Monstermetal
New member
- 6
- 0
- 0
- Location
- Washington
First off I would like to say I kind of understand how it is to deal with someone who wants to play in your hobby but doesn't have a clue. I am a blacksmith by trade, own a fab shop and participate in quite a few other forums and I no longer even look at the "how do I make a knife from a railroad spike" posts because you can only explain and answer silly questions so many times before you crack.... So forgive me for being the clueless new guy.
I do have experience building 4 X 4 rigs and can build anything out of metal (My shop motto is the only thing a blacksmith cant make with metal is money) I have a 6500 sq foot shop with cranes and a forklift and real fab equipment, Im not a back yard wanna be who thinks he is going to set the world on fire with a torch and a 110V welder
So that being said I dont know diddly about military trucks, I'm not a diesel mechanic or any really any kind of mechanic but I am fairly mechanically inclined... Part of the reason I said all that is I am open to some extensive fabrication that you might not recommend to a first time guy.
So assuming the ECU clears I and a friend are the proud new owners of a 1993 M35A3. He has a Unimog and we have talked for maybe a year now about bobbing a deuce. It has seemed like the local GL auctions where mostly 5 ton trucks which I bid on a few until this week a couple M35A3's came up at Ft Lewis... The truck has 3500 miles / 279 hrs and they claim runs so I am hopeful that mechanically there is a minimum amount to do. The plan as it stands is to have a set of springs made and I will fab the hangers and shackles but we also talked about doing a 4 link with coil overs or maybe even airbags... I dont want to go super nuts being a deuce virgin but mostly only because I want to drive the thing this winter.. The thinking on building springs rather than using a reclaimed front set is better ride quality and articulation. we might haul a bit in it but nothing you wouldnt put in a one ton truck so my thought is Id rather spend $600 on custom springs and make them work well rather than having the stiff massive front units. Anyone done custom springs? Also I would just like some tips/tricks from those who have done a few if there are any... Pretty vague I know but as soon as I can get the truck to my shop I want to tear into to it so I figured I better get my head around a plan.. Thanks in advance...
Larry (Monster Metal)
I do have experience building 4 X 4 rigs and can build anything out of metal (My shop motto is the only thing a blacksmith cant make with metal is money) I have a 6500 sq foot shop with cranes and a forklift and real fab equipment, Im not a back yard wanna be who thinks he is going to set the world on fire with a torch and a 110V welder
So that being said I dont know diddly about military trucks, I'm not a diesel mechanic or any really any kind of mechanic but I am fairly mechanically inclined... Part of the reason I said all that is I am open to some extensive fabrication that you might not recommend to a first time guy.
So assuming the ECU clears I and a friend are the proud new owners of a 1993 M35A3. He has a Unimog and we have talked for maybe a year now about bobbing a deuce. It has seemed like the local GL auctions where mostly 5 ton trucks which I bid on a few until this week a couple M35A3's came up at Ft Lewis... The truck has 3500 miles / 279 hrs and they claim runs so I am hopeful that mechanically there is a minimum amount to do. The plan as it stands is to have a set of springs made and I will fab the hangers and shackles but we also talked about doing a 4 link with coil overs or maybe even airbags... I dont want to go super nuts being a deuce virgin but mostly only because I want to drive the thing this winter.. The thinking on building springs rather than using a reclaimed front set is better ride quality and articulation. we might haul a bit in it but nothing you wouldnt put in a one ton truck so my thought is Id rather spend $600 on custom springs and make them work well rather than having the stiff massive front units. Anyone done custom springs? Also I would just like some tips/tricks from those who have done a few if there are any... Pretty vague I know but as soon as I can get the truck to my shop I want to tear into to it so I figured I better get my head around a plan.. Thanks in advance...
Larry (Monster Metal)
![[thumbzup]](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile_thumzup.gif "Thumbs Up [thumbzup]"){kind=icon}
