Bobbing m35a3 keeping 6x6

[Hoefler]

Steering and handling will be compromised (ever drive a CJ5 and a CJ7). The front will tend to push through corners-understeer. The mid axel will fight hard when turning and will scrub off lots of tire tread. Perhaps if you really wanted to do this, you would make the forward axel more of a tag with the ability to lift it up. You would have a 4x6 with load carrying capacity.
Pete

 

[crazywelder72]

If you were going to do that much work to it, i would forget about the rear leaf springs and airbag it instead. It is going to make for one bouncy ride, you might as well try to eliminate the bounce and improve on it.

 

[offroadexpeditions]

If you were going to do that much work to it, i would forget about the rear leaf springs and airbag it instead. It is going to make for one bouncy ride, you might as well try to eliminate the bounce and improve on it.

I was thinking about removing some leaf springs to make it smoother.

 

[hndrsonj]

Have someone with a M275 talk about it. They are shorter than a M35 I just don't know how much.

They are about a foot shorter. The military did at least 2 prototypes with the shorter chassis and a bobbed box. Look in the Feb 2008 issue of MVM.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There was a black one posted sometime back, just like what you are talking about doing. It had a huge roll bar in the back. I also remember another picture of the same truck, pulling a two-axle camper that had a big lift kit on it, so it would pull level behind the short Deuce.

 

[Recovry4x4]

This one is not photoshopped.

 

[olly hondro]

So is that a tractor w/ shorty bed ?

 

[gunboy1656]

Here is one of a couple threads talking about this. Granted it is an A2, but you get the idea. Can't remember the other threads.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/western-us-chapter/40719-very-short-wb-deuce-5ton.html

 

[caliber1]

So is that a tractor w/ shorty bed ?

That's my guess. Nice looking, I think.

 

[Rambling Wreck]

Ah Ha!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Yes, the one I posted is an M275A2. Wheelbase is 12" shorter than a standard truck. This required a unique under cab fuel tank on the left side. Back of the frame is also shorter to reduce overhang and trailer interference. Bed is shortened deuce.

 

[offroadexpeditions]

Ah Ha!

I think it looks good, and it is very practical.

 

[Rambling Wreck]

The more I look at it the more I see problems with steering. It seems like it would be harder to turn the wheel and that the front end would want to push through the turns. Someone suggested rigging the suspension so that under non-loaded conditions only 1 rear axle bares weight. That would be awesome but seems like way more trouble than it would be worth.

 

[caliber1]

Ah Ha!

See, I think that one is too short. Just my

 

[Hoefler]

Stop parking your duece in the panty wearing parking spot. Leave the axel's where they are-find a different spot to park. Stuff is engineered for a reason-longevity, function and safe operation. These trucks can get out of shape real easy when hitting a rough patch of road at a decent speed. making it shorter will only make it worse. Stock is not a four letter word!

 

[caliber1]

The more I look at it the more I see problems with steering. It seems like it would be harder to turn the wheel and that the front end would want to push through the turns. Someone suggested rigging the suspension so that under non-loaded conditions only 1 rear axle bares weight. That would be awesome but seems like way more trouble than it would be worth.

With the existing suspension, yes. If the axles were totally independant, the front could be unloaded. Some busses are like that for tight turns, some tags lift and some just unload air pressure from the air bags. Hmmm, if someone put a drive shaft disconnect between the rears, kinda like a semi, and had the rear axle lift off the ground while not needed.........like the extra axles on a mini wheeler.

 

[offroadexpeditions]

It looks like the m275's tandem is about 1 fl closer to the front axle, then m35. I might go perhaps a foot further. Then eliminate the rear bumperettes and put there the bumper. It would make the rig 3 ft shorter like other bobbers are.

 

[Rambling Wreck]

Stop parking your duece in the panty wearing parking spot. Leave the axel's where they are-find a different spot to park. Stuff is engineered for a reason-longevity, function and safe operation. These trucks can get out of shape real easy when hitting a rough patch of road at a decent speed. making it shorter will only make it worse. Stock is not a four letter word!

Respectfully, I think it is up to each owner to decide what they want to do with their MV. That is, as long as it isn't impeding on someone else's rights, breaking any laws, or putting anyone unnecessarily in harms way. There are purist who will always want to leave things the way they are, but I don't see the challenge or fun in that. I certainly don't buy into the notion that things can't or shouldn't be improved upon. If that were true we would all still be driving Model T's. There have been a plethora of people who have bobbed their deuces and 5-ton's or made other major modifications, and from what I read most are happy with their decision. The parking and panties thing, well, it isn't feasible to do what you suggest and find another place to park. You see, I have a place to park my truck when I'm not using it, but the problem is that, living just outside of Atlanta, there are many times that I would like to take the deuce somewhere but I don't because parking would be an issue.

I got my truck because I wanted something cool to tailgate with and because I wanted something to do some serious tinkering with. Just maintaining my truck doesn't quite satisfy the tinkerer in me and that is why I am always thinking about modifications and reading threads like this. Again, I really think we should each have the freedom to do with our vehicles as we please, so long as it doesn't put anyone else in undo danger, break any laws, or impede on anyone else's rights.

 

[Hoefler]

Looks like the most engineered way to solve this issue is to consider what I have suggested earlier-tag the front axel. Just use a push up air bag and a push down one for the suspension.
A super short tandem truck over a set of rail road tracks may very well send you into the oncoming path of a minivan full of kids.
I have both an M35A3 and an M36A3. The short truck gets out of shape occasionally over a rough set of tracks near my place. The long truck-much better. The long one seems to tight turn better just not shorter.
Pete

 

[Rambling Wreck]

Looks like the most engineered way to solve this issue is to consider what I have suggested earlier-tag the front axel. Just use a push up air bag and a push down one for the suspension.
A super short tandem truck over a set of rail road tracks may very well send you into the oncoming path of a minivan full of kids.
I have both an M35A3 and an M36A3. The short truck gets out of shape occasionally over a rough set of tracks near my place. The long truck-much better. The long one seems to tight turn better just not shorter.
Pete

That makes very good sense. I think I am back in the bobbing mindset now though because I'm not sold on how the shortened truck looks. I also don't want to have to place the fuel tank in the bed. However, I truly appreciate these conversations because they really make my think through how I would do it.