rmvivas
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- Location
- Columbia County, NY
One of the things I notice in my reading about M37's is that the brakes and their performance are often supposedly lacking.
I was tooling along the other day and noticed that my ability to stop was not exactly the greatest. Actually my ability to stop could be much better described as 'my ability to slow down somewhat'. Pedal would go right down to the floor.
Anyway, I got back to Firebase Vivas and pulled out TM 9-8030 and started reading about brakes adjustments. I figured that I probably needed new brakes and would have to make adjustments o the current ones until I could order new ones.
A little voice in my head said that before I started looking at major issues, perhaps this was a minor issue.
TM 9-8030 para. 215 How To heck Brake Fluid Level. OK, lets start with the easy stuff. Pop off access plate. So far so good. remove Master Cylinder Filler Plug. OK, how do I do that? I don't have a square drive screwdriver blade........wait a sec.....ok, idiot me, a half inch socket extension does the trick.....open it up...hey, where's the brake fluid?
Ok it wasn't -that- bad but it was definitely -low-. Now I had been crawling around under my M37 trying to get familiar with it and don't recall seeing anything that looked like a brake line leak. Still, I'll monitor the level and see if it changes.
Poured in the prescribed amount of break fluid, closed everything up and....Holy Crap!!!!...the brakes work. Really well! I actually locked up the tires and left skid marks.
Now for most of you guys this is a no-brainer; I, however, am so mechanically uninclined when it comes to motor vehicles that, for me, this was good work!
Lessons learned by this mechanical neophyte:
1) Check the easiest fixes first
2) When you see something that has a square opening for a torqueing tool, it's probably a 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 socket extension that you'll need.
============================
Anyway, with the temperature being almost 80 here the other day I decided to do what I had secretly fantasized about ever since I was a kid (clarify: fantasy that does -not- include other people, nudity, leather or Tabasco sauce); I drove the back country roads with the windshield down and wind in my face and it was absolutely freaking awesome!!!! For a little bit all was right with the world.
Since the brakes now seem to work, I decided to see what else I could do while I had good weather. Got the speedometer hooked up. The cable is short enough that it is a tricky little bit of finger maneuvering to get the thing screwed on, but I got it.
Went driving around a lot and I am still amazed at the amount of looks and comments I get on this thing. Lots of folks look and a few of the older guys look really hard. Once in a while some older fellow will see it and you can watch the set of his eyes change, his jaw will tighten and you can tell that for a split second he's back in Phuc Luc Province 1966.
I've really had a great time the past 2 days driving this thing. It feels like real driving rather than the experience when I drive, say, my wife's 2006 Trailblazer. It's one thing to have power steering, power brakes, radio, soundproofing and all the snivel comforts. With my M37 I actually feel like I'm driving and because I have been playing around in and under it, as I drive I can visualize in my head what's happening when I shift, turn, accelerate, etc. It's rather enjoyable.
Someone asked me today what I intend to do with this thing. Am I going to restore it; modify it; leave it as is, etc.
Good question. It's at a very awkward stage; there's enough originality to it that it would likely be a good restoration candidate but there are also some non-military features that would lend itself to being 'sporterized'.
As someone who was in the arms business for MANY years with an emphasis on historical military small arms, I remember how I felt when someone would come in with a pristine M1903 Springfield with WW1 barrel dates and ask if we could put a synthetic stock on it, drill and tap it for a scope and rechamber it to 7mm WinMag.
I wonder if there might not be some middle ground. Make it the vehicle equivalent of the guy who still sports a high and tight, ramrod posture and a military bearing even though he's in civvies and works at the local sporting goods store. Keep the military features but put them under a civilian color scheme. I don't know.
I have seen some folks who have taken M37's and pimped them out to an incredible level. I don't see myself putting neon underlighting, 22" spinners or 1,000 watt sub woofers in. Perhaps a civilian paint job and a few non military mods to be retained (like the weapons grade front bumper assembly and the cool rear bumper assembly with hitch).
My goal right now is to get the winch rebuilt, as it is laying on my bench. I've shot images of the disassembly process and pretty much memorized the parts drawings. I am pretty sure that the only thing that needs to be replaced is the worm shaft and the various gaskets. The other goal would be to get the hardware together for putting the sides and troop seats in. There seems to be enough places selling the hardware its just, as usual, a question of money.
