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Artisan's M916

Kickin

New member
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Location
California, MO
Hey Artisan,

Did you get your towbar storage figured out? I have a M920 with the same towbar, and trying to figure out the storage on the truck like you have ... Any suggestions?
 

Artisan

Well-known member
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Location
CDA Idaho
Hey Artisan,

Did you get your towbar storage figured out? I have a M920 with the same towbar, and trying to figure out the storage on the truck like you have ... Any suggestions?
Just leave it attached at the bottom and make yourself a mount at the top that attaches
to the M-ABPC/PB ( Anti-BLM Protestor Clearance / Punisher Bar [Works best when greased heavily ] ) ... :cool:

If you look real close you might be able to see a pulley I fabbed into mine for
a small ATV winch to raise and lower the tow-bar. It's heavy af.
 

Attachments

Kickin

New member
24
22
3
Location
California, MO
Just leave it attached at the bottom and make yourself a mount at the top that attaches
to the M-ABPC/PB ( Anti-BLM Protestor Clearance / Punisher Bar [Works best when greased heavily ] ) ... :cool:

If you look real close you might be able to see a pulley I fabbed into mine for
a small ATV winch to raise and lower the tow-bar. It's heavy af.
THANKS!

I bought a Harbor Freight "deer pulley" system and replaced the poly rope with a nylon braided cord. Just made some loops for the top of the brush guard and one loop around the tow eye, and just pulley it up. Seems to work, since I will probably not be around an ATV when/if I break down. Do you have a bumper on the truck side for the tow bar to press against? I live in the country, and the roads are not smooth. I am trying to keep the tow bar from swaying front and back while driving.
 

Artisan

Well-known member
2,762
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63
Location
CDA Idaho
Wow Brad I love the tow bar setup. The star on the lunette ring is a nice touch
You noticed!
I love adding little nuggets of fun like that!
learning how to draw in CAD w/ precision and getting your parts cut to perfection
w/ water jet machines and laser cutters will change you life.
www.sendcutsend.com is AWESOME... You send a drawing, select your material
and you will have your parts in no time. There incredible service will blow you away.

There are 2 chains as well for safety....
 

Kickin

New member
24
22
3
Location
California, MO
Thanks for all the photos and details! Really wish that I had the COOL tools and the talent to use them like you obviously have. What a talent to be able to make the parts like you do! Thanks, again for the help, advice, and quick responses!
 

Artisan

Well-known member
2,762
227
63
Location
CDA Idaho
So long time no post. The Big Cam 3 engine got stuffed in and I did it myself sans 10 hours of the heavy stuff w/ a friend. It was a trial by fire break in. I hopped in it 3 weeks ago after hooking up to a tilt trailer w/ forklift on it and off I went. Est weight was 70,000, less than 1/2 what the 20 ton is rated for. I pulled the Lewiston Idaho grade going north in 13th gear I believe it was, about 37 mph...
 

Abrant23

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Charleston, SC
So long time no post. The Big Cam 3 engine got stuffed in and I did it myself sans 10 hours of the heavy stuff w/ a friend. It was a trial by fire break in. I hopped in it 3 weeks ago after hooking up to a tilt trailer w/ forklift on it and off I went. Est weight was 70,000, less than 1/2 what the 20 ton is rated for. I pulled the Lewiston Idaho grade going north in 13th gear I believe it was, about 37 mph...
Our 917 is still chugging along on the original big cam. I scaled her out at 95k pulling the tri-axle and our a25c Volvo. Our farm tags are good for 120k gvwr thankfully. Plus the DOT doesn’t mess with us farmers much 😂. Also check your trailer tire air pressure every trip!
EFC5444C-30CC-4A13-BF27-60B71447F75D.jpegFE040381-9291-4C78-9A8B-7B7C91B0262A.jpeg
 

Jerry L

New member
11
4
3
Location
Chico, Ca
ATTN F-Wag (another book :) )

My fan clutch was leaking air. So adding the A/C compressor Y
was the right time to swap in a new fan clutch. You can get parts to rebuild
it for $300.00, then do the deed, new they are like $1200 if you can
find it or a reman. So I found some fan clutches on GL and
picked up the lot. They are made by Bendix. The "More Info"
link on the GL lot clearly said they were for the 14-20 ton
M915 Series of trucks. It is the whole shootin' match, clutch
and mounting bracket. You swap over the 1/8" x 5" long
nipple and 1/4" air feed adaptor and bolt it up. I think I have
4 left for sale btw.

