Rebuilding/ replacing fording stacks

[Anvilface]

Hey everybody,
I'm still super new here (been lurking for a while) and you all are a wonderful community, I appreciate the wealth of information.

I've got a bit of a situation though.
I am a Deputy Sheriff in Southeastern NC (I know, I know...we aren't all terrible. lol). And our Sheriff is working hard to put together some resources incase/when we get hit with another hurricane. After Hurricane Florence there were a lot of lessons learned. Some were suggested prior to the storm, but not headed. Now the value is evident and corrections are being made. Saying all of that just to say....we now have 2 M923s. They were purchased from private sellers and are in pretty decent shape.

I was tasked with working on them because in my former life I was a 3521 in the U.S.M.C. and spent a lot of time in, around, under, and knee deep in these beauties. Myself and one other Deputy are the only ones with any experience in the entire department.

Anyway, one of the 923s has a "home made" sleeper cab type of crew cabin. The trucking company that owned it and installed the box removed the intake and exhaust stacks to accommodate the box. We would like to reinstall these to restore the water capabilities for this truck. Currently the mushroom cap on the intake is directly attached to the air filter housing...that's waaaay too low!!

I know I can just find the appropriate sized straight pipe for the exhaust stack, but do you all have any guidance as to what we can use for elbows and such, or where we can get a replacement intake stack? Oh...they also removed the vent tube that ran up the side as well...I have no idea what these guys were thinking when they made this big mod..they messed with a lot of things to do it.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can give..I'm just trying to build up this part time unit to help people in the event that Wilmington becomes an island again...

All the best,
Semper Fi,
Chad Hollar

 

[Russ Knight]

Could PVC pipe and drain sweeps (Ells) be used? Don't know, just throwing it out there. A Fernco fitting could be used to transition the piping and PVC can easily be painted as well.

 

[Anvilface]

Thanks Russ, I didn't even think about PVC. That might just work. I think we can plumb that in and keep it plenty water tight...that's why I like this site...genius.

 

[doghead]

I suggest you place a wanted ad in the classifieds and see if you get any response.

Also, there are several MV surplus businesses that you could try.

 

[Anvilface]

I'm working on that. The problem is that it won't be exactly normal plumbing as the new cab is different than stock. It will take a bit of engineering.

 

[Lukes_deuce]

Post up a picture of the truck your talking about. From what your saying, you might only need to extend the straight section under neath the cab and then 90 it up to make it vertical. PVC is nice and easy to work with, for an emergency response vehicle that might get whacked with branches or other debris, I would suggest staying with steel pipe. Its stronger and wont shatter if hit hard. There are plenty of guys who part trucks out that would have an original intake set up. Maybe buy one full set up and then you can always add a straight or extra bracket.

 

[Russ Knight]

Post up a picture of the truck your talking about. From what your saying, you might only need to extend the straight section under neath the cab and then 90 it up to make it vertical. PVC is nice and easy to work with, for an emergency response vehicle that might get whacked with branches or other debris, I would suggest staying with steel pipe. Its stronger and wont shatter if hit hard. There are plenty of guys who part trucks out that would have an original intake set up. Maybe buy one full set up and then you can always add a straight or extra bracket.

Or better yet, aluminum. 3-4 inch conduit (whichever is closest in size) would be light and strong and Fernco fitting could connect it.

 

[Anvilface]

Hey guys, just an update.

We've got an old fella around here with a big truck bone yard. No MVs but he's got enough exhaust stacks, intake elbows, and flex pipe that I could turn this joker into a submarine. Lol

I really appreciate all the input, and once we get them all painted up ill share some pics.

 

[Anvilface]

Finally got some pics in. Not the greatest, but there they are. You can see the exhaust and the intake are way too low. We should be mocking up some pipe to fix it this week.

The only problem is I have 2 m923s to work on (small repairs, paint, graphics, and blue lights wired up). And either Tuesday or Wednesday we are having an MRAP delivered and and I get to to start the whole process on that one. All while still working my normal 42 hour a week patrol schedule. Ahhh..the joys of MVs..lol