Some Gun Truck Pics

Here are some gun truck pics I took today in our motor pool at Camp Cropper, Iraq. These are M1114s with the FRAG 5 armor upgrade and the new electric turrets. I think the new doors are around 650lbs each.

Here a couple of our one old school M1025 its got the FRAG1 doors on it but its not allowed outside the wire. Its the truck we cruise around BIAP in. If you look in the IBIS TEK bumper you will see are little "upgrade" It annoys the hell out of everyone in the motor pool.

Those don't look heavy at all...

Great looking light armor. The problem, though, is that if you create a better mousetrap, someone will build a bigger mouse. In Bosnia, when peacekeepers (actually, just armed personnel for our team) starting rolling around in better armor, that could survive road mine blasts, the thugs over there got the idea to start using Soviet 152mm artillery projos as mines, or even SCUD missiles embedded in the ground vertically as mines that would blow an Abrams apart into tiny pieces. Granted, it wouldn't happen everyday, but my point being: don't let that armor your riding around in make you feel too much safer. If the bad guys catch you with your guard down, they will hit you with something REALLY heavy that you won't expect.

Plus, remember, they KNOW that you have to stop and pee or gas up sometime....

Thanks again for the pics. These give everyone a good perspective of your daily challenges. Stay safe!

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Love seeing other branches 'MacGyver' Jobs on equipment. You stay safe over there.

I know it is fueled by necessity, but seeing all that weight on those humvees makes me picture a soccer mom filling the back of her minivan with 50 bags of cement... They weren't designed to do that and I'm sure you have many maintenece headaches because of it.

Again, thanks for serving, from a Squid stuck in an office.

I agree totally about not relying too much on the armor. I often go to the RPAT yard and the DRMO yard to pull parts off disabled and blown up trucks. Some have have minor damage others are barely reconizeable as trucks. I have even seen an M1 with the turret blown off. I am fortunate in that my unit does not go outside the wire very often. We guard detainees at one of the bigger detainee prisons. Aside from the occasional riot we have it much safer then the guys who are on the roads all the time.

nate...thanks a bunch for what you do...it's certainly very sincerely appreciated. Also, many thanks for the pictures...I really enjoyed them. I see that you're new to SS...so welcome on board and visit us any chance you get. The more pics...the merrier *grin*. Keep us up to date on how things are going for ya.

Andy

Those frag5 doors are HEAVY!!! 1 wooden shipping container with 4 doors weighs 300lbs shy of 3k!! That heavy armor is the framerails worst enemy. Hey, if you dont mind, on the full tan one, whats the build date? Just curious if any of the ones we have built have made it over there latley.

Oh, btw, why did you have to pull the grill/hood/radiator to replace a PS pump?

Thanks for all you do!
Kyle

Thanks again Nate!

ElkyRacer- Ill get the build date on that truck tomorrow.
On the PS pump we took everything off that truck because it has the old style PS pump (like the 998s) so we decided since we were changing the pump out anyway we decided to upgrade it to the new style PS pump. Unfortunately that means changing out AC and gen brackets and pulleys. PITA

The real problem with the heavily armored HMMWV's is that when we weighed one going out the gate it hit a whopping 13,600 pounds with crew, weapons and fuel. That is quite a load on the 6.5 engine especially when it is tapped to run radios, anti-IED devices and AC. God bless our Soldiers and keep supporting them when some dummy has an I hate Bush sticker let them know we are keeping them safe. Thanks Nate PM me your AKO and I will try to get you anything you need.

Thanks for the pics.

Too bad they aren't sending you guys some Duramax engines to go with the heavy armor upgrades.

or better yet how bout the new 6.7L cummins dodge is using in the ram.

or better yet how bout the new 6.7L cummins dodge is using in the ram. thanks for all yall are doing over there i wish yall the best. take it easy, and be safe.

oops sorry guys i dont know how that one happened, oh well.

Gotcha, you guys have much trouble with the new PS pumps? Have to change them out pretty regularly? I know they dont want to steer very well, if at all. Just curious as to how long they are lasting over there.

Its pretty neat to see all the add-ons you guys put on over there. When we rebuild it overhere, we just do a basic model with frag1. Nowhere NEAR the truck you guys turn it into.

Thanks again.
Kyle

ElkyRacer- Havent had too much problems with the new pumps but we have had a lot of problems with the old ones ( which is why we are updating them, we only have one truck left with the old style pump) Since they are running the rear winch, hydroboost, and steering on a severly overweight vehicle the old style pump just didnt have enough ass.

ARMYMAN30YearsPlus- PM you

Wow!
don't forget that crow-bar under the hood (Iraq-5-07 013 (Small).jpg)

Stay safe!
Mark

lol yeah the crowbar is are improvised belt tensioner tool. There is a square drive hole on the tensioner but there is not enough room to get to it. Its a lot easier to just push down on the pulley with the crowbar.