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Just bought my first Deuce!!

nchittendon

nchittendon

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Ok, playing with the baby is awesome. But the truck sits patiently waiting in the driveway.

Once spring hits, these are the things I hope to focus on getting accomplished........

~ right away in the spring I plan to pull the bed off the truck. My good friend locally has a M977 and I hope to utilize it to pull the bed, and get it out of the way.
~ once the bed is off, I have my MRAP wheels and 395's all sitting in my trailer. Adapters are paid for, just not picked up yet. Now just need bolts/hardware.
~ I'll get the tires singled out. And hope to get into bearings/brakes/seals.
~ Also, with the bed off, I plan to re-do all of my old metal air lines with newer DOT nylon and fittings.
~ in that process, I hope to add a 3rd air tank for accessories such as air ride seating.
~ I still have my air drier to mount up that I haven't done yet. It'll be a lot easier with the bed off.
~ i'm hoping to do some touch up painting as well.\
~ This whole endeavor listed above will also be where I pull the trigger on the biggest project yet......I'm still undecided, but I want to shorten the bed by 4 feet, and add a second cab for a 4 door conversion. Again, still on the fence about that one.
 
Another Ahab

Another Ahab

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nchittendon said:
Ok, playing with the baby is awesome. But the truck sits patiently waiting in the driveway.

Once spring hits, these are the things I hope to focus on getting accomplished........
Click to expand...
I'm happy for you, nchittendon, because having a plan can help to fire a body up.

I'm THIS close to finishing the outfitting on my commercial truck so I can get my small business launched. T-H-I-S close, so I know the feeling.

Go for it, Brother! :tank::beer:
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

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Last night at work....
We have a department in a different location as our main warehouse, and this company relies HEAVILY on our spotter trucks. Well, said department is basically on top of a hill. Only way to get there is up. Our spotters couldn't navigate the surrounding hills last night, so the last couple hours of work was the deuce and I dragging trucks around.
Man, I love that old girl.

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nchittendon

nchittendon

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A buddy works at Pomps. Took my MRAP wheels, my XL's, and my new o-rings over there the last time he worked so we could get these mounted up finally.

Everything was real smooth until we went to replace o-rings. Wrong size! I don't blame the vendor, not when I call and say, "hey I've got MRAP wheels, aluminum ones. I need o-rings." He said it was his best guess and what they "should" be.

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nchittendon

nchittendon

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I'm at my wits end.

So, my last post I had pre-ordered orings for my aluminum MRAP wheels. The vendor I got them from said they "should" be the right ones. Apparently there are a couple options. Thank you Uncle Sam. Last weekend took the wheels to my guy at Pomps Tire to get the XL's mounted up. No bueno. The orings were WAY to big.
The vendor was cool, I sent the old ones back along with one of the ones I took out of the rim.
Got the new ones yesterday. Today, split them all apart again, and started to set the new orings. Sonnuva.......
Wrong size. But much, much closer. Correct diameter. And holding them next to each other they are almost exact. But, lay them into the channel and they are just a hair too much. It keeps jumping out of the channel.
So, because i'm getting sick of this job not being done, I took 2 of them and cut an inch off of each one. Used silicone sealer/adhesive to "glue" them together. Used a ton of tire snot on the rest of the oring, and slapped them together. But, low and behold, I don't have a way to force the bead onto the rim. So I couldn't inflate to check to see if it worked.
So, now I have 2 of them sealed up (hopefully) and the other 4 waiting to see if the vendor can come up with something else.

I'm glad for him that I'm an easy guy to work with and not an ahole. I hope we come to a conclusion as to which size is needed for these and next time he'll know exactly what ones to use.

Looks like I am done with this project for this weekend. Summer is going to get short, fast.
 
Another Ahab

Another Ahab

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nchittendon said:
I'm at my wits end.

Got the new ones yesterday. Today, split them all apart again, and started to set the new orings. Sonnuva.......
Wrong size. But much, much closer. Correct diameter. And holding them next to each other they are almost exact. But, lay them into the channel and they are just a hair too much. It keeps jumping out of the channel.
Summer is going to get short, fast.
Click to expand...
O rings are one real PIA. You wish the manufacturers could print an ID of some kind on the rings so you could tell them apart. Between the ring diameter and O.D. and I.D. it can drive a body bananas. Especially if you drop them and get them all mixed up! But it's just all part of the fun.
 
Elijah95

Elijah95

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BnaditCorps said:
Nice truck, read through the thread, trying to make a decision on what i want, still a long way out, but worth thinking about it now so I don't have to later. xD
Click to expand...
But my Deuce lol


1974 AM General M109A3 w/Deuce Bed, White LDT, Whistler C, and soft top
 
Elijah95

Elijah95

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nchittendon said:
Ok, I really hate owning a deuce.

Every thread I read, every picture I see of someone's project, I get my own ideas for things that I "need" to do. Now trying to figure out what to do first, and how to prioritize......that's the part I hate.

There are tons of things that I feel I need to do to the truck. But right now I want to focus on reliability and use-ability.
~ FDC bypass
~ remote reservoir for the brake master
~ fuel filter upgrade
~ air tank drain valves (stock ones are all messed up)
~ vent tubes for axles, transfer case, tranny, fuel tank, and airpack all going to the airbox.
~ snorkel kit
~ airbag the drive seat (instead of the spring)
~ cargo cover
~ upgrade windshield (glass and seals)
~ .....and so much more.

Eventually different rims/tires. Eventually full air ride seats for both driver and passenger. Add a 12volt system. Upgrade wipers. Add a winch.

.....so much more. I drive my truck daily hoping that the quirks will show themselves. At the same time, I fear having a break down.
Click to expand...
Have you done the FDC bypass yet? It's easy, and takes about 30 minutes with a couple wrenches


1974 AM General M109A3 w/Deuce Bed, White LDT, Whistler C, and soft top
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

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Well, in the midst of everything last week I was able to get the front ones on!! This week I am going to work on flipping the hubs and getting the back ones on. It's LONG over due.

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nchittendon

nchittendon

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The fronts were easy. The rears are being difficult. But alas, I will prevail. Borrowed a torque multiplier from a friend. After the first couple of cranks I had the internet brought up on my phone and I ordered my own. Those things are magical. Some of the outter nuts didn't want to budge, and just pulled the whole thimble at once. Either way, they are coming off!! A buddy works at a local tire shop, borrowed the pork chop from him and worked the thimbles off of the stubborn ones.

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Last edited:
tobyS

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Get a right and left hand bolt and double nut them. They don't cost much to replace if they are worn or rusted.
 
Csm Davis

Csm Davis

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nchittendon said:
The fronts were easy. The rears are being difficult. But alas, I will prevail. Borrowed a porkchop from a friend. After the first couple of cranks I had the internet brought up on my phone and I ordered my own. Those things are magical. Some of the outter nuts didn't want to budge, and just pulled the whole thimble at once. Either way, they are coming off!!

View attachment 680046View attachment 680045View attachment 680047

Now....how to get the outters and thimbles apart with the wheel off the truck.......??
Click to expand...
Use the pork chop that is what it is for, put it on the nut and then the square thimble can be backed out with a 13/16 square socket and soak them in penetrating oil.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

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Today, in between the rain drops I was able to get one more hub done. 2 left to go. With the wheels already off and the tools already out, I've got a hub flip, clean, and re-pack down to 2 hours.

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peashooter

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