Resurrecting an M108

[Redpawn]

Here is the control box. You can see two fittings have been changed by the last owner to modern JIC fittings. Most of my steel lines have adapters on the end to use JIC as well.

 

[Redpawn]

So it turns out cattelrepairman is correct there is a bend in the boom. So I'll be on the look out for a new boom for it. I'm going to keep working on it as I don't think I'll ever pick up anything that would stress it further but a non bent boom would be nice.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I really did not WANT to be right! It does not appear to be a severe bend. As long as the extension runs in and out without binding you will likely be just fine. Maybe it can be straightened. **thinking of boom on wooden blocks and a heavy loader gently pushing down in the middle**

 

[davidb56]

A large structural steel shop that builds commercial high rise, usually has a "Bull press" that straightens very large beams and box columns after they have been welded. I bet that could be straightened at a reasonable price, versus buying another one. You may consider adjusting (lower)the prv on the spool that operates that particular cylinder.

 

[Redpawn]

That's an idea. I will defiantly fish plate it after I get it straitened if I go that route. For now I still need to get the hydraulics working to see if the inner boom is bent too.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

I’ve never noticed before that there were two different booms for m60s and m108s.
Type A: Tapered

Type B: Straight and looks to be taller towards the hook end.

The one with the “heavier” boom is a 1953 s/n m35xxx. From what I’ve seen other 1953 studebakers with lower serial numbers have the tapered boom while later trucks seem to have the heavier boom.

 

[SETOYOTA]

Here is the control box. You can see two fittings have been changed by the last owner to modern JIC fittings. Most of my steel lines have adapters on the end to use JIC as well.

View attachment 766859

where would one find these adapters?

 

[SETOYOTA]

I’ve never noticed before that there were two different booms for m60s and m108s.
Type A: Tapered
View attachment 766928
Type B: Straight and looks to be taller towards the hook end.
View attachment 766929
The one with the “heavier” boom is a 1953 s/n m35xxx. From what I’ve seen other 1953 studebakers with lower serial numbers have the tapered boom while later trucks seem to have the heavier boom.

Mine is studebaker m33503 and it has the tapered boom which fits your analysis.

 

[davidb56]

try "www.surpluscenter.com". the hydraulics section. Ive bought thousands from them with no problems over the years.

 

[Redpawn]

The fittings in the control box are standard fittings you should be able to get at any hydraulic supply shop. The control block uses NPT threads I think it's consider 1 inch NPT. So you just need NPT 90 degree to JIC fittings. I'm going to get some tomorrow and I'll get you a part number.

 

[SETOYOTA]

Thanks that would be great

 

[Redpawn]

Here what the fitting looks like. I got it from Hydraulic supply company. The part number from them is 2024-16-16s. They said they have four stores in Georgia so there might be one near you.

 

[Redpawn]

SUCCESS. I hooked up my new line and checked the function on all controls. It had to whine a little while fluid was being sent to places it hasn't been in years but all functions are working. Well they where until one of the steel lines for the boom raise popped a pin hole in it. I'm going to try and wield it in that spot for now and see if any one can make a new steel line.

 

[SETOYOTA]

That’s great news

 

[Redpawn]

You can really tell the boom is bent when the extension is out. I removed all the outriggers to free them up and found something fun. It looks like they bent two of the outriggers so they cut the 1/2 inch wall pipe off and replaced it with some 1/4 wall pipe. Because that will work right?

 

[Redpawn]

The joys of working with a 66 year old hydraulic system. I replaced the steel line and the rubber line for boom up and everything works.....But and there is always a but. The cylinder for boom up has started leaking from the head nut. Has anyone removed the main cylinder on a 108? Trying to figure out if I can just tilt the boom really far up and get it out or if the boom needs to be removed completely. I did turn the turret 90 degrees and remove the cover to clean. Here is a picture. It took two 5 gallon buckets to dig all the trash out.

 

[Redpawn]

Well it looks like I'm going to have to let my M108 go to fund a new project I just purchased. That being an M936 5 ton wrecker. The M936 is missing its engine and trans plus a few other things but I couldn't pass up the deal I got on it.

 

[silverstate55]

Got the engine back in a few nights ago. Had a little delay because the starter on the forklift went out and I had to replace it so I could pick up the engine. I ran in to a small problem. Like a dummy I didn't take good pictures of everything before I started taking two trucks apart and now I have a line I don't know where goes. It's the smaller of the two lines on the breather pipe that goes to the ground. I thought when I hooked everything up it would be really obvious but no luck. Any ideas?

View attachment 762309View attachment 762310

If that's the breather/vent coming off of the valve covers on the engine, only the fuel tank vent line should be connected to it...DO NOT connect vent lines from the master cylinder nor AirPak to this breather! There was a printed publication that came out saying that the engine/fuel/oil fumes would contaminate your DOT-5 brake fluid and possibly damage seals in your AirPak/master cylinder. Just free-vent your AirPack/master cylinder line behind the air filter housing, sort of an upside-down P-trap (if line is vertical coming up firewall, put in a 180-degree bend downwards so it vents towards ground).

And if that AirPak/MC vent starts spitting DOT5, it's time to rebuild your AirPak & master cylinder.

 

[Redpawn]

I'll give that a check. I just hooked everything up the way it was when I got it and figured it must be right. Also I was corrected, what I have is an M816 not the
M936.

 

[SCM35A2]

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