rusty water. Dang. Too bad because they looked brand spankin new.

Taking a break (pun intended) from the air lines, I installed a turn signal switch and a headlight switch. I flipped the service lights on and the one lonely side marker light on the whole truck lit up. I may have other issues though because the dash lights came on only after turning on the black out lights. Hmmm... again.

I also installed a new clamp on the turbo down-pipe. Thanks Will. I need to put a muffler on it because the bottom is rusted out of the current one and it shoots diesel smoke down at the ground, which makes it tough to work under the truck with the engine on!

I also tested the tranny out. With the engine running I shifted through the gears and it would lurch a little when going from N into R or 1st so I at least have some sort of power transmission to the drivetrain.

I topped off the day by jacking the front end off the ground and filling the power steering system up completely. It took a bit to get all of the air out, but it was working smoothly when I was done.

All in all, it was a successful day. I am looking forward to getting the brakes in order so I can actually take it for a ride around John's farm.

 

[cranetruck]

Fun stuff Chris! Is that actually an air dryer or is it a water trap? I have a similar device in one of my air lines, but it's designed to trap water and has a drain.
The ducting, visible in this same image comes from the fuel burning heater, I presume and I'm wondering about the temp rating. It looks like neoprene type duct, which would be marginal, considering the discharge air temp of the heater (as if you didn't have enough to worry about already). My 8x8 TM specifies silicon rubber ducting (SCAT) for this application, which has twice the temp rating of the neoprene...

 

[Scarecrow1]

In life I've Learned the difference between ambition and ability in my own rite. You my friend must be a master of both Thanks for the pics look forward to seeing the end result

 

[steelsoldiers]

Bjorn, technically it is a water and particulate filter, not a dryer. It is an auto-drain unit with full metal construction. It was also available with a clear lexan bowl, but the unit that originally came on the truck was all metal.

Norgren Product Area - F07-200-A1MA - Ported General Purpose Auto drain Metal Bowl

I won't worry about the ducting for now. That is the what was used in all of the 939 trucks I have seen with the fuel-burning heater and what was included in the fuel-burning heat kit I purchased earlier this year. The heat is very hot, but thankfully it goes into the metal diverter box first, which may knock a few degrees off of it. I'll have to take some measurements once I get it fired up again this winter.

Fun stuff Chris! Is that actually an air dryer or is it a water trap? I have a similar device in one of my air lines, but it's designed to trap water and has a drain.
The ducting, visible in this same image comes from the fuel burning heater, I presume and I'm wondering about the temp rating. It looks like neoprene type duct, which would be marginal, considering the discharge air temp of the heater (as if you didn't have enough to worry about already). My 8x8 TM specifies silicon rubber ducting (SCAT) for this application, which has twice the temp rating of the neoprene...

 

[cranetruck]

For future reference, I was running mine in "LO" the other day and the air temp at the discharge end of the heater was 272°F on my digital thermometer. Neoprene ducting is rated 300 degrees, while the Silicone rubber duct is good for 600.

Haven't measured the "HI" temp, but it's gonna be higher with more fuel burned and the fan staying at the same rpm.