Recent content by richark998

On one of my M38A1 Jeeps (24v) I installed a 12v starter equipped with solenoid with the splitter arrangement because the mechanical linkage on the original starter was becoming a nuisance. Plus I dont wear a size 16 shoe to reach the gas pedal and starter. Just has a button now. Works good...

That would be true if the batteries were in parallel and you were trying to charge several at a time from one charger or alternator, but these batteries are in series, just as the six individual cells within the batteries are in series. One 2 volt cell within one battery will not determine the...

Here's a simple diagram for the safest and easiest way to get 12v from the 24v system. Just tap off the series jumper between two of the batteries. You must use this jumper tap so you can use the common ground on the other side of that battery. This battery will discharge more than the other...

You need to disconnect the drive shaft at the rear. Here's a couple of TM illustrations to help. Remove cap screw #15 in 4 places - these bolts go through the rotor. Remove the cotter pin #13 and the "castle" nut to remove the cam and other stuff to clean it up and make sure everything is...

The maintenance and installation of the deep water fording kit is covered in detail with lots of illustrations in Army TM 9-2320-280-20-3. Mine was originally equipped with a fording kit but it was removed probably when it was surplussed out. It still had the valve and all the plumbing though...

Before you start buying parts, check the plug in connections on the box. Just unscrew the collars a couple of turns and slide the plug in and out several times to wear through any oxide or stuff that may be on the pins. If the ground is good like you said, the connectors can still cause...

I mentioned the CV joint first because that's the least expensive item to fix of everything that could have been bad. Well, one thing could have been cheaper. When I first got my HMMWV a couple of years ago I noticed a loud bang when I started to move forward. It would sometimes do that a...

You might have a bad CV (constant velocity) joint on one of the front half shafts, if that is where the noise is coming from. An easy check is to jack up the front end so the tires clear the ground, turn your steering almost to full lock on one side and try to rotate the tire. You should have...

Here's a crude cut and paste of what it looks like from the side - pretty much like the manual says. The chains run from the mounts on the frame to the outside of the trailer where an attachment rail is. I use .375 high tensile "truckers" chains instead of straps so DOT just glances and passes...

The shackles are really designed for a straight downward pull like on the railcar or in an aircraft where the railroad roadbed is banked and in aircraft, turns are banked. This pushes the g forces straight down and the shackles only need to keep the vehicle from moving forward or backward. On...

An excellent article by Denise Moss appeared in the June 2003 - issue #97 of Military Vehicles Magazine. It gives an introduction to HMMWVs. Included in the article is the following quote: "... in 1999 when the...marine corps traded 750 HMMWVs to United Defense... contracted the sale through...

A little shortcut I take when removing the windows is to remove the sill first. It is held by 2 flathead screws in from the top and with those out it comes off pretty easy. Next, remove the bottom stops on the track and you will be able to slide the window down and out at the bottom. Of...

Try to find a trailer like this one. It is a deckover with a 16 ft bed and a 4 ft dovetail. At 8 ft wide it allows 6 inches extra on each side for the HMMWV. Place the rear wheels directly over the rear set on the trailer and balance is great for a gooseneck trailer. I've been hauling mine...

On veterans day I'll be at the parade in Pittsburgh with FFMC and their vehicles. Last year I took the MUTT but it was pretty cold that day. This year I'm taking the HMMWV since it is enclosed and has a heater. I'll be driving a couple of WW2 vets that aren't too happy with the cold weather...

Here's the M170 I mentioned above. Not sure if I was going to run out of space so I added this. Also included pics of the kind of activities I do with the vehicles other than parades. Since the HMMWV is pretty resilient to having kids of all sizes crawling through it, I can treat it as an...