Independent Suspension Caiman Axle Swap for M1083 6X6

[Shark Bait]

My F-450 rides very stiff and rough while unloaded. Put a few thousand pounds in the bed and it's a Cadillac. Load some weight on your MTV and cruise around to see what you think. You may be satisfied.

 

[simp5782]

How are you going to do air ride suspension for under a $1,000?

Wedge brakes are horrible in wet weather because the brake application is erratic

I can get the entire rear frame sections of kw trucks minus the outboards for 550 to 750 at truck junk yards in Arkansas. Things are cheap and make it off what you got.

No problems with wedge brakes in wet weather unless you dont know how to operate em. I dont have any issues even without abs.

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[Jbulach]

You could buy an entire Caiman chassis with the unsupported Meritor suspension from member "Midway". He has about 30 of them, Eastern Surplus has some as well.

Do this.^

Slap your Winnebago body body on, get some lighter springs wound, boom your done, piece of cake...

 

[simp5782]

I have an axletech axle I will sell you cheap. . 6.70 ratio . It is some type of MRAP rear axle.

 

[tennmogger]

If you want to build a camper box on the FMTV frame, there's an old oil-field trick that might be useful. Build some long 'air bags' out of 6" fire hose. Just flatten the ends, drill holes through some flat metal stock, say 1" x 1/4", holes about every inch, and use two of those to sandwich and seal the ends of the flattened hose. Use some sealant. Drill a hole in the hose and put in a Schrader valve in a convenient place, the kind with clamp nut. BTW, figure out where you want the Schrader valve and put it in first.

A pair of those along the edges of the camper would shock absorb it. Tie down the load with short straps and big footman loops and tension the air bags against them.

 

[quickfarms]

I can get the entire rear frame sections of kw trucks minus the outboards for 550 to 750 at truck junk yards in Arkansas. Things are cheap and make it off what you got.

No problems with wedge brakes in wet weather unless you dont know how to operate em. I dont have any issues even without abs.

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There are several issues with using an OTR suspension

The first is the axle articulation is very poor leading to poor performance off road

The second is the ride height is too short to work with a military truck without buying new hangers and leafs

The third issue is it's going to be a lot of work to mount it onto the truck

The fourth issue is the op list his location as OC, Orange County ca?, if so then your pricing is way off. The last one I purchased was for a single axle and it was $1,800

 

[simp5782]

There are several issues with using an OTR suspension

The first is the axle articulation is very poor leading to poor performance off road

The second is the ride height is too short to work with a military truck without buying new hangers and leafs

The third issue is it's going to be a lot of work to mount it onto the truck

The fourth issue is the op list his location as OC, Orange County ca?, if so then your pricing is way off. The last one I purchased was for a single axle and it was $1,800

Well we arent in the great country of California here. Prices are cheap in small towns with their old junk yards. Shipping isnt an issue. Got a truck going that way next week.

Its a camper it isnt going to need much articulation as it wouldnt be much before something breaks on the setup.

Nothing is hard to mount if you are a halfway decent fabricator.

5 ton setup looks pretty good with air ride. Could use the m322 walking beam setup and just add your bags and swap axles out. Its rated to 60,000lbs. The mto20 spring/beam setup is rated at 27k

But what does anyone else know? You never agree with anyone on anything posted here. Must be a little person thing. I do remind you that you never came and replaced my leaf springs that you insisted needing replaced.

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