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In cab heater install

machinist75

Member
777
7
18
Location
Murphy, TEXAS
It's getting cold outside so I need to do the heater install I've been putting off. I have a m35a2 but would like to install it in the cab like the a3's. Anybody have the instructions for the a3 install or could point me in the direction of where to find them. It would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks
Mike
 

dikwks

Member
237
2
18
Location
Suffolk VA
Try using one from an old 5 ton. The vents are set up be fed from the right side instead of the left. I cut the heater box down and reclocked the fan housing, made a bracket, and Viola! heater in the cab!!
 

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machinist75

Member
777
7
18
Location
Murphy, TEXAS
Heater

Try using one from an old 5 ton. The vents are set up be fed from the right side instead of the left. I cut the heater box down and reclocked the fan housing, made a bracket, and Viola! heater in the cab!!
So I take it this one was out of a 5 ton? I already have the 2 1/2 ton heater just needs some new paint.
 

Wildchild467

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Milford / Michigan
What dikwks pictures show is a shortened deuce heater box used with a 5 ton diverter box. I just got done installing my heater back in my cab (long story). Ill post pictures in the morning. I love the heater in this configuration because it saves room under the hood and looks more efficient/conventional.
 

machinist75

Member
777
7
18
Location
Murphy, TEXAS
Thanks

What dikwks pictures show is a shortened deuce heater box used with a 5 ton diverter box. I just got done installing my heater back in my cab (long story). Ill post pictures in the morning. I love the heater in this configuration because it saves room under the hood and looks more efficient/conventional.
That would be great. Which heater do they put in the m35a2, the 5 ton or the 2 1/2 ton version.
 

Wildchild467

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I am not sure I understand your question. I am not sure what the heater looks like under the hood on the 5 ton, but I would think it is very close. As for the diverter box under the dash (the part that allows you to have floor heat and defroster) they are the same except the 5 ton diverter box intake points toward the passenger side and the deuce points to the driver side. The 5 ton is more desirable for an under dash custom heater install because the heater core would be mounted under the glove box. I used heater controls from an A3, but I think the A2s are real similar in length and the A2 has a twist lock on the cables. I routed my heater hoses just under the glove box as you can see in the pictures. I used the one control cable for the defroster and the other for a control valve under the hood so I can control the temperature. It works really good. Oh, i also used the stock A3 diverter box mounts. I also used the "hangers" for the A3 heater to mount my custom heater core box. The problem with the stock A3 heater being put in an A2 is the heater hose locations as they go through the fire wall. The A3 ones would too close to the exhaust system and be too close for comfort. This location for the hoses works very well.
 

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steelandcanvas

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Location
Southwestern Idaho
The diverters I believe are the only thing that is different between the two systems. In the Deuce set-up, the diverter feeds from the left because the heater core is on the left fender. In the 5 ton, the diverter feeds from the right because the heater core is on the right fender. I would assume the cores are the same size, 30k BTU, just positioned differently.

Nice job Tom!
 
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jake1086

Member
129
23
18
Location
williston ND
How warm are these things? I'm in ND and I'm gonna use my deuce this winter to pull people out of the ditch (lots of southerners first winter :) $$$)

I'm not too worried about it being original as long as it's warm I know I probably need to find a winter front cover or I guess I could always just find a nice big piece of cardboard...
 

11Echo

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CT W. R.
How warm are these things? I'm in ND and I'm gonna use my deuce this winter to pull people out of the ditch (lots of southerners first winter :) $$$)

I'm not too worried about it being original as long as it's warm I know I probably need to find a winter front cover or I guess I could always just find a nice big piece of cardboard...
This cardboard was effective enough to get the truck up to 180 at 55mph in -4 weather.
I had no heat/defrost as the core had ruptured and I had to bypass it.
 

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Karl kostman

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Fargo ND
I installed a 5 ton 800 series heater in side of my Deuce cab, it works great and the install was pretty easy, the heater unit operates at least 50% more efficiently having it inside the cab, yes it gets cold in ND!
KK
 

HASSON1911

Member
748
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Location
roseau/mn
This cardboard was effective enough to get the truck up to 180 at 55mph in -4 weather.
I had no heat/defrost as the core had ruptured and I had to bypass it.
All I have to say is to be careful with the cardboard and cut a decent size hole in the center. Having off center holes will eventually make the fan wobble till it breaks off or bends the fins right into the radiator. And those repairs aren't fun in the woods 30mi. from the closest diesel shop, in -20* weather.
 

Stan Leschert

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North Vancouver, BC, Canada
If you can get the original heater .... Do It. The 5 ton heater works, but it isn't the best match. BUT WARM is Good.

Failing that, your local truck wrecking yard will have a bunch of school bus heaters. Just put in a 24 V fan and you are warm for the Freezin Season.

I took 2 heaters from Freightliner Armored Cars ( free ),
changed the fan motor (24 V), and our big trucks are more than warm now!
 

11Echo

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CT W. R.
All I have to say is to be careful with the cardboard and cut a decent size hole in the center. Having off center holes will eventually make the fan wobble till it breaks off or bends the fins right into the radiator. And those repairs aren't fun in the woods 30mi. from the closest diesel shop, in -20* weather.
That was several years back and a 976 mile trip where even some interstates were partially closed. Have never had any problems from this trip. I could not cut a hole in the cardboard as I had to stop several times adjusting the size of coverage to get the temp to 180. I had even too little open at one point and the truck started to over heat, tough to do considering the ambient temp was 4 below zero. Once you cut a hole you were stuck with it, too large or too small and cardboard was hard to find. Truckstops were filled with parked trucks!
It was an efficient temporary fix.

Not a problem for coverage since.
 

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Jake, my bobbed deuce is my daily driver up here (Williston, ND) and i use one of those Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater ($89). It gets hot enough i have to crack the back window. The windows do frost up a lot,with the heater on, for a quick fix i picked up two of those Walmart 12v defrosters and they work great. Also ordered a Walmart seat warmer, they were only about $10-15 each, BEST investment for up here. :) Be easy on those Southerners getting in the ditches up here :)

Here is my video when I slid down into a ditch with my bobbed deuce, while towing a car hauler, on my way to the rig. BEWARE: some cursing, haven't figured out how to beep those out. :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO6Zvcs8R8o
 
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HASSON1911

Member
748
24
18
Location
roseau/mn
Jake, my bobbed deuce is my daily driver up here (Williston, ND) and i use one of those Mr Heater propane camping heaters. Walmart didn't have the lil one I wanted, so I ordered it online and had it shipped yo the store for pick up. It gets hot enough i have to crack the back window. The windows do frost up a lot, for a quick fix i picked up two of those defrosters and they work great. Also ordered a seat warmer, BEST investment for up here. :) Be easy on those Southerners getting in the ditches :)
Sounds like the good old Chevy's then. hot enough to cook an egg. Now a seat heater is quite ingenious I might have to do that, so simple I never thought about it. Yep between southerners, new drivers and women they keep our ditches nice and plump full up here!
 

jake1086

Member
129
23
18
Location
williston ND
haha NO way I'll go any easier on out of staters, I hate how everyone is driving like 50 -60 mph right now, Last week two seperate occasions texas ppl were screwin with me on the highway, I had cruise set (in my ford) and some guy blew past me doin like 85 90 so I keep driving he slows down and pulls in front of me, i go by on cruise he does it again! I bet he did it 6 seperate times I was so pissed off. Just get tired of all the **** heads the boom brings, I know you're not all bad I met a nice fella from penn state with a black deuce (you've prolly seen him drivin around) and stopped to talk to him, he was super nice. He said he's a member on here, havent run into him yet tho.
 
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