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This is going to be long and in depth so bear with me.
I recently purchased a “New basic Hard Top Overhead Console for M939 and M35 military vehicles” from Those Military Guys (TMG).
(screenshot of the product)
(Now let’s not get bogged down by the fact that its M44 series not M35) I own a 1971 M35A2 with a standard issue hardtop, no mods, not fiberglass, not after market, a hardtop like many of your own.
My hard top secures to my body like everyone else’s does, two bolts above either wiper motor (air style), two outside bolts at the outside corners of the outer windshield frame and the dozens that hold the rear of the hardtop to the back of the tub. What my M35 and all stock M35s lack is two welded brackets that have J hooks going through them like the 900 series trucks have to hold down the hard top. This is only ONE of the mounting problems I have with this overhead console, as this item came with no instructions, mounting hardware or a way to secure the front of the mount to the hard top.
(screenshots of TMG setup and what the J hooks look like)
Now in TMG’s defense the mount does in fact attach to the rear of the hardtop with preexisting bolts that hold the two hardtop pieces together. Too bad the support bar at the middle rear of the hardtop gets in the way and the mount holes are so close to the frame of the console you can’t get a socket or box wrench over the bolt to tighten it up (I used a pair of vice grips, I know that was a bad move but at this point I was very frustrated).
Now I did contact TMG by email and called to address the situation, I was told that I should have the J hooks and that they didn’t understand that M35 trucks do not have them. (I emailed them pictures and diagrams from the -20 from 1991 showing them they didn’t exist).
Now I said I would not be returning the product because I had stupidly started drilling and mounting my power inverter to it, no refund was offered by TMG but they did offer to make me an adapter and give me a quote for it. That’s right they wanted me to PAY THEM MORE MONEY to fix what was falsely advertised to work. After it was all was said and done they asked me that if I found a fix to let them know so they could use it…….
Side note to this, before I called them and before I got any more upset, I consulted my TMs and called experts. Now when I say experts I mean guys who have rebuilt and modified hundreds of these trucks over the years. I talked to my friend a retired Army CW3 that was a maintenance warrant that joined back in 72’ as a PVT turning wrenches on these babies, he knows everything about every service upgrade to my truck that the Army did and the size of darn near every bolt on her. Not a single person I asked said that a M35 or any of the variants in the M44 series of trucks had these J hooks.
Now I have tried to readdress the issue with TMG before posting my experience with them but my phone calls go unanswered. I even suggested revising the listing as it was misleading but it’s still up so I guess I was ignored.
This is not to slam them, this is not to start stuff with them, this is to inform everyone on here that this product from TMG will NOT work for your M44 series truck. I know I will not get this resolved, I do not intend legal action as it’s for a $110 part. I am not calling for a boycott or telling you to stay away from them all together, this is to inform others that this product may not or will not work with your M44 series truck.
I recently purchased a “New basic Hard Top Overhead Console for M939 and M35 military vehicles” from Those Military Guys (TMG).
(screenshot of the product)(Now let’s not get bogged down by the fact that its M44 series not M35) I own a 1971 M35A2 with a standard issue hardtop, no mods, not fiberglass, not after market, a hardtop like many of your own.
My hard top secures to my body like everyone else’s does, two bolts above either wiper motor (air style), two outside bolts at the outside corners of the outer windshield frame and the dozens that hold the rear of the hardtop to the back of the tub. What my M35 and all stock M35s lack is two welded brackets that have J hooks going through them like the 900 series trucks have to hold down the hard top. This is only ONE of the mounting problems I have with this overhead console, as this item came with no instructions, mounting hardware or a way to secure the front of the mount to the hard top.
(screenshots of TMG setup and what the J hooks look like)Now in TMG’s defense the mount does in fact attach to the rear of the hardtop with preexisting bolts that hold the two hardtop pieces together. Too bad the support bar at the middle rear of the hardtop gets in the way and the mount holes are so close to the frame of the console you can’t get a socket or box wrench over the bolt to tighten it up (I used a pair of vice grips, I know that was a bad move but at this point I was very frustrated).
Now I did contact TMG by email and called to address the situation, I was told that I should have the J hooks and that they didn’t understand that M35 trucks do not have them. (I emailed them pictures and diagrams from the -20 from 1991 showing them they didn’t exist).
Now I said I would not be returning the product because I had stupidly started drilling and mounting my power inverter to it, no refund was offered by TMG but they did offer to make me an adapter and give me a quote for it. That’s right they wanted me to PAY THEM MORE MONEY to fix what was falsely advertised to work. After it was all was said and done they asked me that if I found a fix to let them know so they could use it…….
Side note to this, before I called them and before I got any more upset, I consulted my TMs and called experts. Now when I say experts I mean guys who have rebuilt and modified hundreds of these trucks over the years. I talked to my friend a retired Army CW3 that was a maintenance warrant that joined back in 72’ as a PVT turning wrenches on these babies, he knows everything about every service upgrade to my truck that the Army did and the size of darn near every bolt on her. Not a single person I asked said that a M35 or any of the variants in the M44 series of trucks had these J hooks.
Now I have tried to readdress the issue with TMG before posting my experience with them but my phone calls go unanswered. I even suggested revising the listing as it was misleading but it’s still up so I guess I was ignored.
This is not to slam them, this is not to start stuff with them, this is to inform everyone on here that this product from TMG will NOT work for your M44 series truck. I know I will not get this resolved, I do not intend legal action as it’s for a $110 part. I am not calling for a boycott or telling you to stay away from them all together, this is to inform others that this product may not or will not work with your M44 series truck.
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