What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

[Mullaney]

I feel your pain. I loaned out my batteries to help a friend get a vehicle home. They kept them for a couple months, and when I finally got them back,, they had lwft the key on and ran them dead. Killed a cell in one. Fortunately I only had to buy two. That was months ago and I'm still kind of mad about it.

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That is really sad.

I know I have borrowed things in the past. Can't remember exactly what - but I know I've lost or busted something. I specifically got a new one or put money in the hands of the friend who loaned me something. To be honest, it bothers me more than if I had a ruined a thing that belonged to me...

 

[eric67camino]

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That is really sad.

I know I have borrowed things in the past. Can't remember exactly what - but I know I've lost or busted something. I specifically got a new one or put money in the hands of the friend who loaned me something. To be honest, it bothers me more than if I had a ruined a thing that belonged to me...

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That is really sad.

I know I have borrowed things in the past. Can't remember exactly what - but I know I've lost or busted something. I specifically got a new one or put money in the hands of the friend who loaned me something. To be honest, it bothers me more than if I had a ruined a thing that belonged to me...

To be fair, they probably don't realize they killed it. They were a co-worker when we recovered the vehicle. Planning to make a mini-home out of it, so I understood that money was tight. Then they quit to work at a different dealer, so it took some pestering to finally get the batteries back.

They said, "you'll probably have to charge them up" when dropping them off. Yep, at 5 volts I would say so. I put them on the slowest trickle charge I could for several weeks. Both would build to 14.2 volts or so on the charger, but the one would drop to link 10.5 volts overnight after I unhooked them. Figure a dead cell.

After the way it all went down, I just wrote them and the batteries off. I figured it's not worth the fight. I'll just remember that next time.

 

[Crf450x]

After the way it all went down, I just wrote them and the batteries off. I figured it's not worth the fight. I'll just remember that next time.

That saves a lot of money and aggravation in the long run...

 

[US6x4]

I keep 24 volt battery tenders on my MV’s. I think it helps the batteries live longer. I had to replace the batteries in my M37 after ten years. No complaints from me.

I think I'll get one of these before winter. I'm hoping there's a unit that can handle 2 batteries. Is there a brand/model out there that you like?

 

[Brutacus]

BatteryMinders is pretty good. They have some 24v models too. I know I can use my 12 volt version to charge/maintain and disulfate 2 group 8D's
I've thought about getting another and mount it on the truck over the batteries for maintaining them. Here's my 12v mounted in a small tool box for convenience. It gets borrowed alot. I know my Father likes to use it because I keep the basic tools for batteries in it.

 

[eric67camino]

Drove I the dump to work today. Took some ants for a wild ride in the process.

Found them when I got home.

 

[Mullaney]

Drove I the dump to work today. Took some ants for a wild ride in the process.

Found them when I got home.

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Couldn't have happened to a better bunch of critters!
At least they aren't like rats and mice with the funky smells...

 

[eric67camino]

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Couldn't have happened to a better bunch of critters!
At least they aren't like rats and mice with the funky smells...

I didn't check, but if they are the typical ants we find here, they are carpenter ants. Carpenter ants give off a weird smell when you squish them.

 

[Mullaney]

I didn't check, but if they are the typical ants we find here, they are carpenter ants. Carpenter ants give off a weird smell when you squish them.

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Guess I must be odd. I don't do much mashing.
Diesel fuel or Gas seems to stop whatever they are doing.

Never knew that ants had a smell. (Live and Learn!)

 

[eric67camino]

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Guess I must be odd. I don't do much mashing.
Diesel fuel or Gas seems to stop whatever they are doing.

Never knew that ants had a smell. (Live and Learn!)

Haha. I understand, but they used to get in the house when I was younger. Not wanting to pour fuel around in the house.

As I understand it, they have the sent to leave markers to make a trail that they can follow back to a food source.

 

[Bill Nutting]

I think I'll get one of these before winter. I'm hoping there's a unit that can handle 2 batteries. Is there a brand/model out there that you like?

The brand I use is “Battery Tender” I have three 24 volt units for my MV’s and a couple 12 volt units for my lawn equipment. I connect those during the winter when they sit idle for a few months. If you can’t find them locally, Amazon has them. There are several sizes. I use the 3 amp models.

 

[US6x4]

I found a bit of hidden treasure buried in my truck today! Staring up at the cross member below the radiator I noticed a number plate from my bridge plate set covering a hole. I went to dig it out and found another one in its way between the radiator & rock guard so now I have my missing numbers back.

Removing those should also eliminate a few rattles.

 

[Micmada]

Redid the boot on the left side, took me 3 days to take appart, clean and rebuild. I had a few human error setbacks. When I put the hub back in, it would not spin. I removed it again and found I put the brake springs arch backwards and they were rubbing on the hub, yet it still was not spinning. Then I remembered I was previously messing with the brake adjusters and sure enough, I screwed it in back one turn and the hub now turns freely. Lucky it was the issue because I do not think I would have noticed my brake spring dyslexia issue.

Hey, who needs to go to the gym when you have a M923? Between removing the hub, pushing springs and knocking the knuckle out of its conical washers, this stuff is hard work and I always come out a bit more buffed up from the job.

I took it for a test ride and the brakes seemed to apply evenly right and left but now the shutterstat seemed to be a bit stiff. I had to give it a brass hammer tap to turn the fan clutch on. I went back home and unhooked the air lines and applied a heat gun on and off to see if it moved. I sprayed some dry graphite lube in the ports and it seemed to move around as it would spray through when open and not so when closed. I did a couple cycles of hot and cold and let it dry off and now the stiffness is gone, it starts the fan at the 180 mark. I think I might order another shutterstat though, and will install it when I change again the coolant.

