Vulture

Tony and NOSThanks for your thoughts guys, using a motorhome cover really does sound a good idea. I shall contemplate over the coming month. I had thought about stripping the entire back down (see other thread on this topic about removing the metal and wooden side panels off the cargo bed, and storing them in the garage. This idea however has run into opposition from Mrs Vulture who has pointed out the small issue of a lack of storage space in the garage... (sigh)Vulture

HI ALL Needing a new exhaust system for my 353, heard that a chap called rex ward sells a stainless steel system ( sounds expensive!) has anybody fitted one , and what are they like?? is it possible to still get mild steel systems anywhere? Cheers AllWarrior.

Gentlemen

Last week due to my inexperience with my GMC CCKW 352 I misjudged how the suspension would handle a particular rubber sleeping policeman, and went over it a bit fast. The old girl was mighty offended (believe me I will be crawling over them in future), and the front diff in particular, which proceeded to blow a good teaspoon full of fluid out of the breather

Weather and time permitting, either this weekend or the next, I intended to check the fluid levels of all the Axles and Gearboxes (in fact I'm thinking of changing all the oils entirely). Your wise counsel is sought on the following questions:

Question 1. Do I check the levels after a run, or when the truck is cold ?

Question 2. What in your experience is the best method / tool you use for topping up ? My brother has recommended I purchase a syringe from Halfords, but before going this route thought I’d sound you out.

Question 3. Is there any particular tool you favour for undoing the square nuts concerned ?

Kind regards to all

Ian

Guys

Thanks for the various ideas, I shall be trying them out next weekend, weather permitting.

Kind regards to all

Vulture

cheers for that vulture kept meaning to measure one when at the shows and if it`s not raining tomorrow i`ll crack on with it

Jonny

Taken a couple of pictures this afternoon. Hopefully I've understood you correctly.

Looking at the ruler I reckon its about 7.7 cm from the metal upright to the metal bow. Given that the bracket is slightly below the top of the wood 7.5 is probably the measurement your looking for.

Kind regards

Vulture

hi men ,just on with the hood bows on the back of my gmc 353 ,i`m looking for the measurement from the top of the wooden rail (side ) top rail to the bottom of the metal bow corner bracket. the truck has a standard hight canvas,

 

cheers

jonny loot

Jonny

I'll have a measure tomorrow for you.

Cheers

Vulture

I have had a breathable motorhome cover on the Dodge for about three years, looking very battered now, but still works. Like yours she was outside , but now has a purpose built hovel for the winter. I still put the cover on though.

Guys

I’m looking to remove the metal frames with wooden side panels/seats from the cargo back of my CCKW 352. Initial impression is that they haven’t been out for many many years. I’m thinking about squirting copious amounts of penetrating oil / WD40 down the frames as pre-cursor, and getting at least three people to heave / lever away simultaneously. I obviously want to avoid damaging the metal work, so am interested in any hints / tips you can share.

Kind regards all

Vulture

If you are applying the proper preservative to the cotton duck then it should be fine.Best thing you can do for any vehicle is drive it. Once or twice a month minimum. That keeps parts oiled and seals sealing. Idling might warm the oil, but does little for the rest of the mechanisms.Plus a trip on the road would remove standing water/piled on snow and allow the tires to warm up and not take a set.If you read the TM9 (you can download a free copy here: http://www.tm9-801.com/tm9-801/index.php ) there are some specific cold weather PMs you need to do, also there is a few paragraphs on long term storage that would be worth reading.

For £250 odd you can obtain a multi layer breathable cover designed for a motorhome - http://www.royal-leisure.co.uk/category/Caravan/Caravan___Motorhome_Covers,b.htmlNormal budget lightweight covers will flap around in the wind and soon put a shine on matt olive drab paintwork. The shape of these motorhome covers is fairly compatible with the GMC being spot on for width and height (over canvas the cover comes down almost to axle centreline), and with only a slight amount of loose bunching around the bonnet and wings. Select by length.

Guys

A question for those less fortunate souls like myself who have to keep their vehicle outside.

