M35a2 build thread!

[DeathBlade556]

Well time to start my M35a2c build thread!

Were I'm going with this is make work/play rig, move my skidsteer, move some steel to weld up hedge hogs to keep people/ATV's/UTV's and possibly from the tracks I saw the other day D9 cataplliers and or Tanks off my property. I've got it registered as a class 7 so max 21,000 gvwr, I'm going to be hauling usually less than a ton or bulky things. I'm planing on singling out the rear axle once I get some M35a2 front springs.
Currently I have near new 9.00-20's on it but once I get some new rims I'll run either 11.00-20 G177 tires or 395/85r20's which ever I find cheapest first for a bit higher speed.
This is an example of what I want to run in the end.


I have a smaller 1500lbs at max extension knuckle boom crane but I'm going to increase the system pressure to 2000psi from 1400psi and run a set of extra group 31 batteries and a 24v electric power pack to not need the engine running for a pto pump. Currently the boom used a 5 to 8 hp gas engine with a set of spool valves I'm converting it to remote control with solenoid valves. I've got the solenoid valves, power pack, and manifold in the mail today. Right next to it I'll be mounting my engine welder a lincoln weldnpower 225. now I need to find a used crane remote for a crane with dual hoists. If anybody has a hold crane remove anything like below let me know.



Here is the boom I'll be mounting.



For mounting I'm planning on mounting the boom 16" from the top of the bed and 24" from the side rail, it will give me a good spot to mount a sub frame under the bed to tie into the frame and install a hydraulic drop leg.
Now with the crane at that position and at max extension I have 125" of swing so doing the math I'll have about 100" of swing on the driver side and 50" in the passenger side but will be 3" short of the rear of the bed.
Now the boom does come with a slide in manual extension will give me another 30". To the right of the crane I'll be mounting my welder which had a 24" by 50" foot print. I'll be building a mount to park the crane over the welder and to attach the spare tire to it. I'll be mounting a jobsite toolbox in the stock spare position.




Engine wise I have a pyrometer coming. And I got spin on oil filter set, and a set of mounts for spin on water fuel separator which I'll mount near the tank with a baldwin BL1258 which is a 10micron instead of the stock 30micron I'll also be replacing the old hoses and copper lines, probably with 3/8" hydraulic hoses. I'll also replace the cartridge fuel filters with a single CAT 1R-0750 which will filter the fuel to 2 micron instead of the stock 10/6 micron. I also grabbbed a couple sets of cheap LED headlights off ebay for the truck and TJ, and LED bulbs for all the markers and signals, you can barely see some of the stock bulbs at first I thought I might of had some blackout lights going.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I have the drawing to make that spin on engine oil filter adapter if you want to return the set you bought. If you still have access to a lathe and a mill you can make them pretty easily.

[DeathBlade556]

I have the drawing to make that spin on engine oil filter adapter if you want to return the set you bought. If you still have access to a lathe and a mill you can make them pretty easily.

Thanks, I got them for $150 with the filters so not to bad, Need to measure the lines, then run over to rural king and get some hydraulic hoses for the fuel.

[oros35]

I have a few of the aluminum filter bases I made here, started on the hold down conversion bolt part but never finished a run of them. Made 1 for my truck and got sidetracked. Had material to make bout half dozen. Probably should finish those up one day.

[dorick]

Cool project. Looking forward to seeing more updates and pictures. Good luck!

[DeathBlade556]

Well I grabbed that parts to make a power bleeder and have a gallon of dot5 in the mail. So I'll power bleed the brake this weekend if this cold lets me stop coughing for 5 minutes.

Also drilled and tapped a 8ball for a shift knob. I putting the soft top on it the other day and found one of the tubes for the bows was crushed so I'll have to cut that open and hammer/bend it back to shape.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I did the remote brake fluid reservoir mod. That was easy and cheap. Just be careful hooking a pressure bleeder to it (if you install one). I gave it a few too many pumps and blew the lid off the reservoir! Big mess.

