wsucougarx's M923 acquisition

[wsucougarx]

Rest In Peace Todd!

Just got back from the hospital about 2 hours ago. My wife lost her 37 year old brother this afternoon. He was involved in a single motorcycle accident. Rest In Peace Todd. This post is dedicated to you brother!

 

[Durango_USMC]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Recon Charlie Alpha]

Mike, best wishes to your family in this time of sorrow.

 

[wsucougarx]

Thanks guys. It's a bitter sweet moment this day. We celebrate my daughters 11th day into this world as we mourn my brother-in-law's passing at 37 years of age. He leaves behind 4 children with the youngest being 11 months.
I was in the middle of another project to help get spare super singes in/out of our M923 beds for those of us with standard M923's with super singles (M923A1+A2 can use the spare tire carrier). I was mid point into the project outside when I heard the phone ring followed by my wife's scream. Needless to say, I dropped everything I was doing. Will try and get it done tomorrow. However more than likely we'll be headed out to where it happened.

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Sorry to hear that. Our prayers are with you and your family.

 

[dodgedougak]

Your loss

Mike-Our thoughts and prayers for your loss. Doug and Gail

 

[juanprado]

Hang in there! Prayers for all your folks!

 

[rronning84]

Thats a horrible loss!

 

[wsucougarx]

Mobile Field Lift, Cargo Bed, Spare Tire

OK, was finally able to test fire this Mobile Field Lift Project. It's a pretty simple, yet very effective in what it does.
My quest started after I got my super singles mounted on my truck. As many of you M939 owners know, unless you buy an M939A1/A2, the pre-existing spare tire tack isn't going to work with super singles. The A1/A2 configuration have a wider tire rack, robust lifting assy, and the bed actually sits farther rearward to accomodate the width of a super singe. The A0 spare tire rack is too narrow. Many of us have to use the bed to store our spares.
Now my main issue wasn't getting the spare tire out of the bed should I have a flat. My issue was not being able to get my $100 FMTV wheel and flat tire back into the bed.
Why not go with a more permanent or mounted crane? Because I wanted something I could use from truck to truck.
So I just took a stroll down to my local Home Depot and found an appropriate length pipe and fittings. You will also need the spare tire chain fall already in your tool box (hope you have one), and a cargo cinching strap. You can also have an optional piece of 2x6 for the assy to sit on so it doesn't sink into the mud.
Today I loaded to spare tires into the back of the truck. My only issue was preventing the chain to slap against my newly painted tailgate...LOL.
I'll let the pics do the explaining. Total project cost...$50
Projects Completed:
-Two spare tires are now in the bed of the truck
Pics:
1-Parts acquired from Home Depot. The pole, the platform piece, and a threaded adapter. The threaded adapter does nothing more than provide strenth to the strain the chain fall would create. Should the chain fall stress the mounting metal too much and crack. All I have to do is unscrew the adapter and put another one on. Rather than cutting the pole or replacing it.
2-Pole label. Purchased at Home Depot for $34.
3-Pole in position with chain fall installed and ready to go
4-Chain fall just connected to the top
5-Board for those muddy ground apps
6-Cargo cinching strap used to hold pole in place. Strap is awesome to allow you to pivot the pole should the truck or ground is uneven. Need to have the pole as vertical as you can. You don't want to place too much stress on the pole.
7-Lift in action
8-Once tire is even with the bed deck just pivot the tire around the pole and loosen the chain fall. Loosen the chainfall as you pull the tire into the bed.
9-As you can see the pole is not bending with the weight of the tire.
****DO NOT STAND IN THE TIRES PATH SHOULD A COMPONENT FAIL*****

 

[srodocker]

nice mike!

 

[Amer-team]

Mike, sorry to hear of your families loss. No matter the circumstances the pill is bitter.
Peter L.

 

[quarkz]

Mike,
My condolences on your loss.

I am happy however, that you can still make the rally.

Great method, you could come up with a quick clamp to anchor it to the tail gate, rather than use ratchet straps.

To stow your crane/winching system consider a piece of large PVC pipe with threaded caps, mounted along the outside of the frame rails. I read an article today in the MVPA magazine on old CCKW radio vans that used a similar stowage method for antenna sections. Thus keeping the bed free and clear of clutter.

Other option use two pipes resting against the bed with the chain fall on a bar in between. This way the tire rides on the 1-1/2" pipes and not the pipe and the bed. Also putting the tail gate 1/2 way down,as in an extension of the bed, using the chains to extend it, will keep the tire away from the paint. You could mount two u-bolts, or the clamps they use for attaching EMT to the wall, on the top of the tail gate frame rail, for retaining the 1-1/2" pipe when lifting. THey could stay in place and out of the way when the tail gate was up, then be in the correct position when the tail gate was extended 1/2 way.


