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Cucv upgrades.

UNIMOG-GUY

Active member
231
11
28
Location
Blacksburg, VA
LED lighting on everything but the headlights (exterior, blackout drive light, dash-board)
I got to ask. Why not LED head lamps? Am I seeing so much better at night with them that I am missing something? I had to ask why?
Have you had them in the snow yet? I have heard that they don't produce enough heat to melt the snow that can potentially build up on them. I don't know this from personal experience tho. So hopefully you can tell us your experiences?

My favorite mods are:
-DH mod
-ORD Reid Racing King-pin bushing (cured my death wobble problem)
-ORD Urethane Engine and Transmission mounts
-GLO Diff Covers (Lifetime Warranty)
-Snowplow
 
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thz71

Member
159
0
16
Location
Waverly ia.
Fresh 5.9 12 valve 6BT cummins; block and head decked, fire ringed. Line honed/ hone block with torque plate and main caps installed. Port and polish the heads, port match the heads, ceramic coat the area with in each fire ring, exhaust valves, exhaust runners/ports, exhaust manifold, and the area above the first ring land on the piston. HY351 VGT turbo, 4 inch straight pipe exhaust, mishimoto radiator, aftercooler, oil cooler and trans cooler, head studs, main studs, connecting rod studs, electric water pump, P7100 injection pump and 20% over injector nozzles on 10% over injectors, air dog 2 lift pump, larger tank, G56 trans, LED lights through, magnum box t case, reed racing steering knuckles, high steer/cross over steering, high pinion King pin Dana 60, 4.56:1 gears front and rear with Arb air lockers front and rear, disc brakes all the way around.
Got pics of this?
 

tim292stro

Well-known member
2,118
39
48
Location
S.F. Bay Area/California
LED lighting on everything but the headlights (exterior, blackout drive light, dash-board)
I got to ask. Why not LED head lamps? ... Have you had them in the snow yet? I have heard that they don't produce enough heat to melt the snow that can potentially build up on them...
I'm going to guess it's the same reason I'm not doing LED on the M1009 - cost. I'm doing an H4 upgrade with a custom high power headlight harness for just a bit under $100 - that's half what the cheapest reputable single LED fixture goes for today...

cucvrus also comes across to me as the type of person who is not necessarily looking for "the best", but more the 80/20 kind of solution "the best bang for the buck - very efficient where he spends his money/time/effort on the trucks. :beer:
 

Kaiserjeeps

Member
459
7
18
Location
North Idaho in the woods
My m1008 has a flat bed and a 205 with a PTO. I verified it is a M1008 after wondering about the 205. Previous owner did the DH mod and push button glow plugs.
I have replaced the floor pads and rubber mat after paint. New black dash from LMC. New bottom seat cover. Added stewart Warner Trans temp, water temp, oil pressure mounted in the dash next to the volt meter and down below in the delete plate. I just mounted up an Isspro crank based tach tonight. I cut off most of the weak rear bumper and added a receiver hitch on a new lower section. Added a trailer brake controller with a 7 pin connector. Added a pintle hitch and deuce shackles at M105 height just below the flat bed. Currently modifying for a lower and adjustable height pintle for a M101 while leaving the upper pintle there. I'm tired of needing tools to move a trailer. I added 33's. Added a winter front. Got the existing block heater working. I recently replaced all the oak sides with 15/16th thick oak with sunfrog mahogany stain. I'll be Making a two board extension to sleeve into the existing stake sides for increased carrying capacity for fire wood.
Not done yet but on the way...
I have yet to do a dual rear exit 2.5 inch mandrel bent exhaust with Donaldson mufflers that just arrived. The glasspacks and stacks gotta go. I have a 93 4L80E that needs a rebuild and several upgrades before going in. I have yet to select a controller. I will install H4 headlights with relays. And a Warn 12K winch with a custom front mount is in order for early next spring. A rear PTO winch under the flat bed has crossed my mind but probably wont happen.. I'd like under bed boxes and will probably make them myself. Definitely a different truck than the usual found out there. After cleaning up the electrical system and grounds, most all of it works great. The truck came with a 6.5 IP in a box and I have to read up on that still. I like to drive it even though I can't hear for awhile afterwards. :D
 