Doing the job alone was a challenge but after contemplating
the situation I found an easy way to do it alone. First remove
the turn signal that keeps trying to give you a prostate exam.
Now simply grab a board, I used a spare M925 Rear cover stanchion.
Now grab a 10" bungie cord. Lay the board over the top
of the "X" bracing up high w/ one end DS and the other end PS.
Lay the 10" bungie perpendicular centered over the FC. Grab
one existing fan belt and put it in the inner groove of the FC.
Connect the 10" bungie to the belt. VIOLA! You just made SOLDIER B
and he will not talk back either! After that you still need to man-handle
a 42 pound chuck of metal in and out but this method makes install and
removal wayyyyy easier.

Ok so I get it all together less the fan shroud and knowing Murphy is out there
I started it to make sure things were ok. I start it and the fan instantly
was locked up and turning. Hmmmm, well, were all smarter then the
instructions for such mundane tasks right? NOT. I pick up the instructions
and it clearly says ;

SYSTEM CHECK OUT
After completing the installation, the fan can be
tested for function by starting the engine with no air
in the system. The fan should operate immediately
after the engine is started and should stop as the air
pressure builds to 80 PSI........


OK so I wait for 80 PSI and the dang thing is still in lock up
100% of the time.

I start to question my fan actuator but I KNOW it worked prior.

Shortening the story ;-) after talking to the awesome owner at KIT MASTERS
and a great email from Larry at fanclutch.com I found out that
The Bendix operates opposite of what the OE Horton does.

(PS, KitMasters now owns the Bendix design!)

The Horton is air to engage, normally closed switch.
The Bendix is air to dis-engage normally open switch.


UGH!!! I am PO'd, I would prefer the truck to be stock and I go inside
and pout. It is now too hot to work, I am done. I called a friend, he does
not answer, he was at the Littlefield Collection auction. He calls me back
several hours later and he knew exactly what was going on and he added
that the Bendix is a better design IE this;

"If you loose your air compressor you loose your fan clutch w/ the OE system.
NO DRIVE HOME (Of course caging brakes) but w/ the BENDIX if you loose
your compressor the fan comes on and you are still OK! "
(So if your OK
driving a 28 thousand pound behemoth w/o brakes carry on! ) but still,
something to think about.
I think it makes good sense, I am sticking w/ the Bendix but I do have to
swap out my Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve. The instruction sheet for the BENDIX has part
numbers right there for the part you need based on a 10 degree closing
over the engines thermostat. I found a 190 degree actuator
cheap on Ebay NOS.

BUTSOMEHOWEVER. I was told that with some Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valves
you can simply swap the air plumbing and it works backwards and I "think" I
was told that if you have a Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve that works by wires
that you can reverse polarity and it runs backwards too! So it all depends
on what you have as to weather or not you need to change your
Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve.

Or you may have the BENDIX stock!


...and I just realized I didn't change the innermost serpentine belt and now I will
take it all apart and do it all over again so I will tell you how the method
I suggested prior about leaving the fan attached and just pulling the
FC to replace belts works... sigh, more practice.DAYCO 5060436 (serpentine belt)
aua

EDIT: The Bendix FC says your Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve should be 10 degrees higher
than the thermostat. The OE thermostat is supposed to open at 185 degrees I just read, ,
I had assumed 180, bad on me, so to do this perfect per Bendix instructions you want
to buy the Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve that is set at 195 degrees. I grabbed a
190 degree Thermo-Pneumatic Control Valve, I think I will be A-Ok.
I know this is a super old post but Artisian I would love to have a conversation with you before I start my A/C install on my M916 if you have time? Thanks Jerry 530)218-8762
 

WillWagner

The Person You Were Warned About As A Child
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
8,370
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Location
Monrovia, Ca.
I have not seen Brad here in a while. I know he moved, he was a mile up the road from me and I don't see his stuff there.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
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Location
Mason, TN
Probably the most confused about the need to replace the alternator or not? Mine was overhauled in 2010 and has the allison trans.
If you use a 24v ac unit then you are fine. They are 140amp units on 24v.

If you are using a 12v interior unit and compressor then you are going to have issues. They are only 50amp on the 12v side.

The alternator also only puts out at 1100rpms and higher on 12v

Running into this issue with the 915A4s as the truck pulls 47amps with everything on on 12v side with only a 50amp alternator it kills em. Especially at idle.

All my trucks get a 24v 110amp alternator and Eaton Surepower 24v to 12v equalizer.
 
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