M915 opinions wanted

[flametamer]

You want an angle on an M915 series. Go see your local Fire Dept. FD can get at no cost from their state forester (as least in st..ates that aren't fools). Thru the FFP they get the truck including title. Have 2 years to convert to fire truck (paint and whatever else they determine is needed). After 2 years they own it clear and can sell it. Perhaps to the guy who helped them located, transport and convert it at a really cheap price. Moving water is the big need in rural FD. That could be using a DOD surplus 5000gal tank trailer (thru FFP). Lots of M915 M915A1 M915A4 coming thru the surplus system. Auction at $10k sounds a bit high to me.

That's what we are doing right now. M915(A1?) with a M967 trailer. We are replacing the pump and valves off the trailer with a smaller/simpler pump. We are about ready to paint them both.

Dt

 

[NEIOWA]

Anyone have details on the Allison HD4560P used in the M915A4? Apparently a 6sp trans but the TM states 4sp. Did SAM program to only shift thru 4 sp or did they order minus shafts/gears. Start point is possible to mount a PTO to the transmission or not. No problem with a Chelsea on a standard 4560 but if Army version of the trans is "missing" parts might be a problem.

Anyone installed a PTO on a M915A4 HD4560P?

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

They used to go for less than $6000 on the auction but now they are going for around 10,000 for a good one. A worn out truck may go for $4000 to $5000. I got mine for $5500 2 years ago. Been hauling construction materials and tractors on a 28 foot goose neck but I am going to out fit the truck with air ride seats and a/c and start pulling a hopper bottom and haul grain locally also. I have had other trucks with the Big cam 400 in them and they were good engines. I have had no problems out of this one either. I also love not having to shift gears although it did take some getting used to. The jake on these trucks is where the clutch would be. You can shift the transmission by moving the gear selector up or down or just put it in F5 and drive. It will shift all on its on. The allison tranny is a better one than the CAT version.

 

[simp5782]

They used to go for less than $6000 on the auction but now they are going for around 10,000 for a good one. A worn out truck may go for $4000 to $5000. I got mine for $5500 2 years ago. Been hauling construction materials and tractors on a 28 foot goose neck but I am going to out fit the truck with air ride seats and a/c and start pulling a hopper bottom and haul grain locally also. I have had other trucks with the Big cam 400 in them and they were good engines. I have had no problems out of this one either. I also love not having to shift gears although it did take some getting used to. The jake on these trucks is where the clutch would be. You can shift the transmission by moving the gear selector up or down or just put it in F5 and drive. It will shift all on its on. The allison tranny is a better one than the CAT version.

Apparently you have never driven one with a 7155 CAT transmission then. Especially towing. That CAT is a much better setup than the little 5 speed Allison. It may have a little scoot to it with the allison but the 16 gears is a great advantage. They can run upwards of 90 and still have power in reserve. I with the 2 step jump mod on the shifter you can run up to speed with traffic pretty easy even with a good size trailer behind you.

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

To be honest I havent driven one with the Cat. I am going by lots of reviews and comments about it. I can get to 68 miles an hour plenty fast with mine pulling 80,000 and that is fast enough for me

 

[reb87]

Ive driven put a lot of miles on both the cat and allison. The allison is much easier to drive, kind of like a big suburban, the cat requires constant shifting(if you are hauling corn/soybeans). Tough to drink a cup of coffee in the cat unless you are tooling down a flat stretch. The cat is also more finicky.

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

When I stumbled on to these trucks on the internet I began researching them and reading up about them. I looked at alot of pictures and read alot of forums and reviews on them. I looked up the specs and read them on several different places. The engine, tranny, rears, suspension, and alot of the other parts for the truck are the same as alot of other conventional trucks in the other Brands of trucks. No computer garble to contend with either. I read alot of reviews on the cat and the allison tranny's and I felt like the allison was the better way to go for my application of work and use for the truck. The only thing I have had problems with on the truck is that it smokes bad when driving down the road but not one bit while it is sitting idle and running. My mechanic said probably needed to adjust the fuel on it. It clears up alot after a few miles then it may start back again. It only does this while I am driving it down the road. When I first crank it up and it is sitting and running there is no smoke at all.

 

[NDT]

The 400 does not smoke, you need to have the PT pump rebuilt. 68 mph in an A1 with 11R22.5s is at the point of the engine coming apart. Keep it at 2100 rpms which is around 55 mph.

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

specs call for top speed at 67 mph ive had it to 68 on the gps. the dash speedo does not work but tach does and at that speed i am around 1900 to 2100 do know the average cost to replace the PT pump
on these trucks ?

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

I had a 75 pete 359 with 13 spee eaton fuller road ranger and same motor and same gears and rearends as this truck and at 70 mph my tach was at 1850 to 1900

 

[simp5782]

PT pump is around $700 for a decent rebuild with some little tweek work to get some extra power. A little lower button and metering would allow you to add the dual fuel line and a bigger HT4B turbo. This will get up around 45lbs of boost over the standard 21lbs of boost or so. May need some hot injectors though to go with it.

The 13 speed isn't direct drive though in its final gear like the Allison is. I know an Eaton RT13 has a .73 and .86 double overdrive.

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

Well you obviously are very knowledgeable about the truck and the engine. I only have the experience of driving the two different trucks with similar engines and rear ends and the way the truck responded during drivin them to go by. The specs called for 67 mph on the M915A1 and after having driven it some it seemed to be accurate on that. I have a local mechanic that has mentioned about the pump or at least making adjustments to the fuel and that should solve the problem. He didnt think that there was anything hurt or wrong with the motor itself. I think as far as power though I am more than satisfied with the factory setting. I want to pull a 40 to 42 foot hopper bottom trailer and haul grain and feed ingredients to the local milling companies. I will average 80,000 to 85,000 gross weight and the truck should do just fine.

 

[Leeroofingandconstruction]

My pete 359 had the double over drive. Same gears though as the M915A1 and same Big cam 3 400 cummins motor. I sure miss it. Iwas a good truck. I ran it for three years.