"Rescued" M816 Wrecker

[BnaditCorps]

nearing operation, nice. Wreckers, expensive toys.

 

[red]

Well she needs another CV boot on that PTO shaft. CV is good, boot shredded

 

[Csm Davis]

Hey guys not trying to tell you what to do but those boom travel supports need to live on the boom or you will end up breaking something. The only time you really need them down is if you are moving with something on the hook. Just a little bit of advice from a wrecker owner that has made many mistakes.

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Hey guys not trying to tell you what to do but those boom travel supports need to live on the boom or you will end up breaking something. The only time you really need them down is if you are moving with something on the hook. Just a little bit of advice from a wrecker owner that has made many mistakes.

I always put my supports up on the boom, that way they are out of the way any you do not need to worry about them.

 

[red]

Hey guys not trying to tell you what to do but those boom travel supports need to live on the boom or you will end up breaking something. The only time you really need them down is if you are moving with something on the hook. Just a little bit of advice from a wrecker owner that has made many mistakes.

Will do.

By the way, your inbox is full again haha. Looking for a CV boot for the PTO shaft.

 

[Csm Davis]

Will do.

By the way, your inbox is full again haha. Looking for a CV boot for the PTO shaft.

I hate that CV shaft and don't see a need for it if you could delete it and run a longer regular u-joint shaft I think it would be less trouble but just my ranting. Yes my in box is eternally full and until I figure out how to save them all to my computer it will stay that way just call me or text me my number is in my signature.

 

[Csm Davis]

Okay I don't have that CV cover but I bet you can get one from one of the big CV remanufacturer's what CV did you use to replace yours?

 

[red]

Haha yes I agree on that shaft, oddball CV joints and oil bath instead of grease is not the best idea when relying on boots to keep the oil in.

Will be upgrading to a better design later but for now just need it to work. Money is focused on the deuce engine/transmission swap.

 

[Valence]

About time I pipe in here with video links!

https://youtu.be/TP11_rtkQ8w

http://youtu.be/yb2fYncYkrI

 

[red]

Okay I don't have that CV cover but I bet you can get one from one of the big CV remanufacturer's what CV did you use to replace yours?

It was a used shaft that I bought from Oshkosh, so the stock CV joints. The lower boot tore open when we engaged the clutch again after lunch, Valence caught it before the joint was damaged.

On edit: Forgot to add, the front PTO is spinning. Looks like the sear pin that connects the shaft to the transmission PTO was sheared. The holes were not quite lined up (like the shaft had slid towards the PTO about 1/4").

 

[red]

Today we installed the canvas and bows, took them from my deuce that is getting parted out. Will come back off in about a month to do some work but will spend most of the winter like this.







Also, how often should the mud be changed in the cooling system?........




Plumbed in the cooling filter, will mount it later this week when the fluid gets changed out.

 

[red]

Spending most of this week taking care of the wrecker, small projects/repairs that wont cost much. Started off with removing the bolt that had replaced the shear pin on the front 20k pound winch, will need to pick up some proper pins. At the PTO side of the shaft I spun it by hand and got the hole lined up. What pin goes in there?







Taking the 2 air tanks from the deuce and will be adding them to the wrecker, providing a larger air supply for using air tools, tire inflation, etc. Pulled the plug from the wreckers upper tank and installed a #8 JIC fitting in there. Attached an airline to it and tossed the extra tanks and airline onto the bed, where the spare tire was mounted. A few ideas with rearranging that area to fit the torch bottles, spare tire, and both air tanks, but no ideas decided on yet.






Reinstalled the storage box that's by the driver side step as well.

Oh and a picture from under the cargo cover. No issues with clearance until the end of the crane, where there are no bows. Need to get one more set of stakes/bows for the end of the truck.

 

[Valence]

Also, how often should the mud be changed in the cooling system?........

View attachment 589871

That splatter pattern and color looks like you brained someone in the face with a hammer!

 

[Valence]

Oh and a picture from under the cargo cover. No issues with clearance until the end of the crane, where there are no bows. Need to get one more set of stakes/bows for the end of the truck.

View attachment 590366

This actually really surprised me, I had thought for sure that those bolts on top there would be just a little too tall.

 

[Another Ahab]

That splatter pattern and color looks like you brained someone in the face with a hammer!

Ouch

 

[red]

That splatter pattern and color looks like you brained someone in the face with a hammer!

Forgot to hide that evidence haha.


Made a list of repairs and modifications that I have planned for the truck. Want to have this list taken care of within the next 2 years.
M816 Wrecker List


Repairs:
Coolant change and test radiator, replace coolant filter
Front engine oil leak
Transmission PTO new gaskets and pin for shaft
Transmission output gasket and seal
Power divider rear seal
Crane PTO shaft boot replacement (no stock items available, gotta red neck engineer it)
Grease everything
Change all oils and brake fluid
Service all 6 wheel ends
Replace brake hoses (have them)
Replace hood latches (have them)
Repair cab hardtop
Replace Mirrors (complete)
Rewire crane lights
Front winch cable replacement
Tire chains
Sandblast and repaint complete truck
Reseal windshields
Replace wipers (complete)
Torch and bottles
Rear spades
Medium tow bar
Replace valve cover gasket (have them)

Upgrades:
Spin on Engine oil filters (have them)
Spin on fuel filters (have them)
Updated Crane PTO shaft
Secure and plumb extra air tanks (have them)
Super singles conversion (have the tires, need wheels. 395's)
Parking brake upgrade
Jake brakes
Turbo
Dual fuel line mod
Coolant filter (plumbed, mounted soon)
MRAP seats (have them)
Run front marker lights with headlights
Mount front LED lights (have them)
Anchor super single spare tire
Side access slide out tool box
Organize chain storage
Front bumper boxes
Insulate and seal cab
Small tag winch on rear of truck (have winch)
On board welder
Recovery lifting platform (run winch cable over it to provide upwards pull on buried recoveries) ?
Rear cargo cover (modify current cover to fit)

 

[Another Ahab]

I'm guessing you won't have much time for any naps; well, until Year Three, that is.

 

[Valence]

He also won't even be able to afford to pay attention!

 

[red]

Haha

 

[red]

Very busy week between the wrecker and pulling parts off the deuce.

Mirrors swapped, exhaust stack turned to keep Valence's neighbor happier, cargo cover taken off to use the crane. Installed the 2 batteries from the deuce onto the wrecker, providing the 4 battery setup it needs.

This spring or summer the crane PTO shaft is getting swapped out to a newer design, easier and cheaper to get parts for. Till then, had to find a way to limp it along and keep the crane working. Shredded the lower CV boot and required a replacement, so went to the local hardware store and picked this up



Cut it to the diameters required and clamped it onto the CV housing over the shaft. In use there is a drop of oil about every 3-5 seconds, but works well enough to have the crane working over the winter.




With that operational we tore the axles out from under the deuce, packed them up, and set them in the bed of Valence's deuce to be shipped out.

.