From: m35products (m35prod@optonline.net)
Date: Mon Aug 09 2004 - 21:23:53 PDT
Alex, congratulations on the acquisition of your M35.
I may be able to shed some light on the operation of the worthless
Air-O-Matic steering unit. As you surmised, the unit makes the hissing sound
as a normal effect of the air usage, when returning the steering wheel to
the center position. The air is being exhausted into the atmosphere. The
reason you feel no difference with or without the air assistance when
driving on the highway is because the system is designed specifically NOT to
assist when moving straight ahead, only when it is needed during turns. That
is one of its many benefits: the feel of the road when travelling at speed.
You were, of course, initially operating with the air supply turned off. As
an engineer, I'm sure that you share our opinion that it would not be a
proper venue for evaluating a system that relies upon air for its operation.
The "sort of valve device" is the petcock which is turned off for
maintenance purposes. It is left turned on for normal operation. A truck
equipped with our assist kit, and WITH ITS STEERING COMPONENTS ADJUSTED AND
LUBRICATED PROPERLY AND ITS TIRES INFLATED TO SPECS will require less than
half of the steering force normally required on a manually-steered truck.
You should be able to turn the steering wheel with two fingers, with the
truck at rest, on dry pavement.
Another important component with which you should become familiar is the air
safety valve. It admits air to the steering system, when the truck's air
supply reaches 90 psi (several seconds after the low-air buzzer is retired)
and closes when the system falls below 60 psi. This ensures an adequate
supply of air for the braking system, in the unlikely event that air is lost
via the steering system.
If you hear air escaping from the draglink/torque valve assembly while the
truck is at rest, chances are that the O-rings within the power cylinder
have dried out due to dis-use. (If this is the case, it would explain why
the previous owner had turned off the petcock) There is a rebuild kit
available to remedy this condition. If you would like a "loaner" cylinder,
please ask, and we will be happy to furnish one for your further evaluation.
Perhaps you would care to re-evaluate the system, and make a further report,
once you have received our packet of information about setting up your
truck's steering box for proper adjustment. We are always interested to
hear complaints about our system. So far the compliments are running ahead
of the complaints by about 40,000 to two. Not bad for a product that has
been around for 57 years. Please feel welcome to ask me any questions about
the system or any of our other enhancements available to make your M-series
motoring more pleasurable.
Warmest Regards,
Arthur P. Bloom, VP/Military Sales
Inter Agency Motor Pool
"...for combat, work, or play..."
www.M35products.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex" <alex@glx.net>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 10:17 PM
Subject: [MV] Ch 1, New M35 owner saga...
> Well, the non running truck arrived close to my house on a flatbed and
> sat at the local VFD for a few days. A neighbor with a large wheeled
> loader pulled it up my road and nudged it into place. I set up wheeled
> scaffold around it so I could work on it. The known non working items,
> when I bought the truck were: 1) No brake pedal, 2) Alternator taken and
> replaced with a non working one (on floor in cab), 3) Missing oil supply
> line between turbo and block, 4) Missing turn signal flasher, 5)
> oil/grease on two rear tires. I ordered the oil line, flasher, one
> gallon of DOT 5 from various vendors mentioned on the list. In doing so
> I spoke with some very patient folks at Antelope Valley, Memphis, Fort
> Dodge, and Boyce. thank you all.
>
> I had almost two months to wait before my EUC was approved, so during
> that time I visited the truck on base and tried to learn as much as
> possible about M35's, downloaded the TM's, and asked a lot of what I'm
> sure seemed naive questions of the list members. All questions were
> courteously answered. so thank you all.
>
> After the truck arrived it was time to get my hands dirty. I'm not a
> mechanic (double E by profession) but did work on my own cars while
> growing up and have a garage full of power and hand tools. The first
> thing I noticed is that everything is really big and heavy. I'm an old
> 50 something year old and need a breaker bar when working on some of
> these parts. The first thing I attacked were the brakes. The master
> cylinder was full. I got in the cab and pumped the pedal a few more
> times. The pedal came up! The pedal stayed up! Two hours later it was
> still up! Hmmm. I can't exactly explain this. unless when the truck sat
> for a long time the cups/seals stiffened up and bypassed fluid for the
> first few pumps until they limbered up. It's been a week now. every day
> I check the brakes and they are still good.
>
> Next was the fuel system. The front loader guy is quite experienced with
> diesels and I never owned one. so I know nothing. He had me drain about
> a gallon from the fuel tank (that was fun.. I felt like the little Dutch
> Boy at the dyke) into a clean white 5 gallon container. Also had me
> drain down the 3 fuel filters into a glass. The fuel in the filters was
> clean. The fuel in the tank had a very few little blackish globs of
> water and a little dirt. I drained another gallon and he said it was
> good. He commented on the color of the fuel (yellow pee like) and said
> it looked like fuel he used to use but what he now uses is dyed. He
> thought it was "military diesel" but wasn't sure. Then he had me turn on
> the electric pump and bleed the system at the top mounted bleeder.
>
> I Installed the turbo oil supply line, checked the oil, moved the
> alternator belts out of the way, and had my wife stand by with a board
> to choke off the intake (another suggestion from the list). It took
> about 5 or 6 7 second starter tries until it came to life. It idled
> around 8-900 rpm and the oil pressure came up. Since no alternator was
> on, and the water pump wasn't turning, I only let it run for about a
> minute. I went to bed happy to know that it was at least going to run.
>
> Yesterday, I put on the alternator (that wasn't easy, given where the
> bolts are) and started it up and let it run for about 10 minutes.
> Everything came up, the buzzer eventually stopped and all seemed good. I
> moved the truck around the driveway testing the brakes and turned it
> around in the front yard. this went over poorly with the wife. I
> tenuously headed down our switchback laden hill with one hand on the
> emergency brake. just in case the self healed brakes got sick again. I
> did notice the Air-O-Matic power steering wasn't all that helpful. Since
> I've never driven one of these things, I didn't know what to expect. The
> 10 minute drive around the neighborhood was uneventful, but I did notice
> a few things. 1) The steering wheel rubs on my stomach. probably a
> combination of my girth and the fact I couldn't find the tilt wheel
> control :) 2) The power steering was worthless. 3) The turning radius
> should be measured in furlongs, not feet. 4) It's noisy as hell. the
> sign on the dash says I should wear ear protection. they're right.
>
> Two mile test drive. all is fine. Brakes are real good. I get back to my
> house and turn it off. When I get out of the cab I hear a hissing air
> leak. It's coming from a pipe attached to the air assist unit. I call up
> to my son for a wrench, tighten the connection and it now holds air. I
> trace the power steering air line looking for a crimp that might affect
> the power steering. The line goes up to the firewall into some sort of
> device with a valve on it. I open the valve, start the truck, and now
> have power assist for the steering. It lets out little gasps of air when
> I change direction, but once underway you can't hear anything over the
> engine din. I go for another 3 mile test ride. all is well. I'm not sure
> the power steering is a great investment. once moving there is little if
> any difference in effort. Oh well, it came with the truck.
>
> After an oil and filter change, next on the list to fix is the horn,
> turn signals, and brake lights. a job for next weekend. Also the oil
> pressure indicator seems all over the place... 10-20 at idle and 40-60
> driving, but the needle really bounces all around like there is a bad
> connection. Anything to worry about?
> Cheers,
> Alex
>
>
>
>
> ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
> To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
> To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
> To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat May 07 2005 - 20:34:19 PDT