M925 a1 armored crew cab

[SCM35A2]

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[ROCKWELL-C60]

Okay so I've been working on the 5ton got the top of the door frames done. The top of frame is bolted on so Windows can be changed. Also used ar500 steel around door jam hold on weather stripping and protect occupants from bullet thru jam. From there l went to making overhead console which will hold two 6.5" JBL speakers, radio, cb, eyecon remote, eyecon breaker box, and switch panel for various things like electric wipers etc.

 

[big block 88]

Looks fantastic sir! You may have covered this already so i apologize. What are you doing on windows? I watch the local skating rinks up around my uncles house in MI. They change their lexan out quite a bit. Its 3/4" and from my testing stops a 45 at 25yards. I have not tried faster rifle rounds yet. A guy at the rink claims 2 sheets can stop 556 penetrators for several hits, but I havent tested it myself to know.

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

For the windshields I'm using 2-inch thick ballistic glass capable of stopping 308 rounds and for the side windows I bought some Humvee take off bulletproof glass windows but decided against them now I'm going to put plates on there that fold up like an old half track so l can use stock Windows.

 

[big block 88]

Well that answeres that. Ummmm.... where would one haplen to find level III ballistic glass?

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

So I've been trying to come up with a color to paint my green stuff for year's with little success. 383 is to light and when it fades its awful. So when I painted my m146 camper I went though several different od samples and decided on 33070 As soon as I started spraying it on my trailer it looked to brown for me so since then I've been pn the lookout for a new color and I think this maybe my new color 34031 it's current military helicopter color witch is why I never seen it before when looking at military od's over the years. I'm also going to spray it in carc2 cause behr just not tough as carc and so much of my truck doesn't have a carc base under it. So this is the color I'm going to use on the baddest 5 ton ever assembled!!! So what do you guys think.

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

So I got the wipers done on my 5-ton today they are clock out of the way of the driver's and passengers visibility & are electric 2 speed 24 volt Motors. Then I added the grab handles the hood latches and the door stops are from unknown mrap that I picked up on fleebay.

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

oward

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

Mounted mrap front lights, the top lights hinge foward and tuck by windshield for protection. They also pin off for quick removal. Made the running boards for on top of fuel tanks also steps to get up but didn't take pics when I had them on. Also got exhaust guard made and used pioneer tool kit on back that I modified to hold shovel, pickaxe, sledge hammer, axe, lug wrench and pipe for lug wrench.

 

[big block 88]

Looks fan f#%*ing tastic sir.

 

[AndyT]

Sub'd.

Probably for the second time..

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

Thanks just a few more small things and I'm ready for paint.

 

[Csm Davis]

Looking good

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[Jbulach]

Thanks just a few more small things and I'm ready for paint.

Is it done yet?

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

No last spring I sand blasted and primed and painted the fifth wheel and tire crane with Dupont epoxy primer behr paint and it went to crap. It looks good but you can scratch it off easily with your fingernails, it's very gummy. Could be reaction between primer and paint or primer needs longer to set before topcoat, or that I had to take out of heated garage after two days and into the cold. Got bummed out and started working on some other stuff like my jeep and 57 chev gasser. Was going to paint over xmas but have a cold and haven't solved paint problems. So she sits in the bare waiting.

 

[bluehorse]

That is a mountain of hard work you have put into that thing. Very nice work and attention to detail too.

 

[OldDuke6]

Rockwell,

1. Man I gotta know, how much additional weight do you think that you've added to the overall GVW?

2. Are you planning on counter-acting the additional weight+loss of drivability/reduced performance with any performance enhancing modifications? (E.G.: Larger Turbo, Multiple Turbos, Compound Turbo, Turbo+Supercharger, Methanol Injection, Larger Intercooler, Steam engine, etc.)

3. Suspension wise, the 925's are fairly straight forward in design (massive leaf spring packs), are you going to do any suspension upgrades? Like air-ride, swap out the live axles for IFS+IRS?

4. Have you considered the concept of the Center of Gravity? How far forward has the additional weight of the armor moved the CG? The front suspension being pre-loaded all the time with the additional weight of the added armor will have shifted most, of the weight to the front axle. This means, blown out axle shaft bearings (eventually), and the potential for wheel bearings to take on much of the additional load support. Now, I know that alot of people are going to stand on a soap box, and go.."Look at the Navistar line of trucks.. they hang all kinds of armor off of those, this should be able to handle it."

Point to be made.. The Navistar trucks, arent welded together in someone's garage. They spent MILLIONS engineering those trucks, at taxpayers expense.. Of course those trucks like the MRAP can swing the weight around. but a modified M925 being put together via homebrewed ideology, in a garage, without serious dedicated engineering support, makes me step back a moment, and go.. "Hmmmm. What's the failure point?"

Now, I know alot of you guys will probably think I'm hammering this into the dirt, but from a Safety First stand point, and the amount of love and labor put into this.. I respect your work. ALOT. It's wicked.. I love it. I would just hate to see something horrific happen when you're out with family or in a spot where your miles from civilization.

5. Are you going to single out the rear? Keep the dual drive axles, or go single axle rear like the RG33?

All in all, some interesting questions.. just stuff I had rattling around in my head.. for instance.. Like gusseting the axle arms as they extend away from the pumpkins. That way it eliminates any sag in the lateral with the weight being added. Just some stuff to think about.

6. How far past the legal limit does the additional weight of the armor push the truck, like.. With the mods, does it now require a CDL to drive it? I ask because in Texas, the marker for the Non-CDL limit is 26,100lbs .. I think.. I could be wrong.. someone check on that for me.. I'm lazy.

 

[bluehorse]

In most states if not all these trucks require a CDL, not just because of GVW but also because they are full air brake. I have a feeling he will notice the weight difference but its probably far from the GVWR of the truck. The truck is probably still way less weight than a wrecker.

 

[74M35A2]

Air brake has nothing to do with CDL requirements in Michigan, just in case anybody was wondering. No special license requirement for personally owned air brake vehicle.

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

Old duke, I drive, operate, maintain, rebuild, remount on to new trucks as needed, some of the largest concrete pumps in the world. The truck I drive daily weighs 142,000 lbs and is 54 ft long with 3 steers and 22 tires. It reaches 213 ft and puts 120000 lbs on an outrigger. Thank you for your concern but I think I can handle this toy 5ton. P.s. I through on a pic of me remounting a concrete pump too.