M 37 bed removal/ valve settings

[Kaiser2boy]

I will try to conserve time here.
First question. Can the M37 cargo bed be removed w/o removing the entire cargo body?

Second question. What is the setting for valve clearance ?

Sooner or later I guess I will need to pick up a book but for right now I am depending on the good nature of fellows like you. Thank you.

[Wulfman]

Don't Think so

Having just pulled my cargo bed apart, I don't see how you can get to the floor pan w/o completely disassembling. Mine hadn't been apart since it was put together at the factory so every screw that attached the pan to the X members had to be ground off and darned near every bolt had to be cut off as well.

I'm assuming of course that you just want to get to the floor (pan) of the bed.

[Kaiser2boy]

Having just pulled my cargo bed apart, I don't see how you can get to the floor pan w/o completely disassembling. Mine hadn't been apart since it was put together at the factory so every screw that attached the pan to the X members had to be ground off and darned near every bolt had to be cut off as well.

I'm assuming of course that you just want to get to the floor (pan) of the bed.

Yes that was my plan. The bed has some rust through, the rest of the truck looks fine. It looks like a battery or some such thing had been sitting in one spot and ate away a section of the bed.
Also it looks like it was replaced at some point as it is in two sections that have been welded at a seam.
I have started grinding off the heads of as many of the bolts as I can. I tried to drill them but who ever did it last time used hard bolts with a fine threads and they wont drill out they just get the drill bit hot.
My plan is to get the bolts off then slice the bed in half length wise and work it out from there.
Thats the plan ,how it will work out,,,I dont know.
I am toying with the idea of a wooden plank bed. I know I know shame on me . I have not done it yet , just thinking about it.

[Wulfman]

The floor of the bed is two pieces of steel seam welded together. The seam runs right down the middle, 4 ribs from the left or right so that's factory. The floor is also not only screwed but also bolted all the way around the perimeter so even if you cut it, you will still have to remove the fender(s) and the front of the bed to get the piece out intact. Keep grinding.

[Charles Talbert]

I will try to conserve time here.
First question. Can the M37 cargo bed be removed w/o removing the entire cargo body?

Second question. What is the setting for valve clearance ?

Sooner or later I guess I will need to pick up a book but for right now I am depending on the good nature of fellows like you. Thank you.

Valve setting, latest book says, intake .015", exhaust .015". I think that is a little loose based on our experience here. We use intake .010", exhaust .015" if using all new or resurfaced valve train components. If the engine has appreciable miles on it, then the "indent factor" comes into play. The setting needs to be .001" tighter for both intake and exhaust to overcome the indent issue. You can search some past post for much greater detail on this subject.

[Kaiser2boy]

Once again , Thank you.
I have managed to grind, drill, chew,& dig out all the bolts from the bed and around the fenders and walls.
It seems like it will come out after I rip it in two.
Glad I started on this because as I peek under there I see a few unhappy things like nylon tie's in place of bolts holding the gas tank strap.
This thing is starting to turn into what happens to me with plumbing jobs. The more I fix the more I need to fix. But God willing I have time to do it.

[Bruce]

I used a torch, kroil & drilled several out. I used two beds to make one good/great bed.
All I can say is take your time.This is where I am now, my bed is painted two coats, top & bottom.

[Kaiser2boy]

Hmmm. Looking at your photos I see something that made me stop.
The shot of your red primer bed has all the bolt holes that mine has all in the same spots. Thats good.
However I am looking at my bed and it has two huge carrige head bolts going through the bed to a heavy cleat that is tied to the frame.
The bolts I am talking about are about 1 inch in diam. and located just inside the bed near the front of the wheel wells. One on the left and one on the right.
I see no such holes on your bed.
Am I just not seeing the holes in your bed or do I have some sort of problem. Oddly the bolts on my bed look new. Looking from the botton I can see they are clean as if they were put on not long ago.

[Bruce]

Not Sure

There are four bed bolts, two midships of the wheel wells, the other two are in the rear, they go through the valence, just above the rear cross member. These bolts are big, but not that big, maybe 5/8 wide, two are about 5 " the other two are 3". What year is your rig, mine is a fidy-three, the donor bed is a fidy-four.

[Kaiser2boy]

Mine is a 53 also. And I see what you are talking about.
I guess I am lucky that they look like new and will come out with out too much grief.
While I have ya here have you ever paid any attention to the yellow placard on the front?
Every one I see indicates 04. The one I have says 04, the one you show in the photo says 04. What does 04 stand for?

[Bruce]

Bridge Plate

Or Placard. The # designates how much weight the vehicle has on board, the 4 means a trailer; ie an M-101 is in tow, w/ the letter "C" over the # means the vehicle is part of a convoy.
In Europe and South East Asia, all bridges were designated as to their weight limits. I also have one on my passenger door.
If I got some of this info wrong, others will chime-in w/ the correct info I'm sure?
Did that make sense?
BTW, the marker comes as a kit, usually od in color, Rick Larson has 'em.

[Kaiser2boy]

Yes it makes sense. When I was in the army I drove an M37 and was the radio operator, O-5C20 operating an ANGRC19 monster radio.
We had a yellow placard on it that said 45 ? I never knew what it ment and at the time did not care.
The truck I now have has a yellow pllacard with "C" over 04. I was playing with it and pulled off the top part with the "C" and all the rest of the numbers hit the floor like a deck of cards. Now 50 years later I felt it might be good to know what it means.
Thanks.

[Bruce]

Bridge Plate

Found one on epay, George Mainieri of Vermont Comm'l Salvage has it listed, right now it has 4 bids & it's already up to fidy$'s.
They used to go for 15-17 $'s. Call Rick Larsen; www.milstencil.com
or any reputable dealer, they can do a better price, I'm sure?
BTW, Rick will also have all of your decals and the bridge plate door marker.

[Kaiser2boy]

Bed removal update.
Well after chewing out the last rusted bolt and sliceing the old bed in two it came right out with a few love taps with a 2 pound hammer. I wont go into how much black crap I hacked up from berathing in all the grinder dust.
Anyway I noticed that the entire gargo body moved when I leaned on it. This did not seem right. After a bit of investigating I found that two of the larger bolts that hold the cargo body on were missing. I removed two from about midship by the wheel wells. The midship bolts were only hand tight and looked new. Real odd. The front two were missing and from the amount of dirt in the holes they have been missing for a long time.
The good part is that there is only minor rust in a few spots that only need a wire brush and some EXTEND rust killer.
Point of interest, under the bed in one on the support beams I found part of a leather strap with a small brass clip from some ones helmet. I hafta wonder how it got there.