Man, it's fun driving this thing. The big 2 1/2 ton one's must be even more of a blast!
I was tooling along the other day and noticed that my ability to stop was not exactly the greatest. Actually my ability to stop could be much better described as 'my ability to slow down somewhat'. Pedal would go right down to the floor.
Anyway, I got back to Firebase Vivas and pulled out TM 9-8030 and started reading about brakes adjustments. I figured that I probably needed new brakes and would have to make adjustments o the current ones until I could order new ones.
A little voice in my head said that before I started looking at major issues, perhaps this was a minor issue.
TM 9-8030 para. 215 How To heck Brake Fluid Level. OK, lets start with the easy stuff. Pop off access plate. So far so good. remove Master Cylinder Filler Plug. OK, how do I do that? I don't have a square drive screwdriver blade........wait a sec.....ok, idiot me, a half inch socket extension does the trick.....open it up...hey, where's the brake fluid?
Ok it wasn't -that- bad but it was definitely -low-. Now I had been crawling around under my M37 trying to get familiar with it and don't recall seeing anything that looked like a brake line leak. Still, I'll monitor the level and see if it changes.
Poured in the prescribed amount of break fluid, closed everything up and....Holy Crap!!!!...the brakes work. Really well! I actually locked up the tires and left skid marks.
Now for most of you guys this is a no-brainer; I, however, am so mechanically uninclined when it comes to motor vehicles that, for me, this was good work!
Lessons learned by this mechanical neophyte:
1) Check the easiest fixes first
2) When you see something that has a square opening for a torqueing tool, it's probably a 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 socket extension that you'll need.
============================
Anyway, with the temperature being almost 80 here the other day I decided to do what I had secretly fantasized about ever since I was a kid (clarify: fantasy that does -not- include other people, nudity, leather or Tabasco sauce); I drove the back country roads with the windshield down and wind in my face and it was absolutely freaking awesome!!!! For a little bit all was right with the world.
Since the brakes now seem to work, I decided to see what else I could do while I had good weather. Got the speedometer hooked up. The cable is short enough that it is a tricky little bit of finger maneuvering to get the thing screwed on, but I got it.
Went driving around a lot and I am still amazed at the amount of looks and comments I get on this thing. Lots of folks look and a few of the older guys look really hard. Once in a while some older fellow will see it and you can watch the set of his eyes change, his jaw will tighten and you can tell that for a split second he's back in Phuc Luc Province 1966.
I've really had a great time the past 2 days driving this thing. It feels like real driving rather than the experience when I drive, say, my wife's 2006 Trailblazer. It's one thing to have power steering, power brakes, radio, soundproofing and all the snivel comforts. With my M37 I actually feel like I'm driving and because I have been playing around in and under it, as I drive I can visualize in my head what's happening when I shift, turn, accelerate, etc. It's rather enjoyable.
Someone asked me today what I intend to do with this thing. Am I going to restore it; modify it; leave it as is, etc.
Good question. It's at a very awkward stage; there's enough originality to it that it would likely be a good restoration candidate but there are also some non-military features that would lend itself to being 'sporterized'.
As someone who was in the arms business for MANY years with an emphasis on historical military small arms, I remember how I felt when someone would come in with a pristine M1903 Springfield with WW1 barrel dates and ask if we could put a synthetic stock on it, drill and tap it for a scope and rechamber it to 7mm WinMag.
I wonder if there might not be some middle ground. Make it the vehicle equivalent of the guy who still sports a high and tight, ramrod posture and a military bearing even though he's in civvies and works at the local sporting goods store. Keep the military features but put them under a civilian color scheme. I don't know.
I have seen some folks who have taken M37's and pimped them out to an incredible level. I don't see myself putting neon underlighting, 22" spinners or 1,000 watt sub woofers in. Perhaps a civilian paint job and a few non military mods to be retained (like the weapons grade front bumper assembly and the cool rear bumper assembly with hitch).
My goal right now is to get the winch rebuilt, as it is laying on my bench. I've shot images of the disassembly process and pretty much memorized the parts drawings. I am pretty sure that the only thing that needs to be replaced is the worm shaft and the various gaskets. The other goal would be to get the hardware together for putting the sides and troop seats in. There seems to be enough places selling the hardware its just, as usual, a question of money.
Man, it's fun driving this thing. The big 2 1/2 ton one's must be even more of a blast!
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