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thz71

Member
159
0
16
Location
Waverly ia.
My m1008 has a flat bed and a 205 with a PTO. I verified it is a M1008 after wondering about the 205. Previous owner did the DH mod and push button glow plugs.
I have replaced the floor pads and rubber mat after paint. New black dash from LMC. New bottom seat cover. Added stewart Warner Trans temp, water temp, oil pressure mounted in the dash next to the volt meter and down below in the delete plate. I just mounted up an Isspro crank based tach tonight. I cut off most of the weak rear bumper and added a receiver hitch on a new lower section. Added a trailer brake controller with a 7 pin connector. Added a pintle hitch and deuce shackles at M105 height just below the flat bed. Currently modifying for a lower and adjustable height pintle for a M101 while leaving the upper pintle there. I'm tired of needing tools to move a trailer. I added 33's. Added a winter front. Got the existing block heater working. I recently replaced all the oak sides with 15/16th thick oak with sunfrog mahogany stain. I'll be Making a two board extension to sleeve into the existing stake sides for increased carrying capacity for fire wood.
Not done yet but on the way...
I have yet to do a dual rear exit 2.5 inch mandrel bent exhaust with Donaldson mufflers that just arrived. The glasspacks and stacks gotta go. I have a 93 4L80E that needs a rebuild and several upgrades before going in. I have yet to select a controller. I will install H4 headlights with relays. And a Warn 12K winch with a custom front mount is in order for early next spring. A rear PTO winch under the flat bed has crossed my mind but probably wont happen.. I'd like under bed boxes and will probably make them myself. Definitely a different truck than the usual found out there. After cleaning up the electrical system and grounds, most all of it works great. The truck came with a 6.5 IP in a box and I have to read up on that still. I like to drive it even though I can't hear for awhile afterwards. :D
Sounds like a nice truck. You should post up some pics I'd like to see it.
 

rsh4364

Active member
1,372
15
38
Location
greensprings ,ohio
My next upgrade will be a 14 bolt 8 lug rear from a 73-87 3/4 ton and matching front axle.The full floating rears are more desirable.I found a pair with 373s for 500 bucks,then a700r4 trans.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,554
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
Have you had them in the snow yet? I have heard that they don't produce enough heat to melt the snow that can potentially build up on them. I don't know this from personal experience tho. So hopefully you can tell us your experiences?

As you all know I have snow plow trucks. I do not have LED's on the plow trucks. I have driven my M1009 in snow storms with LED lights. Unless I am packing the head lamps full off snow by driving thru snow drifts. (which I love to do.) I have no issues with cold/hot headlamps. Out front in a blizzard and extra cold how much heat could remain on that light at 40 MPH. So to give you an honest answer I do not see any difference in the snow of LED vs Halogen. HID is a lot of heat and clearly can still get iced over in extreme conditions as I fore mentioned. Snow is a great insulator so nothing short of direct hot is going to get thru it. I drove thru drifts that when I opened my hood all I saw was snow and a fan going around under the hood very little visible engine. In my field it is like a snowmobile thru drifts but I sink to the bottom and with a lot of speed go right thru. Oh what fun it is to ride in the 130 HP CUCV.
 
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Csm Davis

Well-known member
4,151
376
83
Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Have you had them in the snow yet? I have heard that they don't produce enough heat to melt the snow that can potentially build up on them. I don't know this from personal experience tho. So hopefully you can tell us your experiences?

