Deuce/5 ton ROPS Kit?

[NDT]

In light of the tragic James Ruman/Shootiniron accident 7/1/11, I think we should put our collective minds together and design a roll over protective structure (ROPS) for the Deuce and 5 ton that could prevent future fatalities/injuries from rollovers. The design should clamp to the truck frame behind the cab, be made of thickwall tubing, and should be a kit capable of being welded together by the purchaser. I would imagine every fire dept in the US running these trucks would be a potential customer, in addition to the collector market. Hopefully any members who are mechanical engineers with CAD and FEA tools could help with the design, material selection, bracing, and weld specs. Then members who are in the MV parts business could have these fabricated and do the sales/marketing. I know I would pay $1000 today for a kit. Can we get the ball rolling?

 

[Whitey]

There was a thread on this within the last year. I think the main point that someone pointed out was due to the sheer weight of the trucks the ROPS would require a quite massive amount of metal. This would of course would make it more top heavy than the truck was designed for. However, if a good design was available I'd consider buying one to. I know there was a rollover bar for the Unimog that bolted inside the cab, had headrests and everything.

 

[papercu]

Might want to keep this low keyed right now, if a good ambulance chaser get this case no need to give them any ammunition. Wayne

 

[wreckerman893]

Might want to keep this low keyed right now, if a good ambulance chaser get this case no need to give them any ammunition. Wayne

I would say that there will be a lawyer or two involved before it is over.......from the description of the accident someone has incurred major liability.

 

[Josh]

Id sport a cage like this one.

 

[Flyingvan911]

It sounds like his deuce was hit from behind. From what I read, the 18-wheeler pushed the van into the deuce. Not the deuces fault but the van/suv didn't look damaged enought to force a deuce off the road. Unless he went off the road to try to avoid the accident. There will be a few people looking to make trouble of one type or another but hopefully it won't harm the hobby.

A roll bar is a great idea but it will take some good planing and design work.

 

[tigger]

A car hitting a semi in the steer tire can cause the truck to wreck, i have seen it happen!

 

[EMD567]

I would think a well designed headache rack would provide all the protection needed. Might add 300-500 lbs to the truck. Plus it would keep items in the bed from hitting the cab also.

 

[DieselBob]

That wouldn't help much as far as ROP. If you look at the picture that started this thread the bed is not on the chassis anymore.

 

[EMD567]

The headache rack would have to be attached to the frame, between the cab and the bed. My 814 has about 3 inches between the cab wall and the bed. You could also attach yellow "anti collision" lights to the corners of the rack. That is also where the transfer case hangs off the frame, and the frame has an extra brace at that location.
The 818 would be even easier, as there is no bed to contend with. The 817 has the lip of the dump bed hanging over the cab, so I don't thick it would need one.

 

[DieselBob]

Agreed. You would need to tie it to the frame. I have wondered about this after seeing some pic's of people with rather large and heavy items including vehicles in the bed. That original wood rack and canvas cab cover doesn't offer much protection if something goes wrong.

 

[Mike929]

Agreed. You would need to tie it to the frame. I have wondered about this after seeing some pic's of people with rather large and heavy items including vehicles in the bed. That original wood rack and canvas cab cover doesn't offer much protection if something goes wrong.

I assumed that was part of the reasoning for the storage location of the hoops in the M35A2C. It doesn't offer much more but may stop something light from coming into the cab.

 

[KsM715]

A well built headache rack would help in a slow sideways flop, such as the type Gimp is know for. If there is any forward (or backwards if the truck got spun before rolling) motion a headache rack is not going to do much but just fold over. What ever you would build would need to have some sort of bracing forward or backwards.

I'm usually one to stand and say safety first, and say all accidents are avoidable, such a James accident was, (not by him but by the inattentive drivers) but......... sometimes you have no control over what happens. I will still drive my trucks on the interstate if I have to (I do try to avoid it)

I'll say this. You could build a complete cage that could withstand the forces of a 13K pound truck in a high speed roll (if you think 45mph is high speed) but you could still be killed by post of the guardrail when it comes through your side window as you roll over it.

 

[Westech]

Nothing is fool proof. A DOM wall tube roll cage would help to a point. The only thing that might cause a problem is how much a Deuce frame flexes.

