Allison M916 + Mk48 Cab = 6x6 "FEMTT"

[silverstate55]

Soni, you are my hero!

 

[jdknech]

I am very interested in this thread, I have been saving parts to do this to a M939 truck, but my only hurdle is the steering setup... I was just going to go full hydraulic steering.. so I am very interested in seeing how you overcome this

 

[M920]

Wow, this is awesome! Looking forward to some of the engineering hurdles and how you over come them.

random question, what about doing a LHS style hook and load vs. doing the crane for the modules? seems like there'd be less work in the swapping and would still enable you to have all those capabilities?

You make a good point, if it was only about the loading and unloading of the modules. The crane is needed to load and unload cargo from the cargo bed (like pre-fabed buildings for transmitter shelters) and to help set mono-poles and such at the sites.

So the crane is really needed.

Soni

 

[M920]

Whatever you do, the transfer case needs to go back to the original position, so the rear ds can be more than 12" long or whatever it is now.

I hear you!!! I will certainly fix that when I install the 55000 TC!
The only halfway plausible reason that I could find for it's current location, is the tight clearance of the front DS under the oilpan of the Allison tranny. But there has to be a better way!

Soni

 

[JarheadMtn]

Subscribed.

 

[Scooteerr]

Subscribed!!

 

[bikeman]

You make a good point, if it was only about the loading and unloading of the modules. The crane is needed to load and unload cargo from the cargo bed (like pre-fabed buildings for transmitter shelters) and to help set mono-poles and such at the sites.

So the crane is really needed.

Soni

Roger, wasn't sure about that. thanks for the response.

 

[bbuck7777]

Very Cool!

 

[M920]

So in order to keep an acceptable front axle loading and maintain a sufficient reach for the crane over the truck's tailboard, I decided to move the 45000 pound winch forward and mount the knucke boom behind it, just ahead of the cargo area.
One of the PITAs of the Wajax crane over the Grove is the fact that the outrigger legs have to be flipped up when stowed. (This task is certainly do-able, but not fun for a single person to perform)
With that in mind, I discovered that if I mounted the crane 180 degrees from the way it was mounted on the Mk17 PLS RBU, I would be able to leave the outrigger legs down and still retract them all the way in. (This was not possible on the Mk17 without crushing the fenders!) This would alow me to move the truck short distances without having to flipp the legs up every time I needed to move the crane.
The other advantage would be that, when having to work the crane on the side of a road or highway, it would put the main controls away from traffic!

So I first unbolted the winch from its frame mount cheek plates and moved them as far forward as I could, without limiting access to the rear of the engine.
After shortening the plates to miss the original front cab mounts and drilling all the holes in their new location, I bolted them in to place.

Well, come to find out....that was the easy part. The cheek plates for the crane, that I unbolted off the frame of the Mk17, fit the M916 frame perfect, but required over THIRTY 3/4" diameter holes to be drilled through the double, 3/8" thick, heat treated frame! (Thank God for magnetic drill presses! )

Since I had to remove the fuel tank and the battery box to mark and drill the holes but still needed the engine to start and run, to power the hydraulic system on the Mk17's crane, (The hydraulic "umbilical cord" can be seen in the photo, comming of the auxilary ports on the back of the M916's winch control tower and running over to the Mk17) I had to rig up a jerry can for the fuel supply and a 12V battery to electrically engage the PTO on the Allison....

All this was necessary because my 10 ton crane, that I was going to use for this task, was down with a bad starter.

I know, I know....it's quite THE MESS!!!.....Well, I never said I was a very "organized" person....lol

 

[Tinydragon2001]

subscribed

 

[Derrickl112]

Did the wajax crane's have a remote?

 

[M920]

Did the wajax crane's have a remote?

Well , it came with the "remains" of a remote.....it is so damaged though, that I'm afraid to use it I have been trying to find a good one, ever since I got the crane..... Any leads?

Soni

 

[M920]

With the cheek plates for the crane all drilled and bolted in place on the FEMTT, it is time to move the winch forward and set on the knuckle boom crane.
Unfortunately I had to spend half a day under the M123A1c to change out a bad starter solenoid. At least it is the same as a 5 ton, so I had one in stock.....Never a dull moment around here.....

The winch is set off for now, pending some modifications to the mounting bracket. Also, the hydraulic tank is removed and will have a new location on the passenger side front fender, between the cab and the spare tire.

Since the FEMTT is a 6x6, I'm able to fabricate the spare tire carrier far enough behind the front fender, as to not have the spare stick up above the nice, low silouette of truck!



With the 10 ton back in service, it did not take us to long to lift the knuckle boom crane from the back of the Mk17, on to it's new "home" on the frame of the FEMTT.

Here are some pics of the swap......

P.s. Not sure what the Wajax weighs but it is HEAVY!!!

 

[M920]

Snow!

Well, I should have not said anything about an "exceptionally mild Winter", because we just got a bunch of snow!!!

Unfortunately this may delay my FEMTT project a little bit, since we do all the work outside and they have more snow in the forcast for tonight!


Time to start digging I guess.....

 

[wreckerman893]

snow baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hoefler]

I have an extra MK48 cab that I was thinking about installing on my M923. I will be watching your progress. Your fabrication skills are top notch.
Pete

 

[Danger Ranger]

Ok, this one **** of an awesome build. While the M916 you used for it looked sweet the way it was, this was definitely worth it to use it.

I can't wait to see more of this build, but in the mean time, can you tell us more about your 10 ton crane-truck? I am very interested in that build. It looks awesome, and would be handy as all get out.

 

[zebedee]

Ok, this one **** of an awesome build.

Ditto that!

....I can't wait to see more of this build, but in the mean time, can you tell us more about your 10 ton crane-truck? I am very interested in that build. It looks awesome, and would be handy as all get out.

and what did the Holmes gear come off of - that is exactly what I need for my project! Pics pics pics!!!!

 

[Csm Davis]

Second that, tell us more or how about a full thread of it's own!

 

[M920]

[QUOTE/]I can't wait to see more of this build, but in the mean time, can you tell us more about your 10 ton crane-truck? I am very interested in that build. It looks awesome, and would be handy as all get out.[/QUOTE]




Thanks all for the nice compliments! As far as the 10 ton M123A1c goes, I have had that truck since 1988! We used it with a custom made Dolly System to haul 85' long Railroad passenger cars between Eureka Springs, AR and Springdale, AR for the ES&NA Railroad.

The crane came off a Hanson military rough terrain crane. I put it on the 10 ton in about 1990, after that haul in Arkansas was no longer needed by the Railroad and used it in my wrecker service business for about 9 years after that.
When I sold the wrecker service, not having a CDL the buyer only bought my 1 ton wrecker and the roll-back.

I tried to sell the M123 for a while, but no one wanted to pay anything for the truck, so I still own it and use it all the time!

So I will take some current pics for you guys and see if I can dig up some "early" ones.....I will post them in a seperate thread though...

Soni