Generator Support Base

[Rainman]

While I was at Gilbert with Rick, I picked up a 1969 Continental 1.5 KW AC generator. After I got it home I started trying to remember how we strapped or mounted them to the rear fenders of our M151's. I know we never lost a generator or a fender, but can't picture how we did it. When looking at an old B&W photos, it looks obvious there was a base mounted to the fender, but my memories just aren't there.



The generator is just over 20" wide and the fender's are 11", so the pair would have reduced the rear space from 40" wide down to only 20" wide. The area remaining was used to strap a large burlap camo net that the 3rd member of my team rode on atop. I've gone through both TM's, the MEP-015 and the M151 and can't locate anything even looks close. It was something modified on the 151, and not on the generator, but damned if I can picture it. It would account for an odd bolt hole pattern on both sides of the jeep. Anyone ever see anything that might have worked?
Rainman

[sherwan_88]

Rainman,
A very interesting idea it is.

[rickf]

Do you remember ever seeing any other 151's like this? Could it have been a one off modification at the unit level? I would think that if you were running these noisy vibrators in a muddy area they would sink to China so I am sure there were bases made for them somewhere to keep them afloat. Maybe a variant of that?

With two of these things running how the hell did you hear anything on the radio?

Rick

[Rainman]

Hey Rick,
Every 151 we had in the battalion used for AN/GRC-103 equipment had them, so maybe 50 of them total in our unit. There should be hundreds of them floating around somewhere. We left them on when we turned the vehicles in 1975. What became of them or the vehicles after that is a mystery to me. Sent to National Guard units maybe. These were probably sent to aluminum scrap decades ago. The base was mounted on the fender and had a lip that clamped over the generator's frame.


The outer edge had about an 18" L shaped bracket piece that had a lip that went over the generator frame and secured to the base. Wish I could draw this up, but no scanner. The separate piece bolted to the base by wing nuts or some other hand operable means, it did not require a tool of any kind. These generators weigh well over 100 lbs, so the base had to support much of the weight. The fenders would never had held that much without some major tale issues. I was hardly ever in the jeep without the camo net so I have no clear picture of how this base held the weight. The net was on when we arrived and replaced before we left. I just can't picture it in my mind.

Not a one of a kind field mod for sure. The generators operated 4 hours on and 4 off so we only used one at a time. There was a portable A/B switch to transfer the load when we swapped them. I might be able to contact a few of the guys and see if they remember more than me. After all these years I'd never even thought about it until I put the jeep and the generator side by side. It's so obvious that you can't just throw it on there and strap it down.
Rainman

[rickf]

Any more than two or three would eliminate it from being a field mod. We need Ken to see if he has anything. Try going over to the SS site and go to the Auxiliary equipment forum and see if you can find anything there. That is where I have found a lot of what I needed for my MEP 002A gen-set.

Rick

[muttguru]

While I was at Gilbert with Rick, I picked up a 1969 Continental 1.5 KW AC generator. Anyone ever see anything that might have worked? Rainman

Ray,
Finally caught up with 7 days worth of posts since my computer refused to work. What a nightmare that was. I must post a warning notice to everyone here about the benefits of backing up data....even so, it's still horrific when that ol' blue screen won't go away for a while.

I've read through the generator-in-a-mutt story but I have to say that I've never ever seen this done, nor have I come across any documentation. It obviously happened, but it isn't something that was widespread. I doubt if it was practical, too. I'd have thought that the M416 trailer (or the M762 chassis) would have been the most sensible place to put a generator.

However, "never say never" is the phrase

if I do find anything, I'll post it here.

[Rainman]

Hey Ken,
As for an easier way to tote the generators, the radio equipment pictured below was mounted on an M762 trailer that we pulled and the gap my friend is sitting in was used to transport our antennas, water cans, a few cases of C's, and 3 soldier's duffel bags. We were filled to the gills and the rear fenders were the only available spaces.



When we turned in the m151's we got M561 Gamagoats. At that time the radios went into a commo shelter, and we pulled an M101 trailer with a pair of 3KW generators. Not hard to imagine when these M151 generator mounts were removed they were probably never identified or connected to their original purpose. Other than in Airmobile signal units like the 1st Cav, 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions, there may have not been a use for them. Till now I never considered how rare they actually were. Other divisions would have just used 5/4 ton trucks for the UHF radio teams cause they didn't deploy from Chinooks (flying bananas) We had to use that flat piece of aluminum stuck in the racks for a desk. Our radio equipment carried all the teletype and field phone traffic is the easiest way to explain the need for it. Guess I won't hold out much hope for ever finding one.
Rainman

[rickf]

Hey Rainman, Is that pic of your buddy what we would call early multi-tasking?

Rick

[csmith]

[/quote] I must post a warning notice to everyone here about the benefits of backing up data....even so, it's still horrific when that ol' blue screen won't go away for a while. [/quote]

Ken, Carbonite, it is simply the easiest, least expensive and best way to back up a computer. About $50 a year and you never have to worry again. You can even access you files from thier server via any remote computer or cell phone/PDA if needed.

[raymond]

Rainman

That's quite a radio setup. I bet it even gets AM

[toptiger]

reminds me of my BOQ in Bien Hoa, Vn 68-69. I had it fully equipped but it was hard to find room to put a lot of extra stuff what with that California King bed, fridge, HD TV, Microwave... at least the Air Con was central with the unit on the balcony next to the hot tub.

[rickf]

You forgot the wet bar!

Rick

[toptiger]

I am getting old, rick, and forgetting stuff. I'll have to tell you about that place in more detail sometime.