W & W/O winch

[N1VSM]

Is there a difference in the front springs (like an extra leaf) in trucks that were and were not originally outfitted with a winch? I seem to remember hearing that the M37-B1 has an extra leaf in the front spring to account for the spare tire ...

[Cal_Gary]

Not sure about an extra leaf but I know the M's with the door-mounted spare had a block under the driver's side front and rear springs to add some height to compensate for the weight of the spare tire-a half inch block as I recall.

[MSeriesRebuild]

The 1/2" thick spacer is used under the spring packs on the B1 trucks, no extra leaf though.

[DaveO]

Of interest, perhaps: My '52 was retro-fitted (I assume by the army) with a door mounted spare carrier. It had the blocks under the driver's springs. The odd thing is that it also has the full length troop seat on the right side bed; no place to put the spare. It was a fire truck after it's army life, and I rather doubt that they, or the army, would bother with a bed swap. It was arctic rigged in service, and I believe it had the arctic bed kit installed (the knock-outs for the heater ducting are gone).

With all deference to Charles, perhaps a better statement would be that trucks with door mounted spares had the blocks installed.

A thousand pardons if I'm picking fly poop from pepper here...

[MSeriesRebuild]

Of interest, perhaps: My '52 was retro-fitted (I assume by the army) with a door mounted spare carrier. It had the blocks under the driver's springs. The odd thing is that it also has the full length troop seat on the right side bed; no place to put the spare. It was a fire truck after it's army life, and I rather doubt that they, or the army, would bother with a bed swap. It was arctic rigged in service, and I believe it had the arctic bed kit installed (the knock-outs for the heater ducting are gone).

With all deference to Charles, perhaps a better statement would be that trucks with door mounted spares had the blocks installed.

A thousand pardons if I'm picking fly poop from pepper here...

You will certainly see many types of mods that took place to make a given vehicle suitable for use in various areas of specialty service. Yours is likely one that falls into that catagory of a specialty vehicle. All trucks with the door mounted spare should have the spacers in place. The B1's started during model year 1958, all from that time forward had the door mounted spare & the full length troop seat on the right side, unless of course a mod took place for what ever reason. The door mounted spare was on M43's from the get go, so the assemblies were always around making for an easy modification if needed.

[gwalker]

Interestingly the early m-43 spare bracket wasnt hinged which required driver to enter pass side always.