M37B3 update

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:49 pm

Just updated the web page that I'm keeping the "blog" if you will of the project. Not much new other than the new axles are basically in. With my and my son-in-laws new work schedules having time to work on things is getting harder and harder to do. Anyway here's the link if anyone is interested.

http://leathernaturally.com/m37project.htm

Post by **Cal_Gary** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:30 am

K8, certainly a labor of love with all the refab and disassembly. Keep working on it-you'll get there!
Gary

knattrass · Post by **knattrass** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:45 am

Nicely done - naturally(?) - keep up the good work and keep us posted. Keith

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:56 am

That's nice how the rear axle almost bolts itself in, huh? I loved that too!

I see you did the same thing for the front that I did. Everyone is scared of converting the front to a dana, but, it's not bad.

HingsingM37 · Post by **HingsingM37** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:37 am

Joe,
You are making progress. Keep up the good work

Juan · Post by **Juan** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:40 pm

Josh wrote: Everyone is scared of converting the front to a dana, but, it's not bad.

You mean scared to do this?

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:59 pm

A little more involved with a Dana 44F and or a Dana 60, but that looks good too.

Juan · Post by **Juan** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:33 pm

It is a Dana 60.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:11 pm

Juan,

You move the pass side spring outboard of the frame rail?

Juan · Post by **Juan** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:55 pm

Nope, I had the axle tubes cut to length and the Dodge Knuckles inserted and welded in the D60 tubes, So it keeps the oem track and the oem looks.
I already had disc brakes in my original axle, the axles were for free, Plus I don't like the looks of the wide axles in the M37, so I took this approach, this has been done like 10 years ago.
The rear axle is from a M715 and the front I don't have a clue, it had the inner knucles (closed ones) and the driveshafts, everything else from the knuckles out was missing.

The axleshafts are d60 30 splines cut and splined to the oem length.
Now I'm using 4.10s but I'm probably going with 4.56 and arb lockers in the near future.

Rear is D70, centered.

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:26 am

I posted this before but the 44F that I put on my truck is actually sorter hub to hub than the stock axle. I don't have the messurements in front of me, but from hub to hub it is shorter. I think what makes it apear as though the stock axle is shorter than the Danas is the way the drums set back from the hub.

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:53 pm

Well, got back out on the truck this evening. The son-in-law and I were looking at the truck trying to decide what little things we could do right now with the lack of funds when we noticed a problem with the rear axle. The passinger side spring was on a cant of about 15 degrees. So to see what would happen since the rear isn't bolted in yet we lifted the rear of the frame up. When we took the springs off the axle and the weight off the spring it litteraly snapped back to it's proper position. As we set the frame back down we say what we were afraid we'de see. The spring perches don't line up like we thought they did. So, then we started to do some measuring and we found that the diff is not centered on the truck. In fact it is 3/4" to the passinger side.....so much for a perfect bolt in. We are going to have to go and cut the spring perches and reweld them back into the proper position once we get the axle alligned perfectly center.

I'll post some pics when we get that far. Othewise we spent the evening pulling all the little brackets that are external to the frame. You know like the running board brackets and the fender bracket etc...

N1VSM · Post by **N1VSM** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:50 am

k8icu wrote:http://leathernaturally.com/m37project.htm

I see you have the rectangle window hard-top. Do you have the original metal head liner? If so, I'm missing the front part of. Can you take some pictures & measurements for me? I need to fabricate one.
73, N1VSM

k8icu · Post by **k8icu** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:07 pm

N1VSM,

Yes I have the metal head liner, but I too am missing the font piece also and have to fabricate it myself....I'm just a long way from that as you can see. I have the manual in PDF for installing the hard top and the only pic that shows that piece is grainny (the electronic manual company didn't do a very good job scanning it) but it looks like a rolled piece of metal that attaches to the top head liner and the frame. If your not looking to be original a nice straight piece of metal with a few 45 deg bends should work good, if you want original....boy I don't know what to tell ya. If you look at the pictuer that says truck some assembly required the hard top is in that pile dismatled.

Good luck.

N1VSM · Post by **N1VSM** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:47 am

k8icu wrote: some assembly required

I think every M37 should come with this disclaimer! Thanks - sounds like we are at exactly the same ... "opportunity" point.

I also have the install manual: great copying job! Looks like a Jackson Pollock original.

M37B3 update

M37B3 update

Re: M37B3 update