M725 gear ratio

[91W350]

That is a fact, it would be much cheaper to just put in a high winding small block and call it good.

I was a member at the Zone for a long time and they do have a wealth of knowledge there. Cruise their ads and you can buy about any used part your heart desires.

My favorite M715 was one built by a member there, a four cylinder Cummins, but he spent a ton of cash on it and he sold it shortly after. That was seven years ago already.... my how time flies... Glen

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3vL9RGJ3ek[/media]

 

[Elwenil]

That's McInfantry's truck. He is or was a member here also though I haven't seen him in a long time.

 

[91W350]

Yes, and he did an awesome job. If I remember right, he went with a five or six speed. In the end though, he spent way more than he gained. I watched it go a couple of times on Ebay, not sure what the final selling price was. The amount and quality of fabrication he did was amazing. Glen

 

[Wolf.Dose]

All of you are correct from your point of view. However, the only problem technically is the somewhat to low flywheel inertia weight with regard to the truck weight. Else the engine is for it's time a very modern design!
When I first restored my truck in 1980 until 1982 the original engine was broken, so I installed a 65 hp Hanomag Diesel which worked fine unil no more parts were available. So I changed in 2003/2004 to 6.2 l Diesel which runs fine since 460 + engine hours. However here in Germany the maximum speed for trucks like that is 80 km/h, accepted is a maximum of 90 km/h. So the 6.2 is doing a good job with an acceptable fuel consumtion.
For my second Kaiser I will stay with the original engine as far as the engine is good (which I do not know by now, it is stored somewere).
Wolf
N.B. The truck is NOT for racing! Everything over 60mph is racing!

 

[bcowanwheels]

the m715 is like a dirt bike. why try to make it a gold wing. its perfect for its designed use.,,
IMO
BOB

 

[91W350]

I think the thing that amazed me more than anything else about my M715 was how stable it was off road. I had put a Detroit Locker in the rear and a Lock Right in the front. It did not do much as far as articulation, but it was perfectly happy hanging one wheel three or four feet in the air, front or rear. We went to the top of the articulation ramp, with the right front tire about five feet off the ground. The rear springs were so stiff, the truck did not roll off to the right like most vehicles do. Of course, you paid for that on hard landings.

I made the front bumper out of part of a John Deere drill frame. It was really well mounted to the frame and the front plate for the winch was a 3/8ths plate welded to the bumper and a heavy angle iron. I used to run that bumper into a rock shelf and if there was any slope at all, the rear tires would push the nose up and over. I could not always get the rear tires up on top, but it was pretty impressive doing the belly slide whichever way the front tires were turned.

It would either pull the load or spin the tires trying. I used a 305 with an 11" clutch and a low rpm cam. Shorty headers and 2" Flow Masters. With a Warn 8274 on the nose and a ARB 10,000 under the tail, it was a really handy rig. I always had at least six winch blocks and lots of chain and straps. She just was no road queen, but a lot off guys were happy to see it coming their way on the trail....