saddamsnightmare
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![Twisted Evil :twisted: :twisted:](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_twisted.gif)
January 31st, 2008.
Gentlemen and ladies:
I desire to place before the group of M35/M818 owners the following questions:
1. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO COME UP WITH A SUBSTANTIAL, HEAVY DUTY REPLACEMENT or a NEWLY ENGINEERED MASTER CYLINDER TO SPLIT THE BRAKES FRONT AND REAR on the deuce to gain a FAIL SAFE CAPACITY??
2. WHICH PARTS MANUFACTURES WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THIS ON, IF THERE'S
ENOUGH INTEREST? WOULD EASTERN, BOYCE & Co. be willing to help underwrite it, in order to be able to upgrade their commercial rebuilds??
3. HOW MANY OF US DUECE/5/10 Ton OWNERS ARE WILLING TO BE COUNTED IN, IF THE UNIT PRICE IS REASONABLE OR COMPARABLE TO SAY, A PAIR OF LOCK-OUT HUBS (NEW)??
ARE WE WILLING TO RISK THE 1951 Design BRAKE SYSTEM IN REGULAR SERVICE? While it was normal in 1951/2 to build heavy trucks with only hand brakes as reserve, IS IT PRUDENT for us to continue to use a system wth no inherent fail safe? DO YOU WANT TO RISK A 13,500LB TARE WEIGHT CAR CRUSHER when the brakes fail? EVEN with maintenance, there is no viable back up on these heavy trucks except an unboosted or inoperative hydraulic brake (compressor failure) or(line or hose failure)?
I treat EVERY STOP AS A POTENTIAL FAILURE, because even with correct maintenance, due to age and materials/design, the potential's always there. IT AMAZES ME that when these trucks went through their MWO's in the late 1980's, early 1990's, Uncle Sam didn't take the opportunity to retrofit these trucks with a better brake system, at small additional cost to the taxpayers to gain more redundancy in normal and combat operations. GRANDFATHERED doesn't feed the LAWYERS nor keep them off your back if you're involved in an accident that would be avoidable with a small outlay in dollars.
WHAT set me to thinking was an article the other day in Steel Soldiers where a gentleman picked up an M105 trailer with his deuce which had developed an air compressor line leak due to abrasion against the headlight bucket, apparently he held enough pressure to run her, but the point was justly made that ANY FAILURE of any BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENT
should be cause to stop the truck and have it repaired or towed due to the lack of redundancy in the design. CAN WE COME UP WITH A MODIFICATION TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY REDUNDANCY???
THE LARGE TYPE IS TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION, It's not bad manners or shouting, I just feel it's important enough for all of use to consider before one of us, our families, friends, and others are injured or killed in an avoidable accident.
By definition, accidents are avoidable, incidents are beyond our control.
PLEASE DO give it some of your time and best thoughts, and please do reply in the Duece or Five/Ten ton columns as necessary or possible. I and others would benefit by the discussion of this critical subject before we get bad press due to an accident, and WE
will get it if we have a visible one. I remain, as always, indebted for the many insights, kindnesses and considerations shown me and my questions by you most learned owners of the Deuces.
I Remain,
Most Sincerely,
Kyle F. McGrogan
1963 Mercedes Benz Unimog S404.114 (Swiss)(Which has a one port master cylinder, but which has a two port as an option- so I'm thinking here too!)
1971 KAiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare", Vietnam and Desert Storm Veteran
Deuce and COLD WEATHER LIZARD!.