Posted by Paul (in NY) on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 at 5:40PM :
I spent a busy day weighing various components from M-37 / PW/ WC-53.
Thanks to Brain A. Supplying the weight of a M-37 Bed with fender and tailgate
I did not have to lug the bed to the dump to weigh it. Brian's weight on the Complete bed with fenders and tailgate is 495 pounds
The following weights were done on certified scales at our dump;
M-37 Cab (tub) only Totally Stripped 260 Pounds
Weight Power Wagon Front Axle with 900 x 16 NDT's (this is a complete axle with tie rod, drag link, Differential, drum brakes, etc 640 pounds
Weight Power Wagon Rear axle with 900 x 16 NDT tires complete axle with differential 500 pounds.
These weights were very important to me, and may be to others.
1. This winter, I am having all new suspension designed/built for Sweatheart.
Required is Un-sprung weight of front and rear axles (which I now have)
Total weight's are Front axle #3540, Rear Axle #3765 Total 7305 pounds
on her tires. My goal is to end up with better suspension, no worry about fatigued springs, and eliminate the Timbren Helpers in the front. Again, for all practical purposes, PW and WC-53 Axle weights are the same.
2. The weights of the Power Wagon Front and Rear axles compared to a M-37
for all purposes are the same. Now with the bed weight/cab ( other parts Fenders, hood etc ) are easy to weigh. Then I can do testing on
Bandit's ride heigth, drive shaft angle, unloaded and with a projected load I will carry. To make this simple, I am going to put a pallet on the rear of the M-37 frame and load it with bags of wood pellets to equal the bed weight and then continue to my proposed cary load. The front will also be loaded with Pellets to simulate a complete body. I can then see/measure ride heigth, and the drive line angles, remove the pellets and I am in the open for work this winter. If I decide, springs can then be designed and installed in the open.
No Spring Company I have talked with will even consider re-arching the springs and adding or removing leafs. To much danger of fatigue in those old springs. Looks like $350 to 400 per spring for Custom Designed Spring Paks.
Paul
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