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What have you done to your HMMWV today/lately

NormB

Well-known member
1,220
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Location
Cloverly,MD
Spent the day at AOR’s shop (Jeff) helping install his airlift bumper and RICO spare tire mount.

All went together with minimal “glitches” - he’d used a list of bolts/nuts/washers needed from someone else on this board and it came up short. I’d brought a “box o’ nuts and bolts” and between the stuff I had and some parts from his nearly unlimited bolt selection (he does custom work on Jeeps mostly), we got it together.

Then my truck went up on a lift, we took the tires and Centramatic wheel balancers off and balanced the tires. Rotated them in an X-pattern - trying to find the source of a tire whine (left front) so tires were balanced (despite what we’d heard about not being able to balance tires with run-flats), couple of ‘em off by as much as 12 an 9oz inside 5+ outside; put back on my truck (balancers in a box for now) and I drove home - about four miles - listening to the RIGHT rear tire whining, Left front not so much. But the balancing is amazing.

In the process we figured out that TWO of the wheels are bent/off-center, and those tires wobble a LOT, so next job will be to replace the wheels, go through this again sometime real soon.

Fun time.
 

NormB

Well-known member
1,220
72
48
Location
Cloverly,MD
What is the process of balancing hmmwv tires
Put ‘em up on a $20,000 machine (IIRC, might’ve been less) and let the machine spin ‘em up and the little laser tell you where to put the weights and how much. EZPZ.

Machine also did road-testing, two tires passed (like 12 and 20 lbs) two failed (100 and 120 lbs, IIRC). I’ll keep driving on em until they break or develop cracks (none yet), but definitely plan on replacing the two bad wheels. At least disassembling them and checking them out.
 

therooster2001

Active member
824
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Location
Colorado
So no trick with run flat balancing? I am about to put new shoes on, and swap rims, so will need the skinny... Is there a special machine to request, or do the modern tire shops know how to deal with run flats?
 

Action

Well-known member
3,576
1,557
113
Location
East Tennessee
So no trick with run flat balancing? I am about to put new shoes on, and swap rims, so will need the skinny... Is there a special machine to request, or do the modern tire shops know how to deal with run flats?
Hunter Road Force Touch GSP9700

what is your zip code? I can tell you some shops in your area. (to balance a tire / wheel assembly when together.)

Other than using a Hummer dealer, good luck finding someone to change runflats for you. Do it yourself then take the tires to a shop and have them balanced.
 
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therooster2001

Active member
824
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Location
Colorado
Hunter Road Force Touch GSP9700
what is your zip code? I can tell you some shops in your area. (to balance a tire / wheel assembly when together.)
Other than using a Hummer dealer, good luck finding someone to change runflats for you. Do it yourself then take the tires to a shop and have them balanced.
Yup, I think I mistyped my intention. I am totally doing my own change outs. Ripping them apart next week, and have two sizes of o-rings, but I am sure it will be a surprise on which one. But will definitely need a professional balance. I am in the Denver area, so anything within 45 min will do. Zip code of 80003 is fairly central. Thanks for the info and shops!

Norm had mentioned that it was rumored not possible. Do they do anything differently to balance with the runflat? Does the rubber donut not rotate freely, so its fixed from rotation, therefore able to be balanced just like non runflats? Does it every move, causing unbalance? I watched a couple of Youtube videos, even one with the GSP9700, but they didn't explain it much, and in particular, why the run flat didn't matter to balancing. I am sorta out for bb's, antifreeze, and special balancers. Don't want to sideline the thread, but curious minds want to know, and Youtube is failing me.
 
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NormB

Well-known member
1,220
72
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Location
Cloverly,MD
Yup, I think I mistyped my intention. I am totally doing my own change outs. Ripping them apart next week, and have two sizes of o-rings, but I am sure it will be a surprise on which one. But will definitely need a professional balance. I am in the Denver area, so anything within 45 min will do. Zip code of 80003 is fairly central. Thanks for the info and shops!

