What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

[Buffalobwana]

We did a cross country fundraiser for Mission 22 last year with my M923A2 from Idaho to TX. Long trip. We would take donations for people signing the tarp of the truck. Donations are tough to pry from people, but, Amazing how easy it is to get a donation if you get to write on a 5 ton!

 

[tobyS]

Best thing for a catch pan is a big tub tote with rope handles. At wally world for 6$ they are like 30gal size.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Plastic barrels, 30 or 55 gal cut off, are good too. Don't forget to cut hand holes for lifting (or ropes).

 

[Another Ahab]

People just love to see a big 5 ton up close. They touch the tires, and the paint and everything. I took mine to Napa yesterday and looked outside and there was a group of guys in their 50's getting their picture taken touching the tires. (And they are still '14's!) what will they do when I put 16's on it?!?!

That's when they're all going to get down on their knees and LICK them tires.

 

[71DeuceAK]

TwistedOaks, someone on the Steel Soldiers Facebook group told me a similar story, they met a guy who probably built his very truck he has, was an interesting conversation.

 

[Western PA M923A2]

Aside from tracing down and fixing an oil leak, I wired up a 12 volt power accessory port. Tapped the 12v from the LO speed connection off the blower motor switch. (BIG KUDOS TO 74M35A2 FOR THAT TIP!!) Then wired up a mobile ham radio and some SWEET bright LED strips in the cab and in the bed. Those things make the cab as bright as an operating room inside! LOL

 

[Jericho]

Be careful with using the Fan motor lead, Some (mine included) Ham radios draw up to 30 amps when on HI , add the fan on , ham radio on max output and ! fan lead isn't rated for 30 amp continuous , Just a thought . I run my taps straight from the battery thru a sub panel. There is no difference to the batteries , Fan motor taps the same way , just not real heavy gauge wire, Outer sheath makes it appear to be heavier gauge than it really is.

 

[Western PA M923A2]

Thanks... maybe I'll do the same for just the ham, just tap 12v seperately from the batteries.

 

[74M35A2]

You could add a simple 4 pin relay on the 12v side after the ig switch to flow up to 30 amps from a larger wire direct to battery, if you wanted things to automatically shut off when you shut the ignition off. Or, go straight to battery with no relay, but don't forget to shut the radio off or you will have a dead battery in the morning.

PM me your email address, and I'd be happy to make you a drawing of how to wire up such a circuit. It is very easy. I could send you the relay already wired, and label each wire end where to connect them. All free.

 

[Tinstar]

Aside from tracing down and fixing an oil leak, I wired up a 12 volt power accessory port. Tapped the 12v from the LO speed connection off the blower motor switch. (BIG KUDOS TO 74M35A2 FOR THAT TIP!!) Then wired up a mobile ham radio and some SWEET bright LED strips in the cab and in the bed. Those things make the cab as bright as an operating room inside! LOL

View attachment 677421 View attachment 677422 View attachment 677423 View attachment 677424 View attachment 677425

Good thing you have a 5 ton since you have all that "stuff" packed in it.

 

[71DeuceAK]

Looks great! I like the in-cab lighting idea, I'd consider doing that. Yours a daily driver, judging by the lighting?

 

[Western PA M923A2]

Nope, she's not a daily driver for me... weekends and scrap hauling, which is what I do as a side gig. If she got better mileage I wouldn't mind driving her daily!

 

[71DeuceAK]

Yeah, I'm getting one with the 855 Cummins, thirsty beast but I don't care...small price to keep one of these on the road.

 

[Western PA M923A2]

All of those LED strips came from a scrap job. They were part of a display unit from a store and there were like 20 of these strips with 8 LED's in each one, so I mounted 3 in the cab and 4 in the bed (so far... plan on at least 2 more back there)

 

[71DeuceAK]

I was thinking LED tape light myself. Super versatile stuff. I'd like to keep mine mostly stock appearance wise but the in-cab lighting is a great idea, as is for the bed. (Gotta get bows and a cargo cover first). Although, at first I may be living in the bed, in something more sturdy/permanent of course. Living in the bed of it helps me justify getting one of these trucks. Love everything about them.

I was thinking LED 'tape' once I get a hard top for the truck, overhead. Wonder if under the hood could also be done, even though it's a forward tilting hood, any ideas?

 

[Western PA M923A2]

Well I'm sure the would be easy enough to mount under the hood, but if they would withstand the heat, well that I don't know!

 

[71DeuceAK]

Good point, knowing LED technology...I'll probably stick with the cab and maybe the bed. Having a light in the cab must be a wonderful upgrade, any idea on current draw?

 

[Western PA M923A2]

Really not sure on how much current they draw, but from what I know of LED's it's very little. Probably less than 1 amp to run at least 8 of the strips I have.

 

[71DeuceAK]

That's not bad at all for 12v! Could leave the lights on and not have a dead battery the next morning, with the batteries these trucks have. You got all 4 batteries, or 2, or just 2 8Ds? In Fairbanks, AK winters I'll definitely need all 4 batteries, 2 won't cut it. I may put a solar maintainer on the truck once I get it since there probably won't be anyone to go fire her up every so often to keep her alive. Of course, I wish she could also be moved back and forth to keep everything loose. Later, she'll hopefully be a daily or at least weekend-ly driver.

 

[Csm Davis]

Bonding with the community.

Attended a "Touch a Truck" event, I was the only MV there, plenty of kids both big and small there enjoying the event. Local PD's and Fire were also in attendance, nice little event. Seams the kids liked the bed of my truck more than the cab. Overall a good time, canned food for donation was requested and collected then donated to local charity. Even Spiderman showed up.

Did almost the same thing this weekend at the LA SS RALLY/ NO BLUE ANGELS AIR SHOW. Can you imagine 100,000+ people each day walking by and most really interested in anything military. There were kids and adults crawling all over our trucks, all day both days, I hated to tell them no more but had to several times. To many pictures to post here also.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?t=163840

 

[Another Ahab]

Aside from tracing down and fixing an oil leak, I wired up a 12 volt power accessory port. Tapped the 12v from the LO speed connection off the blower motor switch. (BIG KUDOS TO 74M35A2 FOR THAT TIP!!) Then wired up a mobile ham radio and some SWEET bright LED strips in the cab and in the bed. Those things make the cab as bright as an operating room inside! LOL

Those LED's are the bomb!

They sure are some kind of bright.