New-to-me XM474E2

[wehring]

I am not so patiently waiting for the XM474E2 to arrive. It is basically an M113 chassis with a soft skin body.

In the interim I want to pick your brain.

I intend to have this be a modular vehicle with one module being a self contained 500gal brush fire fighting rig with which we can augment the county's fire dept ops. I have a stainless tank but I need a hose reel and pump. Do any of you know what is needed to make this an adequite first (possibly only) responder vehicle during the mud season here in South Texas?

Any of you have a hose reel and/or pump on the cheap?

Here is a pic so you understand how much realestate I have to work with in the rear cargo area. It is ~10.5'

Justin wehring
979 997 3112

 

[srodocker]

ooo sonis truck!

oh yea nice! thats a sweet idea about helping the firefighters out

 

[txdodge43man]

Justin you find all the cool toys

 

[WillWagner]

Looks like a cross between a 113 and a 548! Vrey cool Justin. There's a guy out here that has a Supacat and had the idea of a portable fire something or rather. I think that has fizzled. I know he has the hose/reel and maybe the pump. Lemme ask

 

[waayfast]

You may want to check out the GSA Auction site.I have seen tank/hose/reel "pony pack" slide in units being sold surplus from the USFS and State Foerstry Service Depts.These are what the industry uses for standard equipment.

Seems like Lufkin has been listed for a location. That would not be too far from you. HHMMM maybe if it for an agency, you may get one cheap/free.

Hope this helps.
JIm

 

[wehring]

thanks

Thank you. I will keep an eye on it.

Will, thanks for asking around.

Justin Wehring

 

[Danger Ranger]

That tracked thing in the first pic is cool , but in the second pic all I see is Soni's M920...what's up with that???

XM474E2....hmmmm...I might have to look into that...seems pretty neat!

Can't wait to see it outfitted and ready to go!

 

[maddawg308]

There was a restored version of that on armyjeeps.net a few years back. Here's the pic.

Very cool! There can't be more than a few of those surviving, they were used for hauling missiles for the most part. Love to see pics of the resto!

 

[Bighurt]

That tracked thing in the first pic is cool , but in the second pic all I see is Soni's M920...what's up with that???

You'll also find Bliss's M820, Oldman99's M920, and a M818 that should follow me home...LOL

 

[WillWagner]

Justin, I asked about the set up, he said basically what was mentioned above. Look at the GSA auctions, they will be cheaper than what he paid/wants for his. You'll prolly find a skid with a pump, reel and a 250 gal tank.

That DD powered? Same as the 113/588? If so, it must fly!

 

[wehring]

thanks

Thanks Will. It has a 361 Chrysler gasser. It is 1/3 the wt of an M113 so it scoots.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[EZFEED]

SWEEET! A tracked pickup truck! I want one now, with reels on back so I can pull barbed wire!

 

[wehring]

Headed to its new home

I just received these pics. It is headed to TX and will be here tomorrow. It is scheduled to present colors during the National Anthem at a new race track Sat night.

I feel like a kid waiting on Christmas morning.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[wehring]

good and bad...

Good news... the XM474 made it home just in time to give 100+ kids rides at a local race event. The delivery truck driver had a delay and had to replace his starter but he delivered it to the track to save time and it arrived 30 min before the races began. I took my M916 and trailer there to bring it home after the races.

Bad news... I offloaded the track and drove it around the back field to test it out before I began with the rides and it CAUGHT ON FIRE!!!! I have not completed the inspection but began in a loom of wires. We caught the fire early, disconnetced the fuel line, cut the battery power and put it out. It stayed at the track that night and got a ride home on a roll back the next morning....

I do not know what it will take to repair it but I hope to get it going for several events in Oct.

Here are some pics and a video of the off load (if I can figure out how to upload it)

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[wehring]

track adjustment

I have misplaced my camera so this will be w/o pics for the time being. I used a grease gun to adjust the tracks on my XM474. They adjusted as they should as I pumped grease into the zerk fitting. When I was about to stop pumping a stream of grease began to squirt out of a "weep hole" about 8" from the zerk and the track fell back down. I am assuming that the seals in the tensioner are bad. Any comments?

On a lighter note. After $1500 and a new radiator core (8" thick) the machine is running at 160-180 deg. I have put 4 hours on it since the post fire repairs. I had a mopar man come down and talk with me about the engine and we will pull the pack next month and let him work his magic.

As it is - the machine cruises at 30mph @ 3000 rpm in 6th gear. The speed is against a GPS. The tack needle bounces around a bit but the motor sounds comfortable at that speed. Most of my running around on the property is at 10-15 mph. I have some running trails cut in the back pasture that are fun to drive on. After the rain (finally) and the XM474 they are no longer suited for running on.

If I can find my camera I will post muddy pics... I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Now... where do I mount the minigun.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[B3.3T]

Need a new Zerk fitting as it should have one-way valving to hold the pressure. As for mounting the minigun, up front of course! Plow the road!

 

[wehring]

zerk

The grease is not spewing out of the zerk but rather a weep hole 8" aft of the zerk.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[1958 M274]

I have misplaced my camera so this will be w/o pics for the time being. I used a grease gun to adjust the tracks on my XM474. They adjusted as they should as I pumped grease into the zerk fitting. When I was about to stop pumping a stream of grease began to squirt out of a "weep hole" about 8" from the zerk and the track fell back down. I am assuming that the seals in the tensioner are bad. Any comments?
Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

Hi Justin,
It's been a while since I've looked at one of those tensioners (on a m548, I assume it's the same), but how far is yours extended? Is it possible that the "weep hole" limits the travel of the piston inside the bore and that your tensioner is maxed out? Just a thought...

Neat toy!
Joe

 

[wehring]

pics

OK folks. I found my camera so here are some pics. There will be several but I will group them. The first one is the "leaking" adjuster. The next group is play time on the farm and the third is the fire.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[wehring]

play time

We got RAIN in South Texas the day we fixed the machine. No rain for months then the same day the track is on-line it rains... grab some Gortex.

I was surprised at how the tracks caked the gumbo. There were several small tallow trees stuck in the rear fender.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112