Cost of power steering conversion?

[Master Yota]

Don't get me wrong, the M is still more truck than anything produced over the last 40 odd years or so, (for the light duty market anyway), and I would still rather rebuild one and modify it, than make payments on the newer cadilacs with bed they call trucks now'a'days... As for how the old timers drove 'em, they didn't have the option of installing power steering, so they had to make do, and take the M wherever they were told to go. I have the option, so I'll make use of it to save not only my thumbs, but my sanity as well.

I wheeled a truck offroad with manual steering once, the tires grabbed and jerked sideways, yanked the steering out of my hand, and then pinned my hand between the wheel and my thigh as it spun. The faux leather wrap on the wheel made a fantastic burn mark on my hand just above the thumb, about 2" wide, and 3" long. I couldn't have done a better job removing the flesh if I'd used a belt sander - and it took forever to heal. Not only did I swear alot that day, but I swore I'd never have manual steering ever again!

I had read an article in one of the offroad mags about a decade ago comparing the H1 to the M37. The author basically drew the conclusion that if the Military had simply repowered the M37, it would/could/should/ have served their needs for the next generation or so, thus eliminating the hummer all to gether. After seeing the hummers lame performance, I would have to agree. On a lighter note, one of the guys that I wheel with quite regularly has an H1, and on the back window he's got a sticker that reads "H2 and H3 recovery unit" - my plan is to put a decal on my M37 that reads "H1 recovery unit"... Just for a laugh.

[Lifer]

I wheeled a truck offroad with manual steering once, the tires grabbed and jerked sideways, yanked the steering out of my hand, and then pinned my hand between the wheel and my thigh as it spun. The faux leather wrap on the wheel made a fantastic burn mark on my hand just above the thumb, about 2" wide, and 3" long. I couldn't have done a better job removing the flesh if I'd used a belt sander - and it took forever to heal. Not only did I swear alot that day, but I swore I'd never have manual steering ever again!

So, do you still wrap your thumbs around the wheel for a "better grip" on rough terrain?
For most folks, the first time they get "spoked" is the last time. I had been told for years not to do it, but nobody ever explained why. Then, one day.....yup! I got "spoked." Dislocated my left thumb in a very painful manner. I never made that mistake again!

[powerwagon]

On a lighter note, one of the guys that I wheel with quite regularly has an H1, and on the back window he's got a sticker that reads "H2 and H3 recovery unit" - my plan is to put a decal on my M37 that reads "H1 recovery unit"... Just for a laugh.

Right on!

"spoked"

For all the stuff I operated as a kid I believe I was spoked once and it hurt so damn bad all I could do is cuss because I was about 15 miles from known life up in the Panhandle of Texas out hauling road fill and I just had to keep the hammer down. That was a true attention getter I have never forgotten

[Master Yota]

I wheeled a truck offroad with manual steering once, the tires grabbed and jerked sideways, yanked the steering out of my hand, and then pinned my hand between the wheel and my thigh as it spun. The faux leather wrap on the wheel made a fantastic burn mark on my hand just above the thumb, about 2" wide, and 3" long. I couldn't have done a better job removing the flesh if I'd used a belt sander - and it took forever to heal. Not only did I swear alot that day, but I swore I'd never have manual steering ever again!

So, do you still wrap your thumbs around the wheel for a "better grip" on rough terrain?
For most folks, the first time they get "spoked" is the last time. I had been told for years not to do it, but nobody ever explained why. Then, one day.....yup! I got "spoked." Dislocated my left thumb in a very painful manner. I never made that mistake again!

No, I don't drive with my thumbs in the wheel, never have, but I wasn't paying enough attention at that point, and my hand just followed the wheel around as it turned.
I was fairly lucky to get into wheeling at a young enough age that I still did as I was told, and I never developed the habit of gripping the wheel with my thumbs in, even on power steering equiped rigs. I've seen a few blokes who who've learned that lesson the hard way, and its painful to say the least, or so I'm told.

[SOTVEN]

I DROVE MY M37 FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS WITHOUT A PS SETUP. MIND THAT AT SOME POINT IT WAS MY DAILY DRIVER. DRIVING IN DENSE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN GREECE, WITH MOTOR SCOOTERS PASSING FROM LEFT AND RIGHT, AND PARALLEL PARKING "ONLY" CONDITIONS, THE WORD "TORTURE" IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. ALSO OFF ROADING WITOUT A PS WAS NOT A PLEASURE. WHERE I LIVED AT, THERE ARE NO MEADOWS WHERE YOU MAY TURN WIDE OR FIND A DIFFERENT ROUTE. IT IS STEEP MOUNTAINS WITH VERY NARROW ROADS, AND TIGHT TURNS THAT WILL REQUIRE A VEHICLE THAT BIG TO MAKE 3POINT TURNS. MIND THAT IF GOD FORBID I BACK UP TOO MUCH AND GO OVER THE UNPROTECTED EDGE, NOT EVEN THE VOLTURES WILL FIND ME DOWN THERE. I WAS DRIVING THE M WITHOUT THE PS UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS AND I COULD NOT ENJOY IT, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAD TO GO SLOW, AND VERY CAREFULLY PLAN WHICH WAY TO GO TO AVOID TRAFFIC, AND WHERE TO PARK SO I WOULD NOT GET TRAPPED, AND AVOID THE OFFROADING WHEN POSSIBLE. (SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT PHYSICAL STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT, AND I AGREE. I AM NOT MR. OLYMPIA, YET I AM QUITE STRONG) IF I ONLY HAD TO MAKE ONLY 1 MODIFICATION TO AN M37, THAT WOULD BE THE POWER STEERING CONVERSION BY ALL MEANS. IT MAKES THE TRUCK USER FRIENDLY IN MY OPINION.

[SOTVEN]

I had read an article in one of the offroad mags about a decade ago comparing the H1 to the M37. The author basically drew the conclusion that if the Military had simply repowered the M37, it would/could/should/ have served their needs for the next generation or so, thus eliminating the hummer all to gether. After seeing the hummers lame performance, I would have to agree. On a lighter note, one of the guys that I wheel with quite regularly has an H1, and on the back window he's got a sticker that reads "H2 and H3 recovery unit" - my plan is to put a decal on my M37 that reads "H1 recovery unit"... Just for a laugh.

PETERSEN'S "4WHEEL AND OFFROAD", I THINK IT WAS A 1996 ISSUE. I STILL HAVE IT BACK HOME. THERE WAS A POWER WAGON RALLY SOMEWHERE IN THE STATES AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE THERE HAD A O.D./ORANGE/LIGHT BLUE RIG (YEAH, I KNOW, WHAT WAS HE THINKING?) WITH A DODGE 360, PS, AND A REAR LOCKER. THE ARTICLE SAID THAT THIS THING WAS VIRTUALLY UNSTOPABLE AND THAT "MILITARY OFFICIALS ARGUED THAT HAD THE DEFENCE DEPARTMENT MODIFIED THE M37 IN THIS WAY, THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER NEEDED THE HUMMERS." PERSONNALY, I DO NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THE HUMVEE AND H1 (I WILL NOT EVEN MENTION THE H2 AND H3). YET, HAVING SEEN THEM MOVE ON UNEVEN TERRAIN WHEN THE GREEK ARMY AND THE GREEK TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AQUIRED THEM SOME YEARS AGO, I WILL STICK TO MY M37 EVEN WITHOUT POWER STEERING. AS FOR THE DECAL MASTER YOTA, THIS FRIEND OF MINE WHO REPOWERED HIS M WITH AN MB DIESEL BACK IN GREECE, HE WANTED TO MAKE A DECAL "HUMMER KILLER" FOR HIS M LOL

[Master Yota]

Thats the exact article I was referencing SOTVEN, your memory must be quite spectacular to recal a magazine article from 15 years ago, never mind the colour of the trucks in it! My hats off to your memory!

[SOTVEN]

Thats the exact article I was referencing SOTVEN, your memory must be quite spectacular to recal a magazine article from 15 years ago, never mind the colour of the trucks in it! My hats off to your memory!

THANK YOU MASTER YOTA. THOUGH I THINK MOST PEOPLE WHOULD SAY "SOTVEN, GET A LIFE" LOL

[MSeriesRebuild]

I started driving the M-37 when I was 11 years old and I am now 44. So I would agree that powersteering would ease certain aspects of the ride and driving experience. But being a nostalgic type with regards to the M-37 platform. I still find it odd how men before us drove those rascals without the modern advancement of power steering. And about getting my knuckles caught in the wheel coming out of a turn, yep had it happen a few times on this 1952 Euclid bottom dump.

I used the superior performance of the Humvee as point of more modern equipment and in no way wanted to imply that we can even go parallel with workmanship of the two vehicles. Humvee was a clear lack of judgment from a acquisition point to field a vehicle to replace the jeep. Although in my opinion bells and whistles came before practicality of long term operational use. Cradle to grave concept lack of horsepower and versatility and the Army and Marines wanted a low budget M-37 replacement that was a total dud. As if my opinion matters since I was a sailor and blew stuff up for a living.....

But I am intrigued by the modern things like heat and power steering and even different motor options/trnasmission and transfer cases that are available these days. I believe that M-37's weren't made to be crawlers but heavy duty 4X4's with decent handling over various terrains.

We've done it all kinds of ways; we can build an original system to the very max of its limits if that is spec'ed. Most people would however feel you are stuck in a bubble of yesteryear with the above opinion.

We've done cheap power systems, we've done higher end power systems with coolers, filters, etc; just whatever is customer spec'ed.

I've had much experience with older heavy equipment like you have pictured, been jerked around with the hard manual steering of those old Eucs, Cats, etc. Don't care to go back to yesteryear though. There is a reason why improvements were made as time went own, even retrofit power steering kits for the Eucs you have pictured became quite popular.

[Lifer]

The Euclid that I drove in the limestone quarry didn't have power steering, but I was never bothered by that "lack." I had never driven a car with power steering at that point, so had nothing to compare it to. Of course, the steering wheel was so big that it probably made up for it.

The D6 Cat that we used to push rock around had a cable operated blade with vertical and horizontal angles adjusted by turnbuckles. The orizontal adjustment required 2 men...one tightening and one loosening their turnbuckles at the same time. This was in 1972, and I think our newest off-road vehicoe (except the new end loader) was a 1939 model. The Bucyrus-Erie shovel was a 1925 diesel model, built at a time when B-E was still making a steam shovel or two.

Would I want to go back to the "olden days?" Sure, IF I were as healthy as I was back then.

[powerwagon]

The Euclid that I drove in the limestone quarry didn't have power steering, but I was never bothered by that "lack." I had never driven a car with power steering at that point, so had nothing to compare it to. Of course, the steering wheel was so big that it probably made up for it.

I would agree and as many stradle dumps I did that ole rig was a mighty touch one. I'd say given the technology of the '52 uke I ran it was cutting edge for those times but not for the early 1980's.

Would I want to go back to the "olden days?" Sure, IF I were as healthy as I was back then

Sure I wouldn't give it a thought, I had fun and learned heaps and that is something I've never forgotten.