Looking to buy a HMMWV, What do i look for?

[CAPSARME]

I have done a little research, and have a few requirements already for what i want in a hummer, but i am wondering if there is any thing else i should look for or steer away from.

I know i want a 6.5 turbo, and the newer automatic
I also want a four door, but i want a slant back, as well as a soft top. How hard will it be to change back and forth?

I know i want the newer 12 bolt wheels and radial tires

I was also thinking that i want the CTIS system.

Any other things that i should look into?

Also where is a good place to get them.

I would really like a restored one or a low mileage original one. I want to drive this thing, not have another project around the house.

 

[BLK HMMWV]

HMMWV wants

First off
If you say your looking for a hummer your looking for a General Motors product. A civi H1, H2, or H3 . I personally wouldn't touch the 2 or a 3.

If you are looking for a military one it's a HMMWV pronounced Humvee.

You can probably find a Hummer H1 in good shape with low milage and a 6.5 and the CTIS system .
The CTIS system is prone to leaks. How bad do you want it?

You can swap body parts between the HMMWV and the H1 with little differance. Once you attach a slant back it is not something that is very easily swapped on and off. Slank backs are not water tight so if you not storing it inside then be prepaired for a wet inside. The hatch seal's and the turret seals eventually will leak.

Regardless if you buy one , your going to have to have to maintain it and your still going to have a project.

A low milage, Street Legal HMMWV ( with the proper paper work) with a 6.5 and the newer transmission is going to set you back a bunch if you can find one. I'm not saying there not available. It will be questionable about there release from the goverment so make sure it has a clean paper trail.

The H1 in HMMWV clothes with be smoother ride with more creature comforts.
It will be quieter, faster, and you might find it easier to have serviced and worked on if you don't want to do it yourself.

The HMMWV is what it is . I wouldn't trade mine for the world but it also isn't what I would use to get from point a to point b in a hurry. It's noisy inside and out, requires upkeep and maintenace that you need to be able to do yourself.

Best of luck

Remember HMMWV really means High Maintenance Money Wasting Vehical
Hummer , well that has a few different meanings and some are better than others.

BH

 

[CAPSARME]

okay let me clarify a few things.

I am looking for a HMMWV like the title says, not a "hummer/tahoe" I know that was my first post on the site, and i should have elaborated, and used the correct terminology. I am a mechanic and between my father and I, we currently own 7 MV's. I am not a newbie, and i am definitely not afraid of getting my hands dirty.

What i mean by "needs nothing" is one that i can hop in and drive and not have to kick the dash or use a screw driver to start. I dont mind working on and maintaining one, but i dont want to have to rebuild one to use it.

I am really interested in learning all about the different models, because until now i thought they were all M998's.

I also am not afraid to spend the right money for the right truck. I know there no speed demons, but i do hit the highway, and would like to do that with out having to re-gear the truck, so spending the money for the 6.5turbo/4L80E combo off the bat makes sense to me.

BLK HMMWV,

Thanks for the info, and I'm not trying to be rude, just wanted to explain that I am not a "NOOB" i think H2's and H3's are gross.

 

[gunboy1656]

The HMMWV is not slow by any means, I had an M1097 with shelter and towing a 5K generator, doing 70 before. Granted it was flat land. So much for the 45 MPH convoy speed. The 2 deuces we had in the convoy both needed new engines after that haul.

I never broke that truck an all the years I drove it, one woman drove it while I was in Iraq, she blew the tranny out of it 10 miles from our armory. Guess it didnt like a new driver, never heard how she broke it.

My suggestion would be go for the slant back, mine had the soft top, and the flapping got on my nerves, plus it never really got warm on the inside in the winter. With the slant back you can take off the doors and open the sunroof (top hatch) and have fun.

A lot of the different versions are just cause they added a winch or not.

 

[DicedDeuceMan]

Regardless if you buy one , your going to have to have to maintain it and your still going to have a project.



Remember HMMWV really means High Maintenance Money Wasting Vehical
Hummer , well that has a few different meanings and some are better than others.

BH

LOL. about spit out my drink on that one.

 

[Elwenil]

Are there still problems registering surplus HMMWVs in some states? I know that bit went around years ago about them refusing to register them, but it hasn't seemed to slow the buying and selling of them. If it is an issue in some states, I think the first thing I would do is make sure you can title one in your home state.

 

[CAPSARME]

I live in Maine, and will have no problems registering one.

 

[eisenhe]

First thing you want to do is download some TM's -- the Army TM is 9-2320 and comes in two volumes. Folks sell it on CD but you can find places to download it for free. The cover lists all the numbers and what differentiates them. It'll be your Bible for every job, as it shows exploded views of everything down to the rivets. Have fun!

 

[Haasino]

Are there still problems registering surplus HMMWVs in some states? I know that bit went around years ago about them refusing to register them, but it hasn't seemed to slow the buying and selling of them. If it is an issue in some states, I think the first thing I would do is make sure you can title one in your home state.

I asked the same question and got some good replies in this thread...

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

The truck you are asking for is a Hummer, The Goverment did not use the CTIS system all that often on HMMWV's. 6.5TD is Current motor plus all the rest on the wish List...all I can say is that if you want all that have some real deep pockets, unless you buy it already done you will pay for an M998 that has been upgraded to all those specs. I personally think you would be better off taking a 94 Hummer that can be had for about 25k or even Less, Strip it and add all Military features, This way you will Have CTIS, Rocker and driveline protection and even A/C. It will be 12v instead of 24v system as well.

