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XM708 refurb

J

JimC2

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Removed the damaged passenger door this afternoon and installed two temporary studs in each hinge backing plate to hold them in place.
Wasn't able to lift replacement door into place due to broken shoulder. I'll get someone to help me with that tomorrow morning. Swapping out headlights tomorrow afternoon after work. Ordering two new directional tires Wednesday. Need to refurbish a couple of rims before they arrive. Gotta straighten the front running board bracket before I bolt the replacement running board in. Probably install the winch bumper Friday. I may be getting there, but it sure is hard to see the progress.
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
Got the replacement door and runningboard in place.
Tires on passenger side are holding air. Tires on driver's side are shredded, as is left rear lock ring.
Stuck a 4 foot cheater pipe on the lug wrench to get the lug nuts started off the right front - Kroil and a cheater are wonderful things. Moving right front tire to the left rear. Ordered two new 1050×16 directional tires for the front. Two more for the rear next month. While they are enroute, I'll refurb the rims for them. That'll let me roll the truck under a shed so I can work in the shade and in the dry (it was 96° this afternoon). There was a wasp's nest in the driver's side tailgate post that stopped me cold from getting a start on the left rear lugnuts. Project for tomorrow. Winch bumperette install this weekend. Outer windshield frame replacement for next week. Have started taking measurements for the new hardtop.

Have I mentioned that this is a slow go?20250723_191136.jpg
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
Today was a washout.
Front right is up on an axle stand; haven't pulled the tire yet. Two nuts still holding it on.
Left rear fell off the jack and stand before I pulled the tire (also two nuts remaining), so no harm done. Unstable, sloped gravel base. I'll do it again tomorrow after making a stable pad to set the jack and stand on. It was uncomfortably hot today anyway, so was a good excuse to quit and go to the house. I'm too sensitive to working in the heat. It dawned on me while I was out there that I was born closer to the beginning of the Civil War than to today.

Got a couple of gallons of Gillespie 24087 coming Saturday. Enough to start painting a few panels and nicknacks.

Also have a new transfer lever rubber draft pad and retainer arriving tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
Rdinatal

Rdinatal

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Lake Normanopolis, NC
JimC2 said:
Got the replacement door and runningboard in place.
Tires on passenger side are holding air. Tires on driver's side are shredded, as is left rear lock ring.
Stuck a 4 foot cheater pipe on the lug wrench to get the lug nuts started off the right front - Kroil and a cheater are wonderful things. Moving right front tire to the left rear. Ordered two new 1050×16 directional tires for the front. Two more for the rear next month. While they are enroute, I'll refurb the rims for them. That'll let me roll the truck under a shed so I can work in the shade and in the dry (it was 96° this afternoon). There was a wasp's nest in the driver's side tailgate post that stopped me cold from getting a start on the left rear lugnuts. Project for tomorrow. Winch bumperette install this weekend. Outer windshield frame replacement for next week. Have started taking measurements for the new hardtop.

Have I mentioned that this is a slow go?View attachment 950875
Click to expand...
Ah, that looks like you're in for a lot of work.
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
Argghh - I just realized my winch bumperettes are painted in g997.
Oh well, it will suffice as an undercoat when I repaint the entire truck with 24087, so I loaded them up in the trunk of my car to take them to the truck. Hopefully install tomorrow.

Making no headway today. Taking my grandson to the movies.

As an experiment on some of my smaller parts, I am cleaning them up and bluing them with gun blue as a rust inhibitor prior to priming and painting them. Did that with the transfer levers draft pad retainer this morning prior to painting it.
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
My wife just sent me to Wendy's to buy her a cheeseburger. Fed Ex truck pulled into Wendy's at the same time. Fed Ex app showed that it was carrying my paint, so I offloaded it there. Next door to Harbor Freight, so I detoured and bought another small hydraulic jack. Can't have too many Jacks.
Tomorrow I finish swapping the two old tires that hold air and mount the bumperettes. It will be nice to see a spot of new paint on the truck - and something without dents.....
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
Sunday
got the left rear tire off.
Five gallon bucket I was sitting on collapsed about ten minutes ago, and I fell backwards onto my left elbow. Almost broke it. Not particularly painful, but I can feel it and expect it will talk to me some tomorrow. Last thing I need is a broke right shoulder and left elbow...
Only 91° outside, but I am sitting in the car cooling off anyway and working up the energy to move the right front tire to the left rear.
I'll have to think a bit about mounting the winch bumperettes today.
 
m1010plowboy

m1010plowboy

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Edmonton, Canada
That's a mini dump truck. I had to look it up. Only 198 made with the XM708 designation. Very cool and worthwhile platform to work on. https://www.easternsurplus.net/GalleryDetails/438/Dodge-XM708,-4x4,-M37-weapons-carrier

Keep the pics coming. The pump, hydraulic lines and all the bits that make that box function would be cool to see in photographs. There isn't a ton of info out there on the XM708 so real glad you're taking the time to share it. Here's a model where I was finally able to see where the hydraulic ram points are. Real interesting the ram pushes on that box so far back. Great project. Keep it up. https://www.hlj.com/1-35-scale-u-s-dodge-xm708-dump-truck-full-kit-vhlhl0603
 
J

JimC2

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Collierville TN
"Only 198 made with the XM708 designation".

Yeah, built on a beefed up M53 chassis (about 2 inches shorter than an M37). Fourteen still exist.
I've owned this one for 53 years.
 
J

JimC2

Active member
101
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Location
Collierville TN
Got an inflated yard tire on the left rear today (came off the right front).
Temperature ranging from 99° to 103°.
Only 97° now.
Need to remove 7 more bolts to get the old bumper off before setting the winch bumperettes. I'm thinking seriously of telling the truck to do something unprintable to itself and going home for the day.20250728_154939.jpg
 
J

JimC2

Active member
101
75
28
Location
Collierville TN
Got all the lug nuts loose on the left front tire.
Need to raise it a bit higher, secure the jackstand further outboard, pull the tire, sandblast and prep the rim, and mount the new 1050×16 directional tire.
 
J

JimC2

Active member
101
75
28
Location
Collierville TN
Large head 5/16×18-1" carriage bolts for the runningboards arrived today. Diameter of the heads is slightly larger than the originals, but they look OK to me. I'm easy to please.
 
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