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Saw an air braked M35a2 yesterday

tco3129

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Oh BTW does anyone have an opinion on air brakes on a deuce ??:deadhorse:aua:nothingfunny::confused:
But above all the smilies lets hear fat lady sings 2cents BTW I like and drive air/hyd AND air brakes
 

trukhead

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Air brakes on a duece is a matter of choice I guess as it is a free country and if you are technically able to fabricate that result, Bully for you! I think one would be well served to remember the operating and maintenance parameters each of the systems: Air, air over hydraulic and straight hydraulic were designed to operate within.
Air only is a heavy duty system that utilizes a activation circuit that does not need to be bled each time a component is R&Red and the basic wheel adjustment can be performed visually and "on the go" and it's consumable (brake shoes) can be quickly ascertained-LEO at the scale. Air brakes are designed to be operated by professional operators on professional grade machines and routinely inspected to be kept in top operating condition. The company I used to work for ran every tractor-trailer over the pit prior to every trip whether it was a day trip or out for the week. That diligence led to the fact that a tractor could drop and pickup trailers out at the stops and the brakes were always up to snuff and a driver could rely on the brakes to stop that 78,000 to 80,000lbs. safely and reliably.
Hydraulic brakes were designed for your Gramma. The operating circuit needs relatively specialized service, bleeding and tight totally leak free circuits, replacement of consumables and them **** rusty starwheel adjusters need luvin to. Face it gramma aint gonna do it. My car has 125,000 interstate miles on it and the front pads are at 40% still. Hydraulic systems could be made to work for the big rigs but the heavy duty air system is so much more user friendly and easily maintained for the environment it operates in.
Air over hydraulic in the duece is a compromise pure and simple but it works. The duece needs more complex maintenance and R&R of parts but it can operate paraphernalia equipped with air brakes so it fits the bill that Uncle Sam asked of it.
On another note, our cherished MV's are basically compromises of design and function of old designs. An example is the brake pedal on a duece. It comes up from under the floor board, just like the some on the first vehicles featuring the first hydraulic brake systems. It has crappy geonetry and it is less felcitous to use than a fire wall mounted brake pedal used on virtually all modern vehicles, even like the big trucks with their pedals mounted on the firewall.
My A3 works well for me the way it was assembled and of the 250 miles I have put on it, at least 70% of the operating time was in low range and every time I used the brake pedal I realized it is a product of iterations and design requirements started way back when and utilized until it was drummed out official service and sent into retirement on my farm trails.
If you want to fabricate and install air brakes on your duece, Bullly for You!!!! Do it, I enjoy the creativity and industriousness of those among us that get these projects done and functioning in a safe and reliable service and function. Just remember to do your part to keep that air system in top operating condition. I'm going to use and enjoy my duece as built.
:jumpin::driver::mrgreen::soapbox::tin hat::popcorn:fat lady sings:beer:
 

Stan Leschert

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I still prefer air brakes. Our trucks were designed for combat conditions, but there is NO way that I would drive an OTR truck without air. Adjusting the slacks is just part of the daily pretrip. I really like the fact that I don't have to try to jam the pedal through the floor when some eco freak in a Prius tries to test my braking distance. With air brakes, I just apply the treadle further to the floor, and If I have maintained my life saving system ... no effort required!

You pick, but remember that there is a reason why real trucks require real brakes!
 

hilber

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I still prefer air brakes. Our trucks were designed for combat conditions, but there is NO way that I would drive an OTR truck without air. Adjusting the slacks is just part of the daily pretrip. I really like the fact that I don't have to try to jam the pedal through the floor when some eco freak in a Prius tries to test my braking distance. With air brakes, I just apply the treadle further to the floor, and If I have maintained my life saving system ... no effort required!

You pick, but remember that there is a reason why real trucks require real brakes!
I guess mine not being areal truck is why I have TONKA on the front. Everybody else thinks its a deuce.:-D
 

APM215

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:funny:AIR=blow. LOL
I think air brakes on a M35 would be cool. Now having said that; I think the current braking system on the M35 are more than enough to stop the truck as I can lock all the wheels with a full load. I think the answer is buy more trucks and have some with air brakes and some with the stock brakes.
 

Stan Leschert

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Both the deuce and the 5 ton are real trucks.
They have different characteristics, features and purposes.

I suppose that some will interpret my words as they see fit ....

Given the choice I would take at least 2 of each type of truck!
 

73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
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The ONLY REAL advantage of air over hyd, is with the single system, you blow a cylinder, line, ect. means no brakes, on a duel system, loose 1/2 means very iffy brakes/stopping, with a proper air brakes system, no air, no go

Other then the above, a hyd. system in good shape will lock up a loaded deuce/5t, can't ask better than that
 

tco3129

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Both the deuce and the 5 ton are real trucks.
They have different characteristics, features and purposes.

I suppose that some will interpret my words as they see fit ....

Given the choice I would take at least 2 of each type of truck!
Agreed. And I'd take a couple myself given the choice and cash. :beer:
 

greenjeepster

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Okay.. here is my piece.

I don't know how many of you have spent a cold morning crawling in the mud adjusting slack adjusters or trying to thaw out an air line so you can move the truck?

I have spent many, so I will stick with my duel circuit hydraulics. Air brakes are great for stopping a 80 K lb truck, which a deuce isn't. They are cool sounding when you pop that parking brake. But just like any other system, they can and do fail. The spring brake backup isn't a guarantee; 100s of accidents every year happen because big rigs loose their braking system.

Blow a treadle valve and you have no brakes and those spring brakes are never going to kick in, pop an air line and it will be a while before the spring brakes kick in.
 
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jesusgatos

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on the road - in CA right now
I don't understand what the big fuss is all about. Personally, I don't care how the brakes are actuated. I care about how well they work. There's absolutely nothing inherently wrong with hydraulic brakes, and there are even a few advantages over air brakes for this type of application. From all the research I've done, HydroMax looks like the hot setup, and that's what I'll be using on mah deuce.
 

hot rod deuce

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If you do some re search you can buy S-cam backing plates that bolt on and will use the standard drum. Its not that complicated. I think you could buy the pads or they may have been discontinued but I found wider ones that could be made to work. IIRC it was about $600 a hole.
 
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