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What did you do to your deuce this week?

SE Jones

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Been a while since I've visited. Too much "real life" going on! Recently I mounted two new fuel cans behind the back mud flaps. They get moved into the back of the truck when full. I also installed a small truck crane. The pic below was taken before I mounted the electric winch. Once that was done I put her to work as a fish cleaning station for my son. That is about a 50-55 lb. Cobia (Lemon fish). :grin: Probably won't be back on for a while so Happy Memorial Day everyone!fuel cans.jpgtruck crane sml.jpgcobia duty.jpg
 

brianp454

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Portland, OR
I like the idea of mounting a pair of Jerry cans behind the rear mud flaps. I suppose they could get a bump if on a very agressive and rough angle or backing up. Nothing an extra steel plate couldn't protect. Thanks for sharing a cool idea!
 

SE Jones

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I like the idea of mounting a pair of Jerry cans behind the rear mud flaps. I suppose they could get a bump if on a very agressive and rough angle or backing up. Nothing an extra steel plate couldn't protect. Thanks for sharing a cool idea!
Thanks! I was hesitant at first, but I don't do any off-road driving and it is pretty darned flat down here on the coast. They are held captive in a slot cut into a block of UHMW mounted to mud flap and then held tight by heavy duty Velcro belts and then tied off at the top in case they do manage to pop out of the track. It would be better to use a surplus style can holder...but that wasn't in my budget.:sad:
 

Woodsplinter

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What happens if you get t-boned in the fuel tank or are carrying a can on the driver side and get hit? I understand the need for safety but it can get excessive.
All vehicles have at least one fuel tank and there is nothing you can do about that.

In 1985 I was stopped at a red light in my patrol car in Phoenix. A small compact car was stopped behind me. A school bus came up from behind, struck the compact car and forced it into my car. The fuel tank on the compact car ruptured and the car caught fire. The car was damaged too extensively to get the driver out. He was screaming like crazy because he was injured and knew he was on fire. The fire dept. was immediately summoned but would not arrive for another 3 minutes. We could not get the man out and had to watch him burn to death. The most horrible part I remember was when his hair burst into flames and his face melted.

There were no "safety" violations related to the fire, but I'm not in favor of adding fuel tanks in vulnerable locations. I think they would be fine in the bed of a deuce if well secured.

I don't think safety can ever be overstated when it comes to fuel and cars. 2cents
 

welldigger

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I agree that there are good and bad ways of doing things. There comes a point that you are battling Murphy's law and you can't win that. Tho, I myself have no intentions of adding extra fuel tanks or cans. However, I am a brake Nazi. I have a bit of experience driving heavily loaded one tons and bigger trucks. It never fails some idiot must get in front of me just to slam on the brakes and make a turn. You wanna talk about getting your heart racing when a Ford Fiesta decides to cut you off in your deuce. That re re turned just in time to see my deuce skid by where he was just sitting. Which is exactly why I cut zero corners on brakes. Especially the single circuit brakes the deuce has.
 

eagle4g63

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Not to seem like I am fighting.........but I also have 2 rear jerry cans mounted in the same mud flap spot......had them for over a year, been to Haspin off roading with them......never bumped them, if you were going to hang them up on something you are going to rip your mud flaps off also......the truck is designed to "clear" the flaps unless total foolish driving.

I also see no worry about them being full back there......even if hit and somehow caught fire...........I am more than 12' away........at least the distance of a small car.....and as said I have a can mounted on the drivers step, and dual tanks so I am more worried about getting hit in the side than those 2 little things WAY back there.
 

brianp454

Member
572
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Location
Portland, OR
All vehicles have at least one fuel tank and there is nothing you can do about that.

In 1985 I was stopped at a red light in my patrol car in Phoenix. A small compact car was stopped behind me. A school bus came up from behind, struck the compact car and forced it into my car. The fuel tank on the compact car ruptured and the car caught fire. The car was damaged too extensively to get the driver out. He was screaming like crazy because he was injured and knew he was on fire. The fire dept. was immediately summoned but would not arrive for another 3 minutes. We could not get the man out and had to watch him burn to death. The most horrible part I remember was when his hair burst into flames and his face melted.