With the bad weather encroaching upon us here in the UK, should I keep the canvas on the cargo body on my CCKW 352 over the winter, or should I back strip the body down to just the bare structure (removing canvas, ribbing and wooden sides/seating) ? (I have an old tent that completely covers the cab so I don't have a problem there)Your experience and thoughts would be appreciated.

Kind regards to all

Ian (aka Vulture)

HURRAH!..........Alway nice to see somthing working again after having developed an Inconvienient fault!

 

I have a simlar one to solve on a Bedford RL. She hadnt been run since Beltring last year! I charged up the Battery, Cranked her over to get fuel up to the Carb. She turned over & fired up on the button, BUT, the Red charging light is ON. Indicating NOT charging. I am assuming that as everything else was working fine before laying her up for a year. It WILL be either, sticky contacts in the Regulator Box (WD40 will sort that!) or sticking brushes in the Gennie. (WD40 again, IF, required)

My Money is on the Regulator box!................

ferretfixer

Hope it turns out to be a quick and easy fix for you.

Kind regards

Vulture

Success at this end !! After almost a weeks delay the Generator and Regulator were ready for pick-up, so I despatched Mrs Vulture and to go and collect them. Refitting last night, I went for main engine start and....Oh Yes, we have a positive reading on the Amp-meter for the first time. Beautiful

Vulture

My friend with the vice managed to get the adapter off, but even with the right tools it was a struggle it seems. Anyway, late yesterday afternoon fitted the new hose with re-used adapter, reconnected the brake pipe, and then bled the system. In the process I found I couldn't stop the joint between the adapter and the hub from weeping Eventually the 'penny dropped' that I hadn't put a washer in there..... :eek: :mad: :banghead:

Sooooo I had to take it all apart again (deep sigh) (lots of swearing at this point). Rex hadn't given me one the right size :shocked: so I had to go the local garage and beg one. Even with a washer, getting that joint to stop weeping took some time :sweat:, and reminded me why I HATE MESSING WITH BRAKES !

Anyway job done, lots (re) learnt. I have the other five hoses to do now, and shall attack those over the coming months. After a fortnight off the road it will be good to take the truck out this weekend :drive:

Kind regards to all

Vulture

Heat may not be the right way to go if they are brass fittings. Brass gets way to soft after 700F and hitting that temp with a blowtorch is very easy (the flame is 2000F+)

 

If its steel, set in in white vinegar for a few days. Take it out every day and hit (use common sense) to break the rust and allow the vinegar to seep in deeper.

 

You will be amazed at the rust eating power of vinegar and molasses.

Deadline

Thanks for the hint about white vinegar. I haven't heard that one before. I shall remember it for the future. :-)

Cheers

Vulture

bradcckw and ferrettkitt

Thanks for the advise. Without current access to a vice and blowtorch I'm somewhat hamstrung, so a friend who has both of these has taken it away today to have a go at it tonight. I'm going to pick up a blowtorch myself this weekend, and my brother has sourced me an old heavy duty vice from his work for £11 so hopefully I'll be better prepared when I attempt the passenger side front brake hose.

Kind regards

Ian (aka Vulture)

An update guys.

Set yesterday afternoon aside to get the drivers-side front brake hose off. Access to the locking nut on the inside of the chassis rail is 'poor' it is fair to say. Good thing the Generator is off otherwise it would have had to be removed. Also found it necessary to remove the protective (?) metal plate that sits on the chassis near the Generator. That allowed access from underneath the truck. Everything came off okay, including the old bleed nipple, although that was so rounded I had to wrap some it insulating tape round it to get a socket to grip.

Small snag however.... At first I thought Rex Ward had given me the wrong hose, or alternatively the hose had been manufactured wrong, because at first glance the thread for the end of the hose that goes into the hub was so much small. Then I spotted that the old hose has an adapter on the end to increase the thread size. Ahhhhh simple I though, just transfer the adapter across.

But........here's where work stopped for the day.... :embarrassed:

I just can't get the adapter off, not with the tools I have anyway. I shall be dropping by my local garage on Thursday (away from home until then) and asking them to have a go for me.

The general question is though, I'm not missing anything here am I ? It should just come off shouldn't it ? It's not a reverse thread or anything like that is it ?

