24 volt or 12 volt ( m37 )

[79 oshkosh 2323]

I would really like to swap my truck to 12 volt. What would i have to change and is it worth it.this m37 was a fire truck for a long time and is all original military wires and everything.

 

[dmetalmiki]

There is no advantage to changing it to 12 volt. And it is really nice when you have completely orriginal unit.

 

[DLJ]

What is the reason for wanting to change it? You would need to change coil, starter, generator, bulbs, some gauges and senders,horn for starters.

 

[whatadeuce]

If you change the voltage, you are submitting yourself to midlife conformist complacency syndrome, in street language " Comme- bas....

 

[EMD567]

You have to change the distributor, oil pump, Ign. wires, spark plugs, starter, generator, bulbs, and gauges/sending units to convert to 12 volts.

 

[79 oshkosh 2323]

I thought 12 volt would be a little more simple. Im not going to change all that stuff. Is there way to make sure those parts are in decent cond.It does run very well.

 

[nattieleather]

If it runs well and the lights work the gauges work and it charges the batteries then you're in good shape and don't need to really worry about those thing. As far as parts replacement such as bulbs and stuff there are many MV vendors who can supply you with those items.

 

[steelypip]

Why do you even want 12V? 24V trucks start easier. All the wiring can be half as thick. If you just have 12V accessories you want to power, then run a power converter or redneck it up with a dropping resistor appropriate for the load. It's not like 24 volt electrical components are hard to find...

Please don't tell me you're complaining about the cost of a second battery...

 

[EMD567]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

All of the 24 volt parts are found on the internet, and some better NAPA's