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How many hoses did you replace?

Kevin Means

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As we tear into our 1998 M1083, I've noticed that some of the hydraulic hoses and air lines are obvious candidates for replacement, while others look brand new. (Even though I know they're not). The truck has only 1700 miles on it and doesn't leak a drop of anything. Still, some of the hoses are weather-cracked and need to be replaced. It seems that all the hoses that were painted with that live-forever military green paint are fine. It's the ones that weren't painted that look worn.

Roughly speaking, what percentage of hoses did you feel the need to replace when you rebuilt/modified your LMTV? Of course it would be ideal to replace them all, but is that really necessary?

Kevin
 

GeneralDisorder

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Eventually - all of them. You'll see.

The most important are the fuel lines - the air sucking issues on the low pressure lift pump side are death for the 3126 and C7 HEUI pump. Also important for the 3116 to protect the fuel pump and injectors since they aren't easy to source anymore and are usually back-ordered from CAT. Air in the fuel leads to cavitation that damages the high pressure components at a microscopic level.

All the air brake, CTIS, and breather hoses for each wheel. Especially in the front where they like to abrade each other due to the tight bundling and moving against each other from being old and hard and the fabric picks up dirt and turns sun-rotten and filled with abrasives so they chew holes in each other.

The hydraulic lines often lose significant portions of their outer sheathing so end up with no protective layer and are easily damaged. If you don't want to get stuck without being able to lift the cab to fix something minor (will happen) or get a flat and find your spare crane doesn't work I would suggest replacing the lines, rebuilding both pumps, and rebuilding the cab latch are all very important.

ALL the rubber will fail. The CAT 3126 and C7 need every pressure transducer replaced - the rubber inside them that seals the strain sensor against hot fluid intrusion eventually fails and they stop reading. go open circuit, or go short - or all three depending on the time of day and the location of the moon and the stars and sometimes they just can't make up their mind how they feel and switch it up every few seconds. Fun.

Same goes for all the weather stripping, tires, and anything else that's rubber. Fortunately we don't have much plastic although the fenders get pretty gnarly when they are exposed to hot beating sun for a decade or so. Had to replace both of mine due to pretty severe bowing and warpage.

If it's petroleum based - rubber, plastic, etc - it's dead or 80% of the way to the grave already. You just haven't noticed. Even the hoses that "look OK" aren't. They are shrunken and inflexible and will crack and peel and leave your hands BLACK if you get within the same zip code.
 
Last edited:

Reworked LMTV

Expedition Campers Limited, LLC
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As we tear into our 1998 M1083, I've noticed that some of the hydraulic hoses and air lines are obvious candidates for replacement, while others look brand new. (Even though I know they're not). The truck has only 1700 miles on it and doesn't leak a drop of anything. Still, some of the hoses are weather-cracked and need to be replaced. It seems that all the hoses that were painted with that live-forever military green paint are fine. It's the ones that weren't painted that look worn.

Roughly speaking, what percentage of hoses did you feel the need to replace when you rebuilt/modified your LMTV? Of course it would be ideal to replace them all, but is that really necessary?

Kevin
I would start with the fuel lines. Relatively easy and inexpensive. The plastic air lines are pretty easy and inexpensive. The wrapped air hoses are pricey to replace, require a DOT crimp, and use non standard SAE ends in most cases.
 

GeneralDisorder

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There's only two hoses for each wheel that are brake hoses and need to be DOT rated by the book. That said there are better and cheaper hose options if you aren't worried about commercial inspections or are strictly off road like mining or oil field.

The other hoses are breathers and CTIS and are not brake system hoses so don't need to be the more expensive material (just because of the DOT rating, not because the hoses are better - they aren't).

I make sets for people. I've done half a dozen trucks now. It's about $1750 for a full 4x4 hose set and the fittings to upgrade to A1R style. There's no issue getting the correct fittings from any well supplied hose and fitting supplier.
 

GeneralDisorder

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Portland, OR
OK... kinda what I thought I'd hear. Thanks. General, can you make up a hose set for a 6X6? Our rig has the 3116 Cat.

Kevin
Yes. The rear axles are duplicates of each other. The A1R system replaces the brake can cross-over hoses with DOT tubing and special fittings so on a 6x6 it deletes six hoses on each axle so twelve hoses on your truck. DOT tubing is much cheaper than hose. The full 6x6 set is 24 hoses for all six wheels and 24 new fittings for the rear axles to switch the cross overs over to tubing.
 
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