932 series wedge brake to "S" cam conversion

[Mother Deuce]

900 series wedge brake to "S" cam conversion

Good Day All,

I am wondering if anyone knows of an S cam spider and backing plate, that one could use in place of the wedge arrangement on the 5 tons. I have never been a wedge brake fan. I realize that this could also pose a problem with drum and shoe clearances. If there is a spider available at all. This is a general question and not referring to a particular project... yet. As far as the ABS issue, for conversation sake let assume it is 1975 or so.

Thanks ~MD~

 

[trooper632]

Why don't you like the wedge brakes

 

[doghead]

M915A3's have s cam brakes.

There is no such thing as a 900 series MV.

What truck are you thinking of?

 

[Speedzilla]

M915A3's have s cam brakes.

There is no such thing as a 900 series MV.

What truck are you thinking of?

In the title he states a 923. And I think we can all put the pieces together. No need to be pedantic about it.

 

[Vintage iron]

yes it can easily be done. I am not a wedge brake fan either, but I will wear mine out first. I have some Menitor spiders that will work with Q brakes. The fronts are the hard part. Freightliner front brakes look like the best fit.

 

[m16ty]

Why don't you like the wedge brakes

Adjusting S cam brakes is much easier than wedge brakes and it's just a much simpler setup. I often wonder why the military went with wedge brakes. Only thing I can think of is ground clearance but they could have also mounted the S cam chambers on top of the axle.

What are the advantages of wedge brakes? I can't think of any.

With all that being said, I have no idea what it would take to change the brakes over.

 

[quickfarms]

You need to get at least new backing plates. Some of the commercial water trucks convert the rear brakes to s cam. I have been told that you can not do if to the front due to clearance issues without a lot of fabrication work,

 

[swbradley1]

In the title he states a 923.

It says that now, not when posted.

 

[doghead]

In the title he states a 923. And I think we can all put the pieces together. No need to be pedantic about it.

The thread title was edited after I posted. Probably because I posted that. So I would consider my post helpful.

I find it odd that the people that think I am negative(and dislike me) are actually the negative ones.

Open your minds people.

 

[tobyS]

Actually what is wrong with the term 900 series? It is quite correct since there are many variations of a basic vehicle, all starting with 9--. I used it and the same comment seemed to derail the conversation...my question never did get answered. It does nothing to explain why that series is 929 not 923. If it's a teach newbies a lesson moment...it's not very welcoming. Perhaps that's the purpose...and the reason you would feel people "dislike" you.

 

[doghead]

Just look at the Manuals for the series numbers.

How they got picked, I do not know.

It is confusing to tell someone to look at the 939 series manuals for their 900 series truck.

If we did lump all that start with "9" into a "900 series"(which does not exist), then the answer to the OP's question is, they already have them(then I would need to explain which) "900 series" truck does have them.

The fact is, there is no 900 series truck in the military.

Historically, the trucks all seem to have a series number that does not correspond to the truck model number.


M816, M817, M819, M819 etc.. Are all 809 series trucks, not 800 series. Does this make sence? It's the fact.

 

[doghead]

And to be 100% clear, the title is still incorrect because M932 is a truck model number, not a series number.

It should say M939 series, or just M923 truck.

 

[Mother Deuce]

trooper632 I had an inordinate amount of trouble with them In a COE platform a number of years ago. While I am negating product advances and new materials developed over the past 25 or 30 years. My experience with them hanging up, uneven application and sensitivity to foreign matter left a bad tast in my mouth

 

[Mother Deuce]

doghead I feel I must apologize to you regarding my free wheeling use of vehicle designation. I have an interest in the 5 tons and the different variants of same. All the current platforms seem to suffer from wedge brakes. As it could be a purchase I make in the near future I was hoping to gather information regarding a repair for this issue. I will make sure that in the future I do not make any generalities in my post and will make sure I select a particular platform. Thanks for your comments and concerns.

 

[Mother Deuce]

Speedzilla I appreciate your deciphering of my attempt at a catch all generic number series ~MD~

 

[Mother Deuce]

Thanks, Vintage Iron I will be contacting you by email for more information. I had hoped that there was some light at the end tunnel!

 

[Mother Deuce]

m16ty I agree and wonder the same things. It was as you state probably driven by the ground clearance issue. On paper they "look" good and while reasonably new work alright. They just seem not to age well

 

[Mother Deuce]

quickfarms Hmmm, makes a some brow furrowidge regarding the fronts. Vintage Iron mentioned the same issue although there is a possible fix courtesy of some Freightliner parts. I don't think it would be safe to mix the two systems. I will have to find my angle solver and a tape

 

[coachgeo]

quickfarms Hmmm, makes a some brow furrowidge regarding the fronts. Vintage Iron mentioned the same issue although there is a possible fix courtesy of some Freightliner parts. I don't think it would be safe to mix the two systems. I will have to find my angle solver and a tape

old ass thread... but it might enlighten folk.... has their been any progress on conversion to cam? Your gained knowledge if so might help FMTV folk whom would love to covert their wedge brakes also.

 

[topo]

I have worked on and drove oil field trucks in the70's and 80's that had wedge brakes only on the front axle mostly Internationals with 14.00 x24 tires or what was call a G 20 on the front axle . The wedge brakes would not lock up the the wheel like the S cam brakes would and when winching heavy equipment up a steep hill or getting something up stuck you could hang the front axle off the side of the road in the ditch or edge of a location set your brakes and winch and with the wheel locked you could really pull . It was common to put a valve that was mounted by the drivers seat that would turn the air to the front axle on of off so you could keep the brakes adjusted up tighter and not use them till you needed them the hand brake was replumed to work the truck brakes leaving your feet to work the clutch and fuel peddle . Finding and ordering wedge parts was also a problem if you found a kit someone had always robbed it or replaced what they robbed with wedge parts from some thing else .

A drilling company had a old GMC that was used to haul 3 1/2 drill pipe with drill collars on top and it had wedge brakes all a round I remember trying several times to adjust them and if the star wheel moved it did not do anything the other star wheels where frozen and the teeth where broken off I would lift the front end tow it every where it would go .