.......... changing the ends of my spades to tow bar ends in fact why not make one set of bars that will work for both? Just change out the ends, it would help on storage and that's always a plus on a wrecker.
Nice idea - though you'd have to come up with something clever for the pintle end of the towbar... I can think on that one - yet another nuisance sketch! Though a double width spade foot would be do-able - triangles stronger than two straight bars, except for a diagonal rear side pull needing one aft and one sideways. Also you'd
maybe have to add side thrust shackle mounts for your front side pull...... Too many questions!
BUT... speaking of saving space/weight... Kind of a thread cross link... "wrecker bed mods" etc.
Question - operationally speaking, how many stabiliser/boom support feet do we need?
When heavy lifting: boom support legs and closest two stabilisers (by the book that is, since the stabilisers don't actually help) - so 4
Slew and lighter lifting : all four stabilisers - so again 4
Yet we carry 6, allbeit that they aren't the same. However, if you were to convert the 4 stabiliser feet to M819 rears (detatchable - just like the boom support ones) and the bottom of the boom legs to match....
A, it would cut down on the two boom support feet and
B, it would clear the side of the front locker for cutting and hingeing.... Ta da - better locker access.
Chew on that one!