There were no "safety" violations related to the fire, but I'm not in favor of adding fuel tanks in vulnerable locations. I think they would be fine in the bed of a deuce if well secured.

I don't think safety can ever be overstated when it comes to fuel and cars. 2cents
I disagree, yet want to make it clear that safety is very important and we all need to take it seriously, always. A statement such as “safety can ever be overstated” is improper though. How about something like “reasonable measures to ensure safely should always be followed?” Most of the public has no idea about how to understand or manage risk, deal with it effectively, etc. Unfortunately, we often succumb to an emotional response based on a tragic event rather than a reasonable response based on a series of facts, known and unknown, etc. Such as how fast was the bus traveling at then it struck a series of stopped vehicles? Why did the driver of the bus fail to stop? Was the driver impaired or distracted? Who caused this, the designer of the brake system in the school bus? This sort of thing leads to tragedies on both extremes from underreactions to overreactions.

I call your attention to the over 10 million GM trucks from 73-87 with side-mounted fuel tanks. In fact, Dateline NBC aired a so-called “investigative report” on these trucks and made a massive emotional appeal that repeatedly showed explosions and traumatic events to trigger an emotional response of the readers, thus making them believe that GM was the boogey-man. As it turns out, (forgive my memory if I goof a few details here) they crashed into ~40 trucks at increasing speeds well beyond what the program indicated AND eventually resorted to planting an explosive to make the tanks “explode.” As it turns out the program was a complete sham, yet the stain stuck with GM for many years. I’m not aware of how many real fires resulted from these trucks (and would like to know). What I think is a better and more proper question would be “How many other vehicles with and without these tanks caught fire and is the difference statistically significant?”

I also call your attention to the fact a great many medium and heavy trucks carry 50, 80, 100, even 200 or more gallon fuel tanks completely exposed on their sides! This includes Deuces and 5 Tons. And then Jerry cans on the steps. And if memory serves don’t some 5 Tons and M35A3 trucks carry Jerry cans just inboard of the front bumpers? Also, many vehicles have fuel tanks mounted inched ahead of a thin rear bumper. And then there’s the Pinto… And the Corsair…

I would like to see some statistical data showing the probability of impact to and from each side with a corresponding difference in speed at impact. The tanks have to be somewhere and it stands to reason to put them in a less vulnerable area. After all, how many of us have seen a failed driveline slice through frame crossmembers and other heavy parts? Would it be safer to mount the tanks next to the driveline? The driveline would potentially cut into the fuel tank, sending atomized fuel right onto the hot exhaust. My hunch (notice there is no presumption of fact, just a hunch) is that you’d see an elevated occurrence of stopped vehicles that are hit from the rear and maybe an elevated front fender occurrence. I’ve been rear-ended several times (on the freeway for any smart alecks), yet this is not “proof” that is most common. I’m not fond of the idea of mounting fuel tanks in the front or rear of any vehicle without adequate protection. It looks like the bumperettes stick out a foot or so past the cans. It seems the weakness, if there is one, would be what I mentioned earlier, or an impact from a vehicle about 2 feet from the ground at an angle that stabs in just at the Jerry can that also hit with a high differential speed with a hot component that is exposed during the event.

May 23 Added Note: ALL of us should have an anboard fire extingusher and know how to use it. Getting a fire out before it gets out of control or while people escape is better than focusing time on one specific possible event. There's a long list of possible things to start a fire and having a fire extingusher handy at an instant is good policy. I keep one in the cab and know exactly where it is at all times. Also, check the gage from time to time.

I’m not trying to give a professional option or poke an argument, just give some things to think about.
 
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SE Jones

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Ocean Springs, MS
Wow! I didn't realize my post would illicit such a response. I would like to thank you all for keeping the discussion/debate civil in tone instead of letting it turn into a "urination competition". I think good points were made by all. You guys are what make Steel Soldiers great.
 

clinto

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I also call your attention to the fact a great many medium and heavy trucks carry 50, 80, 100, even 200 or more gallon fuel tanks completely exposed on their sides! This includes Deuces and 5 Tons.
This is true but I'll bet the risk of getting t-boned is statistically lower than being rear ended.

