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What have you done to your FMTV or LMTV today

agazza2

Active member
483
31
28
Location
Ahwatukee, AZ
New paint. I’m lucky to have an employee with painting skills.

These trucks do look great when they are painted commercial colors. Your employee did a awesome job. I wish I had two trucks so I could paint one non-military colors. I keep the desert tan on mine so I can do military events.

Have you done any upgrades to the interior?
 

Mustangsud

Active member
154
216
43
Location
Aubrey, TX (North DFW Metro)
New paint. I’m lucky to have an employee with painting skills.

These trucks do look great when they are painted commercial colors. Your employee did a awesome job. I wish I had two trucks so I could paint one non-military colors. I keep the desert tan on mine so I can do military events.

Have you done any upgrades to the interior?
Nothing on the interior yet. We’re painting everything because we’re putting together a water purification emergency response team, and don’t want to be confused as actual military.
 

Plasa

Well-known member
250
313
63
Location
Italy
Please do a write up. Need to do this as well.
Yes will do when I have more pictures and work done... :)
For now I only mounted the throttle switch and do all the electric wiring inside. Need to change vertical exhaust tube from turbo to muffler with a stainless one. Maye there are also mild steel v-band flanges, but I didn't found anything...

Maybe I open a new thread with all steps...

Christian
 

coachgeo

Well-known member
4,929
3,314
113
Location
North of Cincy OH
Windshield reinstalled.


Back in Dec. could not find anyone local to redo install of my windshield. It had popped out partially after a hard blow to the head of the truck (falling limb) followed by being left overnight with cab tilted while in friends shop. All of the places called were windshield replace franchises (only thing around it seems) whom apparently use barely trained monkeys to install glue in windshields and not much of anyone that new how to install a less modern type. Thus after dozen calls..... found no one willing or able to do it. Put it off until now since it was holding as it was and not getting worse.

But winter is approaching and wanted to get this task done. This time contacted body shops and got a recommendation of real windshield company. Whew what a relief to find someone whom knew what they were doing. It installs similar to a VW bug for god sakes so it can't be that hard.


Anyway... Had it removed Thursday with intent to paint prep rust in area Friday then reinstalled Friday evening. So of course it rained Friday. Did all prep and paint Sat. Today Monday he came back and installed.


Couple notes. The rubber gasket design not to great (or cab lip sucks) thus at bottom of windshield the gasket tends to try to lift off the lip inside the cab. CHECK YOURS if you have an FMTV. Mine was off on inside at the bottom and I never knew it till removed defrost diffuser. Last photo shows what it should look like. If you see bodies lip.... you should redo your windshield.


Installer recommended some brackets on cab every 6 to 8" on exterior at just below bottom of windshield to put slight pressure on rubber gasket to help maintain its seating. On further thoughts I don't like this for if a limb wacks a bracket it could cause windshield to crack at that spot. Asked about similar idea done on inside to keep the gasket from lifting upward off lip at bottom of windshield and he liked that concept. It was not condition of gasket.. It is a design of gasket issue. This proposed inside bracket would hold/push the rubber downward shown in last pic and not put any pressure on windshield glass itself which might be an issue with the outside one if wacked by something.


Over all cost was very reasonable. Was able to reuse old gasket. Did not replace windshield... it has an old wiper scratch .. but am not making a princess pony cart so Im fine with that.


First pic is popped out....... second is after reinstall. Middle ones are after painting and to show the large defroster ducts.
 

Attachments

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Reworked LMTV

Well-known member
1,449
1,124
113
Location
TN
Ought to be good for a few more years lolbattery connector munch.jpg



Seriously, flip your battery cables over. This is what I found on several connectors.



 
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Third From Texas

Well-known member
2,700
6,312
113
Location
Corpus Christi Texas
Repaired a busted corner on the lower front cover. A little MarineTex and some heavy mat, wax paper, and a couple boards clamped together over it to compress the patch. Will trim off the excess, paint, and toss it back on tomorrow.

20191104_145705.jpg


74692582_10215354438844741_7979476751187181568_n.jpg


Since I spend a lot of time at the beach, going up those stairs barefoot isn't exactly comfy. ****, the dog won't even step on the steps.
So...
I made the covers removable using grommets and those little bungee cords with a ball on the end.
Total cost was about $30 (only because I got the "thick, real turf" fake grass).

20191104_145232.jpg

20191104_145736.jpg


I drilled an extra hole in the track that pins the doors open wide. The new hole lets me pin the doors open at 90 degrees. I also added a hand rail.

20191104_145530.jpg

20191104_145514.jpg




Going up and down the steps, there is a reoccurring issue with people (and myself) grabbing the bar that connects the three locking pins on the door. The result is the latch pins get caught in the door when it closes. I'm testing out having deleted the bar and removing the upper and lower rotating pin latches. Forgot to get a pic, but it seems to be working quite well. Only concern is that I may need to install a small stop to prevent the internal handle from getting caught in the door. It's no less secure with just the one latch pin as far as I can tell.
 

Reworked LMTV

Well-known member
1,449
1,124
113
Location
TN
20191117_091621.jpg20191117_091625.jpg20191117_091637.jpg20191117_091640.jpg

Building charge / jump cable / "connect whatever you want" set. Upgrading stock 4 gauge wire to 2/0 gauge-15 feet. End of cable can be adapted by connecting various types of connectors with like male connectors (i.e. clamps, battery charger maintainer connections, generator connectors, additional batteries, jumper extension, whatever you want). NATO connector rated to 500 amps, 1000 amps surge. Looking at the connectors, I think they could be pushed beyond 400 amp. I will load test them today.

Wire https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ARBRM1Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Connectors https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075ZT344M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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fuzzytoaster

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,208
2,876
113
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
View attachment 783036

Here's what the latest add on is for the military.
Ah yes, "Project Brutus" is on display so I can finally talk about it. I supplied that M1083 w/w (originally) to AM General among a few other things during development. They originally wanted to use an M1084 but went in a different direction when considering reloading for sustained operation. They wanted to tow an M1095 with ammo but with the amount of rounds they planned it would be a heavy SOB and unpractical. Setup would take more time and chance of getting stuck was high during positioning. They ended up buying an M1078 from me in its place. The idea is for Brutus to setup, ammo truck back up to the rear, and they slam a few rounds then scoot. It's not as quick as their HMMWV setup but it's much meaner. There is a wireless remote control center on a HMMWV that controls the Howitzer so personnel required to operate/expose is minimal. It's bad-ass and glad to see it came to fruition. Unfortunately it's a demonstration piece and will eventually be cut up if they don't get the contract or when production finishes, it's how they operate so I was told.

http://defensewebtv.com/internation...ed-howitzer-us-army-live-firing-demonstration


http://www.amgeneral.com/our-products-and-services/hmmwv-hawkeye/
 

wandering neurons

Active member
247
110
43
Location
Fallon, NV
Wait - just because it's on display doesn't mean that you can talk about it!
:roll:

I've worked in some areas that even though they're acknowledged, I can't say anything
:whistle:

But good on you for getting the opportunity and helping out! Hope you got a good deal out of the truck!



Ah yes, "Project Brutus" is on display so I can finally talk about it. I supplied that M1083 w/w (originally) to AM General among a few other things during development. They originally wanted to use an M1084 but went in a different direction when considering reloading for sustained operation. They wanted to tow an M1095 with ammo but with the amount of rounds they planned it would be a heavy SOB and unpractical. Setup would take more time and chance of getting stuck was high during positioning. They ended up buying an M1078 from me in its place. The idea is for Brutus to setup, ammo truck back up to the rear, and they slam a few rounds then scoot. It's not as quick as their HMMWV setup but it's much meaner. There is a wireless remote control center on a HMMWV that controls the Howitzer so personnel required to operate/expose is minimal. It's bad-ass and glad to see it came to fruition. Unfortunately it's a demonstration piece and will eventually be cut up if they don't get the contract or when production finishes, it's how they operate so I was told.

http://defensewebtv.com/internation...ed-howitzer-us-army-live-firing-demonstration


http://www.amgeneral.com/our-products-and-services/hmmwv-hawkeye/
 

fuzzytoaster

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,208
2,876
113
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
Wait - just because it's on display doesn't mean that you can talk about it!
:roll:

I've worked in some areas that even though they're acknowledged, I can't say anything
:whistle:

But good on you for getting the opportunity and helping out! Hope you got a good deal out of the truck!
Cats out of the bag if it's on youtube. :carnac:
 
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