No more "Doughnut" Spare Tire!!!!

[M920]

Well....got my M916 spare tire bracket modified so I can carry a full size 16.00R20 Michelin XZL spare.
Due to the different backspacing of the HEMMTT wheels and the 7" of additional tire diameter, I had to move the bracket rear ward and out in order to make it all work out.
I also changed out the fix mounted "Barbie" winch on the spare tire hoist with a heavy duty one on a swivel mount. This way I can swing the tire clear of the truck when I lower or recover it.

Here are a few pics from this eve after I got it done.....

Oh....and btw....do not try to use the little factory winch to lift or lower the 16.00R20s.....It will try to kill you....see picture lol

Soni

P.s. I had to make a special lifting "device" to attach the tire/rim assembly to the hoist.....since the HEMMTT rims don't have any hand holes.

 

[M920]

sorry....here are the pics...

 

[M920]

some more.....

 

[Sirblissfull]

Very nice.

I need something like that for my M820s wonder if they will fit between the cab and the box. If I cant work it out I will need to keep the spares in the box.

 

[XanRa]

nice... im just curious how did the old one "try to kill you"?

 

[Derrickl112]

nice... im just curious how did the old one "try to kill you"?

look at the last picture....it broke when trying to lift the tire...

 

[XanRa]

i got that... but did it break imediatly or when the tire... was... well, aways off the ground?

 

[maddawg308]

Great looking mod, Soni. Much more useful than the "donut", for the tire types you have on. Come to think of it, I've always hated "donut" non-full-size spare tires, on ANY vehicle.

Quality work, as always.

 

[Medic5050]

Awesome work, nice pics as well.

 

[M920]

i got that... but did it break imediatly or when the tire... was... well, aways off the ground?

Well....it started to bend the winch braket when I got it about 1/3 of the way up.....being the "hopeless optimist" that I am, I decided to continue with the task in order to check the tire fit on the new braket. This way I would be able to locate the exact spot for the new spare tire crane/winch pivot mechanism.

Make a long story short....the 500# tire/rim assembly got about 3/4 of the way up when it cought slightly on a lip on the winch braket. The cable broke (without any warning....as I my point out... lol) and that was the start of a
1 1/2 hour, one man "recovery mission" to get the tire, that was now firmly stuck between the fender and the exhaust pipe, on to the new braket without "killing" myself.....

Btw....the new hoist/winch with rotating arm works awesome!!!!!

Soni

 

[Stretch44875]

I literally laughed out loud at the thought of wrestling a wedged 16-20 tire out of a truck. I can see where that would be a problem...

 

[eldgenb]

nice little apc in the barn there, I did not know you were into tracked vehicles as well, I used to work on those in the army a lot.

 

[drgreg]

I added the big boy "#7 tire hoist". I don't want any part of lifting those tires by hand.

 

[maddawg308]

nice little apc in the barn there, I did not know you were into tracked vehicles as well, I used to work on those in the army a lot.

I doubt you worked on what he has in the barn - looks like a British-issued FV-432 APC.

 

[KsM715]

Come to think of it, I've always hated "donut" non-full-size spare tires, on ANY vehicle.

Nothing screams "Mall Crawler" more than seeing a Jeep on 35's with the stock spare on the tailgate.

 

[466Navastar]

Soni ----love that truck that is your Avatar-----what was that "sleeper"box behind the cab before you put it on the truck?-

----cant tell from pic if you still have the winch -----is it inside the box.....or is that a real sleeper

been following your new truck w/ allison postings----but curious about what tranny the avatar truck has - and how has that been working for you?....Cat 7155 I presume----but with the abilities you display - I wouldnt be surprised to hear you switched it out to something better

are those 16 speed cat transmissions in M916/920 trucks all dogs ?--any thing you know of to make them better?

also love the replacement grill - plasma cut aluminum ?

You have a flair for style on these trucks - nice job on the tire winch.....
I absolutely LOVE your truck(s) ---thanks for posting with the great pics

 

[M920]

Soni ----love that truck that is your Avatar-----what was that "sleeper"box behind the cab before you put it on the truck?-

----cant tell from pic if you still have the winch -----is it inside the box.....or is that a real sleeper

been following your new truck w/ allison postings----but curious about what tranny the avatar truck has - and how has that been working for you?....Cat 7155 I presume----but with the abilities you display - I wouldnt be surprised to hear you switched it out to something better

are those 16 speed cat transmissions in M916/920 trucks all dogs ?--any thing you know of to make them better?

also love the replacement grill - plasma cut aluminum ?

You have a flair for style on these trucks - nice job on the tire winch.....
I absolutely LOVE your truck(s) ---thanks for posting with the great pics

Thanks for all the nice compliments guys!


So let's see:

-My "avatar truck" is an M920 but I changed it up enough that I call it a M920A1.....

-The sleeper box started live as an S-250 Com Shelter (it fit perfect behind the cab!)

-There is a 45,000# hydraulic winch behind the sleeper. My M920 was missing the winch when I got it so I found and installed one myself. (not the original but really close)

-The M920A1 has a Fuller Road Ranger RTLO 18 speed tranny behind an electronic 600HP Cummins ISX engine.... I also changed the axle gears from the factory 6.17:1 to the more "streeable" 4.88:1s.

-The M916-M920 trucks generally have their IPs way "choked" off! So turning the fuel up a little works wonders! (after all these have pretty powefull 400HP Cummins engines with turbo chargers and aftercoolers)
Also the OEM mufflers they run are very restrictive....so if you turn up the fuel you need to get a better muffler to get the full effect and power....

-Yes the grille is aluminum and water jet cut. It is patterned after Oshkosh's gille on the M1070 HET. (LOVE THAT TRUCK!)

Hope this answers most of your questions....

Soni

 

[mendo]

Thanks for all the nice compliments guys!


So let's see:

-My "avatar truck" is an M920 but I changed it up enough that I call it a M920A1.....

-The sleeper box started live as an S-250 Com Shelter (it fit perfect behind the cab!)

-There is a 45,000# hydraulic winch behind the sleeper. My M920 was missing the winch when I got it so I found and installed one myself. (not the original but really close)

-The M920A1 has a Fuller Road Ranger RTLO 18 speed tranny behind an electronic 600HP Cummins ISX engine.... I also changed the axle gears from the factory 6.17:1 to the more "streeable" 4.88:1s.

-The M916-M920 trucks generally have their IPs way "choked" off! So turning the fuel up a little works wonders! (after all these have pretty powefull 400HP Cummins engines with turbo chargers and aftercoolers)
Also the OEM mufflers they run are very restrictive....so if you turn up the fuel you need to get a better muffler to get the full effect and power....

-Yes the grille is aluminum and water jet cut. It is patterned after Oshkosh's gille on the M1070 HET. (LOVE THAT TRUCK!)

Hope this answers most of your questions....

Soni

Nice Soni!!

do you have a thread that has more pictures? I would love to see more pics!!

 

[KsM715]

Here is his thread on the M920a1 http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/43786-my-own-idea-m920a1.html

 

[OPCOM]

I literally laughed out loud at the thought of wrestling a wedged 16-20 tire out of a truck. I can see where that would be a problem...

Seeing the tire shop guys scatter before a bouncing 16.00x20 when one of them rolled off the bed is also amusing.