Wrecker wishlist of mods

[Speedzilla]

Wow that is very interesting! I have never liked the location of the winch controls, always feel like I am looking down the barrel of a gun. I have thought about, and still probably will, make some sort of shield.

 

[zebedee]

Fordman - that's a pretty neat mod, nicely engineered, did you consider running duplicates to the other side?

- unfortunately now it's easier for Soldier B to ask for help with the heavy stuff as you can't say "no d@mn it, I'm up here and I'm not getting down again"!

Assuming you are going to do a cover plate to protect the connecting rods/cables, but what about the stowage of the really heavy and somewhat useless boom jacks? Mine are probably never going to be used and may stay in the shed...

 

[540fordman]

Thanks guys! Zebedee - yes, a cover plate is in the works, for both sides. Gonna run dups on the passenger side as well. Also going to make about a 3 inch mud flap/ flare over the rear tires to keep the controls a little cleaner. Still working on getting the throttle lever mounted nearby, but mine is locked up and I usually winch at idle anyway. The boom jacks haven't moved in the four years I've had the wrecker, so I'll probably just hang them on the wall in my shop, lol.

 

[540fordman]

Also need to make some hinged travel locks for the levers, so I don't have to climb up just to pull the pins

 

[zebedee]

Still working on getting the throttle lever mounted nearby, but mine is locked up and I usually winch at idle anyway.

If you are used to running the crane/winch at idle, I wouldn't worry too much about the remote throttle - I think Ron would advise that inservice, they never recommended running the motor any faster than idle anyway. I know that the Aussies who also used 816's, absolutely frowned on doing anything at any higher revs.

I must admit that I sometimes have "thrown a brick" on the gas pedal when it was cold to speed up 'warming'/'smoothness' when I had a crane job to do.


Did you consider using push/pull cables for all the levers to go under the floor? Wondering if there is an obvious reason you went for pillow blocks and shafts.....

 

[73m819]

My boom supports are OFF the 819 and NEVER be back on the truck, my crane works best at about 750/800 rpm warm, the rear winch is a bit difference, I would run about 1000 and use the trans for different winch speeds/pull load.

 

[540fordman]

Zebedee - Never really considered using cables honestly....where were you two weeks ago, lol. I mostly did it this way because it was cheap. Bearings were around 10 bucks each, traded a little welding work for the pipe, and all the bolts, pins and linkages I had laying around from past projects, so I don't have much invested besides time. If I ever used the deck for anything but maple leaf storage, I might have considered alternate methods more.

 

[Scar59]

Subsribed for later, lots of good ideas. My M936 is sleeping under the shed for the winter.Hope to tinker with it this spring.

 

[chrsbb19]

Subsribed for later, lots of good ideas. My M936 is sleeping under the shed for the winter.Hope to tinker with it this spring.

Man i wish we had winter here, its just darn hot. Now im moving under orders to cali where its super darn hot, 115 in the day and 90 at midnight.

 

[Welder Sam]

Ha! I just got home from the 29 palms area... yup... it's awful hot... and windy.. big bear lake fire makes it kinda nasty too

 

[Csm Davis]

Finally have a great mod to show off. And now I can't find my pictures will take more tomorrow. What is changed is the muffler on a 936 is in the way of soldier B when they go to climb on the bed from the cab. All you need to do is take a little slice out of the support and bend it up straight so it is out of the way of soldier B while climbing back and also add a second section of guard above the original and a handle will make it even better.

Also the M944 have a factory muffler shield that is almost exactly like this and should have been on all but the dumps and solid body trucks.

Well don't keep us in suspense, Jeff

Sorry for the wait.

 

[red]

Extra air tanks for running air tools
Side access storage boxes for tools
Tire davit for easier removal/mounting
Organized storage for the rigging gear
Storage by the front bumper
Hard mounted air QD's front and rear
A more common PTO shaft for the crane
On board welder

 

[Csm Davis]

Extra air tanks for running air tools

Maybe get an air pig

Side access storage boxes for tools

Yeah definitely

Tire davit for easier removal/mounting

Unpin your turntable then you have the greatest tire davit in the world.

Organized storage for the rigging gear

Get to work

Storage by the front bumper

Need to make the boxes

Hard mounted air QD's front and rear

Got them already, red gladhands

A more common PTO shaft for the crane

Yes that CV shaft is crazy

On board welder

look up Ready-welder

 

[red]

Maybe get an air pig


Yeah definitely


Unpin your turntable then you have the greatest tire davit in the world.


