HEMTT Update

[Hammer]

Didn't think the old ones were that bad. Unless you got a good deal and scooped them up when you had the chance. Getting the GOOD ones can be difficult at times!
Have 4 extra 'old' ones? I would love to put a set on my trailer to match the truck!

 

[Stalwart]

Correct Hammer, I got 'em because I could. My source has told me that since the military is going to civilian contractors for tires in the near future, we won't be seeing cheap tires soon. He is putting in for 9 more for me that he'll keep for me in case I want them. At $250.00 ea. shrink wrapped, I don't feel too bad. Also it was a local pickup so no shipping costs but a few hours and some Diesel.

And yes guys, the tires on the truck are 80-90% remaining.

Pictures later today of what I've been up to.

 

[Stalwart]

Thanks to Leonard Jones (Jones), owner of the awesome Baby HEMTT, I'm finishing the outrigger pads. Leonard machined some 5" round stock with an internal taper to accept the ball on the end of the hyd. cylinder rod. I just had to weld them to the pads and make some brackets to accept some 1/2" x 6" ball type quick release pins.

I have finished making brackets with sockets to accept the modified cargo top bows. They are affixed with stainless 1/4" counter sunk machine screws and the brackets are set off from the aluminum with some 1/8" cork self stick tape. All are fastened with blind stainless steel rivnuts in the aluminim sides. The bows were cut in 4 places and re-welded in a jig. I also made a storage rack for the front of the bed. The right side has a header for the center bow so you don't have to remove any bows to get a side panel down. We had a target for going from open cargo with bows stowed, to fully secure cargo top in less than 5 minutes with 2 people and no tools. With the use quick release pins we should be able to easily beat that target, we got the bows up in less than 1:30, including the header at a leisurely pace.


I also made some stand off brackets for the boarding ladder that keeps the ladder clear of the aluminum sides. The pins go into bronze flanged bushings epoxied to the bed deck. The pins are 5/8" so even my fat butt can't bend 'em and the ladder is totally secure for the wife and kids.

Now for media blasting, powder paint and OD Green.

 

[Coldfusion21]

Looks awesome! Good call on the tires, for brand new ones that is a steal.

I see the white car with the little yellow horse in the background too

 

[MO MV man]

By far, my favorite MV-the HEMTT.

Great job, Stuart.
Top notch all the way.

 

[Stalwart]

I see the white car with the little yellow horse in the background too

You're not supposed to see that, it was my pre-wife/family toy that I haven't gotten rid of yet. I has to go away to help pay for restorations of all the rest, survival of the fittest you know I'd sacrifice anything for my Scorpion and HEMTT, the same way my wife feels about her Fox.

Thanks MO MV Man, I'm standing on some pretty tall shoulders, just following on from the good work started by DMA251 (Damon). The progress may be slow but I'm trying to keep the restoration faithful to Damon's overall direction. In some way it will always be his baby, hence I'm keeping his number on the truck.

 

[MO MV man]

AHA!
I KNEW that HEMTT looked familiar.
I remember drooling uncontrollably over Damon's YouTube clips of your rig.

Outstanding.
I'd go out on a limb to say you have the nicest civilian-owned HEMTT around.

 

[Stalwart]

Thanks, we are making every attempt to make it the best truck we can. Still a lot to do . . .

 

[Jones]

Mighty fine work there, Stuart.
Those outrigger pads look so good it's hard to believe I had a hand in making them.
Your workmanship is second to none.

 

[harry]

thats a truck

 

[Stalwart]

Thanks Leonard, I had some 1/4" x 3" flat stock laying around and although I didn't follow the exact blueprint, I followed the intent. I doubled up the sides to look right, it didn't need the strength. The only real thing I had going for me is I ditched the 14" abrasive cutoff saw years ago and went to the lower rpm 14" dry cut carbide tipped saw. The blades are costly at $150-200 but last a LONG time. The cuts are clean and ready to be welded and you can touch the metal with your bare hand after cutting.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Probably a dumb question but where in the world do you pick up a HMMMT? Funnest driving truck EVER.. My license was for the refueler, so a slick hass got to be 100% more fun!

 

[Stalwart]

One of our Steel Soldiers members bought it on eBay as a cannibalized mess, it was terrible and MUCH was missing. He spent 2.5 years and lots of money bringing it back from the dead. I bought it from him and we are just finishing it off. "Jones" above made all sorts of brackets and things for it. It will be done in a year or two but it'll be useable the whole time.

Slick? Stick? As far as I know they are all automatics . . .

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Slick, sorry, I'm a helicopter guy. A slick is just yer basic everyday stuff hauler. Anything else gets a moniker, for example: fueler, wrecker, water truck, etc.

 

[911brad]

We thought about that but decided that they take up too much darn room. We still need the truck to haul our camping stuff for the larger events.

Man, of all the military vehicles I would love to own, the HEMTT would be it! I drove the HEMTT or PLS for 8 years while in the Army, all of which were in the ammo section of either cannon or MLRS artillery.

As I'm sure 13 MIKE knows, the MLRS six pack wouldn't be appropriate to haul in the M977 anyways, as it was never meant for those. The M985 is the version of HEMTT that was designed to haul the pods for the MLRS as it has a heavier 6000# material handling crane, compared to the 4500# MHC on the M977. The two trucks look identical from the outside, with the quickest way to tell the difference being a glance at the MHC... on the M977, there is just a single cable that hangs down, on the heavier M985 crane, the cable loops through a block and back up to the crane. The M985 also has the brackets for the pods to sit in on the floor of the cargo area. An M977 can lift empty pods, but wouldn't be able to safely lift full ones, especially those loaded with an ATACMS.

I'm super jealous. That is an amazing truck!

Brad

 

[Stalwart]

HEMTT helps out a sleeping partner

Boy that crane is nice, I'm done with the cherry pickers when doing maintenance on my Scorpion, just let the crane do all the heavy lifting. That engine cover is not only large and cumbersome but also quite heavy. Cover removal only took about 10 minutes and the most I had to lift was a tiny cordless impact wrench for the 1/2" bolts.

 

[Stalwart]

Darn thing is getting used a lot now

Moving 10 new tires upstairs for dry storage. The wife did the hard part.

 

[srodocker]

wow...i wonder how high one of those would bounch if it fell hehe. nice tires!!! cant wait to see that truck again mmmm

 

[Stalwart]

Even with the bottom of 'em 18' in the air I don't think they'd bounce too high. If they were inflated with wheels they would be scary as sh*t. Still, I was ready to dive under the outriggers!

 

[BKubu]

Stuart, very cool.