Military Vehicles, October 1996,: Re: Bendix Brake Booster for M-37

Re: Bendix Brake Booster for M-37

Gale Barrows (barrowsg@rapidnet.com)
Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:12:02 -0600 (MDT)

>Howdy--
>
> I hear there's a booster from Bendix that can be spliced into the M-37
>brake system with no change of pedals, just a little plumbing. The booster
>is said to provide
>considerable and much needed improvement in the M-37's stopping power. Has
>anybody done this or can anybody provide a part number?
>
> Steve
> schooljian@lucent.com
>
>
>
Actualy, about any hydro-vac unit that is mounted remotely from the truck
master cylinder would work. Since I was just working on the unit inb my 1969
Ford F600 2 ton truck, those used in such applications come to mind. All
that is needed is a source of vacuum which is available in the M37. The
brake line from the existing master cylinder is then routed to the hydro-vac
instead of to the wheels. The output line from the hydrovac is then routed
to the wheels. You woud have to search for a hydro-vac unit small enough to
mount in an available space on the M37. Perhaps under the driver's seat
inside the cab would be a good location or in the cab under the passenger
seat. I think a unit from a later model Dodge 2 ton or from a Chevy 2 ton
might be small enough. The unit in my Ford might be a bit big.
I have been thinking about such a thing myself and typing this out has
convinced me it would work well. I had been thinking about a unit as used on
many pickups where the booster unit is attached to the master cylinder and
simply aids the pedal effort. Space for such a unit is at a premium due tpo
the location of the M37 master cylinder and such a unit would require rather
extensive alterations. The hydro-vac unit, however, can be remotely mounted
almost anywhere and acualy increases the amount and pressure of the brake
fluid sent to the wheel cylinders. The same system is used on the brakes of
the 5 ton and 2 1/2 ton 6X6 trucks except that the booster is operated by
air pressure rather than vacuum. When you consider that the master cylinder
of the big 6X6's is litle larger than the M37 you can see that the booster
realy works in that it puts out enough fluid under enough pressure to
operate 6 large wheel cylinders instead of the 4 smaller wheel cylinders of
the M37. Hmm??? I just happen to have a new small sized hydro-vac unit I
picked up at a DOD surplus auction sitting out in the shed. Maybe one of
these days ???