Speaking of, I still have some rusty coolant now and then when I open the drain, that coolant reservoir inside is a bear to keep rust free. When I got the truck it had been sitting for years with a thin rusty puddle at the bottom of it. Not sure how I am going to replace that or if I run a few gallons of anti rust fluid during flushing.

 

[Mullaney]

Redid the boot on the left side, took me 3 days to take appart, clean and rebuild. I had a few human error setbacks. When I put the hub back in, it would not spin. I removed it again and found I put the brake springs arch backwards and they were rubbing on the hub, yet it still was not spinning. Then I remembered I was previously messing with the brake adjusters and sure enough, I screwed it in back one turn and the hub now turns freely. Lucky it was the issue because I do not think I would have noticed my brake spring dyslexia issue.

Hey, who needs to go to the gym when you have a M923? Between removing the hub, pushing springs and knocking the knuckle out of its conical washers, this stuff is hard work and I always come out a bit more buffed up from the job.

I took it for a test ride and the brakes seemed to apply evenly right and left but now the shutterstat seemed to be a bit stiff. I had to give it a brass hammer tap to turn the fan clutch on. I went back home and unhooked the air lines and applied a heat gun on and off to see if it moved. I sprayed some dry graphite lube in the ports and it seemed to move around as it would spray through when open and not so when closed. I did a couple cycles of hot and cold and let it dry off and now the stiffness is gone, it starts the fan at the 180 mark. I think I might order another shutterstat though, and will install it when I change again the coolant.

Speaking of, I still have some rusty coolant now and then when I open the drain, that coolant reservoir inside is a bear to keep rust free. When I got the truck it had been sitting for years with a thin rusty puddle at the bottom of it. Not sure how I am going to replace that or if I run a few gallons of anti rust fluid during flushing.

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Good for you! With one boot complete - before you get "rusty" on how to do it - Maybe the Right Side needs the same treatment? Glad you figured out the magic of the adjusters. You will remember that for a long time!

Speaking of rust, it might be worth a few gallons of white Vinegar in your radiator. Stronger is better, so 5 gallons would almost fill the system. Run it for a week, then flush it with water, then test with plain water for a day or two and flush it again before you add antifreeze back to the system. Vinegar is a lot cheaper than any radiator flush you buy at the store and it seems to work really well.

Yes Indeed that I agree with the workout! Climb up from the ground, crank the truck, turn on the PTO, climb back down, walk around and look, climb back up and turn right toward the crane controls on my M936, move it some, pop a hydraulic hose - and just see how fast an old fat man can move! It's an old story. The hoses that had problems are all replaced now. That was a whole other workout by itself. Yes sir Micmada , if you have one of these you will definitely get regular workouts!

 

[Micmada]

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Good for you! With one boot complete - before you get "rusty" on how to do it - Maybe the Right Side needs the same treatment? Glad you figured out the magic of the adjusters. You will remember that for a long time!

Speaking of rust, it might be worth a few gallons of white Vinegar in your radiator. Stronger is better, so 5 gallons would almost fill the system. Run it for a week, then flush it with water, then test with plain water for a day or two and flush it again before you add antifreeze back to the system. Vinegar is a lot cheaper than any radiator flush you buy at the store and it seems to work really well.

Yes Indeed that I agree with the workout! Climb up from the ground, crank the truck, turn on the PTO, climb back down, walk around and look, climb back up and turn right toward the crane controls on my M936, move it some, pop a hydraulic hose - and just see how fast an old fat man can move! It's an old story. The hoses that had problems are all replaced now. That was a whole other workout by itself. Yes sir Micmada , if you have one of these you will definitely get regular workouts!

Thanks for the idea on white vinegar. Excellent idea. I will do it. Yes, the other boot is going to have to be done, indeed. I am using a motorcycle lift from harbor freight tool to slide the hub in and out, works pretty well.

 

[Ajax MD]

My truck had been sitting in an open field with no cargo cover, for years. It occurred to me that the nuts holding the spare tire in the bed might be seized so I spent a morning working them free. The tire itself seems in good shape with no checking and still held air. I put a cargo cover on the truck shortly after I bought it to preserve the bed from rust and protect the spare tire.

I'm the dockmaster for my little community docks in my neighborhood. It's mighty convenient to be able to transport long deck planks and not pay for delivery. I wove the 5-ton through dense Annapolis traffic to Home Despot for lumber yesterday. In a week or so, I'll be buying 2 tons of pellets to heat my home for the winter. Some weight in the back always makes the truck ride more smoothly.

 

[Ajax MD]

For fun, I also installed the M14/M16 rifle mount kit in the cab. The brackets will also hold a pair of M1 Garands nicely.

 

[Bill Nutting]

I put de-splined flange caps on the front axel of my M934. Now a friend of mine wants to do the same. My question is are the flange caps the same for a 900 series and a 900 A2. His truck had CTIS but it has been disconnected. Thanks in advance for the help…

 

[fuzzytoaster]

I got this M923A2 ROPS truck up and mobile for the first time in a long time. She's dirty and needs some more minor lovin' but she at least starts and drives on her own. The engine is literally new yet the IP was gummed up from sitting. Such a waste of good equipment due to negligence.

 

[SCM35A2]

I got this M923A2 ROPS truck up and mobile for the first time in a long time. She's dirty and needs some more minor lovin' but she at least starts and drives on her own. The engine is literally new yet the IP was gummed up from sitting. Such a waste of good equipment due to negligence.

Looking good! Sorry for the noob question, but what seats are those in the truck?? Are the original ones that come in it or something you swapped out? I like them.