Get to work

Need to make the boxes


Got them already, red gladhands


Yes that CV shaft is crazy

look up Ready-welder

Installing 2 extra air tanks to provide more air when working, will have a manual ball valve to close them off when not needed.

A ready welder is in the plans. Provides 120v as well.

Brain fart on the red glad hands, just gotta build a QD adapter.

 

[wcuhillbilly]

Red,,, Your wrecker didnt come with the standard bent and rusty gladhand air line for filling tires.......????? I had to perform an archiological dig for mine in those pesky rear pigeon holes the TM called rear tool boxes.... I dont even use those boxes as they are constantly full of dirt....

after last nites fuel debacle,,, I have decided with much pondering that I will likely remove my passenger side fuel tank and install a tool box there..... as the 100 or so gal tank on the driver side is adequite for my running.

Wish list..... ha ha,,, it looks like a kids Christmas list...

upgrade all copper line to current air line....
Air brakes all the way around,,,,
CV shaft,,,, DIDO...
Red and yellow buttons on dash,,,,,
12 volt options....
Tow bar---- Got a 750 Holmes sling assembly coming,,,
DIFF LOCKERS !!!!!!!!
Front axle disconnect---- got the switch , just need to plumb it.....
10-18 speed trans.
Front winch,,,,, HYDRAULIC
Smaller crane operators box... or a gang plank down the side.
Running lights with headlites.... Found the thread,, just have to sort out all the black wires, ("cut the black wire,,,, its always the black wire")
Budd wheels all the way around,,, need 2 to complete the set,,,, and new tires,,,,
and on, and on, and on and on we go...........................................

 

[VPed]

The pigeon holes are good for storing the snow chains I never need. So at least they are good for something. By the way, did anyone mention adding snow chains for those that do not have them?

 

[wcuhillbilly]

Snow chains in those Pigeon holes!!!!! Yes I gues you guys in texas dont use them all that much,,,, trying to stuff a single much less a double rail tire chain in those small boxes would be like trying to get the plastic emergency poncho folded back up and stuffed into the little zip loc case it came out of ...

my tire chains reside in the main tool box behind the pass door, Lifting them any higher than waist is getting dangerous in icy weather,,, thus I hook the top on the bed rail climb up, open the main box and feed em in like rope.
on my daily driver, I fastened hooks across the rear bumper and hang them there like a curtain or mud flap.... only problem is they become a mud flap in bad weather. I have hooked them over the front bumper on the wrecker,,, looks really Mad Max or Death Race that way.....

 

[red]

Red,,, Your wrecker didnt come with the standard bent and rusty gladhand air line for filling tires.......????? I had to perform an archiological dig for mine in those pesky rear pigeon holes the TM called rear tool boxes.... I dont even use those boxes as they are constantly full of dirt....

after last nites fuel debacle,,, I have decided with much pondering that I will likely remove my passenger side fuel tank and install a tool box there..... as the 100 or so gal tank on the driver side is adequite for my running.

Wish list..... ha ha,,, it looks like a kids Christmas list...

upgrade all copper line to current air line....
Air brakes all the way around,,,,
CV shaft,,,, DIDO...
Red and yellow buttons on dash,,,,,
12 volt options....
Tow bar---- Got a 750 Holmes sling assembly coming,,,
DIFF LOCKERS !!!!!!!!
Front axle disconnect---- got the switch , just need to plumb it.....
10-18 speed trans.
Front winch,,,,, HYDRAULIC
Smaller crane operators box... or a gang plank down the side.
Running lights with headlites.... Found the thread,, just have to sort out all the black wires, ("cut the black wire,,,, its always the black wire")
Budd wheels all the way around,,, need 2 to complete the set,,,, and new tires,,,,
and on, and on, and on and on we go...........................................

Ha nope, it was well gutted beforehand. Only had 1 or 2 rigging chains. Placed the ones I brought with me from Texas in it.

 

[Csm Davis]

Installing 2 extra air tanks to provide more air when working, will have a manual ball valve to close them off when not needed.

A ready welder is in the plans. Provides 120v as well.

Brain fart on the red glad hands, just gotta build a QD adapter.

A ready-welder doesn't make 120v not sure what welder you are talking about.

 

[red]

Thinking 'Premier Power Welder'. I do much better with an ark welder than a MIG.