As you all know I have snow plow trucks. I do not have LED's on the plow trucks. I have driven my M1009 in snow storms with LED lights. Unless I am packing the head lamps full off snow by driving thru snow drifts. (which I love to do.) I have no issues with cold/hot headlamps. Out front in a blizzard and extra cold how much heat could remain on that light at 40 MPH. So to give you an honest answer I do not see any difference in the snow of LED vs Halogen. HID is a lot of heat and clearly can still get iced over in extreme conditions as I fore mentioned. Snow is a great insulator so nothing short of direct hot is going to get thru it. I drove thru drifts that when I opened my hood all I saw was snow and a fan going around under the hood very little visible engine. In my field it is like a snowmobile thru drifts but I sink to the bottom and with a lot of speed go right thru. Oh what fun it is to ride in the 130 HP CUCV.
Most of the newer LED headlights I have seen have a built in heating element on the front lens.
 

jpg

Member
610
13
18
Location
boston
Most of the newer LED headlights I have seen have a built in heating element on the front lens.
I think all the higher-priced LEDs do, but some of the less expensive ones I've seen make no mention of a heating element.n Its a point worth checking.
 

cucvrus

Well-known member
11,263
9,554
113
Location
Jonestown Pennsylvania
I can not confirm or deny this. I have Trucklite LED's in my vehicles. I did not see a heating element in them. And I don't know why that would matter. Automakers have been using composite headlamps for the past 25 years and this has not been an issue that I am aware of. I am sure that like you mentioned the Trucklite people know what they are doing. The company I work for uses thousands of LED lamps each year and we have not heard anything like this from national fleets like Ryder, Penske,and Budget to name a few. So to be DOT approved which the LED Trucklite head lamps are I am sure they have meet of exceeded the safety guidelines.
 

Csm Davis

Well-known member
4,151
376
83
Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
I can not confirm or deny this. I have Trucklite LED's in my vehicles. I did not see a heating element in them. And I don't know why that would matter. Automakers have been using composite headlamps for the past 25 years and this has not been an issue that I am aware of. I am sure that like you mentioned the Trucklite people know what they are doing. The company I work for uses thousands of LED lamps each year and we have not heard anything like this from national fleets like Ryder, Penske,and Budget to name a few. So to be DOT approved which the LED Trucklite head lamps are I am sure they have meet of exceeded the safety guidelines.
They are fairly new but I have seen two different companies versions Dialight, and truck lite, 12v/24v LED Headlamp w/ Heated Lens | NSN# 6220-01-616-1079.
 

Indyharleyguy

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
203
56
28
Location
Carmel IN
Hi All,
Something to remember if you have installed LED lights. If there ever were to be a major solar flair or a EMP those would be fried just like all other electronics. Just throwing that out there for you.
 

usmcpatriot

Member
199
14
18
Location
Bumpass, VA
I meant the Kevlar belts used on lawn mowers can be used on the cucv alternators as opposed to the OEM belts. My drivers side is 1/2" X 53" Heavy Duty Kevlar/Aramid Cord Belt. Instead of the Driver side alt Gates# 7575/Dayco# 15580, thanks for the heads up!
 

aggieboy02

New member
1
0
0
Location
Mission, TX
A couple of useful upgrades include:
-Complete oil change and changing all of the filters
-Put some Sea foam in your gas and oil if the trucks been sitting for over 15 years
-Check your states rules on tint. In Texas, any car made before 1991 can have tint as dark as they want. Tint will greatly lower how hot your CUCV will get in summer
-Air conditioning is a wonderful upgrade for hotter climates. Nostalgic AC Parts makes vehicle specific units that include everything you need for cool air.
-Reupholstering the seats if necessary
-Installing a rubber mat on the floor
-A stereo and speaker is a nice way to not hear the screaming of your diesel engine in a not-so-soundproof cab.
-Installing gauges in place of simple lights helps you know specifics about your vehicle's performance
-Vehicle stencils help give your truck a truly military look (ex. "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" "DIESEL FUEL ONLY" "TP-45")
-Installing a transmission with overdrive is a great way to maintain highway speeds and not run your truck so hot
 
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