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M37 Before and After Pics

MDSA

Member
705
12
18
Location
Valdese, NC
Still have a few small things to do (after I rolled the driver window up I saw I had forgotten to paint the door window frame), but for the most part the M37 is ready. It came in very good shape, but it was pink. I still need to build the winch it came with (currently in 100 pieces), so I put some wood across the winch space to protect the radiator. It came with a very tattered soft top, but AMGeneral had an extra hard top.
 

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maddawg308

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,865
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Location
Appomattox, VA
Man that tailgate sure looked in better shape than the one I got on mine. I had to buy a new one from VPW. ($550!) Congrats on a great looking ride.
 

Oldfart

Active member
1,063
26
38
Location
Centennial,CO
Looks nice! Straight sheet metal! I see it was at some point in its life in the Marines. The Braden LU4 winch is fairly simple and seals are currently available. If your winch shift handle with the little knob handle is still intact, treat it with care as those are hard to come by. Worm gear bearing caps are also a bit scarce as the corner tabs with the bolt holes break off when someone overloads the winch.
 

MDSA

Member
705
12
18
Location
Valdese, NC
Trooper,

I got it from a Christmas tree farmer in the montains of western NC. It was in the family and they had been using it around their 28 acres of mountainous property.

Old Fart,

Thank you for the advice. The previous owner said the winch had been reeled in so far that the hook caught and broke one side of the housing and all 4 of the corner tabs of the worm gear cap. I appear to have an extra gear cap, but am looking for the housing.

Shannon,

First of all - Congratulations! And yes, if I can't make it, I'll send it with Brandon.
 

Oldfart

Active member
1,063
26
38
Location
Centennial,CO
Old Fart,

Thank you for the advice. The previous owner said the winch had been reeled in so far that the hook caught and broke one side of the housing and all 4 of the corner tabs of the worm gear cap. I appear to have an extra gear cap, but am looking for the housing.

.
Way back in the dark ages when I got my M37 I bought a pallet of Braden LU4 parts from Red River Army Depot. I may have a spare housing. PM me if you can't find what you need locally. The housing is aluminum and might not be too expensive to ship. If the bearing retainer popped out, the worm gear probably locked up and took out the drive shaft shear pin. You need to check the worm gear shaft and u-joint for galling around the shear pin area. I hope you have the worm gear brake and housing intact.
 

MDSA

Member
705
12
18
Location
Valdese, NC
Thanks, Oldfart. I have a box full of winch parts, including some new bearings and gaskets still in boxes. I need to get to work on the winch in earnest. I found a web post of a guy rebuilding his Braden winch. So there's no excuse.
 

Oldfart

Active member
1,063
26
38
Location
Centennial,CO
Thanks, Oldfart. I have a box full of winch parts, including some new bearings and gaskets still in boxes. I need to get to work on the winch in earnest. I found a web post of a guy rebuilding his Braden winch. So there's no excuse.

I was searching the SS classifieds for parts for my M220 and I ran across a couple of LU4's there. One was $400 and intact. The shifter shaft was reported to be partly stuck which should be an easy fix. It is in Ohio.
 

Oldfart

Active member
1,063
26
38
Location
Centennial,CO
How do you fix the stuck shifter shaft?
The shaft is steel and the housing is aluminum. After a period of time there is a tendency for the dis-similar metals to corrode and stick. It may be possible to free the shaft by using a "liquid wrench" type product and GENTLY tapping the shaft up and down in the housing. The bottom plug covering the shaft would have to be removed to do this as well as the shifter shaft handle. Keep in mind that there is only a slight amount of up and down play to the shifter shaft as the shifter fork fits over the drum clutch dog assembly. ~~ Sometimes people assume the shifter shaft is frozen when they have difficulty disengaging the drum clutch dog assembly. I rotate the winch drum back and forth by hand and if the shifter shaft is free, the clutch should disengage. If not, then the winch drum should be left in the middle of the back and forth rotation which should have the clutch lined up for release. Then try the tap and turn to free the shaft. If the clutch is not lined up for release, the shifter shaft forks will hold the shifter shaft from turning. ~~~ Clear as mud I know. ~~ If none of that works, then it is necessary to dissassemble the winch to get to the shifter and clutch.
 
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