• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

aziator

Member
94
-1
8
Location
Sierra Vista, AZ
Installed the awesome Alternator I got from 74M35a2, works like a champ. I didn't have any bar stock laying around to make a longer mounting bracket but did have a triple of a 15/16 wrench laying around and it does the job just fine. My old stock unit must have been performing poorly for a while as the truck is starting better since putting this new alternator in.

wrench.jpg
 

Tinstar

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,290
1,776
113
Location
Edmond, Oklahoma
That should last as long as the truck does.

Yes, it's amazing how much better the battery's perform when they get a proper charge.
Bought my new alternator from him in December and they are better than ever.
Very happy
 

Buffalobwana

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,394
178
63
Location
Frisco Texas
Me too! Both alternators on my trucks went out within a few months. Luckily I had planned to change the other one so I ordered 3 from him (one for a friend too).
 

aziator

Member
94
-1
8
Location
Sierra Vista, AZ
I had actually ordered mine before the other went out too, just thought it was too good of a deal to pass up having a spare. Literally showed up the day after all the magic smoke left the old one.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
4,145
330
83
Location
Livonia, MI
Thanks for the compliments guys. Very happy to bring modern reliable technology to our trucks, and for a very reasonable price. Anybody who has ditched the stock alt can now shut their truck off in any switch order with no over-volt. The alternators are also temperature compensated, so you may see a higher system voltage in the winter than summer. This is planned, to prevent battery boiling.

Also appreciate the patients a few have had while we de-bugged issues on a few. Though the alternators work fabulous, I still always recommend to replace your batteries with new every 5 years, even if your truck seems to start fine. This will keep unnecessary load off the alternator, and free up more power for if/when it is truly needed.

Changing the length of the lower alternator brace on an 8.3 is a great way to vary the belt length, or tensioner position. Original is 5/16" x 1" flat steel bar stock with a single hole in each end. Very easy to replicate into different lengths.
 
Last edited:

someoldmoose

New member
583
2
0
Location
Lancaster, PA
Elijah95, Almost seems like ya could reach out and touch the track don't it ? Had a tractor on Daytona years ago. Very disconcerting feeling until I hit about 90. (Yes, Kenworths, and others before somebody cries foul, could, before electronic b.s.)

74M35A2, When I get to that point on an M820 nhc250 with vee belts, would you recommend this route with vee pulleys or a different kind of alternator? I am currently leaning toward the tandem 12 / 24 volt that I found on a site through here. I am definitely going to have independent 12 and 24 volt systems.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.
 
Last edited:

Another Ahab

Well-known member
17,999
4,556
113
Location
Alexandria, VA
Also appreciate the patients a few have had while we de-bugged issues on a few. Though the alternators work fabulous, I still always recommend to replace your batteries with new every 5 years, even if your truck seems to start fine. This will keep unnecessary load off the alternator, and free up more power for if/when it is truly needed.
Is that 5-year replacement still a recommended rule of thumb even with the newer gel-type batteries?
 

BenRoberts

Certified insane
1,367
208
63
Location
southwest/ohio
Elijah95, Almost seems like ya could reach out and touch the track don't it ? Had a tractor on Daytona years ago. Very disconcerting feeling until I hit about 90. (Yes, Kenworths, and others before somebody cries foul, could, before electronic b.s.)

74M35A2, When I get to that point on an M820 nhc250 with vee belts, would you recommend this route with vee pulleys or a different kind of alternator? I am currently leaning toward the tandem 12 / 24 volt that I found on a site through here. I am definitely going to have independent 12 and 24 volt systems.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.
I installed a 24si alternator from 74m35a2 and did a write up on it just type 24si in the search. Still used v belts on a nhc 250
 

tobyS

Well-known member
4,832
833
113
Location
IN
I liked the wood look for the side boards but wanted some stress cracks filled with sealer and paint. The creosote came through the sealer I used and then through the desert tan...so I went black.
 

Attachments

Elijah95

Certified Rookie
1,239
1,196
113
Location
Georgia
Elijah95, Almost seems like ya could reach out and touch the track don't it ? Had a tractor on Daytona years ago. Very disconcerting feeling until I hit about 90. (Yes, Kenworths, and others before somebody cries foul, could, before electronic b.s.)

74M35A2, When I get to that point on an M820 nhc250 with vee belts, would you recommend this route with vee pulleys or a different kind of alternator? I am currently leaning toward the tandem 12 / 24 volt that I found on a site through here. I am definitely going to have independent 12 and 24 volt systems.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.
It sure does, it was definitely fun once I got up to about 65
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
12,125
9,384
113
Location
Mason, TN
Elijah95, Almost seems like ya could reach out and touch the track don't it ? Had a tractor on Daytona years ago. Very disconcerting feeling until I hit about 90. (Yes, Kenworths, and others before somebody cries foul, could, before electronic b.s.)

74M35A2, When I get to that point on an M820 nhc250 with vee belts, would you recommend this route with vee pulleys or a different kind of alternator? I am currently leaning toward the tandem 12 / 24 volt that I found on a site through here. I am definitely going to have independent 12 and 24 volt systems.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.

Check the temp rating for the alternator the Delco 33si 24v is only rated to 200 degrees. I had some issues where mine after hard running during the daytimes would not charge the batteries. Charged fine at idle with the hood up and at night but the minute the under hood temps got near 200 the alternator itself would drop amp output in a heartbeat. Also found that there isn't near the air flow down on that side of the engine. So I added a vent to get some air directly into its fan. Now under the hood after running it hard it gets about 185 at max.
 

tobyS

Well-known member
4,832
833
113
Location
IN
The black looks good. [thumbzup]
Thanks AA. Half way to camo! All the bolts are touched up now too.

I didn't know the black FS 37030 had so much blue in it, but it does. It puts in 1/2 as much blue as black of the colors and when painting, I noticed it a lot. It's not as noticeable when dry. Now I know why it always looked different than (only) flat black and I didn't seem to match with the rattle cans. I had bought Behr and it matched perfect before, but didn't pay attention to that detail.

I want to raise the canopy some and have to alter 2 bows from my M35 to make the full set of 5. Adding about 8-10" up will give more headroom. Being short on the outside won't matter with the wood.
 
Last edited:
Top