Working On The M561 Gama Goat

[Tornadogt]

Just a FYI MEK from Home Depot (it is sold next to acetone and lacquer thinner) It will clean the brake pads just soak them in it for no more than 10 mins wear gloves. We had a trailer with grease fitting in the axles, well someone thought that you just keep pumping the grease gun and filled all the drums up with grease then towed it a few hundred miles and wandered why the brakes didn't work. it was a mess but all cleaned up fine with some MEK (It also works as traction aid for street racing mixed with VP Track Bite) as seen on Street Outlaws

 

[Keith_J]

Minor work done today on the goat, I brought my wife over since she likes goats, only the furry kind . She did a little scraping of the ugly yellow paint while Mark and I got the sticky accelerator pedal fixed. And identified a leak for the front gear box, rusty and nasty gear oil. The seal on the output to the rear steering box is leaking, either JD corn head grease or a seal swap is in order.

I also noted the DOT 3 brake fluid intentionally spilled in the bed from front axle brake service had done a great job at removing the ugly yellow paint. It bubbled it up, light brushing with a wire brush easily removes all paint. I am thinking. A few gallons of used glycol brake fluid, time to soak and my pressure washer will make light work of the ugly paint problem. Just have to convince a brake repair center I am a responsible disposer of said hazmat. Glycol brake fluid is rapidly biodegraded, it is only toxic to higher animals as bacteria present in soil margins easily degrade it to water and carbon dioxide.

 

[mkcoen]

Well I got most of a 3rd wheel brake job done but after 2 hours of trying to get the last shoe spring on I cried "uncle" and left it in the back of the carrier for tomorrow. There was some more schmutz in this one and the wheel cylinder was locked up but not as bad as the others and it came apart and went back together fairly easily (except that f*&$#@* spring). The only other thing I did was some sanding to smooth the left overs from stripping. I did find an interesting thing stamped in the lift ring pocket. Anyone have any idea what that's for?

 

[Keith_J]

I'll be over in the AM. The civy wrench spinning left me hobbled over, even considering all the power tools used. When you have a motor pool of seven vehicles to keep running, things get busy at times.

Brake springs? The brake pliers have an easy method. Actually two. The stamping? Odd for sure but probably manufacturing identification.

I did get a good tip from NAPA, they can search by brake wheel cylinder casting number to get overhaul kits. But we may have to go to the regional distribution center for immediate gratification.

 

[doghead]

Or, you could search the site for the part number.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...s-for-a-Goat&p=1425251&viewfull=1#post1425251

 

[mkcoen]

Brake springs? The brake pliers have an easy method. Actually two. The stamping? Odd for sure but probably manufacturing identification.

Thats what I was trying to use.

Figured the stamp was likely something like "right rear stake pocket" or similarly important.

 

[NDT]

Thats what I was trying to use.

Figured the stamp was likely something like "right rear stake pocket" or similarly important.

I prefer using large vise grips with brake springs.

 

[mkcoen]

I prefer using large vise grips with brake springs.

Tried that too. First one went on easy but could not get the 2nd one. If I had some way to secure the assy while doing it I might have succeeded but trying to hold it down and stretch the spring at the same time was beyond me. This is an instance where having the backing plate mounted would have made it easier.

 

[PureMayhem]

I think it means do not paint with more than 5 coats of paint. I think your ok.

 

[mkcoen]

I think it means do not paint with more than 5 coats of paint. I think your ok.

Well there was the original OD green, Marine Corp green, Merdoc, and then I think the Forest Service house paint yellow applied with a brush counts as 2 coats so I'm maxed out until I take some of that back down. That latex yellow is freaking thick too. I'm burning up 80 grit like tissue paper but if I go down to 40 grit I'll be chewing up a bit too much aluminum when I break through.

 

[mkcoen]

Full day on the 561 today. We got the rest of the backing plates off, removed all the gunk from the wheel cylinders and got them honed and reinstalled with Keith_J handling the spring action (ticks me off that he makes it look so easy). But the problem came when we went to flush the lines. Once the MC was under pressure it started leaking like the Titanic. Keith pulled it out and apart and it had a fair amount of rust in the piston chamber. He honed it out same as the WCs, put it back together, and it continued to leak. Instead of messing with rebuilding something that may or may not be recoverable I just ordered a new one off eBay for $70. Wasting a quart of Dot5 with a leaky old MC is 1/3 of the price of just getting a new one. We did flush the front 4 wheels with denatured alcohol but were having difficulty getting anything to the rear 2 wheels. If the new MC doesn't resolve that it's on to the Quick Disconnect and the rear lines.

 

[Keith_J]

When I disconnected the Motive brake bleeder, it still had 10 PSI pressure. It maintained that pressure meaning the master cylinder wasn't leaking, when not pumping. But little flow to the quick disconnect and none past it means the issue is probably in that QD between the tractor and carrier.

replacing the master is a good thing. Heroic measures need not apply here.

