FMTV with Shelter, which model?

[DanM7890]

Thanks to the Denton show now I want a box on my truck. I like the M1079 platform but I want to keep my bed on and just put a shelter on it. Does anyone know what kind of shelter this is with the side door? Maybe a S-280?

 

[porkysplace]

Looks like there are a few different ones .
http://www.gichner.us/FMTv.html

 

[Gunzy]

The one in your pic is an S280 variant.

 

[mkcoen]

Probably a tad big for a M1081.

 

[DanM7890]

Does an FMTV and LMTV have different size beds? I thought the major difference was it had an intermediate axle like the one pictured?

 

[mkcoen]

Does an FMTV and LMTV have different size beds? I thought the major difference was it had an intermediate axle like the one pictured?

I believe a 12' vs 14' bed and obviously the weight capacity. Might still fit but I'd be concerned about the center of gravity. Looks top heavy with 3 axles so would likely be increased with only 2 axles.

 

[Oxyacetylene]

An S-280 should work. Here's a picture of one, says it is an S280-2. I would just be concerned about it being so top heavy

 

[DanM7890]

I guess the question is how much higher it would sit compared to the M1079 bolted box. Weight wise they can't be too much different. The shelters look the same size, it would just be the added weight of also having the bed still bolted on my truck.

 

[mkcoen]

I guess the question is how much higher it would sit compared to the M1079 bolted box. Weight wise they can't be too much different. The shelters look the same size, it would just be the added weight of also having the bed still bolted on my truck.

Guys I've talked to with M1079s said they were top heavy too. Not so bad driving on hard top but off road or any even small side hill and they have a HUGE pucker factor. My idea is to get a 1082 trailer and build a camper in it. That way if I want to take it somewhere to do trail rides I can leave the trailer at camp and not worry about it affecting the way the truck handles.

 

[DanM7890]

That's plan B so I still have my bed on the back of my truck. Is there a way to remove the bed on a M1082 and install the M1079 shelter. That would be super cool! Maybe I can convince someone who has a M1079 box to sell it, *wink Oxyacetylene wink*

 

[Oxyacetylene]

That's plan B so I still have my bed on the back of my truck. Is there a way to remove the bed on a M1082 and install the M1079 shelter. That would be super cool! Maybe I can convince someone who has a M1079 box to sell it, *wink Oxyacetylene wink*

LOL yeah you are in about the same boat that I am. I want to use that box one day maybe, but who knows. The bed could probably be removed from the M1082 fairly easy. Those "bolts" on the frame are huck bolts and you can forget removing them with a wrench or air impact. If you don't mind cutting them then I think you could get to all of them on the trailer without too much hassle. I had thought about doing that on my M1078 and swapping in the frame rail section that the M1079 van enclosure mounts to, but I kind of lost interest in that once I saw where some of those fasteners are located and I counted up how many would have to be removed.

I like the M1082 trailer idea, the only concern there would be turning radius and if the front overhang section from either the M1079 van enclosure or from an S280 shelter would hit the cargo cover frame at the back of the truck during a tight turn. Without a cargo cover installed it wouldn't matter as that overhang would be up higher than the rear tailgate of the truck.

 

[DanM7890]

Sounds like I would have to get some dimensions together to see if that's possible. I like the idea of having it separate from the truck and you could just unhook it. Another idea is to just mount the box on a civi trailer and it would have a lower center of gravity but the clearance is gone, which isn't a bad thing if you just park and disconnect it. It wouldn't look as cool though!

 

[Shark Bait]

I've got two M1082 trailers and I'm considering pulling the bed off one and putting it on one of my M931A2's after I pull the fifth wheel off. If I do it anytime soon I'll let you know and may not need the the chassis left over.

Dave

 

[DanM7890]

Let me know^^^^ This could work out!

 

[DrillerSurplus]

I think you might be overly concerned with the top heavy aspect, the big box makes it look scarier than it is. I did a little homework when I got an M1079 a while ago. In retrospect, for the versatility I wish I bought the M1078 and put a shelter on it.

