• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Rate this front bumper modification...

TechnoWeenie

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,653
1,669
113
Location
Nova Laboratories, WA
Wonder why they didn't line up exactly?
The opening is offset. It's not centered. I learned that the hard way when installing lights into the bumper.

So, when it's flipped upside down, the offsets are on the opposite side.

If you've never paid attention to the front bumper, you might have missed it.

F6747G.jpg
 

Superthermal

Well-known member
295
822
93
Location
Utah, Murray, United States
The opening is offset. It's not centered. I learned that the hard way when installing lights into the bumper.

So, when it's flipped upside down, the offsets are on the opposite side.

If you've never paid attention to the front bumper, you might have missed it.

View attachment 916673
Good to know! I am considering flipping mine and mounting my winch about 8" higher up on the frame to keep the lateral guide rollers up out of harms way. I will pay a bit more attention now that I know this is the case. Thanks for the knowledge that only comes from those... "Oh... that's not what I was expecting" moments.
 

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,651
2,165
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Not good if you do much off road, the approach angle on the winch trucks is already terrible. Although if you’re dragging the front bumper a lot, you need to start watching your fuel tanks so you don’t rip it off.
 

TechnoWeenie

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,653
1,669
113
Location
Nova Laboratories, WA
Not good if you do much off road, the approach angle on the winch trucks is already terrible. Although if you’re dragging the front bumper a lot, you need to start watching your fuel tanks so you don’t rip it off.
I have a winch-less truck. Was tempted to do the above mod but I also thought it might be a bit too low.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 98G

M813rc

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,200
3,176
113
Location
Near Austin, Texas
A couple of folks on here have done that over the years.
I remember one bobbed deuce with a utility bed that looked particularly cool, though I don't recall the notches being off-center.

Edit - Found some pictures. I don't recall whose truck it is/was. He doubled up the frame in the back for the trailer hitch too.

Cheers

M35 4x4 Utility a.jpg M35 4x4 Utility b.jpg
 
Last edited:

swbradley1

Modertator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
14,249
1,701
113
Location
Dayton, OH
Not good if you do much off road, the approach angle on the winch trucks is already terrible. Although if you’re dragging the front bumper a lot, you need to start watching your fuel tanks so you don’t rip it off.
I suspect after seeing them driving the streets of Baghdad the bumper was added to clean the street of vehicles. Because of the truck's high original bumper you run the risk of driving up onto something and getting slowed down or hung up. A poor soldiers snowplow for shoving cars out of the way.
 

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,651
2,165
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Yep, especially on a gun truck where you likely have to quickly push one of your own. Would also want some good reinforcement to keep it from just folding under.
 

Defcon-1

Member
86
66
18
Location
South New Jersey
Totally off topic: are these directional-tread tires? Looks like this tire should be installed on the R/H side of the truck because the "arrow shape" of tire tread pattern is rotating up instead of down? Asking because I have spares of these tires and was wondering if they could be installed on either side of the truck lol.
 

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,651
2,165
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Totally off topic: are these directional-tread tires? Looks like this tire should be installed on the R/H side of the truck because the "arrow shape" of tire tread pattern is rotating up instead of down? Asking because I have spares of these tires and was wondering if they could be installed on either side of the truck lol.
Yes, Michelin XL is directional tread but I don’t believe they have directional arrows on the sidewall. I believe the trucks were built with them in the correct orientation, after that all bets were off, and spare and such got installed on whatever side of the truck was needed. I had several “backwards” when I got my truck and had no issues.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 98G

Defcon-1

Member
86
66
18
Location
South New Jersey
Yes, Michelin XL is directional tread but I don’t believe they have directional arrows on the sidewall. I believe the trucks were built with them in the correct orientation, after that all bets were off, and spare and such got installed on whatever side of the truck was needed. I had several “backwards” when I got my truck and had no issues.
Ok that sounds good, I need to install one of my XL tires in the spare-tire location and I wasn't sure if it would matter what side I needed it for. I guess I'm not going through water at 50+ mph where I would need it to sling in the correct direction lol. I'm glad to hear you ran these "backwards", now I feel way better about replacing some of my dry-rotting ZXL for the XL spares I have on hand, ty 🙏
 

Jbulach

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,651
2,165
113
Location
Sunman Indiana
Ok that sounds good, I need to install one of my XL tires in the spare-tire location and I wasn't sure if it would matter what side I needed it for. I guess I'm not going through water at 50+ mph where I would need it to sling in the correct direction lol. I'm glad to hear you ran these "backwards", now I feel way better about replacing some of my dry-rotting ZXL for the XL spares I have on hand, ty
Sorry for taking us farther off topic, but you should do a search here on SS about XL’s. Don’t “upgrade” to older tires, no matter what your ZXL’s look like.
 

Defcon-1

Member
86
66
18
Location
South New Jersey
Sorry for taking us farther off topic, but you should do a search here on SS about XL’s. Don’t “upgrade” to older tires, no matter what your ZXL’s look like.
No worries, ty I will. I lost (x2) ZXL's in the fronts (due to cracking in the sidewall) and then I had Goodyear AT-2's installed in place (as they were spares). But I'm out of ZXL's and AT-2's and have some XL's as "backup tires" just in case I lose another ZXL. Trying to save up for 16.00 R-20 to replace all 6 (plus spare) at once lol.
 

G744

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,700
3,795
113
Location
Hidden Valley, Az
I've found radials take a 'set', directional-wise when new, and usually don't last too long when in reversed rotation.

Used tires are always a crapshoot, and I run them in all positions and hope to get my monies' worth. I usually do, as most of my tire failures are from foreign objects, and any flat with a super single whilst on the road means it will self-destruct in a hurry.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks