I'm too tall?

[Samrat]

Hello fellow SS members! I'm in need of advice. I just bought my first military truck this weekend - A M818 5 Ton. I love the truck and love driving it. I had been reading up on them for months prior to my purchase and was expecting the rough ride but what I didn't expect was apparently these trucks were meant for guys 6 foot tall or shorter. I'm 6ft 3in and I can just barely get my feet on the clutch and break pedals. My leg is just too long from my knee to my foot. When I press on the clutch petal my knee is up against the bottom of the steering wheel and my foot has just barely enough room to get on the pedal. Its so close its really doesn't feel safe for me to drive it. It takes much longer to get my foot on the break or clutch than it should - if someone pulled out in front of me and I had to shut it down quickly.

My seat is adjusted as far back as it will go. Is there a way to adjust the pedals so they are not so high off the floor of the truck?

I'm sure others had/have this issue.

Thanks!

 

[Cleveland Iron]

I have a deuce, I adjusted the seat. Put thinner foam in the back cushion. A replacement seat might be a thought.

 

[Samrat]

I have a deuce, I adjusted the seat. Put thinner foam in the back cushion. A replacement seat might be a thought.

Thanks! I had already thought about removing the back cushion and replacing it with bare sheet metal but the older I get the more cushion I seem to need. lol Instead of removing all the cushion I may have to do as you did and put thinner foam on the back.

I was hoping the pedals could be adjusted but another seat may be all that I can do. =/

 

[FMJ]

Is it a spring seat? If so you may try switching to a box seat, it provides more space.

 

[Samrat]

Is it a spring seat? If so you may try switching to a box seat, it provides more space.

Yes, it is a spring seat. Seat height is fine, its the distance between the seat and the dash that needs more space. Would the box seat be narrower than the spring seat?

Thanks!

<edit to add>

What I really need to do is remove the spare tire rack behind the cab and find someone who is the bomb diggity working sheet metal and can extend the cab back a foot! lol

 

[FMJ]

The box seat seems to sit further away from the dash than the spring. I can seriously tell the difference between the 2, and I'm only 6'

 

[camoyj7]

I'm 6'2" I always tear out the back seat foam! It makes a huge difference.

 

[Samrat]

The box seat seems to sit further away from the dash than the spring. I can seriously tell the difference between the 2, and I'm only 6'

Ok, good deal! I may have to go that route. Thanks!

 

[Samrat]

I'm 6'2" I always tear out the back seat foam! It makes a huge difference.

Thanks! I like my spring seat and would prefer to keep it. I will try that first, if that doesn't work I will try a box seat.

 

[FMJ]

The down side is that your sitting on a box with a foam cushion, no spring to absorb the bumps

 

[RustyM923]

Trim the back seat foam out. It's like another 3" of rearward travel. Huge difference.

Not sure if the M818 seat is the same as the M939, but there's someone on here who is modifying the M939 seats soon.

Oh, and yes. You're too tall.

 

[Samrat]

Trim the back seat foam out. It's like another 3" of rearward travel. Huge difference.

Not sure if the M818 seat is the same as the M939, but there's someone on here who is modifying the M939 seats soon.

Oh, and yes. You're too tall.

I think you're right! While driving down the highway with the truck and hitting bumps I thought I was going to put my head through the soft top and look like this:


http://a.gifb.in/052011/reverse-1306319431_cat_sticking_out_head_of_box.gif

 

[Cleveland Iron]

Well, if you want to keep the spring thing and the foam in the back... On the spring seat, the seat base uses a couple of cross pieces that are attached to the positioning rails that sit on the pedestal... You might be able to detach it and move it back on the rails a few inches and drill new holes. Pull it apart and check it out. Might work.

This is shot from behind, you can see the rails the seat base sits on. The shock has been removed from this seat because it was shot. Felt like I was sitting on a pogo stick as I bounced down the road ricocheting from stop to stop.

 

[Samrat]

Thanks CI, I'll look into that! =)

 

[61sleepercab]

I am 6'4" and have a M925 and the transmission shifter column edge bores a hole in the side of my right leg when using a spring seat. I looked and there is no room to move the seat back closer to the cab wall. A thinner back cushion may help some. You might shorten the foot petals height an inch or an inch and one half and reweld the pedals on the stems. You would have to make sure to adjust the free pedal correctly so you have enough pedal travel to fully work brakes and clutch.

There is only two advantages to being tall........... you can reach items on the top shelves................ and you live longer in a flood!!!!!!! Mark

 

[RustyM923]

I think you're right! While driving down the highway with the truck and hitting bumps I thought I was going to put my head through the soft top and look like this:


http://a.gifb.in/052011/reverse-1306319431_cat_sticking_out_head_of_box.gif

I'm about 6'8" tall myself. I fit fine (in the 5 ton)

 

[Recovry4x4]

Trimming the thickness of the seatback cushion helps a bunch and you will hardly notice any change in comfort. The pedals on your 809 series truck do have adjustments on them.....or at least they should. From underneath you can see where the pedal shaft goes through the arm and a bolt secures it. There is a relief in that pedal shaft for the bolt. Most pedals have 2 other reliefs ground into it from the factory. Later model trucks do not. You can either try to scare up a couple of pedals (deuce pedals are the same) or grind in extra notches to lower the pedal height.

 

[jasonjc]

Not 100% sure but on the deuce you can adjust the pedals, on most. I have had them both ways. The shaft of the pedals have notches so you can move them up and down.

 

[Stretch44875]

I'm 6'8, and have to do a couple of mods. Box seat, flip air wiper upside down for better view. As others stated, adjust pedals. When I've driven 800 series trucks, the pedals are too close to the steering wheel. Deuces seem to have more room.

 

[Beerslayer]

I put Bostrum air ride seats in mine; bought them from a salvage yard. Gained about 3" of leg room and one heck of a lot of comfort.