New member in TX

[AlienFood]

Dang! My lower bushings were fine, I just cleaned a lubed them. The uppers were the ones that looked like yours. A chisel and some patience, then a wire wheels, then some brake cleaner and a rag and the mount looked good as new.

Where are you in Texas? I'd love to meet up and see someone else's rig too. There is a LOT to learn about these rigs.

@type3LMTV
I am ~90% sure I saw the advertisement for your LMTV before you bought it Lol.

About 2.5 hours away from Benbrook, TX. That is definitely a cool idea with me. After I get back into highway speeds.

I too rode all the way home without cab air bags inflated from previous owner, then discovered what that right knob does.

Good to hear about riding a LOT better.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Does anyone know what this switch is for? It looks like it got added on but still has a mil-spec connector.

Wasn't added per-se. That's the troop alarm. It's for troops riding in the back to alert the driver.

 

[Ronmar]

OMG! It’s the doomsday switch! Flip it and the air buzzer starts pulsing…

 

[SCM35A2]

Welcome to the site!

 

[type3LMTV]

More weekend work! The truck went on a diet. I got the tanks moved back 20" and secured to the bed again, now using 1.25" angle iron. This should keep the DOT off my back when I get weighed with it full of water. Where they were before put me about 600lbs over my front axle max. Now I'll be 600lbs under. I also got rid of the giant tail light brackets and put lights in the back of the bed. Not only are the new ones brighter and take less power it took 64lbs off the back end. Then I pulled the hitch out of it and saved another 62lbs. The whole hitch assembly on this truck is insanely beefy. I think I can pull another few hundred pounds out of it without losing any functionality.

 

[type3LMTV]

The back of the bed got 13" lower this weekend. It's 280lbs lighter and should be much easier to work with.

 

[wandering neurons]

Another source of vibration that is associated with unbalanced driveshafts is when the bracket between the air pump nd hydraulic power steering pump is missing or loose. That can cause the front cover on the engine to crack, and a new oil leak on the engine. You can’t see the bracket or fasteners, you have to go by feel on that

 

[type3LMTV]

You can't see them? Damn, I guess asking for a pic of the bracket would be hard then. What does the bracket look like? Is it just a steel strap with a couple holes in the ends? Or is it a cast iron chunk?
I'm getting the driveshafts serviced in a couple weeks and I checked all the fasteners I could see on the front of the engine. Everything looks good so far but I'm always up to know about new things to check.

 

[wandering neurons]

Sorry, but it is a hidden part, no line of sight, find by feel. Steel bracket, sandwiched between the air compressor and the power steering pump. Right angle then lays flat to the side of the engine with I think three bolts into the block.
edit: one bolt on the compressor and two into the block. Download the M1078 -24 TM (LMTV parts). Diagram 157, Air Compressor. Part is the Bracket, Mounting, #17.
Check that all bolts are there and are tight.
while you’re checking bolts, check the bolts that holed the alternator in place on the other side of the engine. Similar problem of vibration but doesn’t break stuff. Just disassembles itself.

You can't see them? Damn, I guess asking for a pic of the bracket would be hard then. What does the bracket look like? Is it just a steel strap with a couple holes in the ends? Or is it a cast iron chunk?
I'm getting the driveshafts serviced in a couple weeks and I checked all the fasteners I could see on the front of the engine. Everything looks good so far but I'm always up to know about new things to check.

 

[Ronmar]

Look at the air compressor and power steering exploded parts diagram in the 24P manual. It is also easier to see from under the truck

 

[type3LMTV]

Sorry, but it is a hidden part, no line of sight, find by feel. Steel bracket, sandwiched between the air compressor and the power steering pump. Right angle then lays flat to the side of the engine with I think three bolts into the block.
edit: one bolt on the compressor and two into the block. Download the M1078 -24 TM (LMTV parts). Diagram 157, Air Compressor. Part is the Bracket, Mounting, #17.
Check that all bolts are there and are tight.
while you’re checking bolts, check the bolts that holed the alternator in place on the other side of the engine. Similar problem of vibration but doesn’t break stuff. Just disassembles itself.

Thanks for the description, I should be able to find it by that. Or find that it's not there. The alternator bolts are all tight and have their nordlock washers on. This truck was a national guard vehicle and only shows 3700miles. Most of it's issues have been from rubber parts drying out, cracking, falling apart, etc.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

2003 should have Nord Lock washers on the power steering support bracket. That was an issue with the A0 trucks, not so much on the A1 trucks unless it's been apart and they lost the Nord Locks.

 

[type3LMTV]

Power steering support bracket is in place and tight.
I also made the switch to a pair of group 31 batteries, ditched the cutoff switch and the lbcd and shaved another 80lbs off the truck. The PO had installed three different batteries with different cca and reserve capacity ratings and the truck always had a charge indicator on with the 14v side showing 13.5v on the dash. After cleaning everything up the truck starts just as well as before, has no more charge light and now shows 14.5v. I'm guessing this will even itself out as I drive and the voltage regulator learns the new setup.

Then today I cut up some expanded metal and made some tool holders for pulaskis, shovels, rakes, etc. Then I got a big side box mounted for extra storage. All in all it was a very productive weekend.