So I am watching videos of captured or destroyed Russian trucks (which makes me cry a bit for the truck). They look very similar to US trucks, no doubt a result of Ford providing them in WWII. What are these metal hoops around the shakles for at the rear of trucks? I have the same set up on my 5 ton on each side of the hitch.
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
Why these hoops around the rear shackle hooks?
- Thread starter Micmada
- Start date
- 5,614
- 2,923
- 113
- Location
- Metairie/La (N'awlins)
Bumperettes.
Protect body of truck when being backed up so does not damage body when impacting obstacle.
Protect body of truck when being backed up so does not damage body when impacting obstacle.
- 494
- 1,073
- 93
Yeah. The old WWII Jeeps had them, and they carried over into the civilian models for many years. the civvy ones were cheap trash, but I think the earlier military ones were some kind of spring steel, so they were tougher.
They were kind of handy. You could use them as a step, a hanger, a bootscraper.... It was also handy for giving a stuck vehicle ahead of you a little nudge without causing any damage to anything important.
HDN
Well-known member
- 2,112
- 5,088
- 113
- Location
- Finger Lakes Region, NY
They seem to be a thing of the past starting with the HMMWV and HEMTT. None of the FMTV have them, nor the MTVR. My 1995 M35A3 still has them, though.
- 5,614
- 2,923
- 113
- Location
- Metairie/La (N'awlins)
One of the things I have not noted is use of trailers by the Russians. I was expecting to see lots of use but very little shown in the news outlets.
- 2,664
- 2,204
- 113
- Location
- Sunman Indiana
I think the ground is so soft, they are having enough trouble even without trying to tow trailers.
- 242
- 208
- 43
- Location
- Marion, AR.
M818's and other tractor trucks don't have the bumperettes either.
- 7,719
- 19,767
- 113
- Location
- Charlotte NC
.
It is hard to tell - but on this particular truck - do the tires stick out beyond the end of the frame? Where maybe if the tractor couldn't be pushed because a set of bumperettes would suggest that a driver could push something that shouldn't be pushed? OR maybe that these machines would mostly be dragging a trailer - and a helper push would be against the trailer?