My M109A3 camper project

This is a spot for posting those old photos of your service days, your favorite tractor, whatever...Don't be shy we all love looking at pictures! No Nekkid People though, this is a "G" rated site!

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rickf
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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by rickf » July 31st, 2013, 6:58 pm

richard wrote:Great, somebody here is having the same idea. I got a S-280 shelter with my M35A2. My idea is to be flexible in either having a cargo or a RV truck. Would like to see your restoration and camper project. I am still working on the tear-down and not on the build-up. I do not know whether it is allowed to put a M35A2 resto into the resto thread.

Rick, same prices here. :( A new or overhauled engine costs the same as a whole Deuce and a Half.
I talked it over with Jim and we decided it is better to just keep the bigger trucks and all other MV's in the favorite pictures section. We do not want to start competing with the 503 and Steel Soldiers with the big trucks since we are really a M151 site only. That does not mean we do not like to see pictures of your other military projects so "Favorite Pictures" will be the place for that.


Rick
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

njjeeper
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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by njjeeper » August 1st, 2013, 9:00 am

Rick/Jim,
DO you want me to keep this alive with updates and such or should I let it go now that the pics are here? I chose the Fav Pics section for the initial post cause it seemed like the best place to put them and not disturb the "M151" flavor of the site. Say the word and Ill stop with the details and let it die.

However, if I should keep going then I can update on the brakes and what I found when I pulled the rear hub that sounded a bit "off".....

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rickf
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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by rickf » August 1st, 2013, 10:09 am

Fine with me, Jim,?
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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raymond
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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by raymond » August 1st, 2013, 3:48 pm

I want to see the progress on the camper :D
Raymond


"On the day when crime puts on the apparel of innocence, through a curious reversal peculiar to our age, it is innocence that is called on to justify itself." Albert Camus

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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by njjeeper » August 1st, 2013, 3:55 pm

Ok, quick update before Jim chimes in :)

I got the brakes bled well using a home made pressure bleeder. All the stories are true that you cant get a decent pedal with pump bleeding. Ask my 7 year old and my 11 year old......they tried! Due to the crazy price of Dot 5 silicone fluid, I flushed out and went with DOT 3 for the system. Yes it holds water and yes the military got away from it back in the 80s. But, it cost me 16 bucks for a gallon so for now at least, its the solution!

On the mid axle, pass side I noticed the inner wheel was completely caked in funky thick black paste. Clearly it was gear oil or brake fluid with loads of dirt in it. I pulled the hub apart last night assuming the magic little cork insert that seals the keyway would be missing. Wrong. When I pulled the hub, there was not one drop of bearing grease left in the inner or outer bearing. Just a bunch of nasty gear oil and loose bearings. The stupid keyway cork was there, but the outer oil seal looked like someone chewed on it before installation. This truck got a full depot rebuild 190 running hours ago. I can only assume that installation of this seal was an error on some poor soldiers part. Anyway, I need to get the new seal kit before I reinstall it all.

I also got 12v lighting to work in the rear box so now I have some light! The only rust on the truck is in the floor under the wood decking. A 2x3 section is soft and I want to fix it before I start installing camper gear. That means pulling the whole floors up and doing it right. I wish I could leave well enough alone but I hate rust and now that I know its there, it must be eradicated!

After lots of easy starts, the batteries seem to have dies off on me. THey charge to full within 20 mins on a 4 amp charge, yet they don't turn the motor over. The amp guage reads green until after I try to start it. It wont turn over and then the amp gauge reads yellow/red. 2 new wallyworld batteries are in my trunk right now waiting to be tossed in the deuce when I get home from work.
Finally, I am rebuilding the battery box/tray tonight. The original steel one is all rotted out and I want to fix it before I install my fancy walmart batteries. SOme angle iron, flat steel and the welder should make it good as new!

tl:dr - brakes are good with a pressure bleed to remove DOT 5 fluid/air, I have a bad hub seal on the mid axle, batteries gave up and I am re-welding the battery box floor and the camper floor.

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My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by Horst » August 1st, 2013, 5:05 pm

I had the plastic battery box in my second deuce. No more trouble. And installed the military solargizer
Horst

1972 USMC M151A2 w/ROPS (ex Barstow) and M416
1962 M201 and trailer
1966 GTO,1982 E350 Skoolie, 1987 SJ413, 1987 911
Gone: 2xM35A2c, Unimog 404S, Hanomag AL28, DKW Munga

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rickf
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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by rickf » August 1st, 2013, 5:35 pm

I am not all that familiar with the deuce wheel cylinders but if they are like the the automotive cylinders and the brake line goes in the top and the bleeder is in the top then you are NOT bleeding out the silicone fluid. The only way to do it is to expose the wheel cylinder and pop at least one piston out to drain the entire cylinder. Then you can out it together and rebleed it and you will be filling it totally with DOT 3. Otherwise you are just mixing and not much mixing at that, it is coming in the line and right over to the bleeder without disturbing the silicone. I know that is not what you want to hear but.......................... I am going to convert my CUCV and I have to do that plus the massive front calipers which have to come off and be inverted, drained, filled, repeat and then I can move on to the back. Oh, and replace the rotted out line.

Water gets in silicone fluid also, it just migrates to the lowest point which is the wheel cylinders. I guarantee you will find a water mark in the wheel cylinders. At least with DOT 3 you can flush with new fluid every other year and all of the water is gone. With DOT 5 you can flush all you want, that water just lays in the bottom of those cylinders.

Rick
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by moose53 » August 1st, 2013, 9:11 pm

NJJeeper, post all the photos in this thread you want. We have this forum so our guys can show off whatever else makes them happy. Doesn't need to be military either....
just want to keep the m151 forums pure to make searches easier.

Jim
Zigzag50, Northeast51, KC2QDZ
MVPA # 30032 G838.org

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1971 G838-M151A2 1966 G857-M416
1968 G748-M101A1 1976 G748-M116A1
1990 MEP-701A

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Real jeeps have horizontal grille slots

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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by njjeeper » August 2nd, 2013, 9:50 am

Sounds good Jim, thanks!

Rick, your are 100% correct on the silicone swap out. What I have been doing is rebuilding the wheel cylinders as I go. New cups, springs and boots. So, when I pull apart them to rebuild them, all the DOT 5 comes out. The cylinders have been excellent looking so far. A bit of loose crud but zero water or corrosion. I don't even take them off the truck. I just undo the shoe spring, pull the boots, cups and spring, clean with brake kleen, reinstall new brake kit, redo shoe spring and bleed. I have 3 of the 6 wheels done and the pedal is nearly perfect.

Last night I repaired the battery box. It was pretty rotted out, even rotted up the sides. So, the repair is ugly at best, but its strong. I am hoping it will hold up well enough until I spot a newer plastic box at one of the shows :)

I have to get the yard presentable for one of my kids B-day party tomorrow so I have to hide the deuce. Once I am back working on it I want to get the 2 rear axle brake lines swapped out and finish the wheel cylinder rebuilds and bearing re-packs. Looks like all the other axles aren't leaking so Ill re-use the old seals for now. I will redo the keyway seal on them all tho, while they are apart!!

Ill try to get some more pics into this thread as well. Have to dump my cameras memory card onto my work computer....

In the mean time, here are a few pics of my tribute to beer. This is a 1942 AO SMith gas pump I restored in early Texaco Fire Chief. If you look closely at the belt trim, you can see a tap handle :) The pump dispenses beer from a kegerator located in the basement. Hooray for beer!

Image


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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by rickf » August 2nd, 2013, 11:56 am

So That's why you didn't invite me into the house huh? :lol: Good to hear on the wheel cylinders, I would have gone over them with some fine emery cloth after the brake clean and then hit them again with the brake clean. That's just me, I hone all wheel and master cylinders when I take them apart just to be sure they are prepped for new cups. I am sure yours will be fine if there was no rust or burrs in them.
Eh, Just HOW are you going to hide a 109 in your small yard?
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: My M109A3 camper project

Unread post by WC Matt » August 5th, 2013, 6:00 pm

rickf wrote:Matt, the M109A4 had the Cat engine and the super singles and the CTIS garbage inflation system.

Richard, The FDC is the Fuel Density Compensator, which adjusts pump timing depending on what fuel is being run in it.

TJ Be careful what you run for fuel without the FDC.
Thanks. 8)

matt

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