The $20 Winter Front for 939's

[Plugugly]

Now that winter is coming to a close, I got a winter front. I'd seen the mil-spec versions and thought they were nice, but I'm frugal. I was on McMaster-Carr, sometimes I like to window shop. I saw they had heavy duty 3' by 3' OD green tarps in flame resistant material. For $13. http://www.mcmaster.com/#7902t211/=w3gpun throw a couple of heavy duty rubber tie downs on the order, (http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/121/1538/=w3gsnm) fold it in half and you've got this:


Those are the two easiest positions, but it's really up to your tie down placement and imagination, there are plenty of places to hook the straps. I zip tied the grommets together on the bottom, I may fasten them a different way so it's easier to spread out flat if I need a ground cloth. I figure it will live in my tool boxes, it might be handy to use it full size for that if I needed it.

There are other winter front threads, most were for deuces, and most had someone selling a more expensive version. I know how this board is about new threads, but I thought it would be bad taste to post my cheap idea next to someone's item for sale. It may even work on a deuce, hopefully someone else will try it and verify if they like it.

Cheers.

 

[machinist75]

Looks good and a good price.

 

[rhurey]

These magnets http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Mag...a_nav_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YY3M0E56KBXC11MJX71 will do an amazing job holding it in place also.

 

[Plugugly]

These magnets http://www.amazon.com/Neodymium-Mag...a_nav_t_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YY3M0E56KBXC11MJX71 will do an amazing job holding it in place also.

It's pretty heavy canvas, but I ordered some and will give them a try.

 

[rhurey]

Be careful with them. Week later the skin they tore off my finger when a couple pinched together is almost healed.

 

[juanprado]

I have for sale canvas shelter halves if anyone is interested in the classifieds. I would be glad to sell individually one half which should do the same trick. One side already has rope attached to the loops.

Genuine US canvas $25 shipped with no poles or pegs.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...P-tents-NEW-complete-25&p=1671185#post1671185

 

[Plugugly]

Be careful with them. Week later the skin they tore off my finger when a couple pinched together is almost healed.

Your warning didn't overcome my stupidity, I am also missing some skin from a finger.

Those magnets are no joke, but the doubled up canvas was too thick for them to really hold it on there. If I was a skilled seamstress I'd sew them into the doubled over edge the tarp already has, but I'm not. The rubber bungees's are effective, I'll see if I want to add them in later. I ordered these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008D6FX9Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 at the same time, thinking I could use the hole in the center to hold a bolt or something. They might be stronger than the ones you recommended, I'm afraid to get a bolt near them, lol. Maybe I can use a stainless 1/4-20 bolt and keep all my digits.

 

[Wildchild467]

Do the winter front covers for the 939 series help them a lot during the winter? Of all the years I have been on this site, I never seem to see many trucks with them on. Do they usually run too cold when it is 20 degrees out or does it help with the cab heater operation? I know the heat (and engine temperature) in my M35A2 is not that great without the winter front cover on when it is even 40 degrees or lower. It will struggle to keep 160 degrees. I thought the thermostats in the 939 series are better than the deuces.

 

[Artisan]

I have only had my 5Ton in single digit weather once.
I was worried about things and I had found a real winter front
and affixed it and the truck kept overheating. FWIW I was running
it on roads and up grades. If you are just putting thru the woods
it might help the heater keep up... Magnets are your friend for
these things.

 

[porkysplace]

Your warning didn't overcome my stupidity, I am also missing some skin from a finger.

Those magnets are no joke, but the doubled up canvas was too thick for them to really hold it on there. If I was a skilled seamstress I'd sew them into the doubled over edge the tarp already has, but I'm not. The rubber bungees's are effective, I'll see if I want to add them in later. I ordered these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008D6FX9Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 at the same time, thinking I could use the hole in the center to hold a bolt or something. They might be stronger than the ones you recommended, I'm afraid to get a bolt near them, lol. Maybe I can use a stainless 1/4-20 bolt and keep all my digits.

Take it to your local shoe repair , they should be able to sew it up fairly cheap.

 

[Plugugly]

Do the winter front covers for the 939 series help them a lot during the winter? Of all the years I have been on this site, I never seem to see many trucks with them on. Do they usually run too cold when it is 20 degrees out or does it help with the cab heater operation? I know the heat (and engine temperature) in my M35A2 is not that great without the winter front cover on when it is even 40 degrees or lower. It will struggle to keep 160 degrees. I thought the thermostats in the 939 series are better than the deuces.

Since my truck is my "get to work no matter what" vehicle, I've driven it multiple times this winter in cold weather. It's done okay without a winter front, cab heat isn't good, but it keeps the windows clear. I didn't expect much heat with a soft top and fit and finish such that you can see daylight in places.

Sitting warming up is where I think I'll like the WF the most, my truck would run 20 minutes on a high idle (~1000rpm) and still not budge the temp gauge much above 160. That's after being plugged in, too. It would go up to 180 and stay there on the road, but I think the cooling system is too efficient even with a functioning thermostat when it's below zero. It's a lot of iron to heat up.

I'm hoping for better warm up and heat when I get in, and maybe better heat when I'm moving but I'm not counting on that. The cab is pretty drafty to think it's going to be cozy at -20 and 55mph. I missed my window for getting it all dialed in, it's warming up here finally.

I played with the magnets and this it would be great if they were sewed into a single layer of the tarp. If two people wanted to get together and split one of those McMastercarr 3'x3' tarps, you could get the magnets sewn in and make two nice covers. I don't have a 5 ton buddy near by to make that really an option.

For me, I like the dual purpose of it as a ground cloth at full size, and with the rubber straps running inside the fold I can pull it from the 90% blockage for warming up to a 60% blockage without even moving the straps. I think that is going to be good enough for me. I'll do something diabolical with those magnets, as soon as the skin on my finger grows back.

 

[greenjeepster]

The magnets are a good idea. I would try cow magnets from the local farm supply store, they are only a couple of bucks and have rounded edges.

 

[rhurey]

The magnets are a good idea. I would try cow magnets from the local farm supply store, they are only a couple of bucks and have rounded edges.

They won't work as well. Their magnetic poles are at the ends, with little holding power along their length.



With the disk magnets the poles are at the flat sizes providing holding power there.