Just picked up a deuce, some issues!

[Gunfreak25]

I have both the original paperback 686 page manual AND all 6 parts of the TM from the site on my PC. One must never depend solely on modern technology to find information. A book does not require electricity and can fit neatly inside the map box. At $30 plus postage PLUS the fact it's an original October 1955 dated Army manual I will be ordering another one for safe keeping. The one in the map box gets a little dirty sometimes.

A crew cab m135 has been done before, but I agree on not butchering up the nice truck. I bet you could make a new 4 door out of the parts truck though. If it's gutted then a turbo 400 transmission and 6.2GM diesel will fit right in without too much work at all. Personally, mine has a Olds 455 V8 and turbo 400. Not exactly mil-spec but most don't know the difference when they see it going down the road. Lots of power and it still technically has "hydramatic" in it.

 

[YkDave]

LOL, i did print off all 3 manuals so i have them for easy reference while out tinkering around (dont have to run inside and muck up the computer!).

I wouldnt mind getting my hands on an original manual one day, just for the sake of having one!

 

[MWMULES]

Great score Dave, I have bed envy!

 

[Atomic]

Good score! I found one here in GA that I am planning on purchasing next month. The cab doesn't have one ding or bump anywhere. The paint is orginal but fadded and the chassis seems to be great shape. The bed is a different story all together. You see, it's missing. It has mich XLs and apart from the bed and one cracked window is in good shape. Yes I have pics but the puter tells me they are to large to import. What ever that means.

I agree beyond anything that that a good hard copy TM is better than looking at it online.

Quick question before I go. Has anyone shoved a manual trans in?? I just love shifting gears and to-date I have never owned an automatic.

Good find and welcome to SS.

 

[Varyag]

They have a 211 here that they use to haul hay for cattle that has a manual tranny in it. I have no idea what type. It is so covered in cow poop that there is no way to even see it without a pick axe.

BTW I am so freaking jealous... I come across free stuff now and again, but never that series. I really want one.

 

[Gunfreak25]

If you can still find one, Memphis Equipment used to sell REB shift kits that allowed you to use your stock Hydramatic like a manual tranny. The second easiest option would be to put a Clark 5 speed transmission in from a CCKW. Both were very common conversions in the day when CCKW's and G749 series trucks were still cheap and fresh from liquidation.

Keep in mind, any tranny swap and you will be loosing your low range. The low range on these is a reduction unit on the rear of the Hydramatic. To get back low range you can take a 2 speed transfer from a CCKW that will also bolt in without too much work. My truck no longer has low range, but the 455 Olds produces enough power to easily offset that problem. Even without low range, your axles are still geared really low. I think these have a 6.17:1 ratio, that's lots of pulling power. Couple that with a nice big engine and you have a tow truck that could easily pull Rosie O' Donald up a hill!

 

[AMGeneral]

Hmmm,fairly sure I have a CCKW trans and t-case that I pulled out of a wrecked M211 that someone had converted over. not a bad setup,just that odd shift pattern to deal with.

 

[Darwin T]

One of mine did the same thing. My mechanic (because i am mechanically retarted) adjusted the linkage and it works fine now. He found it because he puts all of the big trucks in low while at his shop so they can't get away from him. I had never tried it, its slow enoughfor me in high.

 

[colin455]

I downloaded the manuals and had them bound at Staples. Got that the girls would laugh when I came in a coulpe of days later with another to bind.
One of the manuals mentioned that High-Reverse was not advisable. It also had instructions for adjusting the reverse band from under the trans. Sounded kinda complex but I didn't have a trans to practice on. Still saving. Have one lined up, just a funding and honey-do thing. Have to finish the fence and yard first. The manuals are great and explain quite a bit. There was one for repairs, one for parts and even a manual for driving instructions(how to operate properly). Let's say gentle was not high on the list. I remember one of the manuals having a troubleshooting section ie: if its doing this - try this to fix it.
Great find and good luck.

 

[Gunfreak25]

Like I said, the manual(s) is are idiot proof. I swear there's probably an entire chapter dedicated to rolling down your windows in my book somewhere.

According to my manual it say's, "Do not attempt to adjust the rear band. Rear band adjusts automatically with vehicle in normal operation. Rear band adjusting screw is used only for initial adjustment at transmission assembly or overhaul. Rear band adjusting screw is located toward rear of transmission (away from engine) and is equipped with a cap to prevent unintentional external adjustment."

 

[YkDave]

I did some bombing around with it tonight. Never did get around to checking/adjusting the linkage, but i did get it over to the shop so i can work on it tomorrow.

I tried the ol 'drive it like you stole it' method, that didnt turn out all that well!

