Refalgren said:
for looks and functionality they're great vehicles.
on the other hand, due to overloading with excessive material which they were never designed for, the following problems will occur with any heavy duty usage (probably includes decent trail usage as well)
- Increased maintenance due to accelerated parts wearout (too much weight)
- Lack of acceleration (very slow. even with turbo. too much weight)
- Tops out quickly (about 60mph max speed. personal experience. again, too much weight. seeing a pattern yet?)
- Decreased visability (extra armor dictates small, thick door windows. no rear window due to rear armor plate and turtle shell)
- Ground guide usage for backing up required (properly designed mounts which attach LARGE mirrors to the front bumper may alleviate this. small mirrors encountered too often in most cases)
- Armor protection moderately effective against blast-type IEDs (ineffective against latest "penetrator" type IEDs being implemented.)
Overall a good vehicle, but as I have personally driven them in Iraq and seen the results first hand in comparison (pulled security for one of the recovery teams. was assigned an M1114), I would take other vehicles over the M1114 Up-Armored HMMWV into combat (M1117 ASV, and the improved M113 APC system jump to mind)
Concur!
When you put four (Soldiers/Marines) in one with gear, ammunition, extra fuel, etc., they're pigs. Worse with the top-heavy turrets now. I don't know if they did anything to keep them from flipping, or not, but they liked to do that. Especially if the driver whipped the wheel enough, which happens. And it's not a skill issue. Usually due to road surface, collision avoidance, etc. What's the underside like on these? Still sheet metal?
When I first got to IZ, they were fiberglass shells. We had one we called, "the ice-cream truck." I'm glad to see the armor is what it is, but I think the vehicle is boderline, obsolete. They're supposed to just be, "jeeps." (Don't run with that now!) What is being done with these things is far beyond what they where ever supposed to be. They look cool and all, but I'd like to see something more effective and efficient come along. Soon!
They going to re-work this thing forever! Stick a fork in it! It's done!