Un-bob a deuce

[kastein]

aren't you the professional engineer and welder or something? Butt welding a frame is the absolute worst idea ever IMO, you better be planning on fish plating it at the very least even if it is past the suspension. I would not put any kind of load in the rear of the bed or tow anything with it otherwise. You may not be planning on doing this, but leaving a vehicle in stock-looking-but-deathtrap-if-you-try-to-use-it condition is just a terrible idea.

 

[paulfarber]

No one has done it because its cost prohibitive at this point. Why would anyone buy a 6-10K dollar truck to convert it into a $3500 truck? If you really prefered 6x6 over 4x4 its way easier and cheaper to just go buy a 6x6.

Danger Ranger stuck up for you and now it looks like your just trying to stir the pot.


Edit: If you can find an authentic XM-381 go for it, its your truck, but its been made painfully clear that you are not here on SS to make friends.

Who pays $6-10K for an M35a2? An A3. Its NOT CHEAPER to buy as new truck. My truck cost $1500 off the Mecanicsburg lot.

There ARE NO XM-381s. It was a prototype that never got to any sort of production.

Most people seem to be missing the fact that this would be un-bobbed many years down the road.

The cut is after the suspension parts, and at best I would lose the ability to tow rated load.... but with proper gussets and a good weld I can't see it NOT handling an empty M105 trailer.

Welding a frame is not bad ju-ju... its just got to be done right. My jeep has some pretty horrid FACTORY welds on the frame. 60+ years later it has not snapped, warped, broken or exploded.

 

[Bolkbich]

welding the frame is no big deal when done correctly. alot of the trucks i work with are tandems converted to tri axles. they weld an extension rail (double frame)on each side ,plate it good and its workable(with 28 tons in the body). these trucks have big hitch plates and they pull 25 ton trailers. when the body is almost all the way up and the load hasnt broken free from the body there is a huge load on the tail of the truck and they perform fine. if you want a tandem ..do it... do it right... and pull your trailer

 

[Mongo]

The cut is after the suspension parts, and at best I would lose the ability to tow rated load.... but with proper gussets and a good weld I can't see it NOT handling an empty M105 trailer.

Welding a frame is not bad ju-ju... its just got to be done right. My jeep has some pretty horrid FACTORY welds on the frame. 60+ years later it has not snapped, warped, broken or exploded.

So if you already knew the answer, why did you ask the question?

 

[frodobaggins]

So if you already knew the answer, why did you ask the question?

The only question he asked was "Has anyone done it?"

 

[Mongo]

Then I stand corrected.

 

[KsM715]

Who pays $6-10K for an M35a2? An A3. Its NOT CHEAPER to buy as new truck. My truck cost $1500 off the Mecanicsburg lot.

There ARE NO XM-381s. It was a prototype that never got to any sort of production.

Most people seem to be missing the fact that this would be un-bobbed many years down the road.

The cut is after the suspension parts, and at best I would lose the ability to tow rated load.... but with proper gussets and a good weld I can't see it NOT handling an empty M105 trailer.

Welding a frame is not bad ju-ju... its just got to be done right. My jeep has some pretty horrid FACTORY welds on the frame. 60+ years later it has not snapped, warped, broken or exploded.

You asked if anyone has UN-bobbed a truck. In order to do that one must either buy a deuce, bob it, then un-bob it. If someone were to do that I would call them stupid. If someone wanted to unbob a bobbed truck that they bought, well thats where I came up with the 6-10 grand. Thats what most bobbed trucks are selling for right now. I did not say a M35a2 cost 6-10k.

 

[paulfarber]

I can see some very real economic gains.. fewer tires to replace, better MPG, tolls would cost less, less maintenance for rear suspension.

I can see some negatives... losing 6x6 is about all I can come up with. This truck is mainly for winter driving. I still need to winterize it, but in PA I can't see a cheaper or better vehicle to start with.

Bobbing it would also reduce some legal issues (IFTA being the biggest).

I am on the fence... it really does bother me that I would be chopping up a 1966 M35a2 and an 1968 M105A2.... but having a path to restore them is another 'plus'.

I would never bob my 43 CCKW.

 

[gunboy1656]

If your worried about the extra axle, why not just take out and axle and leave it full sized. Would be easier to restore down the line.

 

[frodobaggins]

Good idea or not, I don't think anyone has done it, but I don't see any roadblocks on what you want to do if you decided to do it. Proper bracing and it should be fine.

 

[kastein]

If your worried about the extra axle, why not just take out and axle and leave it full sized. Would be easier to restore down the line.

On the deuce rear suspension this would result in some real problems, I would probably do everything to bob the truck except modify the frame and replace the bed, i.e. just change the suspension and pull the extra axle. It might look a little funny but it will have all the savings and all the benefits of being able to restore it to almost original condition (except for bolt/rivet holes in the frame, etc.) You'd even keep your cargo carrying space, just lower weight+towing capacity.

 

[A/C Cages]

I saw a pic once of an unbobbed dually. That was a strage looking truck with 6x6.

 

[A/C Cages]

Well it wasnt unbobbed, but you know what I mean and I figured I better correct myself before everyone jumps all over me about it. lol

 

[197thhhc]

I personally dont think bobbing a deuce is any different than modifying a 69 camaro. Its yours to do with as you please. I dont think vehicles should be art, they should be used. There are a ton of deuces out there. In the case of our latest restobob project we took a deuce that was sold by the govt in the late nineties it was parked at a guys house for 8 years or so and then sold again. Then it sat for several more years, all that time just slowly decomposing. Would it have been better to let it rot away in its unmolested non bobbed state or is it better to give it a new life. This is my opinion I dont think bobbing then at a later date unbobbing would be a big deal.