For the 16x20s I think I am either going to move the bed back and use a modified M923 idea or get a couple of long 4x4 boards and a HF winch and drag the tire up a the inclined 4x4s.
My other hope is the hide on the 16x20's is so thick I won't ever have use for a spare.

 

[wsucougarx]

4th Annual PNW SS Rally/Parade

Just got back from our big PNW Steelsoldier Rally and Parade over the weekend. I was humbled to have received the "Best Looking Military Vehicle" award. Thanks guys, I thought the M934's took the show this year. Esp the M934A1 driven by 1StumpJumper. That truck had my vote.
Sorry no pics, I was a bit too relaxed on the picture taking this year.
I filled up my tank yesterday and found I got 8.3 MPG for the trip...WOW! I was under the impression these trucks only got 5 MPG.
Though the big rally has come to an end. I still have a couple other little projects in the works. I mentioned the PNW award because part of the award was a really nice large ammo can. It is just what I was looking for to hold my fuel additives. I thought the area around the driver's step ought to be a good home for it. Always thought the deadspace just stern of the air filter needed something to occupy that space...now it does

 

[Recon Charlie Alpha]

I took some .....had to caputre those great ideas!

 

[Recon Charlie Alpha]

also.....

 

[wsucougarx]

Ammo Box Storage-Port side

Been really really busy this week preparing for my brother in law's celebration service this afternoon. Had a couple minutes to take some pics of a little project mentioned earlier.
When I first looked at these trucks, I noticed the huge void between the air filter housing and the fuel tank. My mission was to fill this void with something that could be easily removed for air filter servicing. Being next to the fuel tank, I thought it'd be a great place to keep my fuel additives and whatnots.
As mentioned previously, I won an ammo box and felt this was a great match. At first, I was just going to use a couple straps to hold her in place. However, got to have a back up should the strap fail. So I tool a piece of steel stock (off the spare tire rack for an M81 and gave her a good bend. The steel bar can be shifted up to hug the ammo can and lowered to help drag the ammo can out. Pretty simple...
I also scored a couple of Brand New 25'x?? hexagon USGI ULCANS camo netting (has the mesh backing rather than the net that catches on everything). Only paid $50 each. Not too bad.

 

[wsucougarx]

Side Route Clearance Lights

Installed a second set of Route Clearance lights to the 923 today. In light of Hurrican Isaac's aftermath, I went out and stared at the M923 to see what else I needed to do to get her ready. Lighting, in times of natural disasters, was something on my mind. Since I had a another set of RCL's in the garage, I felt having side lights would be beneficial. Not only to see where things are, but also for security. You never know who may be creaping up on your truck. Just want to decrease the chance of getting flanked by after-disaster zombies.
I have all the RCL's hooked upto the same switch. I still need to get her on the road at night to get the lights oriented.

I've gotten a couple questions about the angle bracket. The bracket is specific to the RCL's. These brackets are what's used to mount the RCL's to the MRAP's slat armor. I found a guy who had a box of these mounts and bought them all. If you need any let me know.
Projects Completed:
-Installed side RCL's (Flood Lights)

 

[wsucougarx]

Garage Sale Spoils

I scored some pretty good stuff today with garage sales. Only forked out $100 for everything! Scored the following items:
#2- Scepter 5 Gallon Fuel Cans (Plastic)
#1- Loadtamer HEMTT/PLS Roof Cargo Net (Brand New in package)
#2- HMMWV Tow Cables (Brand New)
#1- Skookum Model #62 Pulley (Brand New)
#1- SkedCo Rollup Stretcher (in one of my trucks)

I really didn't need the pulley/snatchblock. She's a bit too big for the deuce's winch cable. I guess the only practical thing to do at this point is buy a M925 for the pulley

 

[Amer-team]

Mike, you hit better garage sales than me this weekend, but I did get a 1941 dated set of Russian binoculars with case yesterday at one. I did pick up one of those tow cables awhile back, only to find out that they would not fit over pintle hitch on the M54. Now I think I need one of the hitch adapters that we have seen in various threads.

 

[wsucougarx]

LOL, Peter I'm not sure why I bought those HMMWV tow cables. I knew the eyelets were way too small. I think the "buy anything military" bug hits me everytime I go to a garage sale...LOL. For some reason, I also had to buy two sets of ACU's for $4 total. Now what am I going to do with them? Probably will go in the usual spot where all the other stuff goes, thrown into the garage