M35 to 4X4 singles conversion

[derekair]

hey all...
first, just wanted to say that this site is great and i've found lots of useful, funny, interesting stuff on here. i love the pictures of your trucks!!!

what i want to do is a M35 single axle conversion. ya know: make the 6x6 a 4x4. but i have no idea how to do it....i know you've gotta flip the hubs!!! but thats about all i know...well, i think you can't use a deuce's rear springs on a single axle. me and my "mentor" are very mechanically inclined, but i have no clue where to start on the conversion. is there anyone out there that can list what i need to do, or at least show me the way to someone who does?

thanks so much, i look forward to hearing from y'all...
-Derek




i don't know why its not showing up, but i'm in Louisville, KY. i updated my account, my apologies!!

 

[derekair]

BTW, the truck i put up was on ebay, and that's where i got my "lust" for a truck like this one. i know some don't agree with converting the trucks over, but there's so many of them!! and the end result is a great-looking truck!!

 

[Elwenil]

I think the summerized version runs something like this: Get a Duece and a 1.5 ton trailer. Bob the Deuce, keep one axle, use the leaf springs and mounts off the trailer to mount the axle, then mount the bed of the trailer on the Deuce. Swap the tires to super singles and drive. Avoid USA6x6 products.

 

[BFR]

didn't you mean....
"I think the summerized version runs something like this: Get a Duece and a 1.5 ton trailer. Bob the Deuce, keep one axle, use the leaf springs and mounts off the trailer to mount the axle, then mount the bed of the trailer on the Deuce. Avoid USA6x6 products. Swap the tires to super singles and drive. Avoid USA6x6 products."

 

[FSBruva]

derekair-

Thanks for the compliments on the site, and welcome. Please add your location to your signature, as it is one of the few rules of this forum.

 

[red devils dude]

derekair-

Thanks for the compliments on the site, and welcome. Please add your location to your signature, as it is one of the few rules of this forum.

first of

next as long as you do a good job bobing is fine around here, you can use
the front springs off a deuce to add and single rear axle.

 

[rmgill]

Mark Elrod has suggested to me in conversations on this subject that the front springs off of a 5 ton would be better for a 4x4 conversion.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Ryan, that would be better than deuce front springs. Incidentally, the deuce front springs and the M105 springs are almost the same. Actually they are the same but the M105 has an added helper leave pack. The 105 splrings and hangars are the very best way to go on this swap. The jury is still out here on the 105 bed. Looks cool but wrong. A shortened deuce bed would look better in my opinion.

 

[CaptainRPM]

USA6X6 no good?
how come? i delt with them i think the guys name is dan

 

[JEEPGUY]

I LIKE THIS SITE ALOT BUT, IT GETS OLD SEEING THEM COMMENTS ABOUT USA6X6. I'VE DELT WITH THEM FOR CLOSE TO 5 YEARS NOW AND THEY STARTED OUT THE FIRST FEW YEARS WITH TYPICAL PROBLEMS BUT, THEY ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL NOW.

AGAIN, I DONT WANT A DESPUTE. THATS JUST MY 2 CENTS.

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POST

 

[Warren Lovell]

Why are you not recommending USA6x6 ? What di they do to make you feel this way...come on...you can tell US.

Warren.

PS - a black mark on a vendor without a reason is useless...why even put it in? Think "consumer reports" and give us the low down...the skinny...

 

[FSBruva]

Warren Lovell, et. al.-

There are several reasons there is no supporting statements regarding USA 6x6. One is that a few SS [Steel Soldiers] members have had extremely bad experiences with Dan, including, but not limited to, excessive wait for product, failure to deliver product, and outright theft of (and subsequent profit from) a SS member's product concept. Those persons get tired of telling the same story over and over again, reliving the frustration and aggravation.

Two, the last time we let those individuals who have been wronged truly share their feelings on the forum, one of the moderators had to lock the thread and delete the posts, due to language. READ: It is impossible for some to describe their experiences without profanity.

The vehemence of the scorn for Dan runs deep, and though most of us have had no dealings with USA 6x6, it would seem that SS blood is thicker than water. For those members who have had good experiences with them, I believe the expression is "agree to disagree."

Matt

 

[rmgill]

The thing I was sitting here thinking about with these 4x4 Deuces is that the Tool box and other kit hanging down on the frame could result in some ground clearance issues. Seems like either Nerf Bars or Relocating all that extra hardware higher up (Bed mounted fuel tank) or with a custom bed would be better to do in the long term.

Of course I like the idea of either a crew cab or longer full length cab up there and a fuel tank that was located above the bottom of the frame rails. Same thing for tool lockers along the sides. I just don't think I have enough tool locker storage on my current deuce.

 

[rizzo]

I'm relocating the fuel tank to the bed on my 5 ton mudder, but I'm leaving the batts and steps for now. The batts would be easy , but I have air tanks on the other side. So I will leave them for now.
I'm gonna have 53" tires so I think I will have enough clearence to keep the batts out of the water.

 

[rdixiemiller]

I saw a bobber on E-Bay a while back that had the tank in the bed. The pioneer rack and spare were also removed.
The truck looked really good as far as ground clearance was concerned, and the whole concept seemed to be well thought out. It had an M-105 bed.
If I was to build one, I would move the tank to the bed, and move the axle forward enough to place the M105 body about 2" from the cab. A little driveshaft shortening, remove the pioneer rack, and locate the spare on the side of the body like the old 1/2 ton Chevs from the '50's. Some underbody boxes would need to be fabbed up, maybe move the batteries back to a box under the bed.
Remove the stock tool box and battery box, raise the running boards up higher, shorten the back of the front fenders. I think it would look pretty decent, plenty of ground clearance.

 

[mangus580]

Warren, read the reveiw by spicergear Here

 

[Elwenil]

I'm just wondering how many trips to refuel it would take to get tired of climbing up in the bed to put fuel in before I put the tank back under the truck, lol...

 

[rmgill]

Put the fuel filler in the right place and you'd be able to fill up easily from the side of the truck standing on the side of the truck. I guess I'm thinking of a custom bed or cab that would have external stowage boxes for a lot of stuff that's normally down on the side below and outside of the frame.

 

[readyman]

Derek,
Alex will save ya some time and effort , here's one for $12k.
Good stuff.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I like the ones Alex does best. If it were me there's only one thing I would do differently. He's got his beds cut down to 8'. I would do mine 9' so that the spacing between all the uprighe staves is the same. I would also remove the loop on the bed used for slinging with a crane. That, would look like the M35 version of the old 1 1/2 ton Chevys. Also for consideration, all the ones I've seen so far have let the existing drive shaft dictate axle placement. I would set mine up for correct axle placement then had a driveshaft adjusted accordingly.