Wrecker wishlist of mods

dmetalmiki said:

Zebedee in answer to your question our m62 does not have that bar..but does have holmes gear on the rear. it's not referred to as a speader bar but it does the same job seemingly and is lubed by oil can. there bieng no grease nipples. you can see our gear in the post on this thread somewhere.

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We are kind'a sort'a speaking the same language! You do have the "spreader bar" that I am refering to - just call it something else I'm guessing - see your pic and the circled notes....


I captioned the pic for future reference with regards the "Holmes gear" and it's usuall use - ie., without the secondary 'setup' underneath.

Oil can lube seems appropriate for the collar that holds the spreader tube. Maybe yours was once welded and painted over...

zebedee said:

We are kind'a sort'a speaking the same language! You do have the "spreader bar" that I am refering to - just call it something else I'm guessing - see your pic and the circled notes....

View attachment 474277
I captioned the pic for future reference with regards the "Holmes gear" and it's usuall use - ie., without the secondary 'setup' underneath.

Oil can lube seems appropriate for the collar that holds the spreader tube. Maybe yours was once welded and painted over...

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Anything over a 30 deg. spread between the chain legs is considered unsafe due to extremely high load that is put on each leg, the FLATTER the spread IS, the GREATER the load on each leg

Looking at the chains, they look like 1/2" wrecker chain doubled, doubt they are going to break and the attachment point on the lift bar is not going anywhere either.

I would agree with Z, I think the lift bar is UPSIDE down, it needs to rotated 180 dig.. The shackles would be used as a PERMANENT rigged fixture, while the HOOKS would be used as a ADJUSTMENT fixture so the lift chain can be SET for each individual lift, also by rolling the lift bar, the chains would be at a lot closer spread.

Have I missed a pic of this unit in use?

Sam - Not the greatest but this is all I have...

The second pic shows the whiffle tree being used aswell, this was an option but not often done. Most units didn't even carry them.[AS POSTED BEFORE - CABLE BRIDLE IS BAD]
Heres the setup on US trucks w/o a casualty. Grab hooks on each end take 5/8 chains that come from the from the front axle or the bumper or frame ends dependant on damage. May use a wood baulk/old tire/rubber mats to cushion the 'spreader bar' from the bumper.

Thanks. Having difficulty picturing how this set up works.

73m819 said:

Anything over a 30 deg. spread between the chain legs is considered unsafe due to extremely high load that is put on each leg, the FLATTER the spread IS, the GREATER the load on each leg

Looking at the chains, they look like 1/2" wrecker chain doubled, doubt they are going to break and the attachment point on the lift bar is not going anywhere either.

I would agree with Z, I think the lift bar is UPSIDE down, it needs to rotated 180 dig.. The shackles would be used as a PERMANENT rigged fixture, while the HOOKS would be used as a ADJUSTMENT fixture so the lift chain can be SET for each individual lift, also by rolling the lift bar, the chains would be at a lot closer spread.

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I'm looking at this from a different perspective, and believe I understand the reason for the reversed position of the bar. It is being lifted by the hoist in order to lift his lower tow unit. I would suggest that he is using the upper unit in order to keep from having to swing it up and stow it out of the way to use the hoist directly on the lower lighter weight lift unit. I just cant see how the lower unit is attached at the forward/wrecker end for a pivot point. But, I can understand that this might make a labor saving solution.

Okay, I'm trading up to the Oshkosh MMRS http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BgSDbLA6EpU

SLOrazorsedge said:

Okay, I'm trading up to the Oshkosh MMRS

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So what mods are you thinking about? The MMRS does have a load of nice features that could be addapted.



most of which people have been discussing here.

