M109A4 Sub-Zero Oil Field

[RetiredNavy]

Be leery of using alcohol. Alcohol and brake line rubber parts doesnt mix well. Just like using alcohol in gas, eats the rubber parts in older vehicles. I deliver fuel in that neck of the region out of the Glendive terminal.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

A few of you guys have mentioned and recommended the 'Arctic Kit'. Exactly what is that? Is there a list somewhere showing these items? Also, does anyone have a recommendation for what type of grease I should use for general-purpose lubrication in -40° F temps?

I've been compiling a tool/part list for the trip, and another list of winter upgrades. A couple guys have mentioned using a Yukon stove to heat the van portion of the truck. However- I would have to cut a hole for the stove pipe to exit the box. Right? Or- could it be possible to vent the stove out one of the windows? The Yukon stove seems great... but exhausting it out? Could this be exhausted through the evacuation fan perhaps?

Any more ideas for heating the box van? It seems like the arctic heater kit for the cab is the only way to go for that compartment.

Also- I'm 90% sure I'm going to drive this truck the 2300 miles. I think I have a buddy or two willing to make the trip with me too.

 

[BadMastard]

Well, it's time for us to have that little chat. This is usually done by someone who seems like they just want to avoid answering your questions, but in this case I'm going to do both.

Read your TM's. If you don't have your Technical Manuals yet, better get a hold of a copy or two. Jatonka has them on site, and there are a few out on the internet. The answer about the winterization kit was found on TM-9-2320-361-24-1, chapter 4, work packages 00350 to 00382.

The winterization kit (artic kit) is composed of:
1. a fuel burning heater for the front cab (replaces radiator heater in cab heater also known as water heater.)
2. Exhaust tube (to reroute exhaust to heat other components.)
3. Oil pan shroud (for heating oil pan)
4. Battery box heater pad (obvious use).
5.Hardtop.
6.Alcohol evaporator- for your air compressor.
7. Engine coolant heater
8. Hod and radiator cover (reduces air flow into engine area maintaining heat.)
9./ Transmission and gear shift covers- for in the cab to reduce air flow.
10. New slave receptacle- haven't seen this one, but I'd bet it's so you can plug your deuce in to power for the different heaters.

m109a4 versions
11. primary heater- hope you have one! It's for the box, hangs in the front drivers side corner, connected to 24V and your fuel tank. Great for making pop tarts too.
12. Secondary heater- again, for the box. with both installed, you should be more than fine. something like 80,000 btu

so there you are. Your answer and where to find it.

Yukon stove- Personally, keep your windows intact. They don't slide open, they pivot out at the bottom. Hard to make a vent for that. If you are running both box heaters and still don't have enough heat back there, best bet is to insulate it more. I'd buy the aluminum coated insulation sheets from home depot and go to town. You could use the built in vent on the box to exhaust stale air, but I think you'd melt your fan if you vent the yukon stove out it. Or replace the fan with the stove vent.

Booyah! That's a great drive. I'd suggest getting a bed for the back, or an air mattress for that. Three in the cab get's mighty cozy mighty quick. You could even bolt a futon back there.

Oh, check your lube order for recommended grease. LO9-2320-386-12. I think it's the same for any temp, but your other fluids may seriously change.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

BadMastard, you've done it again, and came back with some invaluable information. This saves me a lot of research time. I think I've located an online manual, but i have been so busy with work lately, i haven't had a chance to start reading... thanks for referencing the locations/chapters too. I'll be sure to share a lot of photos (and videos) once I get to the truck.

It's great to know that there are plenty of govt. kit/parts that will bolt right into place too. I'd much rather use equipment built for this vehicle than have to customize. My truck does NOT have a primary (or secondary) heater in the box, so I will be shopping around right away. This eliminates any need to mess with a yukon stove... going with extra insulation will be key.

As far as the drive goes- I plan on picking up a cheapo thrift-store sofa, an ice chest (for uh... sodas), and a deck of cards. May even setup a laptop to watch some movies. I've got some walkie-talkies so the boys in the van can keep in touch with the driver if there's an emergency (like when the sodas run out).

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Here's a quick update:

I acquired 2 fully adjustable air-ride seats that the Seller is installing into my truck prior to my trip. Although I haven't been in one of these trucks before, from what everyone has told me, that bench seat is brutally uncomfortable. I think this is a good investment... especially before a 2500 mile drive! The seller is also going to put about 20oz of anti-freeze into each tire to help smooth the ride. While the tires are off, he's also going to grease the lug nuts, so in case I have to remove a wheel later, the nuts will break more easily.

I am also having a full inspection and service of the truck next week: oil change, oil filter, fuel filter, grease chassis, drive train inspection, and installation of a 1000W engine block heater during coolant flush... freeze plug style.