[DeathBlade556]

I have a little 16oz tank I'll be using as the remote reservoir, I need to find another for the second circuit when I do the hydromax brake cyclinder swap. Single circuit brakes give me the heebie-jeebies in a 13,000lbs truck

[DeathBlade556]

Well I went and did some work on it today, I put on a big shit boot and a 8 ball shifter.







I got some new pull cord tank drain valves in from amazon while I was down there so I'll install next time ,





did a oil change then installed the spin on oil filters, 5 and 3/4 gallons of rotella 15-45 for one oil change.........







Then I swapped all the bulbs for signal LED lights so much brighter other than the black out lights I didnt put a bulb in those slots, I then swapped in some LED headlights.

First picture is stock bulbs, second it LED





I got two different styles of LED bulb I ended up using the short style even though bulb length wasn't a problem, the short ones had more LED pointing forward.



I didn't end up keeping a bulb in the blackout light slot I needed the bulbs for the rear lights



Cheapest $42 LED headlights on ebay what said they could run 10-30v, I checked them on my bench power supply and they run fine on 24v,





Found out that they do make or made anyway a orange-ishclear dot 5 fluid, I thought they were all purple. I thought they had put dot3 in but I put it in water and shook, and it separated right out, who knew.

Then I pulled it around the lot, and promptly backed into a tree, No damage, but It shows I need a reverse camera/GPS/radio doohickey. Then ripped the funky cargo boxes out of the bed.




Diesel vs Diesel I don't know who would win.... I dont even know what the completion would be.....




While underneath it found the copper fuel line between the first filter and booster pump was crimped I was wondering how it was even getting fuel. So new fuel line and filters is next on the agenda.
Followed by LED light strip for the gauges, and a limit switch for a reverse switch.




And for your viewing pleasure, 3d printed battery holders for my gun cabinet.

[DeathBlade556]

Well I finally got the title, plate etc, and I took it out for a drive and found the 4th/5th syncro must have been toast I shift 1st, 2nd, 3rd, EXPLODE! and I limped it back to my lot in first grinding all the way was only maybe a 1/8th a mile.
I look at it and the rear of the transmission output housing and it was broken, I hoped it was just a broken housing, but I pulled the top cover off and it wasn't 2nd 3rd, 4th 5th all had missing teeth and the syncros were all toast.
So I got a trans from a guy on steel soldiers and a set of front springs for the single rear axle. Yet another day of go pickup the pallet with the auto driving donut spinning skidsteer of victory.
I'll see if I can get the new transmission in this weekend. So I can get it to my house so I can get the rear axle taken out, my welder mounted on the bed and the crane installed.
Now to just find a set of either 11.00-20's or take a drive out to eastern surplus in philly and get a bunch of cheap MRAP wheels and some 50%/$50 395/95r20's tires.












New transmission looks great! and heavy as hell spring packs!


Has some surface rust on the first gear but the gears are good.


And my new giant shooting gong target 50" of fun

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I don't know if this trick works for the transmission, but I was able to easily remove a transfer case by rolling down the windows, closing the doors, placing a piece of I-beam across the top of the doors, and hanging a chain fall from it to raise and lower the transfer case to the ground. It was beautifully easy, and I don't know if the cab and doors were designed for that, but it sure seemed like it.

[DeathBlade556]

I don't know if this trick works for the transmission, but I was able to easily remove a transfer case by rolling down the windows, closing the doors, placing a piece of I-beam across the top of the doors, and hanging a chain fall from it to raise and lower the transfer case to the ground. It was beautifully easy, and I don't know if the cab and doors were designed for that, but it sure seemed like it.

I've rigged up a hoist from some 4x4 block to go across the floor with hoist, since the duece doesn't have transmission mounts its just the bell housing bolts, then lower it down.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Good thing that didn't occur on a drive home from Windber!

Here is another place to check for tires located in north east PA:

http://kublossurplus.com/

You also have the Aberdeen MD (May 9-11), Findlay OH (May 17-19), and Gilbert PA (Sept) swap meets coming up.

I also suggest becoming a member of the MVPA so you can enjoy the fantastic magazine they put out with lots of ads and articles, and this year's annual MVPA convention is in York PA. Your membership gets you free admission.

