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I plan on running the original wipers and was curious if there are rebuild kits out there or nos motors.

m-11 wrote:I plan on running the original wipers and was curious if there are rebuild kits out there or nos motors.

If you are certain on running original vacuum motors, I'd suggest one of several sources that offer professional rebuild service for them. That is the best they will get, don't expect greatness however.

Much better wipers can be had by converting to a good quality electric motor type, don't be fooled with cheap junk units. A good quality conversion kit will run around $400.

Thanks for the advice. Its not going to be a daily driver so chances of being in a rain storm are slim. I'm not sure whether the wiper motors I have now work or not. The only thing physically wrong with one of them is the manual handle is broken off.

m-11 wrote:Thanks for the advice. Its not going to be a daily driver so chances of being in a rain storm are slim. I'm not sure whether the wiper motors I have now work or not. The only thing physically wrong with one of them is the manual handle is broken off.

Why is that always broken.........lol I got a couple that are that way. I plan on running the trico's too.

vtdeucedriver wrote:

m-11 wrote:Thanks for the advice. Its not going to be a daily driver so chances of being in a rain storm are slim. I'm not sure whether the wiper motors I have now work or not. The only thing physically wrong with one of them is the manual handle is broken off.

Why is that always broken.........lol I got a couple that are that way. I plan on running the trico's too.

Fellows, the answer to the broken handle question is a really simple one. Just think about it a little.

They don't perform worth 2 hoots and a holler at their very best, need any more hints? There was a good reason why auto manufacturer's discontinued their use and moved to electric motors decades ago.

They're not all that bad. I drove with them in most of my 1950's and a few 60's cars and trucks for a lot of years. Yes they wear out, yes they slow when you unload the engine vacuum (like accelerating to pass ) but if you don't intend to be driving in a downpour at 50 or 60 MPH and want her to look original you can restore their reasonable, low speed, light rain operating capabilities by overhauling them.

You can do it yourself or hire a really quality shop. There's plenty of web site based "How tos" out there to guide you through it.

http://www.wiperman.com/

For my driver's I go with good quality electrics.

Well here is a secret too. Its called Rain X. I rarely use my wipers on my civie vehicles. I treated my M151 and M52A2. I plan on doing the M37. Every little bit helps.

Some states (like Georgia) require wipers to be on when it's raining. I agree with the Rain-X but be careful.

Personally, I hate Rain-X. One of my wife's girlfriends did me a "favor" and applied it to the windshield of my Dodge Dakota. In a light drizzle, it was "okay," as the moisture beaded up and ran off if the wipers weren't used. Once it got wet enough to have to use the wipers, all it did was streak and smear, leaving an opaque film over the swept area. With the M37's vertical windshield, you won't get the "runoff" action that you would with a slanted windshield, so I imagine the smearing would only be worse. You can try it if you like, but if you don't like the results, it can be a real bear to remove.

vtdeucedriver wrote:

m-11 wrote:Thanks for the advice. Its not going to be a daily driver so chances of being in a rain storm are slim. I'm not sure whether the wiper motors I have now work or not. The only thing physically wrong with one of them is the manual handle is broken off.

Why is that always broken.........lol I got a couple that are that way. I plan on running the trico's too.

THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A HANDLE THERE??? LOL!!! I NEVER SAW AN UNBROKEN ONE HOW IT LOOKS LIKE. I AGREE WITH CHARLES. DITCH THE VACUM. GO ELECTRIC. IF YOU EVER GET CAUGHT IN THE RAIN YOU WILL REGRET NOT CONVERTING. EVEN A CHEESY CHEAP VERSION OF ELECTRIC WIPERS IS WAY BETTER THAT THE OE VACUM

Tell me if I'm wrong but isn't the Vacuum part of the fuel pumps supposed to compensate for the times you accelerate and have low vacuum pressure ? I drove M52's and 818's when I was in the service and I don't remember having any trouble with the wiper in the rain.

Aren't the bigger trucks air operated?

Thats true Glenn, I forgot all about that.....

I'm not going to invest 400 bucks for electric motors since I'm staying original. Also this is $$ I can use for other items in this restoration. I think I'll compare the m151 motors to the m37. Maybe I can swap parts between if needed.

Yes the purpose of the vacuum half of the fuel pump is to boost manifold vacuum for the wipers. What would probably help a bit is installing a large vacuum storage chamber.

Most folks today who rate vacuum wipers so poorly have never driven behind new ones or professionally rebuilt units. Most wiper motors existing today that have not been recently rebuilt have old dried and crack rubber flaps and dirty interior cavities. These can even be improved by adding a little oil in them while they are being operated for a short period.

Just about all the Trico motors issued from Army supply system can be mixed and match to make them work. Key differences will be sweep angles, mount bolt spacing, shaft diameters and manual handle orientation.