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m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:02 pm
by macibell111
I have a 53 m37 just compared mine with a friends 52 m37,I noticed his has 11 leafs on the rear springs and mine has 13,which one is correct ,does mine have m42 springs?????
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:20 pm
by w30bob
Hi macibell,
My 2 M37's, made in April and November of 1952, both have 7 leaves in the front and 11 leaves in the rear. I'm not sure what the other variants had.
regards,
bob
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 10:31 am
by mike_l
IAW the ORD 9 TM, the M37 and the M42 use the same spring package whereas the M43 & V41 use the same spring package in the rear; the M37, M42, and M43 use the same spring package in the front.
My '54 M37 has 7 in front, 11 in back.
Might be you have the M43/V41 springs?
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:22 pm
by macibell111
could I just take out 3 springs from the bottom on each side and get the level I want ??????of course I will have to take out the springs to do it.
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:45 pm
by majorhitt
I was thinking what IF. That's a big if. The M37CDN had more leafs? I looked at both M37s, the USA M37 a 51 has 11 and the 54 M37CDN also 11. OK that didn't help any but I tried.
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:19 am
by w30bob
I guess you could remove the 3 leaves.....but I'm not sure if the threads on the center bolt will then be long enough....it's not threaded all the way, so at some point the nut will bottom on the unthreaded section before it gets tight. Should be easy enough to check though.
regards,
bob
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:22 am
by 52 M-42
Years ago (decades ago, actually) Weyerhaeuser use to ADD springs to all their surplus M-37 pick ups. It was one of the first things taken off of a scrapped Weyerhaeuser truck when you came across one.
I believe they had 9 leaves up front and 13 leaves in the back (maybe 11 and 15, I really don't remember). Anyway they liked it for a better ride in the woods. You also have to remember that their trucks almost never saw a paved road and went to some crazy places with some crazy loads.
What would be the pluses and minuses of a couple of extra leaves in the front and rear? Or just a couple of extra leaves in the rear? A little "stiffer" in the ride I understand, but what else?
52 M-42
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 9:37 am
by PoW
I'd leave (no pun) them in. You can't get enough when you work the truck, meaning hauling some weight. Another thing to consider is the weight on the pintle when towing. You need some 'grunt' when doing that without having your light go too high to see at night.
PoW
Re: m37 rear leaf springs
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 3:41 pm
by macibell111
thanks for all the input ,I will consider leaving them in