Norm had mentioned that it was rumored not possible. Do they do anything differently to balance with the runflat? Does the rubber donut not rotate freely, so its fixed from rotation, therefore able to be balanced just like non runflats? Does it every move, causing unbalance? I watched a couple of Youtube videos, even one with the GSP9700, but they didn't explain it much, and in particular, why the run flat didn't matter to balancing. I am sorta out for bb's, antifreeze, and special balancers. Don't want to sideline the thread, but curious minds want to know, and Youtube is failing me.
MILSPEC balancing is done with a bubble level.

The way we drive these things (highway, side roads, parades), it's more comfortable having the wheels balanced.

Jeff (AOR) has a Hunter GSP9500 with the truck adapter set.

Check this site: https://www.hunter.com/GSP9700 for their locator app.

Having the adapter set makes a yuge difference. We went through several trials until finding a way of getting the wheel flat against the plate. Generally anyone who does truck tires should be able to do this.

Hope this helps.
 

alphaseventwo

Member
70
10
8
Location
Chesterton Indiana
Installed a Digital Guard Dawg M-24 RFID Keyless Security device in my M998 over the weekend. Install was really pretty easy, instructions were straightforward. The keyless unit works just fine, and its nice to have another layer of security on the truck.
 

Bulldogger

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,328
585
113
Location
Quantico VA
Installed 4 new seat belts and retractors. Sourced from theBay, guy selling just the belt with no latch, at a discount from those selling with latches. My latches were fine, so didn't feel the need to replace them.
Also installed a little snorkel, to raise the intake mushroom cap a few inches off the hood. This will make me more comfortable doing minor fording than before. Lookout Syria Car Wash, here I come! I used some leftover aluminum flashing, cut to length and fastened with pop rivets. Beat to fit, paint to match, held with hose clamps set 'farmer tight' and done.

BDGR
IMG_1240.jpg
 

Retiredwarhorses

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,389
4,167
113
Location
Brentwood, Calif
Installed a Digital Guard Dawg M-24 RFID Keyless Security device in my M998 over the weekend. Install was really pretty easy, instructions were straightforward. The keyless unit works just fine, and its nice to have another layer of security on the truck.


They are awesome, we sell them and have them in our trucks, as well we install in our customers trucks...
 

AOR

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
150
37
28
Location
Burtonsville, MD.
MILSPEC balancing is done with a bubble level.

The way we drive these things (highway, side roads, parades), it's more comfortable having the wheels balanced.

Jeff (AOR) has a Hunter GSP9500 with the truck adapter set.

Check this site: https://www.hunter.com/GSP9700 for their locator app.

Having the adapter set makes a yuge difference. We went through several trials until finding a way of getting the wheel flat against the plate. Generally anyone who does truck tires should be able to do this.

Hope this helps.
Thanks NormB for the help installing the rear bumper
Basically we have the Hunter GSP9700 road force balancer
I used the adapter set that is specified by Chrysler to balance their wheels and I think GM and Ford also suggest the same adapters
most shops will not have this adapter set as it costs close to 1800 as I recall. It has a stepped area on it for the openings In the wheels vs the included collets
I used the exact same setup that we use on the Ram trucks we recently did a 2017 2500 Ram with these adapters
 

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Carrera911

Active member
138
31
28
Location
Cumming, Georgia
A few projects from over the summer that I've been meaning to post.
Photo Apr 21, 6 58 24 PM.jpgPhoto Apr 21, 6 58 33 PM.jpg
Pressure washed the frame and suspension as best as I could and hit all the small surface rust with a wire wheel. Primered and painted with Rust Oleum professional flat black through my HVLP gun.
Photo May 13, 6 25 52 PM.jpgPhoto May 18, 7 23 33 PM.jpg
Removed all the rear shims to correct the camber and did a tape measure alignment to 1/2 inch toe in per the military instructions.
Photo May 22, 3 15 49 PM.jpgPhoto Jul 08, 11 57 39 AM.jpgPhoto Jul 08, 11 57 53 AM.jpgPhoto Jul 08, 11 57 25 AM.jpg
Removed the hood louvers to fix one that was broken in two and one that was cracked. Notched the cracks to a V using a dremel and repaired with fiberglass mat/ resin. Filler and sanded over top. Also removed the wire grilles and hit them with a wire wheel, followed by rusty metal primer. Same Rust Oleum flat black paint.
 

therooster2001

Active member
824
44
28
Location
Colorado
That flat black paint looks great. I am at that same stage. Doing tie rod ends and probably ball joints (I had gotten just boots, but got a deal on the ball joints, and if there was any sand in there its just not worth trying to get another 6 month out of them only to fail, SOO...

Paint is coming up. It looks brand new on yours on that section. it's always amazing to me how much just some elbow grease and new paint make things look like new again. GOOD JOB!!

I have one shim on all around, but have not had it checked for alignment. My M998 was a guard truck, so I think they knew it wasn't going to be loaded up like some of yours was. I tried to eyeball the camber today, but that's not scientific. Anyone running one shim? Obviously the machine is the source, but what am I looking at with 1 shim on all around?
 

Wire Fox

Well-known member
1,252
161
63
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
I was just installing my rebuilt injection pump last night and realized that my technique is a tiny bit different...and allows for recording it.

It's a commonly known shortcut that you can just remove the oil fill tube and rotate the engine to remove the timing gear bolts one at a time, but this usually involves a friend to watch for the bolts to come around, or a whole heck of a lot of crawling out from under the truck.

I instead used a wireless borescope, which meant only crawling out to actually remove each bolt.
https://youtu.be/Mg0KG7BT90Y

Still need to connect fuel lines, throttle cable, wires, and air intake. Maybe done tonight?IMG_20180828_214933.jpg

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Tapatalk
 

Wire Fox

Well-known member
1,252
161
63
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana
Injection pump install complete. It lives! https://youtu.be/Co1ArJ6VJTk

Now, I really need some help. The transmission is dead and in need of rebuild. It held long enough to drive out of the garage, then slipped out and became unusable, forcing me to push the HMMWV back in manually (not a fun hour).

Can anybody in the Indy area do one of three things: recommend a good shop that can rebuild a 4L80E in less than a week for under $1000 (I can dream), have experience in rebuilding and is willing to help me rebuild it this weekend/early next week if I rush order parts, or lend me a HMMWV for the weekend of September 8th to be used as a part of my wedding (I can pay you a rental fee for the use and trouble). I'm out of time, and this is precisely something I was afraid would happen...

Note: I have many of the rebuild tools. I own one of the special purpose tool kits that contains most of the seal pullers/installers used throughout the HMMWV. I can inventory this if you need me to ensure certain tools are present.

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Tapatalk
 
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Action

Well-known member
3,576
1,557
113
Location
East Tennessee
Injection pump install complete. It lives! https://youtu.be/Co1ArJ6VJTk

Now, I really need some help. The transmission is dead and in need of rebuild. It held long enough to drive out of the garage, then slipped out and became unusable, forcing me to push the HMMWV back in manually (not a fun hour).

Can anybody in the Indy area do one of three things: recommend a good shop that can rebuild a 4L80E in less than a week for under $1000 (I can dream), have experience in rebuilding and is willing to help me rebuild it this weekend/early next week if I rush order parts, or lend me a HMMWV for the weekend of September 8th to be used as a part of my wedding (I can pay you a rental fee for the use and trouble). I'm out of time, and this is precisely something I was afraid would happen...

Note: I have many of the rebuild tools. I own one of the special purpose tool kits that contains most of the seal pullers/installers used throughout the HMMWV. I can inventory this if you need me to ensure certain tools are present.

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Tapatalk
This happens when fluid is too low. Other things too.
 

juanprado

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,605
2,898
113
Location
Metairie/La (N'awlins)
drop the pan , check for debris/remnants of gremlins, put fresh filter and fluid & cross your fingers. At worst only out a few $.

I would be honored to lend you my truck but unfortunately you are a few states away :-(

Congrads and all the best to you :)
 
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