I persnally do not like the Slantback, It's Noisy, no views and Dark inside...I have always like the M998 sof top, it;s also faster with the 6.2L, The 6.2 is a pig with Armor. The next best thing is the GMV, some Armor and still open.

HMMWV's DO NOT HAUL ASS!....the only ass it hauls is people.

That is unless you drop a 6.6 Duramax in it...My 98 TD Wagon does 70 with no problem, anything after that is just wasting Diesel...All my HMMWV;s are very happy at 55mph on long cruises, The Engine Temp stays at 190-200 at this speed, above that and the Fan is always kicking on and off.

Just a word to the Wise, The HMMWV is not for the Light pocketed, These trucks are High maint, I have owned more mil Trucks than I can count and the HMMWV just consumes resources...Heck, My Deuces were great to own and Drive....Never had issues.

May I ask, Just how much are you Planning to spend on this truck with your Posted Spec Sheet?
That Dollar amout will tell us if it is even possible....


Anyway, Good Luck

 

[Varyag]

We had the CTIS system on our xm1114s in bosnia/kosovo and we had to disable every one of them. They never worked. I would avoid the hmmwv CTIS like the plague. The control plate is in a strange spot anyway.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

I have CTIS on my 98, I have no issues with it, You just need to know how it works and where the leaks come from. The Spindle seals inside the Hub can be an issue, The CTIS connection at the quick discnnect is the most problem area, I loose 1-2 PSI per week in the Rear Tires, That is due in part to the seals in the quick disconnect getting old and not sealing as well as when they are new, I use some silicone lube to keep them somewhat soft. I have repaired Numerous CTIS systems on Hummers for Friends that had given up...It's a very simple setup actually.

Let me add that if you are Troubleshooting CTIS have a bottle of soapy water to spray on ALL connection points....thats how you find the Leaks.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Theres one right here also if your looking- Jay

 

[BLK HMMWV]

The truck you are asking for is a Hummer, The Goverment did not use the CTIS system all that often on HMMWV's. 6.5TD is Current motor plus all the rest on the wish List...all I can say is that if you want all that have some real deep pockets, unless you buy it already done you will pay for an M998 that has been upgraded to all those specs. I personally think you would be better off taking a 94 Hummer that can be had for about 25k or even Less, Strip it and add all Military features, This way you will Have CTIS, Rocker and driveline protection and even A/C. It will be 12v instead of 24v system as well.

I persnally do not like the Slantback, It's Noisy, no views and Dark inside...I have always like the M998 sof top, it;s also faster with the 6.2L, The 6.2 is a pig with Armor. The next best thing is the GMV, some Armor and still open.

HMMWV's DO NOT HAUL ASS!....the only ass it hauls is people.

That is unless you drop a 6.6 Duramax in it...My 98 TD Wagon does 70 with no problem, anything after that is just wasting Diesel...All my HMMWV;s are very happy at 55mph on long cruises, The Engine Temp stays at 190-200 at this speed, above that and the Fan is always kicking on and off.

Just a word to the Wise, The HMMWV is not for the Light pocketed, These trucks are High maint, I have owned more mil Trucks than I can count and the HMMWV just consumes resources...Heck, My Deuces were great to own and Drive....Never had issues.

May I ask, Just how much are you Planning to spend on this truck with your Posted Spec Sheet?
That Dollar amout will tell us if it is even possible....


Anyway, Good Luck

Well said
I concur with everything you said.

BH

 

[DicedDeuceMan]

Pretty sure I read every one of these, I don't think anyone mentioned the frame rails, right at drivers feet, rust area..

And if you find one below 20, running complete, you better jump on it like a tax rebate, it wont' last long.

 

[slash79]

Ive never noticed any frame rail rot on a HMMWV, and ive been under my fair share of them. i would hate to personally own one, its a lot easier getting parts by filling out a EROSL, i would hate to explain to the parts jockey at Autozone what a geared hub was.

That being said, i would love to own a M1152 to knock around in, but we all know thats not gonna happen anytime soon.

 

[Cigarjoe]

I know where a like new slatback one is in Indiana for $48,000, and he says he's giving it away.

 

[akonitony]

You also will need some stock in an oil company since they get pretty lousy mileage...
My buddy bought one (a hummer, and not the good kind ) in TN for some $60k, and quickly figured out he was getting about 8 - 10 MPG, and that was with no hills and a nice breeze from behind. The previous owner was an MD, and not the Mentally Disabled kind, if you know what I mean. If an Internal Medicine doc is selling a vehicle because it is too expensive to keep, I would think it might be a little too much for the rest of us poor slobs, but that is just my thoughts being "corrupted" by common sense.

 

[eisenhe]

Amen about the oil company -- I'm hoping to run mine on homemade biodiesel one day.

 

[papakb]

CAPSARME,

Your original posting asked what to look for and stay away from when looking for a HMMWV. There's been a lot of commentary here that doesn't really address your original question.


The slant backs look cool but have no rearward visibility, leak like seives, and are noisey and hot. Ask anyone who used one in the sandbox.


The USMC likes to do amphibous stuff. HMMWVs have open frame rails in the front coming up a bank leaves a lot of water in the rails and they rot out. Any USMC vehicle you look at get under with a creeper and a hammer and tap along the frame rails. If they sound rotten they are. Nobody but a sadist wants to change a frame rail!


CTIS is nice but if you lose an air line the entire system goes flat.


If your looking to save money look at non-runners. Prices plummet when they don't run but engines are not that expensive. Good take out 6.2s can be had for under $1000.

Oh yeah, forget anything Jessie James ever said or did to a HMMWV.


2 cents worth from a long time owner.


Kurt Lesser