LMTV vs 5 TON

[red]

Are you doing off road with cab aired up if so the TM says the air must be off the cab.

All of ours were locked off and pinned due to being primarily offroad vehicles. Trucks spent about 9 months each year on the ranges. Sorry Coffey1, it's a design flaw that's an issue with regular offroad applications. Pavement it's fine but not with regular offroad use. Those trucks got 2000-3000 miles per year, at most 500 miles was on the pavement.

The cab still moves when it is pinned and the air cut off from the cab suspension. That's my experience with the LMTV's offroad. The last m35a2 we had out there was pretty much trouble free. The blue fleet dump trucks had some interior issues (things coming loose) and some cut air lines at the axles but that was about it with mechanical problems. Those got stuck more than they had problems.

 

[Chris H]

Common sizes, making shrouds would help or could upgrade to a much heavier duty DOT approved air hose to replace all the hoses running to the axle.

Post #415 mentions the difference, couple pics of it further down http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?132200-quot-Rescued-quot-M816-Wrecker/page42

Thanks Red, so it looks like it's a matter of getting the right size upgraded hose and cramping the right size fittings on.

 

[Chris H]

Are you doing off road with cab aired up if so the TM says the air must be off the cab.

By aired up you mean A/C?

 

[Chris H]

All of ours were locked off and pinned due to being primarily offroad vehicles. Trucks spent about 9 months each year on the ranges. Sorry Coffey1, it's a design flaw that's an issue with regular offroad applications. Pavement it's fine but not with regular offroad use. Those trucks got 2000-3000 miles per year, at most 500 miles was on the pavement.

The cab still moves when it is pinned and the air cut off from the cab suspension. That's my experience with the LMTV's offroad. The last m35a2 we had out there was pretty much trouble free. The blue fleet dump trucks had some interior issues (things coming loose) and some cut air lines at the axles but that was about it with mechanical problems. Those got stuck more than they had problems.

So in your experience a bobbed 5 ton is more mechanically sound/reliable than a 1079? Whatever I get will get driven daily so thanks for everyone's support input.

 

[red]

By aired up you mean A/C?

The LMTV cab uses air bags to mount it to the truck frame, helps smooth out the ride. When taking the LMTV offroad you are supposed to cut off the air supply to those bags and pin the cab into a "locked" position which reduces how much the cab can move.

That upgraded air hose is more expensive but is a big improvement to the strength of the air hoses run to the axle. Whichever truck you get I'd recommend driving it first with the stock air hose (carry some spare hose) and see if you have a regular problem with it. If you are cutting those hoses often then upgrade, if not then apply that money to something else.

I'd trust a bobbed 5 ton with regular offroad driving more than an LMTV with mechanical reliability.

 

[Coffey1]

A bobbed 5 ton is sacrilege.

 

[red]

A bobbed 5 ton is sacrilege.

On that we agree, but he is in Cali (crazy laws)

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Chris H]

The LMTV cab uses air bags to mount it to the truck frame, helps smooth out the ride. When taking the LMTV offroad you are supposed to cut off the air supply to those bags and pin the cab into a "locked" position which reduces how much the cab can move.


That upgraded air hose is more expensive but is a big improvement to the strength of the air hoses run to the axle. Whichever truck you get I'd recommend driving it first with the stock air hose (carry some spare hose) and see if you have a regular problem with it. If you are cutting those hoses often then upgrade, if not then apply that money to something else.

I'd trust a bobbed 5 ton with regular offroad driving more than an LMTV with mechanical reliability.

That pretty much settles it. The hose sounds like a good investment all around on a used truck. Thanks

 

[98G]

On that we agree, but he is in Cali (crazy laws)

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

He's doing it to "improve performance", not to get around any of California's laws.

I can't think of any of California laws that lopping off an axle gets him around. Lopping off an axle doesn't change GVWR, and the truck still has full air brakes.

Depending on how you read California laws, an unmodified 5ton may or may not require special licensing, but lopping off an axle doesn't change it...

If he wants a 2 axle truck, he'll be better off starting with an LMTV. The LMTV is also tamer and better driving around town... and at least it's designed as a 4x4 and won't be someone's booger-welded hackjob.

He has no experience with any of them. He has formed opinions based on reading the internet. He would do almost as well to make a random selection.

The first rainstorm when he's wishing he had wipers *inside* the windshield will be an eye opener.

 

[Chris H]

A bobbed 5 ton is sacrilege.