Kind regards to all

Vulture

Hi Vulture,

 

I had some problems with the charging on our Jeep a couple of years ago, i found this website which explains very well how automotive electrical systems work.

 

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/98.cfm

 

You might also find the thread which i started helpful.

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?13062-Urgent-help-needed-testing-Willys-MB-charging-system-please

 

Batteries i find are very peculiar things, and when they do go wrong there is usually no logical explanation for it.

 

All the best, Richard

Richard

Thanks for the link and threads very interesting.

Bit of an update on the position at this end. A friend of mine who is a RAF Electrical Engineer (with some experience of Generators) came round this afternoon, and we removed it for a closer inspection. Although his Multimeter showed all three connections on the Generator are fine and the brushes are in excellent condition, it would not turn when we tried to use it as a motor connected direct to the battery. He declared himself defeated by it, and there must be something else going on inside it all. Anyway, I've tracked down a company in Peterborough called C F Parkinson Ltd. Giving them a call it appears they have an oldish experienced chap called 'Ron' who has dealt with 353/352 Generators before. I am taking it over there on Monday for Ron to have a look at and provide an estimate for the repair.

Vulture

Signed

To be fair, he may not have known what the problem was, what I meant was, to a lot of people swapping out a battery is the starting point when they have an issue, and if it runs subsequently they kinda stop looking (until the problem re-emerges!). Hopefully with the advice from the guys here you'll get sorted easily and quickly.

 

Reminds me... god knows what we all did a few years ago before these forums existed. Recently changed a fuel gauge in the Pinz - the new gauge had completely different behind dash wiring, and was not obvious - without the resource available through the net I'd have struggled... so big thumbs up to the HMVF and related sites that help us all keep rolling

With my limited mechanical experience I must confess I would not have been brave enough to take on the 352 if it wasn't for the fact that forums such as the HMVF exist.

After dropping by to see Rex Ward this afternoon, I have some nice new shiny parts to fit over the coming week

Kind regards

Vulture

Ok stupid question number err lost count.....:red:

 

anyway as the thread title says, just as we were on our way back to the museum and queuing in endless traffic, one of the cab occupants asked the dreaded question' if we broke down, who would recover us ?' glancing at the little AA van at the side of the road then looking back at our much larger REO,so , who does verybody use for the 'larger mv's' ? and how much would I be expected to pay ?

 

I have a families day at RAF Linton on Ouse on the 2nd of September, and now the seeds of doubt have been sown etc etc:undecided:

John

I'm with Adrian Flux Recovery. I get Homestart, Roadside Assistance and Recovery for £32 a year on my CCKW 352 . Must confess I was amazed at the price, and said so. The reply was that it is a fixed price based on the age of the vehicle. £32 a year works for me . That said they do limit the payout in any 12 months to £3,000. I have no idea what that equates to in terms of fully recoveries, but it must be a couple I would have thought.

Kind regards

Vulture

Clean commutator, it dose look a bit grimy, replace brushes, probably worn and there cheap enough, then re-polarise. Gennys are almost bomb proof bits of kit and unless seriously knackered easy to service. DO NOT RE-POLARISE WITH THE REGULATOR WIRED IN!! That gets very expensive on regulators. It would also be worth checking the obvoius, is the belt in good condition and are all the pulleys tight? The regulator can be a touchy bit of kit, clean all the contacts carfully with fine emery, but make sure evrything is scrupulosly clean before refitting the cover. There looks to be a fair amount of grime there as well, rember Electrickery is lazy! Dosen't like going through dirt. Polarisng info: http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/htm/gen.htm

Is it my eyes or is the bolt on the fan belt adjuster strap look lose on the second picture down. it will not help with charging if it is and the fan belt is slipping. Steve....

New battery was probably enough to run the vehicle without any significant load on the system until now, sounds like the charging system was an issue prior to sale and the previous owner just whacked in a new battery rather than sort the problem :undecided:

mogmaner, shopnut and rbrtcrowther Thanks for your suggestions. Annoyingly I'm away from home with work until Thursday night. When I get back I'll give your suggestions a try.Kind regardsVulture