I know most of you are past the fire truck article but how amazing it is that one guy writing an article can effect the whole requisition program for the fire departments. I guess we should be thankful as since it should mean that there will be more trucks available for us. But like said before the guy should realize this makes no sense. He picks the lightest A2 version, the m931A2. Ok first off the M931 and M931A1 also have the same front axle but a lot heavier engine then the M931A2 so these must be already overloaded (as said before tire weight differences should not be considered as it is unsprung weight) Then compare the picked M931A2 to a M932 orM932A1 which not only has a heavier engine but a winch hanging way off the front giving leverage to the extra winch weight, So it must be way over the axle rating. This can be seen even if you cant grasp that tire weight has no bearing on axle capacity if you just compare his M931a2 to a M932a2 since they both have the heavier super singles but the M932a2 has the heavy front winch. Another point is how he assumes two 200 pound men will add 400 pounds to just the front axle. But since they are not perfectly over or in front of the front axle not all of that weight will be added just to the front axle. Some will be shared with the rear. I know thats a small weight discrepancy but it does show an apparent lack of knowledge. The same goes when determining the weight capacity for the rear, if its any forward of the middle axle, then it would add weight to the front axle. I admit much of this confusion is due to the stamped front axle rating but this lack of sense should at least be identified and/or more info should be researched to come to a consensus. I have a 8000# rated DANA 70HD in the front of my 2007 C4500 Chevrolet Crew cab 4x4 and it is by no means just a 1600+- pound less capable front axle then the Rockwell in the front of the M939s,m800s. Though not scientific, Anybody could come to that conclusion just by looking at them both. We can figure out this doesn't add up, but it seems the writer cant and I bet he is getting paid to do it.

Hinged the lids from the rear so they open from the front. Added some flat strap metal to hang hooks on.

I don't know why they were not done this way from the factory. Looks great!

M35A2 KAISER said:

Hinged the lids from the rear so they open from the front.

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I was thinking that maybe there might be an interference issue with the lids not opening fully when the crane is slewed at an angle... BUT seeing as you have done this - I guess you have already checked! Were you able to save and reuse the hinges?


I know that on mine, I can't open the drivers side lid (hinged normally) when the crane is parked due to one of the hoses, possible previously replaced and a little long.

M35A2 KAISER said:

Added some flat strap metal to hang hooks on.

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Great idea - I'll be doing this too... When I decide where the chains will live.

I had also thought about putting pin "keepers/hangers" on the underside of the locker lids for all the various sizes of pins, so that they are all nicely available when the lid is vertical - like one of those traveling salesman's cases, without digging through the heavy stuff as they've rattled their way to the locker bottom.

zebedee said:

I was thinking that maybe there might be an interference issue with the lids not opening fully when the crane is slewed at an angle... BUT seeing as you have done this - I guess you have already checked! Were you able to save and reuse the hinges?


I know that on mine, I can't open the drivers side lid (hinged normally) when the crane is parked due to one of the hoses, possible previously replaced and a little long.



Great idea - I'll be doing this too... When I decide where the chains will live.

I had also thought about putting pin "keepers/hangers" on the underside of the locker lids for all the various sizes of pins, so that they are all nicely available when the lid is vertical - like one of those traveling salesman's cases, without digging through the heavy stuff as they've rattled their way to the locker bottom.

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I could not open my passengers lid, the lock plate hit the hydralic motor. So to open it I had to rotate the boom, what a pain! now both lids open but i need to make a couple of prop rods like a car hood because they do not stay open the lids hit the hyderalic motor and the drivers hit the fire extinguisher, this i can live with.

My hinges were trashed, looked like a neebie welder tried welding with a stick welder for the first time after the hinges had already bent. So i replaced thenm with 4" x 4" hinges with a .250" pin, 3 per lid. i cut the old hinge completely off of the truck, and cut the old hinge flush with the edge of the lid, this left a nice flat surface on the lid to weld to. Next i cut the 2" leg of the hinge ti approx .750" with a plasma cutter befor welding them to the lid. i left the other side of the hinge 2" and welded it to the truck box. after wich i made new locking locations where they would be more convient.


I like the idea for the pins. now i keep them under the rear of the bed in the box there.

If you have a 936a2 an ammo box will fit in the rear most side boxes.

Anyone have info on the previously mentioned "flat weights"? I would like to find a thousand or two to hang off behind the bumper sides.

Speedzilla they are a kit that you might be able to get from one of the suppliers on here but if you are going to all that trouble why not just make a box on each side there and put your heavy BII there? It would also reenforce you bumper so you can push trees or cars or whatever gets in you way.

Finally have a great mod to show off. And now I can't find my pictures will take more tomorrow. What is changed is the muffler on a 936 is in the way of soldier B when they go to climb on the bed from the cab. All you need to do is take a little slice out of the support and bend it up straight so it is out of the way of soldier B while climbing back and also add a second section of guard above the original and a handle will make it even better.

Csm Davis said:

Finally have a great mod to show off.

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Well don't keep us in suspense, Jeff

take a picture of the transfer case pto on that m800 series truck when you get time

Made me some side mounted control levers so I don't have to be in the line of fire when winching