[ridgerunner97]

That the spicer transmission in that? I'm impressed it was that wiped out. They are known for being stout.

[DeathBlade556]

Well I got the transmission in last thursday, only took me till midnight one man transmission swap for the win!
That was a task going down narrow one ways with cars on both sides... But got it in my driveway.
Pulled it up to my house so I wasn't working in mud and wired up some lights and electric wipers

Took it to go get inspected friday and the amount of shops that said sure on the phone when I explained everything, old MV, 18,000lbs, class 6, non commercial etc.
That turned into nope, we cant inspect that to, you just missed the mechanic that inspects that high, "you tore up my washed out mud goat path of a driveway, get the hell out of here!"
Time to get it inspected on monday at horns maybe....

I'm going to fly out to see my dad in philly(why did he move to suck a place....) and I'll grab some 395 tires and rims from eastern surplus there only 50% thread but they are $39 dollars
and drive them back in a uhaul. Driving even on 65 with the 9.00-20's is a real drag.

Now to just find a bigger crane my current one I found it just not big enough anybody got a 2-3000lb autocrane or IMT knuckle boom laying around?

[DMG]

That had to,suck, installing it solo.


If you decide to,sell the smaller crane, send me a pm.

[DeathBlade556]

Oh yes it sucked, had to use three straps, a crowbar, and my knees to get it lined up all while under a 300lb transmission hanging from a 500lbs harbor freight chain hoist.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Pick up an exhaust elbow and some clamps from Napa for the intake mushroom so it looks like you can go snorkeling!

You planning a dual circuit master cylinder upgrade or does it already have one?

[DeathBlade556]

Pick up an exhaust elbow and some clamps from Napa for the intake mushroom so it looks like you can go snorkeling!

You planning a dual circuit master cylinder upgrade or does it already have one?

Snorkle and dual circuit are in the works, once I get my jeep out of my drive what the deuce is coming back up to weld on the mounts for the crane and to get my welder in the bed.
Along with the 4x4 conversion, a hydroboost MC and a host of other things.

I did get it inspected today, and on the way back from Horns I tried to drive 376 going 55mph max is fun, but I did find at 50mph on the speedo I'm actually going 55~ 'confirmed' with GPS and one of those your speed is signs.

So I pulled up to the mall afterward for some Ultimate mall crawling! Prius's beware! (actually beware I can't see you when you cut in front of me, silly sub-compacts its like they want to return to their sardine can origins)

Then rural king and 25 pounds of grade 8 later the amount of bolts these students use in a semester is silly, but mainly because they use them for non-bolt/hardware projects.
"Where did all the washers go!?!?"
"oh we needed a counterweight for out rube goldberg machine"

"what is hell is this modern art masterpiece!?!"
"its my engineering collage! it has washers and noodles!"

But I digress, what should I put storage wise where the spare was? I do have a extra job box laying around but it would mount too low ground clearance wise if I mounted it low enough to be able to swing the lid open.

Also big tires turn dirt into torn up dirt, silly dirt.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I had a second fuel tank there on mine. A storage box for ratchet straps and skittles would be good though.

[DeathBlade556]

I was thinking more of my of my extra tool sets, it takes up the passenger side, though Swedish fish and Twizzlers storage.....
I have two vinyl smitty built jeep seats I was going to put in my TJ but I'll put them in the M35 and take out the F150 seat
and I have a extra 20mm ammo can I can use as a center console. I have parts coming in to make a overhead console for my radio
and a backup camera, 40amp dc-dc power convert to run 12v accessories, cheap pyle, some 6" waterproof speakers, a switch panel,
and a keyswitch to put inline with the start button, though I'm designing up a stop lever/on/off lockout with a pad lock.

[88wd21]

I had a second fuel tank there on mine. A storage box for ratchet straps and skittles would be good though.

Im always for candy storage... I have a ton of fillings for a reason!

Your builds always make me a bit jealous. Saw the VW in Millvale a few weeks ago and put some dumb ideas I probably won't do back in my head...

[DeathBlade556]

Well I was picking up a new crane a liftmoore 3200rel should be good for well 3200lbs, its been sitting out under a tree for decade or two, so we tried it out with a battery and it didnt move motors were fried from sitting out in the weather, but then because that I got it for free! Who can argue with free crane!

