My M35A2 BUILD (I know there has to be thousands of these by now)

[jimm1009]

Gee thanks guys. I have been without a Deuce for 5 years and after reading this thread I can no longer sleep at night. All I see is me behind the wheel of a W/W truck on a hunting trip with my son. Kidding of course. I can not think of anyone more deserving of a beautiful truck like this than a man that drove one or was around one while on active duty. This is not to disparage someone that was never in the military but you vets should be first in line and drive them till the wheels fall off. LOL
Sending you a PM MRMAG1. Need parts information.
Jim (jimm1009)

 

[Mrmag1]

Jim if you need a guy who has parts etc hit up Jason at https://m.facebook.com/jsmotorsandfabllc/
He can help you out.

 

[Mrmag1]

Well I replaced all the seatbelts with a brand new kit for a 5 ton from Fuzzytoaster. I painted all the troop seats and cleaned her up for the Veterans Day Parade. I also installed a cb antenna mount for a fire stick antenna. As PCS season is half a year away I still feel under the gun th figure out the jib crane question. What crane to get? Are ramps a better option? Etc etc.... Loading large rifle safes in this girl is gonna suck no matter how I go about it.

 

[59apache]

It depends on....for temporarily use a small electric winch and ramps are ok, not optimal but ok. A pickup crane would be better.
OR :
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?96599-Deuce-Bomb-Crane

 

[Mrmag1]

I need to maximize space remaining in the bed as I would need the room to dity move.

 

[59apache]

What about flush mount a pickup crane? you can remove it and with winch you have enough lifting height.

 

[Mrmag1]

Something that can pick up and swing a 600lb safe into the bed, jib crane seems like the ticket. Unfortunately most of them for bed mounting have horrible reviews.

 

[clinto]

Well I replaced all the seatbelts with a brand new kit for a 5 ton from Fuzzytoaster. I painted all the troop seats and cleaned her up for the Veterans Day Parade. I also installed a cb antenna mount for a fire stick antenna. As PCS season is half a year away I still feel under the gun th figure out the jib crane question. What crane to get? Are ramps a better option? Etc etc.... Loading large rifle safes in this girl is gonna suck no matter how I go about it.

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?11516-Crane-Ideas&p=109819&viewfull=1#post109819 <---- discussion and pics of various bed mounted cranes

So, here's the problem with all of the various cranes you can mount in these trucks: you have to build a really serious support system under the bed floor because the loads that the crane will impart to the floor will bend it and break it, even if you use the under-floor angle iron braces that most of these cranes come with.

It is such a problem that I have forgone having one of these in my truck, even though it would be really useful. I think if you are really serious about a crane, I'd get a piece of 1/2" thick steel and cut it where to can lay flat under the bed floor and tie in as many sides as possible to the bed crossmembers, inner bed frame, outer rail, etc.

On your gun safes, a crane won't cut it. The crane will likely run out of vertical travel before the bottom of the safe clears the bed floor.

People have made ramps for the deuce, but the issue becomes height, length, weight, breakover angle, etc. A ramp that is light enough for you to move it by yourself is going to be short. And the deuce bed is so high, the angle going up the ramps will be steep, really steep. You won't be able to move a safe up the ramps.

If you don't have access to a forklift, skid steer, etc., then I'd put a civvy trailer hitch on the truck and just buy one of those cheap 12' tandem axle utility trailers. They're low to the ground and have a ramp so you can handtruck or roll stuff up the ramp.

0

 

[Mrmag1]

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?11516-Crane-Ideas&p=109819&viewfull=1#post109819 <---- discussion and pics of various bed mounted cranes

So, here's the problem with all of the various cranes you can mount in these trucks: you have to build a really serious support system under the bed floor because the loads that the crane will impart to the floor will bend it and break it, even if you use the under-floor angle iron braces that most of these cranes come with.

It is such a problem that I have forgone having one of these in my truck, even though it would be really useful. I think if you are really serious about a crane, I'd get a piece of 1/2" thick steel and cut it where to can lay flat under the bed floor and tie in as many sides as possible to the bed crossmembers, inner bed frame, outer rail, etc.

On your gun safes, a crane won't cut it. The crane will likely run out of vertical travel before the bottom of the safe clears the bed floor.

People have made ramps for the deuce, but the issue becomes height, length, weight, breakover angle, etc. A ramp that is light enough for you to move it by yourself is going to be short. And the deuce bed is so high, the angle going up the ramps will be steep, really steep. You won't be able to move a safe up the ramps.

If you don't have access to a forklift, skid steer, etc., then I'd put a civvy trailer hitch on the truck and just buy one of those cheap 12' tandem axle utility trailers. They're low to the ground and have a ramp so you can handtruck or roll stuff up the ramp.

0

If the safes are on there back it won't matter much, the plan was to weld a plate under the bed that is welded to the frame/ bed supports to keep it from breaking the bed. Now a trailer is probably gonna happen as well. Yeah I have 12' of bed space but not a lot of height in there with the cover on, and well you need to cover when you're moving just in case of weather. it all wouldn't be much of a problem if I lived alone but families happen so yeah lol.

 

[59apache]

a crane with a winch would help
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200672545_200672545

 

[reloader64]

Mrmag1,
Which Veterans Day parade will you be attending? In Killeen, or are you driving down to Austin? There is also a parade in Cedar Park on Saturday, the 10th.

Scott
Lone Star MVPA
lonestar-mvpa.org

 

[Mrmag1]

I got invited to go to Ceder park by a MVPA member. I turned in a application with Killeen but they haven't gotten back to me in over a week.

 

[reloader64]

I will be in Cedar Park, driving my M813. Looking forward to meeting you.

Scott

 

[Mrmag1]

I will be in Cedar Park, driving my M813. Looking forward to meeting you.

Scott

See you then

 

[nchittendon]

I'm not sure how much off roading you will be doing, but I'm guessing not much with that beauty.

This was an idea that i really liked for mounting a spare:

 

[Mrmag1]

She may be pretty but she's mean and green and will go anywhere. She ain't no show truck.

 

[nchittendon]

I only mentioned off roading because of the possible clearance issues with that front spare tire carrier.

 

[Mrmag1]

Oh tracking, well I think I am going to stay away from that build.

 

[nchittendon]

Oh tracking, well I think I am going to stay away from that build.

I'm in the same boat. I was going to mount a 46" tire/rim in the bed of the truck, but fighting it in and out of there in a time of need (more than likely a time that the bed is stuffed full) would be a PITA.

I saw this picture a while ago and archived it on my hard drive. Thought it was a unique way to mount the spare tire (especially since he has added another tank as you want to).

After much thought, and the current modifications I'm doing to my truck I decided that I'll probably end up mounting a spare onto my M105 trailer which will be with me anytime I leave town. Otherwise, I can call any number of people to run to my house and grab it for me if needed.

Thought about a roof mount too, but I don't have a crane or plans for one. So that's out.

 

[Mrmag1]

I thought I was they only one doing that, I have a folder on my desktop of all the build ideas I ran across on here.

I'm getting there on some of them but maintenance and safety upgrades are coming first. As the time for my next PCS approaches I am gearing up to drive from TX to GA, thus the truck needs to be in tip top shape for a 18hr drive. So much to do so little time...