The data plate on the M1078 says the center of gravity (CG) is 47" above ground empty and 55" loaded.
The data plate on the M1079 says the center of gravity (CG) is 49" above ground empty and 56" loaded. (obviously both would depend somewhat on load)
Both are rated for 30% side slope (equivalent to about a 17 degree angle) which is allowing for a comfortable safety margin before the actual tip over point. The 30% side slope is a pretty common rating- some examples: M921, M939, MK48, HEMTT are all rated @ 30%.

The S280 shelter on an M1078 flatbed would have a lower CG than the M1079 because it weighs a lot less. The 12 foot S280 weighs 1,400 pounds and the TM says the box of the M1079 weighs 3,200. I have no idea why there is such a big difference. If you put an S280 on the frame without the bed the CG would only be a little higher than a stock M1078.
Anyway, since I'd done the homework I thought I'd post it. Hope it helps make some decisions easier.

 

[Oxyacetylene]

I think you might be overly concerned with the top heavy aspect, the big box makes it look scarier than it is. I did a little homework when I got an M1079 a while ago. In retrospect, for the versatility I wish I bought the M1078 and put a shelter on it.

The data plate on the M1078 says the center of gravity (CG) is 47" above ground empty and 55" loaded.
The data plate on the M1079 says the center of gravity (CG) is 49" above ground empty and 56" loaded. (obviously both would depend somewhat on load)
Both are rated for 30% side slope (equivalent to about a 17 degree angle) which is allowing for a comfortable safety margin before the actual tip over point. The 30% side slope is a pretty common rating- some examples: M921, M939, MK48, HEMTT are all rated @ 30%.

The S280 shelter on an M1078 flatbed would have a lower CG than the M1079 because it weighs a lot less. The 12 foot S280 weighs 1,400 pounds and the TM says the box of the M1079 weighs 3,200. I have no idea why there is such a big difference. If you put an S280 on the frame without the bed the CG would only be a little higher than a stock M1078.
Anyway, since I'd done the homework I thought I'd post it. Hope it helps make some decisions easier.

Thank you for posting this, good info! This past weekend at the Denton rally a member brought his M1079 and a couple of us were watching as he pulled into Wheelspinner's house and maneuvered around. It seemed to rock-n-roll more, but that was a very limited observation. It may be that the large box just makes any body roll that much more obvious.

 

[SCSG-G4]

The S280 shelter on an M1078 flatbed would have a lower CG than the M1079 because it weighs a lot less. The 12 foot S280 weighs 1,400 pounds and the TM says the box of the M1079 weighs 3,200. I have no idea why there is such a big difference. If you put an S280 on the frame without the bed the CG would only be a little higher than a stock M1078.
Anyway, since I'd done the homework I thought I'd post it. Hope it helps make some decisions easier.

The S-280 is not as wide or as tall inside, as the inside of the box on the M1079, which is probably why the CG is lower. Most of it's weight is in the bottom as that is where the rails are. Inside there is only about 6'4" in height, even though it's 8 foot from the bed of my M-36 to the top of the S-280 roof. YMMV.

 

[DanM7890]

That is some great info Driller! The reason for wanting a S-280 shelter on top of my bed is that I could take it off and still use the bed when needing to haul stuff and if I trailer mount it I like the idea of leaving it somewhere when camping.

Oxyacetylene do you have a way to lift your shelter. If I can source a M1082 I'm interested in seeing how it lines up. If that doesn't work I'll have to come back to the idea of maybe just putting a S-280 on the trailer so I don't have to keep removing it by myself.

 

[Oxyacetylene]

That is some great info Driller! The reason for wanting a S-280 shelter on top of my bed is that I could take it off and still use the bed when needing to haul stuff and if I trailer mount it I like the idea of leaving it somewhere when camping.

Oxyacetylene do you have a way to lift your shelter. If I can source a M1082 I'm interested in seeing how it lines up. If that doesn't work I'll have to come back to the idea of maybe just putting a S-280 on the trailer so I don't have to keep removing it by myself.

When we took the van enclosure off the non-runner parts truck, PowerstrokeNC brought his FMTV wrecker and we used the crane to pull it off. I don't have any way to move the enclosure yet, so it is being used as storage.

 

[kiwifarms]

thanks for the info