PEASHOOTER's M109A3 CAMPER Build Thread

[Clay James]

That's a really nice deck! Looks well thought out. I'm also planning something like that since it's hard to get in and out with the trailer attached.

 

[rustystud]

Aaron, you truly have awesome fabrication skills ! I worked at a fabrication shop for 10 years in my younger days and I know what it takes to make something like you have there. Well done my friend !

 

[LowTech]

Very stylie. In the last photo, is that how you're keeping it folded up when not in use? I'm not understanding how it works.

 

[peashooter]

Very stylie. In the last photo, is that how you're keeping it folded up when not in use? I'm not understanding how it works.

Here are some more pictures to show the way it stays up. The last photo from post 159 is just showing the pivot hinge, I showed that because with the pivot I used there would have been a big gap between the deck and trailer so there is a 6" deck area behind the hinge point to fill that space. These pictures show it better. Also the last pic is of the deck hitting the ladder bracket, after seeing the picture I can probably just cut a 45 degree angle in the deck support thats hitting the ladder.

 

[Clay James]

Is the aluminum you used to make it pre made stuff that you cut to size?

 

[BAZYRKYR]

I don't get jealous very often but ****...that set-up is sweet! That's gonna make getting in & out much easier. I wish I had the tools, skills, & ability to do the things that you've done to your rig. You've done a superb job!

 

[peashooter]

Is the aluminum you used to make it pre made stuff that you cut to size?

yes the slotted stuff is the extruded aluminum framing that I got second hand. There are lots of brands of it 80/20 is a common one, ITEM, BOSCH, TSLOTS, PARKER, and Maytec are some other brands. The decking I got from a local extrusion company I found. There are some regular angle pieces also. Its all screwed together with the extrusion fasteners and pop-rivets holding the decking on. If I had a aluminum spool welder or something I would have gone a different route and not used the t-slotted framing.

 

[bonedoc]

Awesome work!! All I can say is wow...

 

[00888]

I'm so digging what you are doing and I'm getting so many ides. This brake light switch you have listed, I love it but the link is a dead link and I would really want my reverse lights running off the tranny instead of a toggle switch. I have searched and can't find any of the parts needed. Any idea where to look or maybe part numbers that can be bought? Thanks!!!

Reverse Light Kit:

For some reason my truck came with marker clearance lights on the back (which worked) as well as reverse lights (which didn’t work). I had always just assumed some switch or wire was broke and that’s why the reverse lights didn’t actually work. At some point I discovered that the a2 deuces and M109a3’s didn’t have reverse light systems. I guess my late model 109 just had many of the items that the new m109a4’s were getting even though the reverse lights didn’t actually light up. I never really needed backup lights with the IR backup camera I installed but nevertheless I hooked them up this spring when I had the cab apart. I did start making a reverse light switch kit based off of Gringeltaube’s original design.

Instructions on how to make one or to purchase the kit in the classifieds can be found here: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ITCH-KIT-***&p=1323786&viewfull=1#post1323786

 

[peashooter]

00888- feel free to pm me on the switch kit, I've got a couple left, just not listed anymore. I'm pretty much just doing mrap adapters and S.S. Braided brake hoses now. You can check links 42-47 here for more info on the brake switch setup: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ot-lights-so&p=1366698&viewfull=1#post1366698

 

[Jericho]

Hello peashooter. Wondering if you are still doing the gauge pods Andy

 

[peashooter]

Hello peashooter. Wondering if you are still doing the gauge pods Andy

Hey Jericho, I think I have parts to make 1 more. PM me if interested.

 

[Cinman37]

Very good read, you are a top notch fabricator.

 

[peashooter]

Just got back from a week long camping trip with my family and the deuce to Hayward Wisconsin. I was a little nervous about the trip since I had done a few things to the truck just before heading out. I replaced the front fuel line(s) that go from the primary fuel filter to the Injector pump since the copper tubing was crushed under the radiator area and the rubber hose was weathered. I bought a 1 piece braided stainless hose from a Parker hose shop and had them put a 45 degree JIC-6 fitting on the IP end so that there would be more clearance around the winch driveshaft than with the factory setup. In hindsight the 54" long hose I bought (same length as original lines) could have been probably 6-8" shorter to be "ideal". Also bypassed the FDC like everyone likes to do, I didnt think it was quite as easy as everyone says mainly because its taking me a while to get the main adjust screw and the droop screw adjusted back to the right spots so the truck starts well and doesnt get too hot on the EGT temps. Changed all the filters and ended up going with Baldwin ones this time around. I had trouble with the Wix/Napa oil filters leaking down quickly so the spin on kit was still taking 10-12seconds to get oil pressure each time. These ones have been better. I also went with Baldwin for the 2 fuel filters and the coolant filter this time around.