Lol. That won't stop me! I love the way the lmtv's are setup but I can't be spending too much time on maintenance.
I do wonder if there's a way to mount rubber blocks under the cab on an lmtv so that when you pin it without air in the bags the rubber blocks take up the slack and eliminate the rattle..

 

[Coffey1]

Chris you need to talk to Adventure Driven he has what you want and he's been using it! Get his opinion.

 

[Chris H]

He's doing it to "improve performance", not to get around any of California's laws.

I can't think of any of California laws that lopping off an axle gets him around. Lopping off an axle doesn't change GVWR, and the truck still has full air brakes.

Depending on how you read California laws, an unmodified 5ton may or may not require special licensing, but lopping off an axle doesn't change it...

If he wants a 2 axle truck, he'll be better off starting with an LMTV. The LMTV is also tamer and better driving around town... and at least it's designed as a 4x4 and won't be someone's booger-welded hackjob.

He has no experience with any of them. He has formed opinions based on reading the internet. He would do almost as well to make a random selection.

The first rainstorm when he's wishing he had wipers *inside* the windshield will be an eye opener.

I've heard about the weather stripping, thanks.
A vehicle can be recertified after an axle is removed but you can't get around the air brakes.
I'm here to start the education process.
There are two schools of thought on this for sure.
But I'm getting good info about the weak points of both.
If I go 5 ton I don't want that much ass.
Hands down the lmtv "floor plan" is better. However it sounds like the 5ton is better mechanically.
Thanks for your input

 

[Chris H]

Chris you need to talk to Adventure Driven he has what you want and he's been using it! Get his opinion.

I'll look him up

 

[98G]

I've heard about the weather stripping, thanks.
A vehicle can be recertified after an axle is removed but you can't get around the air brakes.
I'm here to start the education process.
There are two schools of thought on this for sure.
But I'm getting good info about the weak points of both.
If I go 5 ton I don't want that much ass.
Hands down the lmtv "floor plan" is better. However it sounds like the 5ton is better mechanically.
Thanks for your input

These things leak like a sieve. It's not just a matter of weatherstripping.

I'm tempted to ascribe the "better mechanically" opinions to an ingrained preference for older stuff. When the 809 series came around, you heard complaints that the M54 multifuel was better. The when the 939s came out you heard all kinds of talk about the 809 series being more reliable. Now we're hearing the same comments comparing the LMTVs to the 939s. I'm just not convinced. (And my preference is for the 939s, so this isn't personal bias).

Any of these things is going to require regular maintenance. Any of them regularly maintained will be adequately reliable. All of them, at least through the 939series, is a completely different animal from a pickup truck or a normal class 8 truck.

Get some seat time. Form some opinions based on first hand personal experience.... don't take our word for it.

 

[Chris H]

These things leak like a sieve. It's not just a matter of weatherstripping.

I'm tempted to ascribe the "better mechanically" opinions to an ingrained preference for older stuff. When the 809 series came around, you heard complaints that the M54 multifuel was better. The when the 939s came out you heard all kinds of talk about the 809 series being more reliable. Now we're hearing the same comments comparing the LMTVs to the 939s. I'm just not convinced. (And my preference is for the 939s, so this isn't personal bias).

Any of these things is going to require regular maintenance. Any of them regularly maintained will be adequately reliable. All of them, at least through the 939series, is a completely different animal from a pickup truck or a normal class 8 truck.

Get some seat time. Form some opinions based on first hand personal experience.... don't take our word for it.

In my experience with smaller trucks there is truth to that. The p-pumped 12 valves are more reliable than the 24 valves or the newer 6.7 liters.
It's got to hold somewhat true for the bigger trucks too.
I agree seat time is good but it is nothing without the advice from people with experience and adavanced knowledge of the trucks. That's the beauty of used trucks.
The 7.3 was the best diesel ford ever used in the light duty trucks. Then the 6 liter came out and a lot of people were sold on the seat time but little did they know it'd be such a nightmare.

 

[Coffey1]

98G your correct I have had one kind or another from deuce to hemtt. Keep your truck tip top shape and don't abuse or use it beyond what it's capable of and they are all good. You can have a brand new truck break down any time.

Pick you a truck you really like and run with it.
From our talks Chris you will be happy with the 1079 and unhappy with the 939 5 ton.

 

[Chris H]

As far as leakage goes someone suggested that it can be remedied. Is it hopeless?

 

[Chris H]

The lmtv's are rain tight?

 

[Coffey1]

Hope less

 

[Coffey1]

Yes lmtv is rain tight good heat great window defrost.