 

[Z71]

Check out the custom ROPS on these 8X8 Tatra trucks:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pJyaDR3M4M[/media]

 

[jleasure]

Might want to keep this low keyed right now, if a good ambulance chaser get this case no need to give them any ammunition. Wayne

What kind of uninformed comment is this supposed to be? The insurance companies certainly already have lawyers and accident reconstructionists working on a theory of liability that supports their position. I suppose that is ok with you.

As a personal injury lawyer, my review of the statements here indicates that one of our own was killed most likely as a result of the negligence of somebody else. Wouldn't you want somebody to help his family? Wouldn't you want somebody to fight for justice for this man? Wouldn't you want somebody to make the insurance companies involved pay fair compensation, rather than the pittance they will likely want to pay? At 50 years old, this man was taken in the prime of his life and likely left a family behind that he supported. Don't you want the best for them? They have already lost a loved one.

What is up with this climate of lawyer bashing? Don't you realize that you have been brainwashed and programmed by corporate America and the insurance lobby into reacting in such a knee-jerk manner? If your loved one was killed as a result of somebody else's negligence, I suppose you would be saying to avoid the lawyers (yeah right).

I hope his family gets a lawyer, and the best one available. I hope they get help. I hope they get fair compensation. I hope they get the satisfaction that somebody cared enough to fight for them.

 

[FMJ]

What kind of uninformed and ignorant comment is this supposed to be? The insurance companies certainly already have lawyers and accident reconstructionists working on a theory of liability that supports their position. I suppose that is ok with you.

As a personal injury lawyer, my review of the statements here indicates that one of our own was killed most likely as a result of the negligence of somebody else. Wouldn't you want somebody to help his family? Wouldn't you want somebody to fight for justice for this man? Wouldn't you want somebody to make the insurance companies involved pay fair compensation, rather than the pittance they will likely want to pay? At 50 years old, this man was taken in the prime of his life and likely left a family behind that he supported. Don't you want the best for them? They have already lost a loved one.

What is up with this climate of lawyer bashing? Don't you realize that you have been brainwashed and programmed by corporate America and the insurance lobby into reacting in such a knee-jerk manner? If your loved one was killed as a result of somebody else's negligence, I suppose you would be saying to avoid the lawyers (yeah right).

I hope his family gets a lawyer, and the best one available. I hope they get help. I hope they get fair compensation. I hope they get the satisfaction that somebody cared enough to fight for them.

Great, make sure you point out all the deficiences of the vehicle the victim was driving, perhaps this will bring it to the attention of the local, state, federal governments that these vehicles are unsuited for the public, or our roadways.

I have no problem going after the person who caused this crash.

What papercu was trying to say is, lets not start a thread with the full name of the victim and then start pointing out the safety problems with the M35. . . .

go chase an ambulance.

 

[hdmax]

I have to agree with jleasure on this, it would be different if it were the fault of the A3 driver, and one was saying not to feed the fire. But this man died because of a mistake by another driver, not because he is a member here, or he likes military trucks!
I have seen wreckage that looked as if no one should have a scratch, yet at least one person dies, and I have seen the opposite hold true. When it is your time to go, you have no control.
I too hope his family get a very good Lawyer, and get something for their pain, loss, and suffering!
May this man rest in peace.

These trucks were designed in a time when speeds were down, safety was much less important, and yet they are still safer in most crashes then many cars and trucks built today. Just not in a roll over!

 

[donttreadonmebmg]

I'll likely never drive my 5 ton on the freeway again.

I usually only drive about 45 mph anyway so I have no need to be on the freeway.
When I make my truck a quad cab it will be fitted with some kind of ROP system! With the truck at 20,000 lbs it will be tough to make one work well.

not knowing the details of the tragic accident I will speculate that the drive of the deuce tried to maneuver out of the way and rolled the truck or something to that affect.
The lesson learned for me is, keep the wheel strait and run the poor bastards over.

 

[jleasure]

OP, I think a ROPS is a good idea. There are plenty of smart and capable people here who could develop such an item. I can't think of any better thing to do, following a such tragedy, than to use it to prevent future tragedies. I guess it is kind of a "lemons to lemonade" approach. I think it would be a fitting tribute to our lost member.