My first heavy truck xm215

I see you didn't get enough presents and want pinion seals wrapped and delivered too.

When we went through this we ended up with NOS parts from Brian Asbury. If you can find NOS, buy them. I have more axles to do this spring.
The original Levy part number is 7413229 so maybe that will help with a net search for napa.

I'm still looking for a cross over so whomever finds one first can add it too this cool NAPA crossover thread I dug up from 2 years ago.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?56000-NAPA-parts-list-for-M-135

What can I say? Can there ever really be enough presents and toys? I realize it's a 57-year-old truck and also realize its been abused most of its life but I have this oddball expectation that it's not going to leak ookie stuff all over my nice pretty concrete floor. More like that darn thing holds an awful lot of your oil and I'm not excited about having to buy 5 gallons week to keep it from destroying itself. It's not like there's a shortage of other things to fix with this truck but for some reason I'm obsessing on the leaks at the moment. I suppose I will york the thing apart and see if I can get some measurements and figure out what I can get from that. Thanks for the part number that actually may get me where I need to go without having to take it apart first.

Pinion Seal G-749

I was curious so when you google the 7413229 number
http://gaskets.tpub.com/404/00-741-3229.htm you can find the

National Stock Number 5330007413229

and when it's googled one feels confident that these seals are available.........from GL and a bunch of other places
http://www.armyproperty.com/nsn/5330-00-741-3229


Give napa the sizes and part numbers and see what they can do.

You and I went down the same path.. Strange minds think alike? Google knows almost everything.

Videos of the beast!

Detroit diesel purring! First start
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4KOHEKQtD4
notice the surging idle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu8T4_u78Us
drives like a real truck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6GdpF3GvIM
the ride back was not as fun, the left rear duals locked up. Guess I get to take that apart and see why the brakes are not releasing. Yippee!

Remember each wheel hub has two wheel cylinders. I suspect one of your rear wheel cylinders is rusted and caused the shoe to bind when things got hot enough. Love your M215 w/Detroit, thanks for posting.

Got the beast apart, everything about this truck is heavy and large! The wheel cylinders were nasty, after a lot of honing, still a bit pitted. Not not interested in having brake issues on this thing. So begins the search for new wheel cylinders. I recall reading that there was a larger diameter one that fits and is readily available. Prolly go to the local NAPA with the old one to see what I can find. Yippee. I did adjust the governor so it idles smoother though. Still searching for a headlight switch connector currently, playing with some push on crimp type things that may hold til I find the correct thing.

Can you be more specific on the headlight switch connector? Any electrical G749 parts are still easy to source.

Wheel cylinders.....brand new Raybestos ones from Napa will run you around $35 each. The part number is WC15306 and if you google this number plenty of search results will pop up. Or, Niagara Military Parts has them for $15 each. I got lucky and scored 12 brand new NOS units from Ebay for $13 each. It was his last dozen, unfortunately.

I see you got video of the Detroit M215 running, I am as green as my truck with envy man.

That napa number will get me started with the two I need ASAP! Prolly should order the rest from Niagra. The thingy I need is the 12 pin connector that screws into the back of te 3 lever light switch. Ideally with a few inches of leads attached for easy splicing into my wire harness. I've found a few but they are $30!! Thanks for the input... More pics and vids to come.

YES pics! Need to see brakes once you get the drums off.....Need to. You said it was heavy but how did everything come apart? Rear drum removal process?

Have you had a chance to contact some of your local clubs?

http://www.mvpa.org/home/local-clubs/find-an-affiliate/#WASHINGTON
http://www.washingtonbluegray.com/

I'll just bet there's a truck right around the corner that's begging to donate parts. If you can reach out to the local clubs, these guys have all been there, done this before and have been looking through the fields and barns for decades. Your electrical parts should be easy to find because they are in many units......many units....many.

At my first MVPA meeting I talked to guys with pails full of NOS seals hiding in their barns. If you have my luck you will 'probably' pay top dollar shipping stuff across the country then find the same parts just down the street!

Let us know what you find!

Gotta thank Gunfreak for the parts numbers and direct you guys to the 2 year old NAPA parts cross-over M135 thread....where it is now posted.

Well, NAPA had to order the wheel cylinders, should be her Friday about $25 each. I will order the additional ones from Niagra tomorrow as they are a bit cheaper. I will post some pics of the brakes asap. Came apart rather easily, Step one remove the tires and wheels. Step two remove the more or less 10 small nuts that hold the axle shaft in place. Step three hit on the side of the axle shaft in order to dislodge the conical washers and allow the axle shaft be removed. Step four remove the large nuts that hold the wheel bearings on end of the axle housing whatever that's called and tada.

latest work...

here are a few pics of the beast and her under pinnings...

Those shoes still look to hav epretty good meat left on them.

Looks a lot better than some wheels I've taken apart!

Great score, it looks like a fun truck. The Detroit is sweet.

Well, the new wheel cylinders been sitting next to the truck for about a week and they have yet to install themselves so I guess I'll have to get after that tomorrow... wish me luck.

Brake assembly G749

It's a big job but after a guy does a few ya just get jealous when you hear someone else is doing one! Wish you luck and wish I was there.

After adjusting my brakes this month I'm glad we spent the extra time ensuring the adjusters work easily when we re-built. Two of the adjusters on the front axle are tucked behind the tie-rod and patience is needed to set them.

We Did Not take the time to paint the wheel cylinders. Next time I will so they don't look like the ones in the picture.

It took me 6 hrs to clean one backing plate assembly and less then 15 minutes to put it all back together.

I can't be the only one that's jealous you get to do that tomorrow.

welcome aboard!!! Get ahold of quarkz or Varyag as they are in near your area. also a couple other members that i cant think of at the moment.

we have a big campout every year in july/aug you should come!

Brakes put back together today. Took it out for little test drive. Everything seems to be working okay. A little more pedal effort than I had hoped for, not sure how to feel about that. Pull the plug on the back of the airpack and a little bit of fluid came out. Not brake fluid, not water. Probably going to have to take that thing apart. That's not going to be cheap or easy. I really appreciate the camaraderie and input that this forum has to offer. Tomorrow I intend to spend some time sorting out my electrical issues more lights that actually work would be kind of handy. My darling wife took some video today I will hopefully get that posted Tuesday.

More video of the screamn Jimmy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bewvxFjUjaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMPNQMnM1lM

Did you get a tach mounted? Hard to tell from video's but we'd want to be sure that detroit's pulling proper rpm's and not over-strokin'

It looks like a tough swap but sounds like birds chirpin in the spring! Beautiful. Been reading up on the motor.......http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f33/max-rpm-diesel-engines-98381/

I can't watch anymore, must drive now. Great inspiration.