What have you done to your HMMWV today/lately

[Mullaney]

As the second-to-last step in the body-off restauration of my M997 ambulance, today I started the M997 cabin heater for the first time (the last step will be to get the A/C running, hopefully).

Everything went fine with the heater, apart from some excessive smoke due to the long pre-ignition phase with some unburned diesel collecting in the heater.

With the temperatures today being just above freezing, the heat coming from the running heater was pretty welcome.

I took a litte video of the test. The first part was filmed inside the M997 A/C-heater compartment. Ignition starts at 0:45. After the heater ignited, the ventilator switches to higher revs, and from 1:20 on, you´ll see that excessive smoke.

.
Neat!!

 

[Mogman]

I needed to add some reflectors to the back of the DuraVee with the S-788 shelter, because at this time I have NO idea what the final configuration of the "camper" will be I was reluctant to drill holes for nutserts to mount the reflectors so I simply put the reflectors on the mud flaps, at 18" to the bottom of the reflectors it does comply with the 15-60" Texas state law.

I am not sure why everyone puts the mud flap mount on the back of the bumper, I think it looks better in front of the bumper and with the S-788 mounts I really did not have a choice anyway.

 

[juanprado]

I needed to add some reflectors to the back of the DuraVee with the S-788 shelter, because at this time I have NO idea what the final configuration of the "camper" will be I was reluctant to drill holes for nutserts to mount the reflectors so I simply put the reflectors on the mud flaps, at 18" to the bottom of the reflectors it does comply with the 15-60" Texas state law.
View attachment 858671
I am not sure why everyone puts the mud flap mount on the back of the bumper, I think it looks better in front of the bumper and with the S-788 mounts I really did not have a choice anyway.

You might want to consider 3m solid red reflective tape in a L pattern on each bottom corner of the shelter. Military used the red for many years with merdec camo and the beginning of the 3 color.
Also still used on some trailers from what I noticed on rolling stock.

 

[AAVP7]

After weeks of rain and snow, today was a beautiful winter day for a change, so I took the M997 for a spin:

One thing I noticed is that the extra heater for the rear was designed with an extra medic in mind to operate it. There´s no way for the driver to control or stop the rear heater, so I drove for about twenty minutes (in winter clothing), during which the temperature in the driver´s compartment rose from 30° to 100°F. Then I simply had to stop the M997 to switch off the heater. The heater was running in "Low heat" by the way; "High" is only supposed to be used below 0°F (-18°C) !

 

[Mogman]

After weeks of rain and snow, today was a beautiful winter day for a change, so I took the M997 for a spin:

One thing I noticed is that the extra heater for the rear was designed with an extra medic in mind to operate it. There´s no way for the driver to control or stop the rear heater, so I drove for about twenty minutes (in winter clothing), during which the temperature in the driver´s compartment rose from 30° to 100°F. Then I simply had to stop the M997 to switch off the heater. The heater was running in "Low heat" by the way; "High" is only supposed to be used below -18°F !

NICE RIG!!

 

[Action]

After weeks of rain and snow, today was a beautiful winter day for a change, so I took the M997 for a spin:

One thing I noticed is that the extra heater for the rear was designed with an extra medic in mind to operate it. There´s no way for the driver to control or stop the rear heater, so I drove for about twenty minutes (in winter clothing), during which the temperature in the driver´s compartment rose from 30° to 100°F. Then I simply had to stop the M997 to switch off the heater. The heater was running in "Low heat" by the way; "High" is only supposed to be used below 0°F (-18°C) !

Does that use the same swingfire heater as the arctic kits?

 

[AAVP7]

No, not the swingfire heater. The early M997 had an M10530B heater in a little compartment above the commander. Together with an A/C system that I´m still working on. Point is, the A/C system will block any access to the heater, so I want to get some confidence in it before putting the A/C in.

 

[Coug]

Went for a beach drive

This has got to be one of the best pics I've ever seen of my truck

 

[Coug]

So on the way to the beach drive, about 15 minutes from my house, started hearing funny noises from the engine, and a little smoke.

Pulled over along the freeway and popped the hood. Found an idler pulley locked up on the serpentine belt.

Doused the pulley in water to cool it off, and drove the truck about 1/4 mile to get it off the freeway into a parking lot.

Doused it in water again, then made a phone call to my aunt who lives 5 minutes from there. While she was on her way, I managed to remove the idler pulley with a pair of channel lock pliers.

She took the pulley to the auto parts store. 45 minutes later she comes back and tells me that they can't get one until tuesday.

However, because of the design, they CAN just replace the bearings inside this idler pulley, which they did.

Got it reinstalled with the channel locks. Drove truck to my aun'ts place, grabbed a couple wrenches and tightened it down much better (I wanted to say "properly" but no torque wrench involved so it isn't properly tightened)

Only delayed my trip by about an hour, and fortunately I had left over an hour before I had planned to originally.

EDIT: and that beach drive? 2.5 hours driving to get there (100 miles or so), NOT counting the extra hour sitting alongside the road, for a 15 mile drive down the beach, a couple hours of hanging out and having lots of pictures taken of my truck, then 2.5 hours driving to get home. Probably not really worth it overall, but meh.

