Deuce/5 ton ROPS Kit?

63foxtrot said:

A 4th leg on a m66 ring mount may work pretty good, and still keep the military look.

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I like the idea of hiding some of the structure to mimic a m66 mount. Part of my attraction to the Deuce is keeping it looking like a military truck.

You are going to need some triangulation to get the strength you need, but as long as it looks like something the military would have made as a NEW m66 ring support, I think it would sell.

As for marketing/liability you are just selling a replacement m66 mounting system. i.e., no implied ROPS ability would even be listed.

Mike929 said:

I would love to go buy a Jerry Can for my Deuce.... oh wait some freaking lawyer decided that people are not capable of operating a normal fuel can and now the entire country via CARB laws are not allowed to buy a freaking normal fuel can.

THAT is the issue. If someone wants to put a ROPS in their truck fine, I don't want to be told in 5 years that I can't drive my truck without one because some lawyer decided he could make more money with a class action lawsuit that makes them millions and leaves us screwed.

As for ROPS, yes one can be be built to take a full speed roll over, but then you have issues with hard surfaces inside the vehicle, restraints, etc. If you want to be safe in your truck, park it in your drive way and make engine noises as you pretend to drive it. Life is a risk, calculate what you feel comfortable in the area of risk and do it.

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From what I gather, this thread is full of people who are interested in devising a way to minimize the risk of being crushed by their 14k pound vehicle.

Who is your theoretical lawyer going to sue in his class action lawsuit? Who is then going to require that you have your deuce outfitted with a rollbar as a result?

Well, it was back on track. . .

This is an interesting idea

wehring said:

The idea of this was not based on ROPS but it will also apply. I am woring on replacing the top bows on one of my trucks with tubing tied into the bed floor. I want the same quantity, size, shape as the current bows but only tie each corner into the bed.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

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Would you strengthen the windshield frame also?

TexAndy said:

From what I gather, this thread is full of people who are interested in devising a way to minimize the risk of being crushed by their 14k pound vehicle.

Who is your theoretical lawyer going to sue in his class action lawsuit? Who is then going to require that you have your deuce outfitted with a rollbar as a result?

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Not sure, I'm not a lawyer. I guess they could raise legal issues with GL for allowing these vehicles to be sold, and require mutilation and scrapping. I believe they did that with used ammo brass claiming it was a public safety issue. It took public outrage to get that over turned.

My understanding is there are already a few vehicles that can not be sold because they are perceived to be dangerous on public roads.

Also never underestimate the desire to protect us from ourselves. I believe that was the reason behind the fuel can example above. Save us from ourselves for our own good.

...but you're correct. I truly doubt they would ever require a retrofitted roll bar, so in that point you are correct. Most likely a state or two will just consider them unsafe for the road and refuse to register them. Insurance companies sued by lawyers will consider insuring them too costly and pass those cost to us or refuse to insure them.

Again, just speculating. I don't know, and I am fairly new to the hobby.

FMJ: Sorry, didn't mean to divert again.

Tex Andy or any other, happy to discuss via PM if interested. I will not respond in this thread except to discuss ROPS ideas or input from this point forward. Sorry.

Mike929 said:

FMJ: Sorry, didn't mean to divert again.

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No problem brother, I'm guilty of helping get it off course to begin with. Happy 4th!!

cranetruck said:

Would you strengthen the windshield frame also?

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Great point. While the ROPS idea with the front boards in interesting, its would also support the front of the cab as well to avoid letting the windshield from breaking and showering the driver and passanger with shards of glass.

The idea i had would be put supports on the front corners in the cab between the door and dash. it would stretch across the front and to the back over the windows and be disguised as soft top frames and be hidden by hard tops. In the case of hard tops, the ROPS frame would be somehow integrated with the structure of the frame of the cab in the back.

Why reinvent the wheel? Communicate with the fellas that make those craaazzy Russian trucks. There is a fellow on SS posting info on the cool stuff they've fabbed up.
Russia has loads of ti (titanium) and a desire to generate income so maybe He'd have an idea or 2.
Maybe the russians could extrude some ti and fab-weld into a ROPS that would fit under a hardtop kit or a soft top. ti is some tough stuff and it requires the forge of mordor to make into a shape but....
ROPS and the intended mission of the Duece where not in the same design parameters and that is why you are asking for a very difficult successful out come.
you must determine what you final successful goal is: slow speed roll over or modern highway speed controlled crumple.
Not trying to pee in the wheaties but I thought a stout roll bar may work to help on a sideways path on a slope at crawling speed but asking more from the desire for ROPS , I think is beyond the scope of possibilities.
The Duece, it is what it is...

Hmmm... well I'm not a lawyer or design engineer but something here you guys might have a serious look at if you are interested in a TRUE ROP;

Model - 651G
Configuration - Open bowl
Engine - 550HP
Capacity - 32yds struck, 44yds heaped
Length - 53ft
Payload - 104,000lbs
Max Gross Weight - 238,760lbs

Speaking from experience, I ran these things when I first joined the Operating Engineers as an apprentice many moons ago. As young guys would have it--- it took a few months but eventually we all got cowboy-like and ended up rolling more than a few of them. Some completely over at least once and some rolled down several hundred foot slopes. The later were less likely to survive. However the former, if only rolled on it's side/top were very survivable--- I know because I did it twice myself. The cage horizontal & verticles are approx 5-6 inch square. Note the total gross weight in the machines' stats.

These cages look pretty hefty/heavy but they are hollow tube and gusseted like crazy. They are also designed to be removed in once piece in that the mounting points are a pinned configuration, also very well gusseted. As far as I know this design is tried and true and pretty much industry standard to this day.

Hope this gives you guys some good ideas...

Bjorn

No, I would not support the windshield frame. My top bows are extra tall so that I can walk under them. The replacement cage will have the same profile. The line going from the cage to the engine block shows the projected area of protection for the cab.

What do you think?

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

wehring said:

No, I would not support the windshield frame. My top bows are extra tall so that I can walk under them. The replacement cage will have the same profile. The line going from the cage to the engine block shows the projected area of protection for the cab.

What do you think?

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

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Then you cant open or close the door with the windows up(from how i look at it). Plus it would be in plain view and obvious...unless that doesnt matter. just my

missing the point

You missed the point. All I am building is a cage to replace my top bows. The red line represents where the crush area is if you roll the truck on its top. The motor and top bow cage will be weight bearing structures.

There is no bar going from the top bow cage to the hood.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

oh, sorry. blonde moment. thanks for clearing that up.

wehring said:

There is no bar going from the top bow cage to the hood.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

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When completed, will you still use the red string?

Just saw this thread, I will contact my guys tomorrow when they come over for the 4th party, These guys make roll cages for all the race cars we have here. Ive seen these cars go rolling over many times and they just walked away.

I will check and see if they can make a kit form for the inside, outside, or just rops unit.

Having been three near rollovers in a jeep, and one a tractor, the ROPS cage needs to be designed by a engneer who can sign off on it. I have thought servrl times about the chance of a rollover with these trucks. The only thing I can come up with is minmize the risk and if its going to happan it will. Being a farmer I have had my share of near misses and few hits.

Steve and Paul are both engineers who only drive these as a expensive hobby. They are also NASCAR qualified and do many cage designs for Hendrick MotorSports. Im sure they are qualified enough.

Cool I will be interested. Using these trucks in the business and having a few high school boys helping. I will be watching to what develops.