I've got my flight into Allentown, PA on Christmas day. Picking up 3 more spare meats in MD a couple days later, as well as my road-mate "Peppy" who's flying up from California to join me.

A handful of SS members have provided me with their phone numbers along my proposed route in case I need help. I really appreciate it! If there are any members willing to provide me some emergency service in CO, KS or WY, please PM me with your phone number. It would be greatly appreciated! Again- I'm taking lots of precautions, and just sold my snowmobile, so I have a little 'emergency fund' in case I run into trouble. Reminder: In my first post, I have a link to a google map, provided by SPOT GPS so you can track me along my journey.

I called the Auto Club (AAA), and verified that my RV premier membership covers me for 100 mile RV towing in any RV that I'm driving, so that will be my first call in case I have a break down.

One SS member posted in this thread about hauling my truck from Indianapolis, IN to Montana, but I haven't got a response. I have no choice but to continue with 'plan A'; drive the whole route. SIMP, are you still interested in hauling the truck? Let me know ASAP, Peppy needs to book a return flight to CA... and if you haul the truck, he would fly home from IN instead of MT.

When I pass through MO, I'll be stopping to pick up a Van Heater from a SS member there.

I'm also in the market for a hard-top, and possibly, a 1.5 ton M105a2 trailer. The trailers seem to be a dime-a-dozen, so I'm sure I could find one close to home, but if someone on my route wants to sell me one, PM me and I'll get it out of your yard. I need a hard-top for winter, and the trailer would be used for hauling additional survey supplies, a generator and a 4-wheeler next summer.

Anyone else have parts/equipment to trade, haul or sell along my route? I'm looking for arctic kit items especially.

...more updates soon!

 

[BadMastard]

I should just go with! Ok, another 2 cents. Your soft top is well insulated, and if its in good shape fab up a roof rack using some cast iron pipes. Then you can load it up for travel, or cover it for snow load/ insulation. Poles attach to the back of the cab and passenger front of windshield. Great news on your truck! You'll love the seats. Im currently working on setting up my heater with a separate tank from a genny. When is your trip?

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

I should just go with! Ok, another 2 cents. Your soft top is well insulated, and if its in good shape fab up a roof rack using some cast iron pipes. Then you can load it up for travel, or cover it for snow load/ insulation. Poles attach to the back of the cab and passenger front of windshield. Great news on your truck! You'll love the seats. Im currently working on setting up my heater with a separate tank from a genny. When is your trip?

Leaving PA on the 26th or 27th of December. Hoping to get to Denver by New Years Eve, then north to Montana in 1-2 days.

I didn't realize there was any/much insulation in the soft-top. If it works... don't fix it. I like your idea of a roof rack.

 

[sierra117]

Is there any reason you are taking that route to Montana I can see a couple of shorter and possibly faster routes.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Is there any reason you are taking that route to Montana I can see a couple of shorter and possibly faster routes.

If I were making the drive anytime other than winter, I would probably go a more direct route. North Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin and north Illinois: not very friendly in winter, and... less services in case of emergency. I'm playing it 'safe'... leaving MT and WY as the real 'bears' to deal with. I'm just praying for good weather... and that I don't have any serious mechanical or tire trouble. Nonetheless, thanks for your question/concern.

 

[plym49]

I've made that drive from Denver to Billings and even at 95 mph it is a long ride. I can't imagine doing it at 55. A good thing about the east coast, if you can call it that, is that things are close enough together and congested enough that 55 can feel like you're flying.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Couple updates:

The seller of the truck took the M109a4 in for a complete Preventative Maintenance (PM) service for me. The shop lubed everything, checked all the joints in the drivetrain, oil change, oil filter, fuel filter, and put dextrose in the transmission. They discovered one hose from the radiator that was soft, so they replaced it. Otherwise, the truck appears to be in great shape. I also shipped 2 engine block heaters to the service shop, however- they said only one would fit in the freeze plug bung because wires or hoses were in the way of the other side. Since I couldn't see what they were talking about, I just had them install the one (1000W) heater. They also flushed and replaced the coolant at this time too. I really wanted 2 engine block heaters installed (remember- could be -40°F), but I'll see how one does for now. I can always install the other one later, once i get it home.

I've been doing a lot of reading here on various Steel Soldiers threads, and after reading about some issues with box van heaters, and diesel/fuel fired heaters, I decided to purchase a propane heater, for 1/3 the price: Mr. Heater It's lighter, smaller, and although I'll need to lug a propane canister around, it will also come in handy for running a range or other type of cooking device (i think i own 1/2 of coleman's catalog already). We'll see how it does, and I'll share my 'customer review' with you guys.

Now that I have this heater, my road-mate/co-pilot was excited to hear that we could sleep IN the truck on our trek west. So, we're shipping our sleeping bags and a couple cots to the truck this week. We'll hit a truck stop or two on the way to take showers...

The seller of the truck has been working hard trying to get the tires on the truck to 'balance'. Even after 20oz of anti-freeze in the tires, there is still a front tire that has a wobble around 40-42mph. He directed me to the thread on here that talks about the same issue with other member's trucks. I guess the wobble goes away at speeds above 42mph, but he's going to try adding another 20oz of anti-freeze to the tire. I'm suspicious, that the tire(s) may have some internal rot, and/or some flat spots from sitting deflated on a base for months/years. Anyone have suggestions? I'm starting to research tires... and up-sizing to 395s. I've read dozens and dozens of posts about this topic, but still feel uncertain on what my best option is; the threads seem to go in circles. Here, in the cold, dark and remote parts of Montana, old surplus tires aren't one of the things you want to gamble with. New tires that are decent in snow and ice and taller in size (so I can get a few more mph out of cruising speed) would be ideal. The CTIS system is 'cool' but not really a practical function for my intended use. Once i get the truck home, i will probably disconnect/remove it.

 

[cornrichard]

Good old Mr. Heater should keep you toasty, It will also put off a bunch of moisture. If you have any kind of fuel or solvent stored in area of the heater you will need a C.O. detector. Let me amend that, You need a C.O. detector. I have been around those heaters for years. They are great, but the mixture of air and gas is so precise that the presence of any other flammable fume makes them burn rich. If you can smell paint, thinner, gas, diesel, or any other petrochem it will burn funny and make a stink. Give it a try, but keep your eyes open for some kind of vented heater.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I second the "be careful with the propane heater". I have been around the block in emergency services and responded to dead truck drivers in their sleepers, dead people in all sorts of enclosed spaces, that had used one type of combustion space heater or another.

I realise that the product you talk about is marketed for indoor use and has all sorts of safety add-ons to shut it down. Fact remains - it is a combustion device putting out combustion byproducts such as CO and CO2 (and driving humidity up as well).

You absolutely have to have a serviceable carbon monoxide detector, period. All you do is for naught if you suffocate in your well-insulated, toasty shelter.

The attraction of the fuel-fired stock heaters is that the place of combustion is physically separated from the place that is heated. Sure, a leak could still develop where combustion gases make it inside and you still have to have a CO alarm, but the physical separation does make them safer devices to use than sharing the cabin with a combustion device.

 

[plym49]

Couple updates:

The seller of the truck took the M109a4 in for a complete Preventative Maintenance (PM) service for me. The shop lubed everything, checked all the joints in the drivetrain, oil change, oil filter, fuel filter, and put dextrose in the transmission. They discovered one hose from the radiator that was soft, so they replaced it. Otherwise, the truck appears to be in great shape. I also shipped 2 engine block heaters to the service shop, however- they said only one would fit in the freeze plug bung because wires or hoses were in the way of the other side. Since I couldn't see what they were talking about, I just had them install the one (1000W) heater. They also flushed and replaced the coolant at this time too. I really wanted 2 engine block heaters installed (remember- could be -40°F), but I'll see how one does for now. I can always install the other one later, once i get it home.

I've been doing a lot of reading here on various Steel Soldiers threads, and after reading about some issues with box van heaters, and diesel/fuel fired heaters, I decided to purchase a propane heater, for 1/3 the price: Mr. Heater It's lighter, smaller, and although I'll need to lug a propane canister around, it will also come in handy for running a range or other type of cooking device (i think i own 1/2 of coleman's catalog already). We'll see how it does, and I'll share my 'customer review' with you guys.

Now that I have this heater, my road-mate/co-pilot was excited to hear that we could sleep IN the truck on our trek west. So, we're shipping our sleeping bags and a couple cots to the truck this week. We'll hit a truck stop or two on the way to take showers...

The seller of the truck has been working hard trying to get the tires on the truck to 'balance'. Even after 20oz of anti-freeze in the tires, there is still a front tire that has a wobble around 40-42mph. He directed me to the thread on here that talks about the same issue with other member's trucks. I guess the wobble goes away at speeds above 42mph, but he's going to try adding another 20oz of anti-freeze to the tire. I'm suspicious, that the tire(s) may have some internal rot, and/or some flat spots from sitting deflated on a base for months/years. Anyone have suggestions? I'm starting to research tires... and up-sizing to 395s. I've read dozens and dozens of posts about this topic, but still feel uncertain on what my best option is; the threads seem to go in circles. Here, in the cold, dark and remote parts of Montana, old surplus tires aren't one of the things you want to gamble with. New tires that are decent in snow and ice and taller in size (so I can get a few more mph out of cruising speed) would be ideal. The CTIS system is 'cool' but not really a practical function for my intended use. Once i get the truck home, i will probably disconnect/remove it.

