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cant fit in m35a3, too tall, feel cramped.

supeman100

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Austin Texas
looking at buying a bobbed m35a3, but when I go and sit in it the steering wheel touches my lap and the peddles are so high I have to pull my leg up to press it, making it unsafe and almost undrivable. I'm 6'2 210lbs is there any way I can modify it to make it more comfortable? how does the average guy supposed to fit in one of these?
any suggestions will help!
 

sandcobra164

Well-known member
2,999
295
83
Location
Leesburg, GA
I have a buddy who is 6,3 or 6,4 that uses an A2 as a daily driver with a box seat. It has no rebound and he's fine with it and loves the truck. I guess the other question in response would be, do you want the truck? I'll offer an Olive Branch of sorts. I ran short of time helping a buddy today and had another job scheduled to help another friend and I had to be a father and babysit my boy's. While keeping my Wife's Tahoe would have made more sense, I let her take it and I drove my 93 Eclipse instead. Booster seats installed makes for somewhat short space even for me at 5'9¨ in that car but at the end of the day, we got the job done. If you don't like the truck, don't buy it. The 939 series trucks are wider but won't help your long legs much and the FMTV's seem to work good for us shorter folk's as well. The Military sizes stuff up to the average person and I'm lucky that I fit in that crowd as I fit in all of their contraptions. No disrespect intended, some folks grow longer legs. I wish I had those longer legs when I take a PT Test but I have what I have.
 

welldigger

Active member
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Location
Benton LA
You could probably find a brake pedal from an a2. The non airforce trucks have shorter pedals. You can also swap the drivers seat with a hmmwv seat base and adjust it down. The A3 driver's seat is a bit taller than standard deuce box seats. Also an a3 driver's seat fits right on the hmmwv base. You may have to fab a simple adapter plate to make the base mount to the floor.
 

rustystud

Well-known member
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Location
Woodinville, Washington
You can also adjust the brake and clutch height. Under the floor you will see how to adjust it, it is pretty simple. Just make sure you have enough throw on the clutch pedal to completely release the clutch !
 

welldigger

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A3 pedals are in fact longer or taller than most a2 pedals. Even on the lower notch they are still pointlessly tall. A3's usually don't have a clutch pedal either.
 

Mike929

Member
820
22
18
Location
DFW, Tx
You can also adjust the brake and clutch height. Under the floor you will see how to adjust it, it is pretty simple. Just make sure you have enough throw on the clutch pedal to completely release the clutch !
My older 1972 M109 had adjustments, my 1987 M35A2 Air force truck did not. After driving the M109, I immediately modified the Air Force truck so I could adjust the pedals down a notch like the older trucks allowed by design. (Ref. the pictures in the link above.)

I am also running HMMWV seats which make a big difference. Here are some pictures I had. I actually riveted mine into the floor, but same idea.

Lastly, I allow my leg to come up to the side to work around the steering wheel.

Only problem I have now is seeing out the front windshield because the wiper motor sticks down so low it blocks my ability to look straight out the window.

I'm 6'3" and 300 lbs, so if I can fit, anyone can fit in a deuce. :)
 

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peashooter

Well-known member
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205
63
Location
Hanover, minnesota
I'm 6'3" and it is a tighter fit for my legs. I put an air ride bag in my springer seat in place of the spring so I can control the height a bit with air pressure. That helped a fair amount. I also got a smaller 18" steering wheel for it but the A3 trucks should already have the smaller steering wheel, you may want to measure it just in case (a2=20", a3=18").
 

John S-B

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Ostrander, Ohio
The guys that design military vehicles are all about 5' 2" tall. Nor do they have any common sense when it comes to ergonomic design.
 

Smokinyoda

Member
657
8
18
Location
Franklin, NC
Im also 6'3 and have no problems driving an A2. Yea its a tight at first but you get used to it. My first time driving one was when I picked up my very first several years back, and then drove it home 400 miles. Stock bench (no spring) with no turbo... Was a long long trip, but ever since I have been hooked! Hang in there, you'll get used to it!:driver:
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,280
2,988
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
My older 1972 M109 had adjustments, my 1987 M35A2 Air force truck did not. After driving the M109, I immediately modified the Air Force truck so I could adjust the pedals down a notch like the older trucks allowed by design. (Ref. the pictures in the link above.)

I am also running HMMWV seats which make a big difference. Here are some pictures I had. I actually riveted mine into the floor, but same idea.

Lastly, I allow my leg to come up to the side to work around the steering wheel.

Only problem I have now is seeing out the front windshield because the wiper motor sticks down so low it blocks my ability to look straight out the window.

I'm 6'3" and 300 lbs, so if I can fit, anyone can fit in a deuce. :)
My 1988 M35A2C has the adjusters. I guess you just never know what you'll get with these trucks !
 
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