And then Jerry cans on the steps.
I was recently told this is illegal now. Can't remember if they meant it was a Federal guideline or a Ga. issue. Didn't bother to research it. But regardless of the current legality, you have to keep in mind that the precedent for the side step mounted jerry cans was set somewhere between WWII and 1951 (I think CCKW's have jerry cans under the bed, whereas the first M44 series truck had it on the step).

In 1951, safety wasn't nearly as big a consideration as it is now. Most cars didn't have seatbelts and Jeeps only had one brakelight and no turn signals. So the fact they they have the step mounted cans isn't indicative of the safety of it, it's indicative of what was considered "reasonable risk" 70+ years ago.

And if memory serves don’t some 5 Tons and M35A3 trucks carry Jerry cans just inboard of the front bumpers?
No, you're either thinking of the hydraulic fluid tank for the winch on the M44A3 or civilian mods.

Also, many vehicles have fuel tanks mounted inched ahead of a thin rear bumper. And then there’s the Pinto… And the Corsair…
Not sure about the history of Corvair explosions, but the Pinto inclusion isn't helping your argument rofl (unless I am misunderstanding your point).

I would like to see some statistical data showing the probability of impact to and from each side with a corresponding difference in speed at impact. The tanks have to be somewhere and it stands to reason to put them in a less vulnerable area. After all, how many of us have seen a failed driveline slice through frame crossmembers and other heavy parts? Would it be safer to mount the tanks next to the driveline? The driveline would potentially cut into the fuel tank, sending atomized fuel right onto the hot exhaust. My hunch (notice there is no presumption of fact, just a hunch) is that you’d see an elevated occurrence of stopped vehicles that are hit from the rear and maybe an elevated front fender occurrence. I’ve been rear-ended several times (on the freeway for any smart alecks), yet this is not “proof” that is most common.
I think most of the manufacturers (and the IIHS) have decided inside the frame is better. Probably a lower statistical probability of a driveshaft coming loose than an impact accident.

I’m not fond of the idea of mounting fuel tanks in the front or rear of any vehicle without adequate protection. It looks like the bumperettes stick out a foot or so past the cans. It seems the weakness, if there is one, would be what I mentioned earlier, or an impact from a vehicle about 2 feet from the ground at an angle that stabs in just at the Jerry can that also hit with a high differential speed with a hot component that is exposed during the event.
Problem is most cars are so low that they'll go under the bumperettes and move forward until the hood contacts the bottom of the bumperettes or they hit something. Like gas cans on a mudflap.

I like the gerry cans on mudflaps idea, but if I do it, they'll have water in them. I already have a gas can on each runningboard, so that's 10 gallons reserve right there. A vehicle that holds 32 quarts of coolant might be well served by having an extra 5 or 10 gallons of water on board so that when a hose starts leaking, you can refill the system enough to get to a repair point.
 

Ford Mechanic

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Wow! I didn't realize my post would illicit such a response. I would like to thank you all for keeping the discussion/debate civil in tone instead of letting it turn into a "urination competition". I think good points were made by all. You guys are what make Steel Soldiers great.

+1!!
 

JCKnife

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Kentucky
My truck came from the KY Nat'l Guard with fuel cans already mounted on the rear mud flaps. I run WMO so I'm not too nervous to have them full back there.
 

Ford Mechanic

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Edenton, NC
Driving lessons in the hay field

Gave my youngest brother a crash course in driving a stick while we picked up hay! He was all grins:grin:!!! Told him how work it and turned him loose in low 1st and 2nd. Had the wife stacking while I walked and throwed bales and talked to him. We got 54 bales on the truck, could have gotten more but that was all we needed. DSCF4598.jpgDSCF4600.jpgDSCF4602.jpgDSCF4603.jpg
 

hunderliggur

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Lothian, MD
Finally got her on the road. I took my co-driver with me ;-) just a 20 mile run around the block but it was my first on-road outing. Taking it to work tomorrow just for fun (50 miles each way) ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369189173.863030.jpg
 

hunderliggur

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...and I followed up today driving it to work. Stopped at the scales just in case. The officer came out and asked if I had some time, he wanted to look at it. We had a nice chat, his dad had one in Puerto Rico and they used to drive it all over. Oh yeah, you don't have to stop at the scales with historic tags in Maryland. The 100 mile round trip was uneventful. Back to driving the M1009 tomorrow.
 
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