My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

M274 Mechanical Mule Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base
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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:19 pm

Today's project was to mount the alternator. The new alternator actually, it had a standard GM (10si I think they're called) big alternator before.

The old:
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The new:
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abbylind
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by abbylind » Sat Apr 08, 2017 5:59 pm

Nice design as always Dr Lance! What size is the V belt? Part #?
Thanks
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:27 am

WHOOPS forgot about the little tab that mounts the fan belt guard. Had to carve some more aluminum this morning.

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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:29 am

abbylind wrote:Nice design as always Dr Lance! What size is the V belt? Part #?
Thanks
I think I can get a slightly smaller belt on it. The one you see in the pictures is the smallest one I had in my collection from all the cars over the years. When I get the smaller one I'll post the number.

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:10 pm

How to turn a green 48 dollar Ebay steering wheel into a black Mule wheel :mrgreen: Blast it to give the plastic some tooth. Paint it with Epoxy primer so it never chips off. Then spray it with midnight black enamel :mrgreen:

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Score !

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Jeeps4Brains » Wed Apr 12, 2017 5:55 am

Hi Lance, I have a wheel I need to do that to. What brand of paint did you use? Alan
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:24 am

Jeeps4Brains wrote:Hi Lance, I have a wheel I need to do that to. What brand of paint did you use? Alan
I used SPI (Southern Polyurethanes) epoxy primer.
Bottom of the page at this website http://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/products
and
DAR9000 PPG DELSTAR single stage enamel. There's probably better options in a urethane nowadays but I learned to paint a long time ago and really like the way the single stage enamels spray. Plus I have a a few gallons of black leftover from one of the Chevelles I painted years ago.

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:04 pm

So I decided today was the day to start working on the bed.
Everything came off pretty easy except I either can't figure out how to get the steering wheel strut mount out or it's VERY stuck. Am I wrong to assume that the little double D shaped thing has to turn and then it just slips out of the mount part that is bolted to the bed?

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It also looks like I have quite a case of galvanic corrosion going on with the rivets that hold the frame tube mounts to the aluminum bed. The rivets literally just pop off. Guess they all get taken out and replaced..... Some are so rotten you can't even tell they had domed heads.

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major519
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by major519 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:35 pm

Lance
Looks like you are in about the same level of restoration on your mule as me!
The steering column swivel on mine was a major PITA for me as well. It took a lot of work to get it apart.
It is supposed to pull through once turned but on mine it looked like it was a little bit swaged or burred up which meant that I had to carefully work around it with a file to get it back to the same OD as original so it would slip back through the casting.
At the very beginning I had to use a fair amount of heat plus various penetrants just to get it un-seized.
I think it is one of those overlooked parts that needs regular maintenance and lubrication. I know when mine goes back in it will receive a generous amount of anti-seize compound.
Hope this helps.
1968 M274A5 USMC 325489
1966 M274A2 USMC 333007
1958 M274 US ARMY 2B3379
1970 M38A1 CDN3 70-08715
1981 M101CDN Manac 3/4 trailer
1984 M1009 CUCV
1943 Converto Airborne Trailer

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:13 pm

major519 wrote:Lance
Looks like you are in about the same level of restoration on your mule as me!
The steering column swivel on mine was a major PITA for me as well. It took a lot of work to get it apart.
It is supposed to pull through once turned but on mine it looked like it was a little bit swaged or burred up which meant that I had to carefully work around it with a file to get it back to the same OD as original so it would slip back through the casting.
At the very beginning I had to use a fair amount of heat plus various penetrants just to get it un-seized.
I think it is one of those overlooked parts that needs regular maintenance and lubrication. I know when mine goes back in it will receive a generous amount of anti-seize compound.
Hope this helps.
Yes mine won't turn as of yet. It's already had heat on it and LPS. An aluminum housing with a steel pivot in it up where it gets rained on is just a recipe for corrosion. Mine doesn't look all that beat up yet so it must just be stuck from corrosion. Guess I keep trying to persuade it. Thanks for the input.

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by muleman7 » Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:39 am

Lance

Yes the bracket is corroded it will take heat to swell the receiver allowing the plug to turn. Difficult to isolate the bracket from the aluminum bed when heating to be able to turn the plug. Bolt it back to the bed and try heat. If that fails grind the weld at the clamp and remove then pull the bracket and put it in a vise. I had one that was bolted to the bed via plates because it had pulled through the bed. I put it in the vise and used heat to turn it then had to use a punch to drive out the plug.

Your aluminum rivets have work hardened and popped. Seen most often on aluminum beds?????? I have used 1/4 bolts but the proper method is to drill the rivets and install new ones.

I checked with Aircraft Tool and they can provide the rivets.
http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detai ... dium=email
Last edited by muleman7 on Sun Apr 16, 2017 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:49 am

muleman7 wrote:" grind the weld at the clamp and remove then pull the bracket and put it in a vise."
I had the same thought. It'd be a lot easier to wrestle with it if it wasn't attached to the bed. Plus the small weld would be very easy to re-create.

Very nice link to the Aircraft tool company. They have some very nice stuff. Pricey but very nice.

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:52 am

So while I have the bed upside down. I noticed there's a serial number stamp with a Quality buy-off (Emtex inspector number 3)on the bottom of the foot basket bracket. I guess I have a numbers matching bed to the repop dataplate :lol:

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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sat Apr 15, 2017 7:44 am

It's apart :mrgreen:

Thought I'd post a few pictures of how and what it actually looks like inside for someone in the future that's trying to get one apart.
The only thing that would make it turn was excessive heat with a dose of bubbling smoking Liquid Wrench.
Both parts are steel which surprised me, because looking at the rough as-cast surface of the fitting I'd have sworn that part was aluminum.

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Mon Apr 17, 2017 4:47 pm

So I have been kicking myself in the butt many times over the past few weeks after I realized I forgot to put the two wheel steer bracket on the frame tube. How depressing, I get to weld a bracket on my nice beautiful pristine frame tube and then try and blend the new paint in :? There's only one word that I can think of for this and it starts DUMB and ends with $@$# Oh well I starting making a bracket today and discovered that the attach point is not the centerline of the tube. Guess I made an assumption (another dumb move on my part :roll: ) So I went looking for Chuck's picture of a factory bracket. It sure looks lower that where mine wants to be....

Chuck's picture I stole :mrgreen:
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The start of my bracket

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Yes I know the way it is it will block the bolt holding the frame together. I already have a plan for that.


and just for reference to show where the rod is coming from and that it's not suddenly springing up when it gets disconnected.
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