Bridgeplates?

[liljohn]

Anyone have approximate dimensions of bridgeplates for an M35A2? I'd like to have one on mine, figured they look simple enough to make up, just need to know the size.

Brian

 

[Longhunter7]

Brian!

You can purchase one for $15.00 w/numbers at www.militarystencils.com

Look for "additional items" at the home page! That will get you where you need to go! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_big.gif" alt="Big Smile">

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Longhunter7 out!
MVPA #23952
72 AM GENERAL M35A2C w/w

 

[liljohn]

Ah, thanks a bunch! I've got that site bookmarked, but somehow missed that page.

Brian

 

[Longhunter7]

Brian!

I am always happy to help someone spend their money! <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_big.gif" alt="Big Smile"> <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_wink.gif" alt="Wink">

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Longhunter7 out!
MVPA #23952
72 AM GENERAL M35A2C w/w

 

[liljohn]

Ha! And I'm always happy to spend other people's money! My dad's in this case. I'm taking on the restoration project, but it's his truck...

Brian

 

[Loose Deuce]

On those bridge plates, are they just a state side requirement? We didnt have those things on our vehicles in Germany.

 

[Desert Rat]

LD;
Yep state side only for the D.O.T. bridge laws.

 

[liljohn]

DR:

Just to let you know, I cracked open the box with the bridgeplate this past weekend. Didn't get a chance to take any pics, but I'm a happy camper! They need a coat of paint obviously, but I was planning on doing that, anyway. so thanks muchly!

 

[Desert Rat]

LJ;
Glad to be of service! By the way we now have a generator line with competitive pricing too!

 

[Low-Tech-Redneck]

Out of curiosity's sake, can anyone explain how bridgeplates work? I can find plenty of sites that sell old ones or reproductions, and I know where they mount on the deuce' (because ours is missing them) But what do the letters and numbers on them represent?

I imagine it has somthing to do with vehicle weight or restrictions to weight, but can't find anyplace, not even the manuals, that explain it

 

[liljohn]

LTRN,

I this sentance in the markings manual I've posted elsewhere:

All single vehicles with a gross weight of over 3 tons, and all trailers with a rated payload exceeding 11/2 tons, are classified for the purpose of bridge crossing, per FM 5-36.

I haven't seen the manual myself yet, but if I find it I'll let you know! All I know is an empty deuce is 08 - cuz that's all I need to know right now!

 

[Monster Man]

the best way I've seen it described is it "represents the effects of the vehicle on a bridge while crossing it. The effect is a combination of gross weight, weight distribution of the vehicle, speed at which the vehicle crosses the bridge, and the impact loading of the vehicle on the bridge"
(David Doyle)

and from Greensix.org:

What are Bridge plates?
Bridge plates denote the weight class of bridge that the vehicle may cross. Sometime the signs had a number above another number. This mainly applied to cargo vehicles and was the unladen weight bridge class over the fully laden bridge class

For single vehicles

- yellow circular sign with black numerals
- sign is painted or attached to front or side of vehicle below drivers line of vision
- signs on front of vehicle are 9" in diam, side mounted plates are 6" in diam
For combo vehicles (semi-trailer)

- any tow or trailer that operate as one complete unit or rig
- the front plate must have a RED "C" above the bridge class number
- side mounted plates on a combo show separate bridge class numbers on 6" sign
What is the Bridge Classification of my vehicle?
There is an expedient formula to use.....

W = (A*P*N)/2000 where

W = gross weight of vehicle
A = average tire contact area in square inches (tires on hard surface)
P = tire pressure in PSI
N = number of tires

then round the number up to nearest whole number
You can also hazard a good guess by taking the absolute published maximum load for your vehicle in pounds, and rounding that figure up to the nearest ton. So, if your vehicle (presumably a GS model) weighs 13,500 lbs, and is allowed a 2 1/2-ton load - 5,000 lbs (check your manual) - your all-up weight is 18,500 lbs... rounded up to the nearest ton, 20,000 lbs, or 10 tons - Bridge Class 10.

 

[Junkyard Wars Crusher]

For those of you who are decorating your 5-tons, I found this "handy" chart for bridge plates. ("handy" - that is, if you are like me and don't like doing the math):banghead:

Courtesy of the TM 9-2320-211-10-1 (page 1-3):

 

[Opie]

For thos of you following this game from home, the Deuce Operator's Manual (TM 9-3230-361-10) has the bridge classifications for the M44A2 series on page 1-16.

PM me if you want to know your particular classification.

Empty With Payload
M35A2 & M35A2C 6 8
M109A3 7 9
M185A3 7 10

 

[cranetruck]

I have learned from the mil-veh list that when you have a trailer, show the "C" above the number and display the total weight. "C" for combined weight.

 

[OldDominionIron]

For thos of you following this game from home, the Deuce Operator's Manual (TM 9-3230-361-10) has the bridge classifications for the M44A2 series on page 1-16.

PM me if you want to know your particular classification.

Empty With Payload
M35A2 & M35A2C 6 8
M109A3 7 9
M185A3 7 10

should be TM 9-2320-361-10, table 1-5

 

[saddamsnightmare]

January 22nd, 2010.

David Doyle does an excellent explanation of the bridge plates in the markings section of his "Standard Catalog of U.S. Militarty Vehicles" in one of the appendixes. The system was apparently instuituted during WWII so bridge guards and MPs could know if a bridge could take the loaded vehicle. It applies to vehicles over 3 tons weight (tare), and as far as I know, universally applied to all U.S.Army vehicles no matter where they were operational.
My truck operated in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia/Kuwait and Iraq, it has the bridge plates now, although when I got her they were missing, but the woodland green circular ghost on a 686A tan grille guard tended to indicate that she had them in Desert Storm.
The British and dominion forces permanently attached the bridge plates in WWII, and they show up on historic photos of British Army vehicles, I guess we picked them up, like Ike jackets, from HRM forces. The plates reflect either the empty (6), loaded off road (8 or combination "C" plus trailer and truck combined weight (M35A2 (8 + M105A2 (4) equals "C - 12" for a total. My M105A2 carries a bridge weight stencil on the right front corner of "4" from the 102 CBE unit in Okmulgee,OK, it's last military owner. Loaded on road for the deuce should be about 11 tons, so on road combination would be C-15, or thereabouts.


Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan