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Dead Pilot's M36a2 Build

cattlerepairman

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Oh no! Sorry to hear about the aborted test flight and hard landing. Hopefully that is the only damage and a relatively quick fix.

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tobyS

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Apparently you really only lost the dog bone. Yes, it's a good thing you didn't get into that electric line. Things could have been worse. You didn't mention trying the emergency brake. Now you know why dual circuit brakes are soooo desirable.
 

Tracer

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Dead so sorry your first trip ended like this. But as Toby stated your fortunate you didn't get into that electrical line. Dead, you probably checked your torque rod bushings, but if you haven't, now would be a good time. Keep us posted on your progress.
 

Dead pilot

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She doesnt have a parking brake yet waiting on a couple parts for that but that will be working before the next run. I'm planning replacing all the bushings when I replace the broken bone.

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USAFSS-ColdWarrior

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Glad like those who have posted already that you are OK and your Deuce is repairable.

Indeed, powerlines are dangerous. But equally so, it's a good thing you didn't evaluate the submariner abilities of your truck in the waterway you mentioned.
 

mcii

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Dead ..Terrific effort and spot on decisions all the way. 1 thing and you can lump me in with this is Chicken Sxxx and I am impressed as well with Big Mike's plate but at post #135 and the new Data Plate The build year he filled in shows 1966 But the Contract to Kaiser is shown to be in in 1968 as depicted in the lower line as : Contract: DAAE-06-68 C007 thus DAAE was the issuing agency in June of 1968 and the C007 tells us this was the 7th delivery order within the base contract .. Example DAAE awards the contract for say 200 M36 trucks, but breaks it into delivery orders wherein they might order 20 trucks in C001 and again in C002 and on out, the delivery orders can run concurrent with each other so no issue. But its a bit awkward to have the truck build date 2 years BEFORE the contract is awarded. As I said this is a small and Chicken Sxxx point in light of all your efforts, but equally easy to make over. These are photo screen plates and not stamped ..
As a side point it would be interesting trivia to see the contract award and the follow on awards, but I would seriously doubt DAAE still has these contracts on hand or if they could even be found if they did this long ago..
Your effort is terrific and so well organized and planned as well your persistence .. good job .. mac/mc
 

Dead pilot

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Well not too much progress as of late. I did get a replacement dog bone. Probably going to pull the axles soon but need to get funds to replaces all the ends just doing 2 doesnt seem to be the best idea.
Oh I did get some replacement tires for both the 36 and the 109
A pickup bed and a 101 trailer worth


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Redpawn

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Sorry to hear about your brakes going out. Glad no one was hurt other than the truck. I just fixed the brakes on my M108 and went for a drive in the yard and the brakes went out pretty quick. Luckily there was nothing around so I just let it coast to a stop. Crawled under it and found the left rear wheel covered in brake fluid. Single circuit brakes are unforgiving.
 

Oerthedge21

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Those big spaces in the spring perches on the axles, are they supposed to be there? My truck has them as well, which always looked strange to me being that no commercial truck or trailer I've ever worked on has has that much side to side space in the suspension. I've noticed it allows the axles to shift left and right to the point where the difference can be seen between the tires. Play like that is a bad sign on most common commercial trucks, however these things are far from common so I dont really know here.
 

cattlerepairman

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Have you ever checked your trunnion bearings? Jack rear of the truck up by the frame until the leaf springs are completely relaxed, remove trunnion cap and check bushing/bearing. Good time to grease it after modding the cap with a grease zerk for easier greasing.

There is a bit of disagreement over how much lateral displacement is normal. Some say hardly any, others say in a tight turn on asphalt the axles can move about 1 1/2 -2 inches offset from each other and then straighten out and track in line again.

I agree that there should not be any lateral movement that is coming from the trunnion bearing/bushing! I also think that a modicum of lateral displacement in turns is normal. This is not an OTR truck.

You might find this interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YydRamFW29o
 
Last edited:

Oerthedge21

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Northford CT
I see now, I hadnt considered the geometric changes when the suspension flexes. My trunion bearings are all good, I've opened the caps and checked and then proceeded to pump them full of grease. Didn't have to drill the caps either, found that mine has grease fittings on the bottom of each trunion housing. About 1 1/2 maybe 2 inches is the most difference I've seen between the two axles, and they do straighten back out while driving. As I said, most of my large truck knowledge is of OTR trucks, still figuring out all the nuances of the deuce as I play with it.
 

Dead pilot

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Fallbrook, CA
Finally got around to start fixing the truck. Got it up on some frame stands and pulled all the rear wheels off. The only thing that was damaged was the dog bone and some brake lines.
Surprisingly the dog bone put up no fight to get off. Tomorrow I'll finish the inspection and service everything else then put it back together. Hopefully by the end of the month it will move and stop again with out the help of a wall


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davidb56

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Bonners Ferry Idaho
optical illusion.........the new one looks 2 inches shorter. Normally Id straighten it and weld it for a spare, but that looks like cast steel. It would likely break right next to the weld even with 11018 low hi rod.
 

cattlerepairman

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I like your work area. I have to put cardboard down so my clothes (wool only in the winter here) doesn't freeze to the ground and I get stuck to it, ripping 80$ pants getting up.
Hey, that looks just like my backyard. I mean...if you could see my backyard under all that snow.
 
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