From: chance wolf (chance_wolf@shaw.ca)
Date: Fri Feb 13 2004 - 22:28:21 PST
Here's the snippet I remember from earlier research. It's from the GAO
report for FY99 available at: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1999/ns99082.pdf
"The Army plans to spend an estimated $234 million on various
modifications to improve the M939's safety and operational performance.
Based on the results of studies into the root causes of M939 accidents, the
Army concluded that the overall truck design was sound, but some
modifications were necessary. The Army plans to use the $234 million to
add anti-lock brake kits, alter brake proportioning specifications, upgrade
the truck's tires, install cab rollover crush protection, and modify
accelerator linkage. Most modifications will be complete by 2005. The
M939s will remain in service as these modifications are made."
I haven't re-read this report, but from what I recall, this one and several
like it really came down hard on the non-directional (NDT/NDCC) tires as a
major contributor to rollover accidents, and one report (may even be this
one) said something like "we can find no reason for these tires to continue
to be in use this long after WWII", and further mentioned that tire
technology left the ND tires in the dust many, many decades ago.
As to the roll cage installation, I *think* it's this document that goes on
to state that the cages would only be installed as the M939 cabs retired due
to attrition, but again - I haven't re-read the thing to verify. No one I
know has ever seen one installed.
(Ohyeah, and wherever I said "M936" in previous posts - read "M939". Not
enough beer in the bloodstream.)
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