X

[RANGER]

X

[pfarber]

I doubt that safety is the main reason.

More like it was that way when they got it and didn't know any better.

CCKWs are not daily drivers, and who are you passing to need to look at the passenger side rear?

That little mirror is not showing you much more than you can see by simply looking over your shoulder.

It takes me longer to use the passenger mirror:

Look to the right, try and find the damn thing (lts less than 2 inches round from the driver seat.
Since the FOV is so limited from the small mirror, I have to shift by upper body to get the right angle to see anything. All the time NOT looking in front of me.
Find out I cant see anything anyway because the FOV is so small.
Look back at road.

What are you looking for on the passenger side anyway?

If you were concerned about safety you would not run with troop seats (blocks your vision), would leave the tailgate down, and in a 352 remove the spare tires.

I mean we ARE talking about being SAFE right?

[Tim in TN]

I use a 5" conves mirror on a long arm,(same as driver side) works great to see what over there. Same for the drivers mirror, allows you to see more, takes getting use to, if you are use to driving big trucks

[RANGER]

Safety is paramount, an intact CCKW Cargo without Winch weighs over 10,000 Lb, there are many components that need inspection on a 7 decade old truck, most will not be roadworthy and up to safety standard without a 100% service of running gear and brakes.
Drivers have to be safety minded at all times. It does not take long for a CCKW owner to master his truck, there will always be a minority that will not be able to safely operate something the size of a 6X6 or even pass the "straight face test".

[pfarber]

Most civvy pick up trucks are 6-8k... so having 5 tons under you is not a big deal.

Even with parabolic mirrors I have trouble thinking of things you would need to see on the right side a a CCKW.

If you wanted to be safe you would have an assistant to help.. I mean you are trying to be SAFE.

I recently had to back into my garage.. and my CCKW has the right hand mirror... with my dad at the rear, from the cab I would guess that the FOV was no more than 4-5 out of the stock mirror. My father barely fit in the FOV from 12 feet away.

Even with a parabolic.. the distortion is pretty bad.

I guess you could say at a BARE minimum they allow you to look out the cab... but you see so little, and it takes so long to find/focus the mirror its MORE UNSAFE to go through the process.

[RANGER]

The US Army issued Expert Driver badges in WWII. Any good 6X6 driver could back his truck with Ben Hur Cargo or Water Trailer with the assistant watching the RH side. The Ben Hurs are not visable in the mirrors, they are two narrow.

[RANGER]

For those who are new to the CCKW, the WWII TM10-460 Driver's Manual is a must. Learning the habits of a 6x6 truck requires instruction, the TM is a good start.

[RANGER]

I doubt that safety is the main reason.

More like it was that way when they got it and didn't know any better.

CCKWs are not daily drivers, and who are you passing to need to look at the passenger side rear?

That little mirror is not showing you much more than you can see by simply looking over your shoulder.

It takes me longer to use the passenger mirror:

Look to the right, try and find the damn thing (lts less than 2 inches round from the driver seat.
Since the FOV is so limited from the small mirror, I have to shift by upper body to get the right angle to see anything. All the time NOT looking in front of me.
Find out I cant see anything anyway because the FOV is so small.
Look back at road.

What are you looking for on the passenger side anyway?

If you were concerned about safety you would not run with troop seats (blocks your vision), would leave the tailgate down, and in a 352 remove the spare tires.

I mean we ARE talking about being SAFE right?

The need for professional instruction is evident, it eliminates the misperceptions. Those who cannot operate a 6X6 may qualify for smaller vehicles.

[pfarber]

I happen to have a copy of TM21-305 Nov 1944.

It contains ONE paragraph about backing. Page 36, para 27.

It is THREE sentences.

First one: use a spotter.

Second one: no spotter, get out and look.

Third one: don't break the truck of kill yourself.

Notice is never says to even use the mirrors.

Backing with a trailer is *slightly* more in depth, 3 paragraphs AND a figure!!!! Whoo Hoo!

Yeah... lots of learning to get your drivers permit in the Army circa 1940's.

[RANGER]

I happen to have a copy of TM21-305 Nov 1944.

It contains ONE paragraph about backing. Page 36, para 27.

It is THREE sentences.

First one: use a spotter.

Second one: no spotter, get out and look.

Third one: don't break the truck of kill yourself.

Notice is never says to even use the mirrors.

Backing with a trailer is *slightly* more in depth, 3 paragraphs AND a figure!!!! Whoo Hoo!

Yeah... lots of learning to get your drivers permit in the Army circa 1940's.

Chapter 2 TM21-305 from which you are quoting has 16 pages of good vehicle operation, Chapter 3, which you sorely need, has 39 pages of driving in traffic instructions which you also sorely need.
Don't forget, the manual is written with military vehicle operation in mind (they do drive different than commercial vehicles) your truck is a product of the 40s military and does not handle as well as civilian vehicles.

[pfarber]

Were talking about BACKING a vehicle. You even said the uber driver can back with a trailer.

That's why you SAY we need all these mirrors.

Then you say the TMs cover all this stuff.

I proved that there are less than 10 sentences on backing, and NONE OF THEM MENTION USING A MIRROR!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The TM you cite tells you EXACTLY what I did... USE A SPOTTER OR GET OUT AND LOOK. NOWHERE does it mention ANY mirrors.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Try not to trip as you backpedal so quickly.

Have you READ the drivers permit? If you read the TM and agree to follow it to the best of your ability you are a licensed driver. So, by ARMY standards I am licensed to drive. I even will fill out the certificate on the inside front flap

[RANGER]

The RH mirror also comes in handy to look back and see if that kid who ran across your path in a parade made it.

[RANGER]

Were talking about BACKING a vehicle. You even said the uber driver can back with a trailer.

That's why you SAY we need all these mirrors.

Then you say the TMs cover all this stuff.

I proved that there are less than 10 sentences on backing, and NONE OF THEM MENTION USING A MIRROR!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The TM you cite tells you EXACTLY what I did... USE A SPOTTER OR GET OUT AND LOOK. NOWHERE does it mention ANY mirrors.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Try not to trip as you backpedal so quickly.

Have you READ the drivers permit? If you read the TM and agree to follow it to the best of your ability you are a licensed driver. So, by ARMY standards I am licensed to drive. I even will fill out the certificate on the inside front flap

You might have a different outlook once you disassemble your project, learn some things you never knew, rebuild it, and get a few good CCKW miles under your belt. It serves no purpose to argue CCKW without a real honest to goodness CCKW to experience and drive.

[pfarber]

Look back to see if you ran over a kid in a parade?!?!?!

What kind of parades do you go to?

Does anyone remember the B rate movie DeathRace 2000 (from 1975?) Who knew our buddy RANGER was going to take it so seriously! hahahaha

The field of view out of the 5 in mirrors is so small they are all but useless. The Army had it right.. if you need to back up, use a spotter or get out and look.

Even with today's mirrors driving a box van (which I did for Fed Ex) and relying on mirrors is PURE FOLLEY. The official policy for Fed Ex drivers is: Due to limited visibility BACKING IS TO BE AVOIDED and all turns should be to the right (so you can see oncoming traffic from the left). It goes so far as to say that if you miss a stop you should NOT back up, but make 4 right hand turns around the block. One stat was 70%+ of all accidents were related to backing.

[RANGER]

Farby, FedEx does not drive CCKWs, how about getting some real time in an authentic, roadworthy 100% restored CCKW.