Rolling Roadblock progress.

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just me
1SG
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Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2014 4:25 pm

Rolling Roadblock progress.

Post by just me »

After a couple years of just driving and maintaining my 1953 M-37, it is time to start the rebuilding process. First item, the winch.
The story thus far. My truck came with an LU-4 winch when I bought it. It, like everything else on my truck has been used, abused and then left unmaintained.
I found another winch at a swap meet that was in very good condition for not much money. Removed the winch from my truck and dismantled it and found that the gears were destroyed. The bearings were exploded and the rest was just whooped.
The "new" winch had perfect gears, the seals were all dead and the seal surfaces on the ends of the drum were marginal. The bearings were reusable, but with all the work I was going to do, might as well replace them too.
The original winch had steel bearing retainers and the new winch had aluminum ones. The front brake end retainer was damaged and deformed. Also, one of the steel ones was damaged where the seal seated.
We used the welding method to remove the cups from the steel housings.
Removed all the seals from all the housings.
Cleaned everything.
Made seal removers and replacers for all the seals.
Put the damaged retainer in the 3 jaw and faced the outer surface flat. Put it in the four jaw, indicated it in and corrected the damage to the seal seat surface.
Froze the cups and installed them.
Installed Speedi-Sleeves where needed and installed all the seals.
Pressed the bearings on the worm shaft and ran out of day.
So, now I'm sitting with everything cleaned. All the seals and bearings installed. Sitting in the assembly area under a cover.
Still need to fab or purchase the spreader bar and top spreader and paint the housings and brackets. I'll get that done tomorrow and then assembly later in the week. Should have it back on the truck before the Veterans Day Parade.
Been a fun little project, but a lot more work than I ever imagined it would be.
Anyone who thinks an LU4 is expensive to buy, wait until you rebuild one! I was able to reuse the worm and Bull as they were perfect. Bearings, some bushings and Speedi-Sleeves, gaskets, u-joints, tie bars and correct wire rope and ends ran over $650.
I have over 40 hours labor that I don't count in the cost as this IS my hobby. But if you were to total it all up, at my current shop rate, it would be $3,250 so far. And I'm not done yet.
"It may be ugly, but at least it is slow!"
ashyers
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Location: Oakland CA

Re: Rolling Roadblock progress.

Post by ashyers »

When we did some work on a friends M37 last year we spent over $3000 on parts. I shudder to think what it would have eaten in labor. We "charged" a pizza party for the students!

It ads up quick on these old beasties and it sure doesn't help when there has been little to no maintenance in decades. On the bright side (?), I suspect if they are maintained well they may outlast all of us!
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