 

[TOBASH]

You aunt should get an honorary Steel Soldiers membership and a great Valentines present.

IMHO

 

[Mogman]

Went for a beach drive

This has got to be one of the best pics I've ever seen of my truck
View attachment 858853


View attachment 858854View attachment 858855

On all the beaches in Texas that activity is illegal, not sure about WA though.. The only reason I mention it is so others will be careful and check the local laws before doing such things.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

So on the way to the beach drive, about 15 minutes from my house, started hearing funny noises from the engine, and a little smoke.

Pulled over along the freeway and popped the hood. Found an idler pulley locked up on the serpentine belt.

Doused the pulley in water to cool it off, and drove the truck about 1/4 mile to get it off the freeway into a parking lot.

Doused it in water again, then made a phone call to my aunt who lives 5 minutes from there. While she was on her way, I managed to remove the idler pulley with a pair of channel lock pliers.

She took the pulley to the auto parts store. 45 minutes later she comes back and tells me that they can't get one until tuesday.

However, because of the design, they CAN just replace the bearings inside this idler pulley, which they did.

Got it reinstalled with the channel locks. Drove truck to my aun'ts place, grabbed a couple wrenches and tightened it down much better (I wanted to say "properly" but no torque wrench involved so it isn't properly tightened)

Only delayed my trip by about an hour, and fortunately I had left over an hour before I had planned to originally.

EDIT: and that beach drive? 2.5 hours driving to get there (100 miles or so), NOT counting the extra hour sitting alongside the road, for a 15 mile drive down the beach, a couple hours of hanging out and having lots of pictures taken of my truck, then 2.5 hours driving to get home. Probably not really worth it overall, but meh.

there is no torque settings to worry about on an idler pulley. ITS just a 1/2in nut with a flat washer and lock washer.

 

[Coug]

there is no torque settings to worry about on an idler pulley. ITS just a 1/2in nut with a flat washer and lock washer.

I know ones like this aren't that important, but as far as I am aware EVERY bolt has a proper torque for securing it, or at least they have a maximum torque. Too low of a torque and the bolt hasn't stretched enough to put enough pressure on the nut to keep it from backing off over time, and too much the bolt is over stretching and unable to be reused (as long as it hasn't been tightened to the point of failure)

But I'll agree that I'm not worried about it after just using a couple wrenches on it.

 

[Coug]

On all the beaches in Texas that activity is illegal, not sure about WA though.. The only reason I mention it is so others will be careful and check the local laws before doing such things.

I just looked through the RCW for anything about driving on the rocks at the beach and found nothing.
Thanks for pointing that out though; it's something I really should have checked before doing it. I will say though I was far from the first person in the group to do it, and if nobody else had done it I wouldn't have either.

 

[Mogman]

I just looked through the RCW for anything about driving on the rocks at the beach and found nothing.
Thanks for pointing that out though; it's something I really should have checked before doing it. I will say though I was far from the first person in the group to do it, and if nobody else had done it I wouldn't have either.

We have dunes and they are vital to help protect areas from storm surges during hurricanes and the vegetation is crucial for the dunes, some of our beaches are federal some are state controlled. they sure look like they would be fun though...

 

[Coug]

We have dunes and they are vital to help protect areas from storm surges during hurricanes and the vegetation is crucial for the dunes, some of our beaches are federal some are state controlled. they sure look like they would be fun though...

We're allowed to drive on the sand, as it's considered to be a state highway. Supposed to stay up away from the water and away from the dunes.

Driving in the vegetation is verboten.

Some beaches are closed during parts of the year for shellfish or stuff like that.

 

[Mogman]

We're allowed to drive on the sand, as it's considered to be a state highway. Supposed to stay up away from the water and away from the dunes.

Driving in the vegetation is verboten.

Some beaches are closed during parts of the year for shellfish or stuff like that.

All we have here is sand and dunes, any rocks on the beaches are imported to build jetties

 

[Sjoconnor]

All we have here is sand and dunes, any rocks on the beaches are imported to build jetties

Up in the peoples republic of MA I go on Duxbury beach. Dunes are a no no. We get shut down from the beach every year during the piping plover hatching. They taste like chicken. Kidding.

Stephen

 

[Caactus]

Added some well needed Dome lights.

[*AWESOME* Pic removed]

Jetbike, What did you use for domelights? Love the look and DAMN it's dark in there when I'm trying to buckle the tyke into the carseat.

 

[JetbikeAnt]

Jetbike, What did you use for domelights? Love the look and DAMN it's dark in there when I'm trying to buckle the tyke into the carseat.

Just Green dome lights off of Amazon. I think they said off road. They are rugged and I like the mounts they give ya. I drilled and taped the Pillars (which was not easy) installed two. I did not realize they were momentary switches and they have no memory, so wiring them to a switch on the control box I'm building would not work. I could turn them off, but not on. Instead, I wired them into a Mil spec Plug and connected them to the TOW fire control receptacle. Kinda cool.