Transfer case upgrade to a XM818

[red]

Which 5 speed manual are you calling normal simp? The 5 speed direct drive that only came in the m39 and m39a2 series, or the 5 speed overdrive 6453 that came in everything else? 6453 has a .78 5th gear. Combined with the .73 of the T1138 it's about a .56 OD ratio, faster than the setup in your truck right now (the 7155 is a better trans than the 6453).

 

[simp5782]

I only had the direct drive in my M61A2

If its .52 then the NHC will need some serious guts to get there. Mine pulls hard but it takes alot of it to get to 75 and 80. Even 70 in hilly places. And i am way more modified.

Kinda like drew saying an A2 with my setup could run 100mph but it wont have the power to get there stock or even mildly modified
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[74M35A2]

MRAP t-case can take ISL power, 400hp/1200ft-lb.

 

[red]

I only had the direct drive in my M61A2

If its .52 then the NHC will need some serious guts to get there. Mine pulls hard but it takes alot of it to get to 75 and 80. Even 70 in hilly places. And i am way more modified.

Kinda like drew saying an A2 with my setup could run 100mph but it wont have the power to get there stock or even mildly modified
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Correction .57 OD ratio between the T1138 and spicer 6453. Couple people on here running that setup already with great results on 11x20 tires, Opcom was the first that I know of. Figuring 42" tall tires that's 1900rpm at 65mph so right above the sweet spot with those tires. 53"s would be lugging along at 1500rpm.

 

[mattgunguy]

Finally got a decent day to get some more work done. Got everything located a week or so back. The jack shaft fits wonderfully. Situated all the mounts forward and marked for drilling.
Plugged off the upper actuator thingy. Got all the holes drilled and reamed out. Which sucked. A lot. Got the rear drive shaft back from the shop. Had to take out a measly 1/2" to fit. Probably would have been just fine with a regular input flange like off of the T138 case.
Getting 4 days off for thanksgiving, hoping to have everything back in over the holiday. Maybe I'll get lucky and get a holiday bonus this year and can afford to get the front shaft made.

Can anyone get me a picture of the bracket for the parking brake cable? Can make a new one, but I need to see something for a starting point.

More to come.

 

[mattgunguy]

Got it in and going over this long weekend. I haven't run a line for the front interlock yet, as I don't have a front shaft yet. Don't have a speedo cable either, but there's an app for that. 5th gear is all but irrelevant in town now. Turning 1500 rpm at 45 in 4th gear now. Got brave enough to try out the interstate, I chickened out at 70mph turning 2000ish rpm. Won't be doing that again until I can upgrade to brakes somehow. Probably by copying M1's full air brake conversion. Had a cdl for a long time, so not worried about licensing issues.
I think I will also pick up another IN/OUT switch for the HIGH/LOW interlock as well, for my own peace of mind.

Runs good though. Better than I anticipated even. Hopefully we can go tow the deuce home next weekend.

 

[74M35A2]

Huge congrats! Upgrades make something good, better. Also pleasant to hear she had power to pull 70mph. I’m jealous, I have not been there yet, even downhill! Tip my hat to ya’.

 

[red]

For brake upgrade theres 3 options that I debated:

1. Dual circuit conversion and add pinion brakes to the rear axles for a strong parking brake. 5 tons don't have the space constraint difficulty that the m35's do for this.

2. S cam conversion like M1 did.

3. Install m939 series airbrakes like I did. If you go this route I highly recommend just swapping the rear axles completely. Those 40 9/16" rivets are a pain in the ass and varied anywhere from 2-8hrs per hub for removal. Front axle backing plates are just bolt on.


70mph at 2000rpm, that is nice.

 

[mattgunguy]

Red, is there a thread on your brake conversion?
I'm at the very beginning of this train of thought on this one now. So any advice from those who've done it is greatly appreciated.
I'm more than familiar with the S cam brakes as M1 did. Years of being a OTR driver.
I'm not very familiar with wedge brakes as I believe that the 900 series trucks used. Not opposed to them though since there's a M925a2 a couple hours from for first cheap. The cab burned up, but the rest the truck is just fine.

As stated, advice is more than welcome.

 

[red]

Red, is there a thread on your brake conversion?
I'm at the very beginning of this train of thought on this one now. So any advice from those who've done it is greatly appreciated.
I'm more than familiar with the S cam brakes as M1 did. Years of being a OTR driver.
I'm not very familiar with wedge brakes as I believe that the 900 series trucks used. Not opposed to them though since there's a M925a2 a couple hours from for first cheap. The cab burned up, but the rest the truck is just fine.

As stated, advice is more than welcome.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?132200-quot-Rescued-quot-M816-Wrecker/page36

Kinda starts at post 353 with the install. Covered all the hub work/plumbing. Figure on about 1k dollars with the plumbing/fitting/valves. I simplified the air brake valves to run the minimum necessary while keeping things working right and DOT happy.

 

[mattgunguy]

Appreciate it Red. I've never been able to make it through the whole thread before. So I've no idea what all is in it.
It'll be months before I've got the scratch to afford anything. I'll be fiddling with the juice brakes for now.
Now off on another tangent. I've come across a mep-015a and a mep-025. Both are in good shape. The 015a is $60 cheaper, but needs a new voltage regulator. The 025 is still in the rebuild box. Now my plan is to pull the passenger fuel tank (it's not even plumbed in anymore), and build a box to mount said unit in. Not looking to power a house here, just to get the truck going when I leave the lights on. Which is a better unit for this? The search engine hasn't been much help here. It's mostly "stay away from ethanol"

Need to change the title of this post to General tinkering.

