Another New (old) M1009 Driver

[Mainsail]

Here’s my new to me 1986 M1009. It has 93K on the odometer, but the motor was replaced about 5K miles ago and the tranny may have been because it shifts nice and tight. The engine compartment is super clean, it has no rust anywhere, and fires up without drama.

I need to fix a few small things like door seals. The back glass window crank is gone, but the new parts from LMC are on the UPS truck for delivery today. I’ll be taking it over to the auto hobby shop on base to put it on the lift and get a good look at the u-joints and bushings; I’m hearing/feeling a slight thump during fast turns. It has three different wheels; one green, one tan, and two black. It has two pairs of tires, in other words, the front tires are the same, the back tires are the same, but the front tires are not the same as the back tires and the back tires are not the same as the front tires.

I’ve been driving it daily for the past two weeks, including a run from here to Olympia to visit the junkyard (Washington M1009 owners, they just got a Blazer with a decent roll bar in if you want one) which was 150 miles round trip.

So far:
I picked up a fiberglass factory center console out of the junkyard for $10 and repainted it.
I got some aluminum wheels I will either paint or have powder coated, then tires.
I picked up some sliding back windows from a donor Blazer. These need to be cleaned up and popped in.

 

[Mainsail]

More Pics:

 

[cucv1833]

Nice looking Oh-9

 

[Mainsail]

I don't know why I can only post tiny pictures here. My website has the pictures; click on the picture for the full size. topohiker news

The engine compartment is super clean.

http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/EngineRight2.png

The fuel gauge only goes up to ¼ tank, even when full. It comes down from there, but never higher. Not sure if I should swap out the gauge itself or start tearing into the tank.

The speedo waves at me when I'm driving. Seems to be a common problem from what I've been reading; cable swap.

 

[cucv1833]

I don't know why I can only post tiny pictures here. My website has the pictures; click on the picture for the full size. topohiker news

The engine compartment is super clean.

http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/EngineRight2.png

The fuel gauge only goes up to ¼ tank, even when full. It comes down from there, but never higher. Not sure if I should swap out the gauge itself or start tearing into the tank.

The speedo waves at me when I'm driving. Seems to be a common problem from what I've been reading; cable swap.

Very clean engine compartment wish mine look like that. Maybe one day.

Check these 2- threads this was just covered I changed my gauge that was jumping and now it works great. Test the fuel gauge as per the TM-20

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/89000-m1009-gauge-problems.html
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/68023-m1009-fuel-gauge-problem-fix.html

 

[Mainsail]

I have a couple of questions I haven't seen addressed.

Has anyone found a liner that works for the rear wheel wells? I know the truck makes plenty of noise, but a liner would go a long way towards quieting the truck.

Can I take a swing-away exterior tire carrier from a doner K5 and screw it on my truck, or was that corner beefed up when the factory installed them?

 

[Mainsail]

Also, I managed to reactivate the rear window with the new guts from LMC. As soon as I got it working one of the nylon rollers started jumping out of the track. Since I couldn't make the roller any bigger, I massaged the track a little smaller with a hammer. It seems to be holding for now. I read the whole long thread on license plate placement, still noodling where I want to put mine. For now it's taped to the inside of the truck so it can be seen through the rear window.

http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/CUCV/CUCV05.png

 

[WARWAG]

Nice M1009

 

[Mainsail]

After three solid weeks of dead reliability, driving it every day, this morning before work it decided not to start. Turn the key, listen to the annoying buzzer, wait for the WAIT light to go out, turn the key... CLICK. Nothing. Headlights work, nothing left on, try again... CLICK.

Called the boss and told him I'd be late, then started to rearrange the garage so I could get to the battery charger, figured I'd try it one more time... VAROOM.

Starter relay mod then?

 

[cucv1833]

Starter relay mod then?

Doghead relay mod, Load test Batt. and clean battery connections would be a good start.

 

[2HIJOS2126]

SUPER SWEET SCORE....... LOOKS NICE.....

 

[Mainsail]

DogHead Relay Mod abort. I went to NAPA and picked up the relay, no drama it was hanging right on the sales floor. I figured instead of getting just the connectors I need (because I'm almost out of everything) I would pick up the BIG variety pack so I would have plenty on hand

Back at home I take both relays out. That's right, both. It seems the military burned one up and left the old one on the metal plate and the new one was hanging by the wires. No drama, I disconnect the batteries and test them, 12V each, good. Remove the relay plate and drill the new hole per the directions. I'm just about to cut the connector and I figure I will get the new crimp connectors ready (I intend to crimp and solder). What the?

In the whole kit there isn't even ONE freaking connector that will fit over the relay studs. I considered drilling them out, but no, that's probably not a great idea with the current running through them. So I put it all back together and started it to make sure it all works. Sheesh. Why is everything I buy anymore the cheapest crap someone can throw together.

 

[Mainsail]

Finished the starter relay mod after work today. All connectors are crimped and soldered, heat-shrinked, and capped. After putting it all back together and reconnecting the batteries I turned the key and everything worked as expected.

http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/CUCV/Relays.png

 

[Warthog]

Great job on your install.

I reall like your attention to detail.

 

[epartsman]

The aluminum wheels you picked up have them powdercoated gun metal gray. I did mine and they look awesome. Very nice BTW, inside and out!

 

[Mainsail]

I took it over to the Auto Hobby shop on base to put it on the lift. I looked around underneath- checked the u-joints wheels, leaks, etc. Other than some minor oil sheen on the engine and transmission, everything looked good. Once I got home I pulled the shackles off the back for now. I need to figure out what's clunking in the rear when I drive over bumps. The whole truck makes a lot of noise as it is though. The wheel painting goes on. I blew a couple coats of self etching primer, then a few coats of flat black. I know it won't last as long as powder coating, but that was going to cost ~$150 for just the faces of all four wheels. If they get scratched I can just spray them a little more.

http://www.topohiker.com/news/newspics/CUCV/Wheel.png

 

[epartsman]

This is what mine looks like. 7months and still look like new.

 

[Mainsail]

^^^ I like that color! I really didn't want to spend the money on powder coat right now, especially since the tires are going to be over $500 for almost any AT tire I can find.

 

[Mainsail]

I finally figured out what was clunking in back. The whole truck is noisy and the engine is loud, there are rattles coming from the glove box and various other things that aren't lashed down securely, but there was a loud banging during certain vibrations in the truck that I could not locate. I took the shackles off, no change.

Finally yesterday when I had the tailgate down I had an epiphany; I hopped in and grabbed the rear seat and jiggled it up and down. That was it! If there's nobody in the seat it bounces up and down in the latches and bangs against the floor. Not sure how I can fix that, maybe a small spring to force it up against the latches.

 

[Mainsail]

During an oil change I noticed that my oil fill cap is very loose. It doesn't snug down. Am I correct in believing the cap should snug down tight?