Some of the other pics show some little things I've done recently like the "clothes line" that just pops into any of the 4 different stake pockets on the M105 trailer. I also couldnt stand the shiny aluminum deck and scissors stairs any longer so I sand blasted the deck and then sprayed it with green zinc chromate primer. Then I used some OD Green DuraBac bedliner on it but found that the color was too light for my 383 carc green truck. So I had 3/4 gallon left. I read that durabac was the same thing as herculiner so I bought a quart of black herculiner at my local menards store and mixed it together. It turned out almost perfect in color using the 3-1 mix, if anything it is just a hint too dark to be an exact match (see the before and after pics below). I also took apart the scissors ladder and had it anodized with some stuff from work and then painted it and put the bedliner on the top of the step treads too.
Oh and the giant blue filter thing is a water softener. We have super hard water where I live and have a water softener but our hoses are not hooked up to it in order to save salt. Anyway, when (if) I wash my car or clean our windows or fill the deuce's water tank then it ends up getting white spots all over that dont come off. I ran across these water softener resin cartridges that are good for around 600 gallons of our hard water then you need to replace the cartridge. Its an easy way to just have soft water for the outdoor occasional hose projects that come up... I decided to take it with us camping too this time.

 

[peashooter]

A couple other things I forgot to get pictures of yet are:
-I also put a 80psi Air regulator BACK onto the Air-O-Matic steering setup. The truck/trailer just uses a ton of air (I'm not the best at backing up with this short trailer yet)and I cant really tell a big difference in steering effort between the unregulated 100psi and the now regulated 80psi system. Im sure its using much less air now.
-I saw a neat magnetic cupholder from Bonedoc's thread so I bought the harbor freight can magnetic spray can holder and painted it green, it worked well but only seemed to fit on the glove box door in my truck.
-Got some MRAP mirrors from Fuzzytoaster and put them on also. My old ones were pretty rough and had lots of paint overspray on them that wouldnt come off. New clean mirrors were nice.

 

[rustystud]

Aaron your truck is a thing of beauty ! I especially like your stainless hose ! Though why didn't you go with the reusable fittings ? That way it's field repairable. I also really like your movable deck ! Awesome !

 

[peashooter]

Aaron your truck is a thing of beauty ! I especially like your stainless hose ! Though why didn't you go with the reusable fittings ? That way it's field repairable. I also really like your movable deck ! Awesome !

Yeah, I actually bought some SSP brand reusable hose and fittings for this last year but it used a slightly smaller ID hose and the connectors weren't as idiot proof as I had hoped so I didn't trust my assembly of them. I ended up just having a hose made with the swaged fittings. If I had more time to do it right, I would have gone the route you did with your nice fuel filter & hose setup in THIS THREAD

 

[STLvortac]

Just read the entire thread and I must say you have amazing craftsmanship. I never considered a M109 over a 35 but this has changed my mind! Keep up the good work!

Josh

 

[59apache]

Very nice truck and top work Aaron!

 

[peashooter]

After a longer trip recently I decided that more comfortable seats were sounding better and better. I havent found any that I really like that are close enough to me, the right color, or the right price. So I followed Sewerzuk's recent idea of using these "racing seats" from Oreilly. They are relatively inexpensive (around $130) and get good reviews. I dont love the color or style but do like that I can use 4 pt harnesses with them (for the kids) and also they have sliders on them. Anyway, I bought 1 to try out and see if I can get it to fit with the drivers side. I have a springer seat that I changed over to an airbag which lets me adjust the height some. Anyway, after taking the old seat off the top and making a couple brackets, this new seat fits. I havent driven with it yet but it feels more comfortable. I'll try it out for a few weeks and if it works well then I'll get another 1 or 2 to put in place of the bench seat.