I did some maintenance while I'm there, new filters, etc So while I'm near ohio I top up the tank and grab a 55gal drum of some nice cheap ohio diesel $2.75 vs $3.50 is alot when your getting 100gallons, but I start stalling out on the way back, not good.

Must have swirled up the junk in the tank and it clogged the new filters, well turns out we forgot something with the new filters, Namely installing the filters, well the secondary filters anyway. So time to swap in the new CAT 1R-0750 secondary filter and a new baldwin primary spin on filters, Swapped out the copper lines for 3/8 hydraulic hose. And then took apart the hydraulic head again, and had to screw around with pressure regulators for the fuel pressure, seams the return line pressure regulator I was using wasn't regulating. So I replaced it with a ballvalve that I left cracked open. I need to put on the pre/post filter pressure gauges to check if there getting clogged. But its running better than ever.

So I start working on the crane, Well the hydraulic pump was toast, electric motors shouldn't be rusty inside, good thing I still have this hydraulic pump I got from Matt's garage sale from his old place. Only been sitting on the shelve for 10 years now?
Got a 4500lb winch coming in from amazon of the cheapest quality, So I got the new harbor freight 4400psi pressure washer out and the sand blaster attachment I got that I've been meaning to try out, and it works great with medium and fine grit with coarse coal slag it just ricochets right into your eye skipping under both face shield and safety glasses.

But 3 bags of media later I have the crane blasted, I'll start on welding up the stand. its 3x2x.188" tube and some cross plates with a 1/2" top Its what held the crane previously. I cut it down so the crane base is right about the side frame rail.
That should leave me room to mount my Lincoln welder under the boom stop, and I can still have room in the bed for a spare and troop rails on the other side!

Now I should point out it was about midnight while I'm getting the crane mounted on the stand my neighbor must love me and my loud late night skid steer antics!

Now to get a second 12v alternator inp lace and to paint the crane. Then to mount up a reverse camera and over head console for switches.

Picture are in no particular order.

When shooting up near kane with some guys,

What a muzzle brake!


WWII anti tank rifle..


I found the last radio shack, Yes it was open it now sells carharts


New intake cone, to replace the strange chrome/rust colored one.


Looks good.....


Kimber know where the shade is. She was sad she couldn't hop up in the deuce, Kimber likes to ride in cars, trucks, tractors, golf carts...


New secondary filter setup


Filter mounted after I found the check/pressure valve didn't work so I swapped it for a ball valve


New Primary filter


What vinyl should I cut out to cover the old logo marks on the doors?


Crane in bed,


When you realize your pallets forks are blocked in on the other side of the truck...


Base about to be wet sand blasted






Arm extension wet blasted, this looks great, it was all rust before.


The crane base, it has a under frame mount that ties into the bed I need to add on a drop leg from a big trailer as a outrigger.


Mounted at around midnight yesterday, right before I rapped it in a tarp beause of the rain, this is a lot of rain!

[ridgerunner97]

Those are good cranes. Pretty jealous you found one for free. I keep an eye on service truck stuff all the time and missed that one!

[DeathBlade556]

Those are good cranes. Pretty jealous you found one for free. I keep an eye on service truck stuff all the time and missed that one!

It depends on how you define 'free' I had to burn out the pins for the extension then pull the boom segments out with the skid steer. Then drill and retap a few bolts, had to replace the hydraulic pump and winch. Found the amazon winch broke in the box, so sent it back and got one from rural king. Then I had to prime, it blast it with some OD green and I'll have to require it and hope the solenoid valves are still good. So yes 'free'

But I started wet blasting the truck last night got about a third of the way threw used 3 bags for media, the rustolemue paint/rusty primer just came off in big sheet, all the way down to the CARC from desert storm. So this morning I hit the one side of the bed and some of the cab with Majic OD green with hardener. It looks good. If I get the rest done I'll be able to hit it with paint before work tomorrow morning, well the first coat atleast.

But I need to scrap off all the decals first right into the trash this time, got big flakes of decal all over my gravel.