When i first started rolling around, the trans didnt want to shift at all. was going up a small hill in the road, trans was in 4th luggin away with the pedal on the floor for quite a while, when all of a sudden she slams into 2nd, revs to the moon (governor obviously isnt the greatest!), and it must have floated the valves because one of the pushrods popped off of the rocker! LOL

Not too bad, knew exactly what had happened. didnt have any tools on board (should have!) so i just limped it home (was only around the corner). Got it home, rolled it over to TDC on #3 (the one that popped off), out comes the valve spring compressor and we are back on the road in 10min!

So that was my excitement for the night...




One question though, again im not familiar with the workings of these things. after a bit of bombing around the tranny seemed to be shifting MUCH better. but it still seems a bit off... While upshifting, it shifts 1-2-3 perfect, but even while floored it does an almost instant upshift from 3-4. Then it basically just stays in 4th lugging away and doesnt downshift until the truck is nearly stopped (then comes the instant 4-2 downshift!)

 

[srodocker]

how much per manual to print and bind?

 

[butch atkins]

had my manuals printed ,sized to page,double side print,punched for notebook at the UPS store,64.00 and change for TM 9-8024,operator maint.,TM 9-1819AC,ORD MAINT.,TM9-8025-1 GMC 302 Engine,made from cd ,pics are fantasticly reproduced,keeps me from using my nice original manuals,and they are in notebooks for easy use,highly recommend doing this as it is so easy to use and is larger than original manuals

 

[butch atkins]

didnt mean to hijack thread ,as to tranny problems,i cant seem to post this enough,GET TM 9-8024,READ pgs 335- 363,especially pgs 355-363.READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING,THE KEY TO MAKING THESE TRANNYS PERFORM IS PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF ALL LINKAGES AND COMPONENTS.just think of it like this 1 SHIFTER LEVER CONTROLS HI ,LO ,RANGE,FRONT AXLE ENGAGEMENT,SHIFT POINTS,TRANSFER CASE,do it exactly as the TM says in the correct order,good luck on your project

 

[Gunfreak25]

That's a good idea on the manual, that way you don't have to worry about getting it dirty either. I've found some pics in my manual would be alot more useful if they were larger too.

I would agree with your second post as well. Follow the manuals to a T and everything will be working the way it should.

 

[YkDave]

Everything adjusted as per the manual and still no-go in low range. again, it tries to move a bit at idle, but as soon as you give it any throttle it just slips and stops moving.

Went through the truck from front to back last night. all new fluids everywhere. After reading a few scary posts about the trans cooler and filter condition i had also decided to pull the trans pan. The cooler was a complete disaster, i must have flushed a pound of chit out of it! The filter wasnt too bad, but their was a half inch of clutch material stuck to the bottom of the pan!

After all this, the trans seems to be behaving much better in high range, but again, still no-go in low range. im beginning to believe this issue is related to some sort of spring/washer in the reduction unit that has been mentioned on this board a few times.

 

[YkDave]

Anyone have any ideas?

I was tinkering with it for a while yesterday.

Checked line pressures

Direct drive:
~100psi in neutral/forward gears, 210psi reverse

Reduction pump:
~100psi in high range, any gear. 0psi low range any gear

Reduction direct clutch:
~100psi high range, 0 psi low range


I figured that possibly i had an issue in the reduction control valve, and it was easy enough to pull out so i did. tore it down, everything looked good, the one check valve with the fiber disc was a bit beat up on the seat side, so i flipped it. Threw it all back together and still no-go in low range.

One thing i did notice, is that the accumulator is not holding pressure all that great. the book states it should hold 50psi for 50sec. Its not even close to that... Once the engine is shut down, the pressure steadily drops from 100psi to 0 in about 10sec

I guess the next step is to haul that (probably) 300lb assy off the back of the trans and see WTF is goin on...

 

[YkDave]

well, got it figured out...

decided to haul the reduction housing off today and see whats going on. right away i knew i was in for a good laugh when a handfull of metal fell out of the case when i split it...

Looks like the 'wavey washer' for the direct clutch is hooped! pulled what appears to be whats left of the release spring out of the drain bucket.

Anyways, it blew into a million pieces, destroyed the direct piston and chewed up the cone, made quite a mess.

Now its time to haul the parts truck apart and hopefully get some usable parts!

 

[Gunfreak25]

That's great that you found the problem and are willing to fix it, too many people today just throw something away if it don't work right. Whatever happened to good old fashioned small repair shops? Anyway, I bet you'll have it going in no time! Hopefully the other one on your parts truck is in good shape. If not, a replacement shouldn't be to hard to find.

 

[hippiedude]

Keep an eye on E bay , seems to be a lot of trany stuff comes up ...........Good luck ......... Tim