Convoy Light Mast Dimensions? M35A2

[saddamsnightmare]

December 18th, 2009.


GENTS:

It's a year later, I'm a year older and probably not much wiser, and could any of our members who have convoy lights miounted on GI masts behind the cab get me the outside and inside OD of the bottom half of the mast + it's height, and the top part of the mast OD and height down and up??? Also, what is used to lock the mast in the down and the up position(s), linch pins, cotter keys, bolts?
I may be needing to reproduce one of these to fit a convoy light I have, as I may be making some over the road long hauls with my deuce and I'd really like to not get run over by a Mack truck on the interstate...... No one seems to have a mast they can sell, and being between jobs, I couldn't afford to buy one if my life depended on it, which it may well do the way they drive ariound here!
Any inputs, assistance, or better, duplicate drawings of the kit would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers and a Merry Christmas,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[glcaines]

I have a Deuce with an original convoy light still mounted. It is currently pouring down rain, but as soon as it stops I'll go out and take the measurements for you. I can't tell you the extended height because it is rusted in place in the down position and I have been too lazy to fix it.

 

[73m819]

Tim aka Timstrucks just made some post out of what ever,then painted to match the wrecker, thay look good. ill bet even in the military, thay home made them at times

 

[saddamsnightmare]

December 18th, 2009.

Dear GLCAINES and 73m819.

Thanks for the input when you can get them for me, I can extrapolate the mast height as it has to clear the cargo cover in the up position. The local mechanic who worked at Red River Army Depot says that they fabricated them when they needed them, but he wasn't sure of the od, and he says that they were steel pipe, not tubing. My guess is somethink like a locking linch pin was passed through a hole in the lower mast and used to set and lock the upper mast height. A bolt could do it, but it might not be quick enough to retract the mast below the cargo cover in the event of a low flying tree limb. Here in Texas I have already lost the front roof bow on my Unimog to some of the bizarre height obstructed gates and such they use around here, so i don't want to lose my convoy light that way.

When the weather improves Mr. Caines, I will greatly appreciate your kindness with the dimensions..

Thanks,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[Warthog]

Here you go.....

Bottom portion - 2 1/8"-OD, 1 13/16"-ID, 60" lenght.

Top portion - 1 11/16"-OD, 44 1/4" lenght, support pin holes at 23 7/8" and 26 1/4"

Triangle Light base - 6 7/8"

You raise the light and secure tith thumb screw and pin

Attach to truck with u-bolts and supports on tubing at 2 1/4" and 18 3/4"

 

[Warthog]

More pics

 

[Scarecrow1]

This is related but a some what different question to ask but here it goes . Is it legal to even have a caution light ( witch to me is the same as a convoy light ) running on these trucks ??? The reason I ask is I used to run a wrecker at night with my brother and we had the caution lights on going to a wreck in the pouring rain. I mean it was bad no wonder why the poor guy missed the turn and ended up in someones front yard . Anyway when we pulled up and a highway patrolman jumped our buts with both feet, For having the lights on without having a car hooked up to it . I know the Military does it all the time , but well it's the Military and no one will disagree with them on the issue . I'm not sure if a civilian \truck could do the same .. unless like the state or other commercial vehicels ... It sounds like kyle is in the same shape as me please I can't afford anymore money going out this year......

 

[Capt.Marion]

This is related but a some what different question to ask but here it goes . Is it legal to even have a caution light ( witch to me is the same as a convoy light ) running on these trucks ??? The reason I ask is I used to run a wrecker at night with my brother and we had the caution lights on going to a wreck in the pouring rain. I mean it was bad no wonder why the poor guy missed the turn and ended up in someones front yard . Anyway when we pulled up and a highway patrolman jumped our buts with both feet, For having the lights on without having a car hooked up to it . I know the Military does it all the time , but well it's the Military and no one will disagree with them on the issue . I'm not sure if a civilian \truck could do the same .. unless like the state or other commercial vehicels ... It sounds like kyle is in the same shape as me please I can't afford anymore money going out this year......

Most people tend to use them for parades and such... I agree that I wouldn't have them on during daily driving, but just having them shouldn't be a problem.

 

[scooter01922]

Huh, never saw them as anything but helpful on a deuce. I mean you are driving a big slow moving truck with poor lighting. You would expect the cops to WANT you to have them on.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

December 18th, 2009.

Gents:

WarthogThanks for the Photos, they are most usefull):

Thanks for the photos and the measurements. I can't say what the laws are in other states, and fortunately my deuce has hazard lights, which most do not (older ones), but depending on where I move next, East, North or West, I may be faced with some very long grades in the mountains with a road loaded deuce and M105A2 trailer.
Based on what our M135 and M211's used to do in such conditions, it is highly probable I won't be able to hold 45 MPH on some grades (there are 4 and 5 mile 12% on the interstates in W.Va. (I-64 Anstead Hill)) and a deuce will be an incredibly slow target to almost any vehicle. Compound it with the possibility of running into the snow they are getting in the east, and ask yourself how visible is a 686A tan deuce gonna be, much less a woodland and tan trailer? What about rain and dark? They reduce the visibility also.
I'll take any state troopers attitude versus getting run over under those conditions, as the rule is, more lights the better when you are moving below road speeds, particularly as I don't have clearance or marker lights. The Texans have taught me they don't see the truck in daylight well, I can only assume from what I've seen around here how well they don't see it at night. Besides, How steep are the crossings over the Rocky Mountains if I have to go north and west from Denver? I wouldn't expect a normally aspirated deuce to like crossing high altitude passes with a load and a trailer in tow, and agian, I would not expect 55 MPH on the hills. Heck, here in Texas most roads are 70MPH, even the 2 lanes, and they go like 80, they don't expect a 54MPH deuce even in daylight to be there on the level open areas, much less the small hills.....

Deuces are almostr as good as puncture sticks for slowing up traffic.....


Thanks again,

I'll post photos as soon as I can make up a mast.

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan