Author Topic: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor  (Read 6087 times)

col.halftrack

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Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« on: October 31, 2013, 12:50:48 PM »
I am fitting the rear armor on my M4A1 and would love to move the bed to the rear another 1/8 to 1/4 inch. I have (I think) all bolts loose but cannot seem to slide the bed front to back much at all. Drivers side fits good and door opens and shuts. The passenger seems tight and the RH door will not shut without the help of a crowbar.
1941 White M2
1942 White M4A1 was M4
1942 Autocar M2A1
1942 Autocar M3-75
1943 White M13 rebuilt as M16
1943 Diamond T M3A1

Outsider

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2013, 02:24:04 PM »
Should be elongate holes in the bed mounts and rear cab support. If all bolts are loose it should move, but remember if you are trying to move only one side all bolts in the bed need to be loose to skew the bed to fit.

Steve
Lots of green "junk" as my wife likes to call it.
Friends don't let friends buy Trailking Trailers!

spec4don

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2013, 03:03:19 PM »
I ended up slotting my rear mounts for the bed I needed it to float. Also found some of the frame brackets were not square. I'll have to loosen one of those up too.

Don G.
1941 M2A1 not restored
1942 M3 Diamond T Mostly restored
1943 M3A1 Under restoration
1967 M51A2 Tractor
1945 WC 63 needs restoration
1967 M36 Long wheel base duece
1951 M135 GMC Fire truck conversion

Outsider

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2013, 04:34:09 PM »
Also forgot to ask if the right door lines up correctly vertically. If not I would put some more shims in the front or rear cab supports to get it straight.

Steve
Lots of green "junk" as my wife likes to call it.
Friends don't let friends buy Trailking Trailers!

steve1973

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2013, 07:12:44 PM »
I had the same problem with my halftrack. My driver's side door would not shut. To fix this I loosened the eight main floor bolts, attached a tow strap to the left rear corner of my rear armor. NOTE - set your e-brake and/or block the tires/tracks. I then pulled back a bit and kept tension on the tow line while checking the door fit. Once I had good fit I re tightened all floor bolts before releasing the tow line. Your M4 should be similar in mounting to my M2. Good luck.

Steve A.


TeamMarine

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2019, 06:38:51 AM »
Does anybody have pictures and or dimensions of the shim plates between the body and frame?  Much appreciated, thanks.

yd328

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2019, 04:07:42 PM »
The ones that are used on mine are mounted, so I don't have any pics for you. They are the size of the mounting pads. They varied in thickness from an 1/8" and thinner.

Gary

8683jb

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2019, 08:49:18 PM »
Does anybody have pictures and or dimensions of the shim plates between the body and frame?  Much appreciated, thanks.

This one’s broken off on one side, should be 4" long. But you can see the dimensions and the hole size & shape. As Gary said, there are different thicknesses.

Jon




« Last Edit: November 23, 2019, 08:50:54 PM by 8683jb »
'42 Autocar M2A1

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TeamMarine

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2019, 07:42:01 PM »
Kind of what I figured, thanks guys, I appreciate the info.

WayOffTrack

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2019, 12:31:42 PM »
Check out the shim stack on this Diamond T M3A1


spillmk1

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2019, 12:46:11 PM »
Wow!!!
Me thinks we have a kink in the works somewhere??
1955 M38A1 Jeep
1952 M100 Trailer
1941 M2A1 Half Track
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WayOffTrack

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2019, 10:27:46 AM »
I've noticed some other Diamond-T's with what looks like more shims than would be expected in this location compared to White and Autocar. I also checked this halftrack over very carefully over the last two years and can't find anything wrong with the frame. It was torn down like this when I got it and we've been putting the cab back on after getting it running and everything has fit perfectly so far. This was an Israeli return, M3A1 winch model, gonna put it up for sale soon.

spec4don

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2019, 09:17:32 PM »
On Zelda we had to shim quite abit at this point also. Zelda is a Diamond T as well it was the only way get the doors to close.

Don G.
1941 M2A1 not restored
1942 M3 Diamond T Mostly restored
1943 M3A1 Under restoration
1967 M51A2 Tractor
1945 WC 63 needs restoration
1967 M36 Long wheel base duece
1951 M135 GMC Fire truck conversion

WayOffTrack

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Re: Fitting and Installing rear bed and armor
« Reply #13 on: November 29, 2019, 12:53:37 PM »
My guess is that on Diamond-T's (or some of them) either the frame bracket was a little low or short or the bulkhead itself was so they just compensated with the extra shims.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2019, 12:56:12 PM by WayOffTrack »