 

[red]

Yea there's a bunch of info in that build thread on the m816 and I'm nowhere near done haha.

No clue on the generators. Find out what the power requirements are for the battery charger you plan to use and (if that's the biggest load it will have) size the generator to it.

 

[mattgunguy]

I think I'll be holding off on the generator idea till next year. It'll cost about the same as finishing up the front drive shaft and air lines. I'd rather have 3 live axles before I dive into another big project. Gives me more time for research anyway.

I did however pick up a block heater today. $52.67 out the door from Central Power Cummins in Joplin, Mo. Part # 331085800

Thinking more and more about swapping the crew cab from the deuce once we get it home.

 

[tobyS]

Read the thread and have a few questions. The drive line is singing. Have you thought about balancing it?

You put in the T-1138 with .73 OD from a 939 series and a 6453 Spicer with a .78 OD, which combines to being .57/1...and it reaches a speed of 70 mph at 2000 (about) on 11.00 tires. Well done! Gives me good ideas for another build....errr money pit.

 

[mattgunguy]

I'm not rolling 11.00's. I'm on14.00's. It is the stock Spicer OD trans and the T-1138 is OD as well. It is a work in progress, with much tweaking left to do. I never was good at leaving things "stock".

Read through Opcoms thread. He's one of the first, if not the first to do this mod. I believe his truck was on 11.00's and has more information about speeds.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?59654-M818-Transfer-Case-Upgrade-T-138-to-T-1138

 

[mattgunguy]

Did the first real test of the new set up yesterday. Finally got the chance to get the deuce & m105 home.
It's probably 90-100 miles each way & if you know south west Missouri, it ain't exactly flat land. Lots of river/creek valley's.
Truck did great on the way down. Ran 60-65 on the way down. Was rather satisfying not being passed by everyone and their brother.
Hooked up the two bar (you who've done this know how much fun it is) and headed out. Now the place where we have the KAMO rally is at the end of a almost goat trail. Dwayne's drive has some truly awful curves and hills to get in and out. Here's where operator error kicked in. I missed a down shift coming up a hill. Fortunately for me, the brakes are working good. Took low range and low gear to get the rest of the way out of there. Back to the highway.
Never hit 5th gear on the way home. At first I thought this was due to a lack of power or high end torque. But I don't shift to 5th until 55mph now and aside from the longer steeper hills I did 40-50mph tho whole way. Pulled the bigger hills at 30-35 mph in 3rd. This is pushing red line in 3rd now so I kept it closer to 30 for peace of mind.
I pulled the deuce home last year as well. Didn't wanna make another 4 hour round trip. Honestly it pulled about the same as yesterday.
But........ I didn't have a loaded M105 hooked to the back of the deuce that time. Probably another 4000-5000 pounds of dead weight to pull. Once that clicked in my head, I is rather happy with the new set up.

I'll get a couple pics up soon.

 

[mattgunguy]

Use #500. Bringing home a 6-7 ton of firewood. First real use I've done since pulling the deuce home. I didn't lay in enough firewood back in the summer. So it was time to get some. The wood years I use is about 60 miles each way and cheap. Stuck with green wood unfortunately, but better that nothing.
I'm rambling. This load barely squatted the tires. Pulled great. Did about 60-65 mph both ways running 1800-1900 rpm. Doesn't get up to speed as quickly as with the T-138 case I feel, but on the highway the greater top speed makes up for it. On flat land and moderate hills it hold the speed. You'll know whenever there's even a slight incline in the road though.
All in all I'm happy with the swap, and I think I'm getting better mileage with the lower rpm's. I wouldn't have done it if the original case hadn't died. NOT A STRAIGHT FORWARD CONVERSION. Haven't got a new front shaft made yet either.
The block heater is amazing. Been around 10 degrees most mornings here's. Plug in the truck for a hour or two, and he fires right up. Need one in the cranky dang deuce now.

It's amazing what some people consider slab wood. Julia is getting a new bench come spring

 

[tobyS]

Matt, I see the mouse patrol is checking it out. With the really cold weather, we have a rise in population trying to find a warm place.

Bet your bucket list includes a dump!

We burn pallet sawmill waste, most of it blocks from cut to length, about 30 miles away. 3 of my dump trailers 12' are more than enough but this year they were cutting sycamore until recently, so I ended up waiting and got green also...but some nice oak. Fortunately the smaller blocks dry fast. Only thing to dry quicker is thin areas of slab-wood.

I rebuilt (4x production volume) of an industrial slab to firewood industrial machine for a company that processes a lot of it and has Kroger and other contracts.

 

[mattgunguy]

I work for a steel company. We use those great big 5'x12' hardwood pallets for transport. The ones with 4x4 runners. I brought home maybe 60 of those a couple years back for some back up wood. Real good and dry now. I'm just not wanting to get out and cut them up.
The mouse patrol is always at work. We're not cat people, but I like cats more than mice and these furballs we have got a very deep seated hatred of mice. We definitely had an upswing with the vermin for a few weeks until the cats figured out that the buffet was open.

Don't need a dump. If the kids wanna stay warm, they'll unload it. It's good for them, builds character and work ethic. Yeah, that's it. Character and work ethic.

I'd never thought about a dump. I feel dumb now.

 

[tobyS]

My one cat may be out-moused.