Brackets and Tie Downs on the M109

[1stSarge]

Getting ready to prep for paint and I find myself perplexed by what is on the 109. I have researched and I cannot come up with what this stuff is for.

1. Tie downs. What the heck would be the purpose of tie downs on a 109? I have heard that they exist so that a cover could be thrown over to look like a regular m35 to an observing enemy. But that seems weak, the box is shaped nothing like an m35, and it would take a specially made cover.

2. Ladder brackets. Why are there ladder brackets on the side of the box? To wash the windows? Seriously, were they used to attach something else?

3. Brackets. I have no idea what these things are for. I found a picture that might give some clue (posted here), but these things are thin sheet metal, I cant imagine them holding weight.

I know the large tie point in the center is for lifting. As are the 4 attachment points on the top corners. But these other items are a mystery to me. Any ideas?

 

[doghead]

Somewhere in a parallel universe, on a website called SS, this very same question was posted....

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/31781-m109-brackets-what-they.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/11496-shop-van-bracket-question.html

I found those with an advanced search for"M109 Brackets" in the deuce forum.

 

[1stSarge]

Somewhere in a parallel universe, on a website called SS, this very same question was posted....

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/31781-m109-brackets-what-they.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/11496-shop-van-bracket-question.html

I found those with an advanced search for"M109 Brackets" in the deuce forum.

Eric, before I ever joined SS, I swore YOU would never get me on a search thing. But admittedly, I never found that one, therefore, I now deserve to swear off of MV collecting completely and take up potato farming as my sole entertainment.

Seriously, after reading, the other questions still float, the THEROY is that the upper brackets, might be for a spotlight? But they don’t make sense for a canvas cover as indicated in post # 16 of the first thread. I have seen the second thread you linked.

I guess I can swallow the ladder brackets are to “service” the windows, but that still seems thin to me. And the tie downs?

I don’t have his book, but from what I gather, even David Doyle was not real clear on this one?

 

[Kohburn]

would seem to me like the ladder bracket would give them access to the higher brackets to help installing and removing tall light poles.

 

[doghead]

I now deserve to swear off of MV collecting completely and take up potato farming as my sole entertainment.

Funny you should say that, I sold off the Potato farm, to get into the MV collecting scene....


Seriously, plenty of questions still surround those brackets. We may never know.

 

[jasonjc]

If you look in your frist pic, along the top you can see 5 sets of 4 bolt those are for mounting the top bow corner brakets. Then the cover goes over them. The ladder mount would make this easyer to get to. The 4 "bracket" ARE listed in the parts book as spot light mounts. But I have yet to see the "spot lights". In the book by David Doyle "Standard Catalog of U.S. Military Vehicles" on page 140. Is a pic of a M109 with the cover with a frame that hold it out from the side. That frame has what looks to be 2 bars holding it out. These 2 bar look to be mount to the "spot light" brackets. .

 

[1stSarge]

WOW… all I can say is wow….

That is great. I had resigned myself to watching this thread float silently to the bottom and die.
That is a perfect detailed description. Yup the bolts are there.

Would these be the regular m35 bow corner brackets? And a regular m35 cover?

What do you think the purpose of this setup was?

I’ll email/pm David to make sure this is ok.

Thank you so much, Jason. That was flippin awesome!

 

[Kohburn]

looks lik a setup to be able to open the windows during monsoon season.

 

[1stSarge]

OK, have spoken to David, and technically, we should probably remove the photo from the book from the thread.

As he explained to me, he sold the rights to the book, and therefore is not able to give permission to post anything from it here.

However, he does have the rights to the contents of the book, so he has scanned copies of a couple of pictures that he sent to me to be posted here.

“Splitting hairs but walking the fine line of copyright” as he put it, keeping us here on SS on the up and up.


Thank You David!

 

[1stSarge]

So my next question is, how many of us are looking for a copy of Davids book, and how many of us 109 owners are looking in the classifieds for a set of bows/cover?

 

[zout]

In my universe I found to access the windows the ladder clips work out perfect to get up the side of the box

The other "u" shapped clips are for install of utility lighting brackets and spotlights for the exterior - teh tie downs I removed and have them installed on Dinger65's upper cab rack to tie the tarp down with.

An aluminum ladder is much better to flip around than a steel one - Dinger has the steel and mine is aluminum.

 

[jasonjc]

In the book he said the cover is used as an awning , reducing the temperatures inside the van. As the the cover and bow not shure. It looks like the cover foe a M35. If you look at the tanker deuce M49 or M50 they have a M35 looking bed and stake pockets for the bows and cover. So with all the trucks, with covers, it would be hard to tell whats what.

And on page 139 there is a pic of the M109 with just the bows. If you can find it you should get DD book it has alot of great info , and pic of some of the rare deuce's like the LaCrosse missile launcher truck. Talk about a deuce with some fire power

 

[jasonjc]

Well I see I typed to slow. the pic I was refuring to about the bows, is posted on the 1st page of this thread now
Thanks David