Another thing I remembered, the alignment of the axle shaft end to the brake hub splines is quite difficult unless you have a longer center axle bolt. Jacking up the wheel helps greatly. First, I would get the drum over the shoes but not onto the 16 studs. Thread the longer center axle bolt into the axle and pull to make sure the axle is pulled out. Now, rotate the entire wheel and simultaneously pull on the longer bolt while pushing on the drum. Eventually the splines will line up and then you can get the 16 studs to line up.

oh, an air impact wrench is a must. I even used my cordless electric impact on the master cylinder.

 

[mkcoen]

Not much done on the 561 this week due to weather and waiting for the new MC to arrive. I did spend a couple of hours yesterday crawling over a friend's Goat to see where everything was supposed to be or not to be (that was the question). I found out that 8 holes I thought were added by the Forest Service were, in fact, holes that should be there for the support bracket of the removable seat panels in the carrier. Glad I learned that before filling those in.

My hope is that the MC will arrive tomorrow and I can get that installed in time for Keith_J to have a day off and we can try and bleed the brakes again. TexAndy is coming up tomorrow and we'll continue to "un-yellow" things. There was an attempt to use the flushed brake fluid as paint stripper and it worked fairly well where we dumped it on the carrier bed and it sat for a while. Unfortunately the stuff I tried brushing on the side was apparently diluted with too much DOT5 or the alcohol we used to flush the lines with because it didn't even seem to soften the paint any. Today I went back to some chemical stripper and that worked pretty good. Still it's going to take an awful lot of that or a number of sanding discs to get rid of it all. I have a guy coming out this weekend to give me a bid on soda blasting but have a good idea that'll be out of my price range.

 

[Keith_J]

That brake fluid was from the rears where we could not get flow so it probably is DOT5. I would like to blow the lines out with compressed air but with good pressure up front, chances are the plug in the lines is at that pesky quick disconnect. Pulling it might be a good thing, if only the rear part since we got good flow there.

If you help me flush the brakes on my car, you are welcome to that brake fluid to remove paint. Yes, it is easy with the Motive bleeder, just need a smoother driveway.

 

[mkcoen]

That brake fluid was from the rears where we could not get flow so it probably is DOT5. I would like to blow the lines out with compressed air but with good pressure up front, chances are the plug in the lines is at that pesky quick disconnect. Pulling it might be a good thing, if only the rear part since we got good flow there.

If you help me flush the brakes on my car, you are welcome to that brake fluid to remove paint. Yes, it is easy with the Motive bleeder, just need a smoother driveway.

Worse case scenario is that we just disconnect the rears altogether. There is never going to be a load in the carrier so if all 4 front brakes work I'd think that would be sufficient to stop an unloaded vehicle. I prefer they all work but not concerned if they don't. We've got "friends" coming over for lunch tomorrow but I'm available any other time you want to bleed the brakes.

TexAndy and I got a little more un-yellowed today. Unfortunately I broke the pad on my DA sander so we didn't get things finished before having to clean up. Still it's an improvement.

 

[Keith_J]

If I am feeling up to it, a few hours in the afternoon should work. Looks like time for 4000 PSI water blasting on the carrier.

We will get pressure to the rear brakes.

 

[Another Ahab]

Worse case scenario is that we just disconnect the rears altogether. There is never going to be a load in the carrier so if all 4 front brakes work I'd think that would be sufficient to stop an unloaded vehicle. I prefer they all work but not concerned if they don't. We've got "friends" coming over for lunch tomorrow but I'm available any other time you want to bleed the brakes.

TexAndy and I got a little more un-yellowed today. Unfortunately I broke the pad on my DA sander so we didn't get things finished before having to clean up. Still it's an improvement.

Great thread. Coming along strong. Nice work:

- How many hours you all think you got in stripping that one side like that?

 

[mkcoen]

- How many hours you all think you got in stripping that one side like that?

Maybe 8-10 total. I have MS so when I spend a day working on something it's work 1/2 hour rest 1/2 hour, work 20 minutes rest 40 min, etc, then knock off for the day at lunch time. It's fortunate that with the chemical stripper you have to let it sit for 15 minutes to start working well so I get a break without having to schedule it.

 

[Another Ahab]

Maybe 8-10 total. I have MS so when I spend a day working on something it's work 1/2 hour rest 1/2 hour, work 20 minutes rest 40 min, etc, then knock off for the day at lunch time. It's fortunate that with the chemical stripper you have to let it sit for 15 minutes to start working well so I get a break without having to schedule it.

Steady gets it done, mkcoen. And it's going to look great when you finally get it all wrapped up (there's light at the end of every tunnel, right!?).

I am sorry you got the MS, that is an extra burden. I'll say a prayer for you right now through all that. And I admire you for keeping moving, count on me in your corner. One day at a time, SJ. Amen.

 

[mkcoen]

The new MC arrived today. I may or may not (there is no try) get it in tomorrow. All depends on how long church goes.

I was afraid this was the incorrect MC when I opened it. I thought the brake line openings were on the wrong side but compared it with the old one and everything lined up. The fluid chambers are a match as well so looks like we're good to go.