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Hi Guys,

I've seen both canvas and rubber tailgate chain covers for sale and I'm wondering which came on the trucks originally. The ORD lists PN 7005441 for the covers, but doesn't say what they're made of. I see there's a guy on Ebay listing a set of NOS covers which he says are for Vietnam era trucks and they're rubber. So did they all come with rubber.....or did the earlier trucks get canvas and the latter trucks get rubber?

thanks,
bob

i always thought they were canvas. I have never seen a rubber chain cover. I just put mine on last Saturday.

Rubber will hold water and rust out the chains quicker too

Mine on my '54 were canvas.
Gary

As far as I know the truck was issued with canvas chain covers, but in Vietnam because the wet tropical weather was a killer of all things canvas often times when the canvas wore out the field expedient fix was to use a length of rubber hose as a replacement because the rubber was A: in abundance in most motorpools and B: would not rot out as fast as the canvas.

That's my $0.02 on the subject for what it's worth.

k8icu wrote:As far as I know the truck was issued with canvas chain covers, but in Vietnam because the wet tropical weather was a killer of all things canvas often times when the canvas wore out the field expedient fix was to use a length of rubber hose as a replacement because the rubber was A: in abundance in most motorpools and B: would not rot out as fast as the canvas.

That's my $0.02 on the subject for what it's worth.

THIS I bet is what the answer is!

-T

That's my brothers listing on ebay, my truck is in the photo. Here is a picture of one in the original box dated 1967, the NSN is in parts book. I also had some that were in bags instead of the cardboard box. There are holes in the covers to allow water to drain.

I'd have to say that that had to be response to Vietnam. I know canvas didn't hold up over there worth a darn so that may be why the army had the rubber one produced.

The FSN (2540-700-5441) matches the PN (7005441) in the '55 dated ORD 9 TM. It looks like the rubber may be the earlier, possibly original, cover. Glancing through the TMs doesn't help. The photos show a slender sleeve on the tailgate chains but the detail isn't enough to make out whether canvas or rubber. I think these rubber ones were used on the M715s also.

There are a couple of PS magazine articles about replacing the OE covers (doesn't specify material) with canvas versions made at the local support shop. No doubt it would have been faster & cheaper to fab up a set of replacement canvas sleeves from on-hand canvas stock than wait for the supply chain.

1 bicycle innertube would make quite a few chain covers.

Hi Kelley,

Actually........maybe not. Not to be a stick in the mud, but I had a 67 F100 stepside as my first vehicle and I used to make the tailgate chain covers as you suggest....out of bicycle inner tubes. They'd sure fit nice, but not last long. I don't think inner tubes are designed with UV protection (since they never see the sun in a tire), and the rubber breaks down pretty fast. The rubber would get brittle and crack first where the chain bent when you put the tailgate up. Of course inner tubes are cheap, and if you keep your M stored inside, they may last a bit........otherwise make a few pairs if you want to keep them looking good.

In regards to the canvas vs rubber issue......I checked the web and came up blank. But when the trucks were made at Chrysler they probably came with the same cover material they used on their Power Wagon tailgate chain covers.....which was probably rubber. Not sure where the idea for canvas covers came from.

later,
bob

I used some sleeving for hydraulic hoses for my chain covers. I picked it up from an industrial hose shop I deal with at work. Its Black and made of some sort of synthetic material. I cut it with a hot knife, so it won't unravel. It was less than a dollar per foot.

Brett

Hi Bob,
That's not being a stick in the mud, that's the voice of experience. I hadn't considered the impact of UV rays on an inner tube. I guess i won't be making a fortune selling rubber chain covers on E bay.