My truck has 11.00 x 20 'over the road' radial tires on the stock rims and so far I am happy with them. If memory serves (truck is not here with me right now) it has Goodyear G286's on it - but I might be mistaken. Whatever they are, they are great on the open road: quiet, good ride, great handling. They do not look anywhere as cool as a military NDC tire. But I suspect that I could get them repaired or replaced at any truck stop. A tire like this might be a consideration for you. I do pick up some mph (my engine has a sweet spot at whatever rpm 56 mph translates to) although not as much as you would with 395s. And 395s do look cool. If you take maintainability and replacability into account, perhaps something like an 11 x 20 would make sense.

Tires on my Deuce for you pros to ID:

 

[stampy]

Get a Vented heater. If you can take the Mr heater back do so you will not be happy. I had one in a rental house I was working on as the gas for the furnace was off. Less than 1 tank of propane had me real loopy. It vents co2 to the atmosphere and will lower the concentration of oxygen in the room subtantially. I was careful using my mister heater just to take the chill off working in a 1000 sq ft rental house. I would NEVER use it to heat the box that is less than 100 sq feet, especially not in sub zero conditions

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Thanks for the words of caution on the propane heater idea everyone. I have a 22' travel trailer, and decided to test it out a the other night with a Heater Buddy (9,000 btu/hr) I picked up at Walmart. I wanted to test it in there to see how it does before testing a larger (20,000 btu/hr) unit in a smaller container (the M109). My travel trailer is new, and has a CO2 detector. After about an hour of use, the C02 alarm went off. It was 25° outside, and 60° inside. I got out of bed, opened some windows and the door, and vented the place. I found the 'sweet spot' for leaving the heater running with windows cracked near it. Unfortunately, opening windows also allows heat to escape, and the small propane heater kept the trailer around 50°. This won't work when it's sub-zero... too much heat will escape, and inside temp will be in the 30s or much less.

My next solution would be a govt. fuel-fired heater for the shop van. A SS member has some for sale in the classifieds out of Missouri for $500, but i'm hesitant- because of the cost, and I've seen many threads regarding problems with this unit. I may look into a vented diesel-fired unit as found on boats like this:
Alaska Diesel Boat Heaters



This of course is more expensive, requires more work to install, and will take up a lot more space, but... would probably be worth it. My fuel source is limited to liquids: eg. Propane, Diesel, gasoline, kerosene. Wood, pellets and coal aren't readily available. If i go the diesel route, I may consider a 2nd diesel tank mounted somewhere under the truck... wouldn't want to find myself using all my traveling fuel for heat by accident (once the heat runs out... time to leave!).

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Shopping Update:

First off, you're going to see a lot more posts from me as I approach the date to retrieve the truck from PA. I'm done with work for the season, and my focus has shifted to preparing for this long haul. As soon as I get the truck in my possession, there will be a lot of photos. I love photos as much as you guys.

Next item of business- Intercom

I've got friends that are into off-road racing, and started talking to one of them about intercom and CB radio setup for my rig. I've been talking with 'Rugged Radios' out of CA about a setup, and its looking like $700 in parts.

Here's what I'm trying to do:

Driver: com with passenger, with van and over CB to other vehicles
Passenger: com with driver and van
Van: com with driver, passenger and CB

We run a crew of 2-4 people when surveying in winter, more people as temp drops. More people is necessary, because survey instrumentation and digital devices fail to work properly in temps below -10° F. We resort to traditional, 'old-school' methods of measurement and put the robotics and GPS away.

When doing field work, 1 person will stay in the truck to take notes and direct the field crew (usually within 200 feet of the truck). The field crew will be outside with the equipment taking measurements. Communication is usually minimal between field crew since we use hand signals and are close enough to each other to speak normally, but communication to the truck (the person giving/receiving data via voice) needs good radio communication.

Anyone have experience using headsets via bluetooth over distances of 200 feet? Any intercom suggestions for this type of setup? Intercom is new to me... but i've spent all day researching and talking with dealers about options. I've also searched SS forums for intercom discussions, however, most guys that seem to have intercom are using Aviation units. I'm sure there's a lot of you guys that are knowledgeable with this subject, and any leads in the right direction are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

...I hope I'm not hijacking my own thread here with a lengthy intercom discussion. I'll be tying everything together with photos in the next month and beyond.

 

[stampy]

Glad to hear you are looking for another heater. I would hate to hear of someone's death due to not being warned.

 

[OPCOM]

HOMASOTE

A really great product. I did not know about its insulating properties. There's a video of how it is made.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Alaska Diesel Boat Heaters

This of course is more expensive, requires more work to install, and will take up a lot more space, but... would probably be worth it. .

Aside from me being a sucker for visible open flames in any sort of fire place (it makes me feel warmer by just looking at the fire) I suggest that the option of having water heating coils with this unit is quite attractive. It means that you have heat and hot water by just burning Diesel and using little electricity. The boat application also suggests that the unit can handle vibration and the occasional shock.