Are there any high mileage FMTVs?

[tennmogger]

Most FMTV's sold on GP have no more than 15k to 20k miles. Many have less than 10k miles. Has anyone seen a high mileage FMTV? What about those still in service (question for you active-duty guys/gals)?

You know where this is going: Is an FMTV capable of achieving high mileage, hundreds of thousand miles? I certainly hope so. Just clicked 5k miles added to my LMTV since I got it, total about 21k now. Yeah, I'm driving the wheels off it. But, honestly, the talk about chatter in the drivetrain (even after the "D" mod), spider gears wearing, and Coachgeo's demolition truck, I'm getting paranoid!

So far I'm happy with mine.

 

[Suprman]

The one I drive has 82k on the odometer. I think on a lot of trucks the odometer gets replaced along the way. So actual mileage my be unknown. And 20k is a lot of mikes just going from the motorpool to parade deck to the "field" a few miles away for a training op.

 

[coachgeo]

Most FMTV's sold on GP have no more than 15k to 20k miles. Many have less than 10k miles. Has anyone seen a high mileage FMTV? What about those still in service (question for you active-duty guys/gals)?

You know where this is going: Is an FMTV capable of achieving high mileage, hundreds of thousand miles? I certainly hope so. Just clicked 5k miles added to my LMTV since I got it, total about 21k now. Yeah, I'm driving the wheels off it. But, honestly, the talk about chatter in the drivetrain (even after the "D" mod), spider gears wearing, and Coachgeo's demolition truck, I'm getting paranoid!

So far I'm happy with mine.

The difference is motor pool maintenance and now your Maintenance. knowing you ..... you keep things up to specification and your travels allow for that. You go out for day or two... you go home; you have (assuming here) a personal shop space too so once your back..... you can do checks and maintenance before going on weekend trip again. Folk in that situation should be good to go.

Like stated earlier; I admit the drive line issues I ended up with seems to have occurred cause of a botch job by the shop the previous owner used to install driveline and new rear member. Probably just slapped it up like any other truck and did not adhere to TM specification. That along with a steep angled driveshaft; that is easier to transfer vibrations into the system, just compounded till... BREAK. Even when mine all gets set back to spec; only reason Ill have concerns (or over concern?) is cause want my future trips to be months on the road at a time, where breaking things down checking all is in spec.; thousand miles from home, is not really logical. That is reason I want to help make her a little less sensitive to driveline issues. Want her to where rattle and shakes from a slight ding on the driveshaft from a side trip offroading; causing vibrations, wont see those vibrations transferred into the TCase as easily over the next 300- 500? miles of the trip.

Besides that, have no form of a shop space at all when at home anyway. Don't even have a carport much less a garage. Ti$$ the reality of life when one's a small sport school educator.

 

[Suprman]

The driveshaft hinging test in the tm should be done on schedule. The u joints, yokes and slip joints wear faster than most applications. I don't believe it's something to worry about just check for play every 5k or so. It's usually a driveshaft or u joint failure and the driveshaft flying off takes the t case with it. The trucks are battle proven in the Middle East. But we have all bought someone else's (gov) problem vehicle because they didn't want to deal with it anymore.

 

[98G]

They're all high mileage. Odometer readings mean absolutely nothing....

 

[NDT]

But isn't the current production Oshkosh version of the FMTV essentially the same as Stewart and Stevenson's?

 

[coachgeo]

... The trucks are battle proven in the Middle East. ....

Battle proven... followed by travel at 30ish MPH not 55ish, With a return to motor pool for check out. Or is that an invalid assumption?

 

[coachgeo]

But isn't the current production Oshkosh version of the FMTV essentially the same as Stewart and Stevenson's?

Not sure if 2008 was before Oshkosh took over or not. Anyway, it's been stated here that the rear driveline is now much less steep and has been since 2008. This has been done by using the intermediate 6x6 style axle as their rear axle. This axle's driveshaft yoke sits a good bit higher reducing drive line angle considerably. It also moves the rear driveshaft considerably further away from potential object damage.

1995 M1078 see how the rear driveshaft hits axle at about center of wheel rim.
and now if its correct that they now use something like the intermediate 6x6 axle ... then it would be more like minus rear most axle. See that the driveshaft meets axle at a height around top of rim. Much less steep angle.

 

[Lmtv772]

But isn't the current production Oshkosh version of the FMTV essentially the same as Stewart and Stevenson's?

I'll find out for you

 

[coachgeo]

in this video at around 17-20" if you look close you can make out the rear driveline. Seems to be yoke sits about same height as top of rear rim. That would be above pumpkin as in the intermediate 6x6 axle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzBknR-aRP8


But this may be a BAE and not Oshkosh?

Will be interesting what Lmtv772 finds.

 

[Lmtv772]

I'll find out for you

PM'ed you NDT

 

[NDT]

Thanks LMTV. My point is, Uncle is still buying these, with essentially the same design as the 90's trucks, (with updates and different rear pumpkin), so they must be reasonably happy with them. I know during my recent visit to Ft Polk, FMTV's were all I saw running around base. Old ones, new ones, 4x4s and 6x6s.

 

[DanM7890]

Ft. Bragg is still using these actively, new and old. All I see when I'm over there are those and Hemtts

 

[Lmtv772]

Ft. Bragg is still using these actively, new and old. All I see when I'm over there are those and Hemtts

I got across this video , speaking of reliability
https://youtu.be/IPzla2jLf5Q

 

[Overdrive]

Battle proven... followed by travel at 30ish MPH not 55ish, With a return to motor pool for check out. Or is that an invalid assumption?

From the condition of my truck when I got it (pretty good shape FYI) and almost all the GP trucks I see sold or for sale on GP, these trucks we are buying (with a few exceptions I assume) are NOT coming to auction right from active military units. I am going to assume my truck coming out of Ft. Irwin CA then shipped to Ft. Carson CO for auction spent a few years in NTC as a check in/check out truck for rotating units coming to the training center. Our loved LMTV pride and joy vehicles have probably spent time in GSA lots, used as haulers for base civilians or worse.

Therefore PMCS may not have been done as good as you think it was. My truck had dates on the Air filter and a couple of the engine filters with dates from 2009. Which is why everyone always says to do a full PMCS and swap all fluids before driving any long distances or having too much fun.

 

[Johno176]

Nice video post Lmtv772. Kinda gets your blood pumping. Thanks.

 

[tennmogger]

LMTV722, great video! That one lead to these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irUwErlR5OU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2My5C4EWKM#t=536.440083

Both those videos include basic PCMS, driving techniques, and great comparisons to the older Deuce and a half and Five ton trucks.