Operation: Ethel. Kendelrios M37 (re)build thread

[kendelrio]

Cool! As suspected, the 100 amp alternator has been replaced. Does your contact there have more stuff that needs re-homing?

Yes. He isn't quite ready to put it all on the market yet. Once he is, I've told him I would help index and sell it.

 

[G744]

Those are LAV tires. Very nice, but rare today. I hope they are worth saving.

PM me if you want to put a 100A alternator back in.

Dennis

 

[Guyfang]

Ken, You know what a DA Form 2404 is?

 

[kendelrio]

Ken, You know what a DA Form 2404 is?

Heh... I would need an entire tablet of them...

 

[kendelrio]

Those are LAV tires. Very nice, but rare today. I hope they are worth saving.

PM me if you want to put a 100A alternator back in.

Dennis

The man I bought from stated the regulator and rectifier kept getting really hot and he says he burnt up two sets of batteries so he changed it out and bypassed the externals. Any idea why? I **do** know he was using regular autozone batteries in it. I pulled them last night (they're completely shot) and am going today to get more batteries and cables made.

What are the recommended battery types?

 

[Ghostrider5211]

Sounds like theres a switch left turned on in the system or something is shorted. I think he was right to bypass those components.

I'm just running two AutoZone common size batteries in my M37. They've given me no hassle. Good cranking every time.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

 

[NDT]

Any car battery will work. Group 51 is close to stock. The 100 amp system was overcharging due to the voltage regulator being set too high. It’s on the firewall. Admittedly the early 100 amp systems with the selenium rectifier failed frequently (they burned up, the thing in the grille), but there was a newer version with discrete diodes that was bulletproof. See if the old owner still has the alternator with the super hard to find 4 groove pulley. If so grab it, otherwise ask G744 if he has one. I have the new style rectifier. Or ditch the entire thing and go with what you have.

 

[Mullaney]

Heh... I would need an entire tablet of them...

.
Just in case you need the forms, Fill & File PDF is attached.

 

[Guyfang]

Any car battery will work. Group 51 is close to stock. The 100 amp system was overcharging due to the voltage regulator being set too high. It’s on the firewall. Admittedly the early 100 amp systems with the selenium rectifier failed frequently (they burned up, the thing in the grille), but there was a newer version with discrete diodes that was bulletproof. See if the old owner still has the alternator with the super hard to find 4 groove pulley. If so grab it, otherwise ask G744 if he has one. I have the new style rectifier. Or ditch the entire thing and go with what you have.

The regulator, rectifier, and alternator were the same ones for the M113 Family of equipment, and the 45 KW, Stewart & Stevens model 52300 gen set, back in the day. We went through regulators and rectifiers like candy, as the DS unit that supported our HAWK unit set the regulators for the tracked vehicles, and our gen sets just could not take the over charging. The selenium rectifiers would burn up, and stink like rotten eggs. Out generator shack only had 3 sides, even on a good day, so it did not take long for the gasses to blow away. But they ARE poisonous.

 

[Guyfang]

.
Just in case you need the forms, Fill & File PDF is attached.

I loved this form. And yes, in your place, I would use it. Lets you keep track of whats wrong. Lets you keep track of what you fixed. How you fixed it. Gives you a place to list what TM and figure/Item numbers you may need to look at later on, and you do not need to THINK about what book to look at, cause you put the right info in to the form in the first place. If Tim had not included the link, I would have.

 

[kendelrio]

I loved this form. And yes, in your place, I would use it. Lets you keep track of whats wrong. Lets you keep track of what you fixed. How you fixed it. Gives you a place to list what TM and figure/Item numbers you may need to look at later on, and you do not need to THINK about what book to look at, cause you put the right info in to the form in the first place. If Tim had not included the link, I would have.

That is a GREAT idea... I also have a logbook I'm writing everything in

 

[kendelrio]

Ok.. progress was made today... not as much as I'd like, but progress nonetheless...

Removed the tailgate and roof frame and stored them. I have one cargo bow stuck. It seems like it got slightly twisted at one point so... gonna have to figure that out.



Removed the Jerry can holder from the fender


Bought new batteries and had new cables made.

Tried to turn her over and after speaking with
@G744 (Who by the way is a font of knowledge and a good dude to boot) and a gentleman from a M37 forum on FB, it sounds like the little gear with the teeth is stuck in the retracted position, so I'll have to pull the starter, clean it up and reinstall.

While looking at the inner starter bolt and realizing the contortions I'm gonna have to get into to pull it, I made the command decision to go ahead and pull the splash guard and fender. Currently in progress, as the nuts and bolts are rusted to hell and back... I have them soaking in lubricant tonight to try to free them up...



I'll attack it again tomorrow...

 

[kendelrio]

So... my sweet lady saw me struggling yesterday with all of the rusted hardware and told me "That's not how we are living our life!"

 

[Guyfang]

Do not forget to wear gloves. Ask me how I know.

 

[kendelrio]

Do not forget to wear gloves. Ask me how I know.

Trust me! Yesterday I was reminded about how much heat a rusted bolt generates when you take it off!!!

 

[Mullaney]

So... my sweet lady saw me struggling yesterday with all of the rusted hardware and told me "That's not how we are living our life!"

.
I know I have said it before - but you have a sweet woman!
Hard to find one willing to think it out and help you get new toys to play with "to boot".
She is First Class for sure!

 

[marchplumber]

She even replied to a PM I sent her warning her about you! Smart Lady, she thought she already had you figured out!! (I bet she did, too!)

 

[hasaboat]

Great job Kendelrio! I am excited to watch your progress.

I've been working on my '62 M37B1 for about a year. I think it was in as good a shape as yours when I started. Some where along the line someone was converting her to 12V but I would like to convert her back if I can find the parts and time.

I have a question for the M37 restorers. As I am reassembling the body I would like to use the same type of internal tooth lock washer, the square shaped ones, but I can't find them for sale anywhere. No surprise there. Does anyone have any suggestions. If I can't replace them with NOS or reproduction then what would be the best to use? Maybe this is a minor concern but I am trying to be as close as possible on the restoration.

 

[John Mc]

I thought I read somewhere that Fastenal (or some other major supply chain - maybe Graingers?) had some sizes, but that some sizes are no longer made. Unfortunately, I can;t remember where I read that, or how reliable the information was.

 

[Jbulach]

Anyone have a picture example of these, no chance what your looking for are cage nuts?