MTV and LMTV

[Rlsbowhunt]

I am currently looking at buying one or both of these vehicles. They would be used on the farm, and hauling some construction equipment ( around 12k). I would like to build a custom flatbed with dovetail and ramps to load the equipment on. My main concern would be the bed height, what would be the lowest you could mount a custom bed from the ground without causing problems?
I assume that the 5 ton would be able to haul 12k on its back and tow possibly another 12-15k?
Any and all advice is welcome thanks.

 

[Another Ahab]

Hey, Brother, you look new to the forum:

- And the thread ought to be good

Subscribed, and welcome from out east here in Virginia.

 

[HMMWV Nut]

Welcome from central Illinois.

 

[Shark Bait]

Welcome from WV. Towing capacity on my LMTV is 12k. Bed height I would have to measure to be exact for you but would be pretty high for a dovetail and depending on the weight of what you are going to roll up on it you may investigate the MTV more. The little one with a load of that of farm vehicle weight and height may make it a little top heavy for comfort.

Dave

 

[Rlsbowhunt]

Thanks for the welcome fellas. The bed would be as low as possible, I would assume I could get it lower then the cargo Bed that comes on them. I would only be loading the equipment on the 5 ton, if this is feasible. Is the 12k limit for off road, or on road as well? Both trucks are owned by a local city public works and are going to be sold in a couple months.

 

[Suprman]

The 6x6 is rated at 5 tons off road and in theory 10 tons on road for bed loading. You can't get the bed down too much lower. If you look at a m1088 tractor the 5th wheel sits right on the frame rails that's as low as it can go. The truck does have a soft suspension and any significant weight on the back and the suspension will squat down and rest on the frame.

 

[tburk49760]

The bed floor on the trucks is about 60". There is some chance that it could be lowered about 6" with some custom work.

 

[Rlsbowhunt]

Still looking for insight, trucks are selling next month

 

[coachgeo]

Still looking for insight, trucks are selling next month

I'm not any sort of expert but tburke49760 hit your answer on the money with actual inches. He reports a bed height of just less than 5 feet off the ground will be as low as your going to get. Do know you can't swap to smaller tires to get lower height though and still be usable, cause there is not a Ring and Pinion Gear set for the axles made to bring you back a total ratio that will allow for normal road speeds.

LMTV means LIGHT MEDIUM Tactical Vehicle (4x4). MTV is only Medium Tactical Vehicle (6x6). There was no HTV built around this trucks base design.

IMHO...... Since bed is that high normal ramps won't do. You'll have to go about it by towing a heavy ramp trailer behind you to drive things on to get them on/off or by having a large loading dock/earthen berm built at each load and unload site. Then again though, if you do get them up there; except the 6x6, IMHO she'll be way too top heavy with a large piece of equipment up there. (Example couple B series Kubota's might be ok, Regular L series maybe, but larger L??? Then the M series, welll... dont think so), 6x6 may still give you some white knuckles though.

That being said....... for the money they are not a bad piece of equipment when it comes to how much hours is on the engine. IMHO if you go this route consider a 6x6 and put a proper Goose neck or 5thwheel hitch- Modify trailer to mount to said hitch mounted up so unusually high.... AND TOW a low boy type trailer with your equipment on it. (or buy surplus military 5th wheel trailer if such a low military boy trailer exist. Don't have the knowledge to say such an animal exist or not ).

​BUTTTT!!!!. YOU WON'T GET PAST 50ish MPH when loaded. And not past 55 unloaded!!!.​

give us more details on what you want to put on her bed? What tractors models and/or Backhoes, What implements would be attached? hay roles? If so what size and weights? Give us more detail about terrain. How much hill and dale. Is there Any side slopes? ....... are you thinking highway between farms with slow moving vehicle triangle, or ??? Or you thinking offroad only?

as far as I've read on it thus far.. seems PTO can be added but only used when stationary. but don't quote me on that.

Again that is just IMHO. While not real new to similar trucks am rather new to the LMTV and MTV's.

 

[scottmandu]

Depending on your cargo details, you can get the MTV with a crane on the back of it and a 12 foot bed.

 

[Rlsbowhunt]

Would mainly be hauling a 10k skidsteer and 12k excavator. Plans would be to custom build a flatbed with dovetail for the mtv, to load the equipment, and possibly hay on. Would also integrate hitches for pintle and gooseneck trailers. Would be over the road from jobsite to jobsite (40 miles max). Main concern is if the truck can handle this or not.

As for the lmtv I'm not sure what I'd do with it yet. We have a cattle farm and plumbing/excavating business so i could find something to use it for.

 

[coachgeo]

Would mainly be hauling a 10k skidsteer and 12k excavator. Plans would be to custom build a flatbed with dovetail for the mtv, to load the equipment, and possibly hay on. Would also integrate hitches for pintle and gooseneck trailers. Would be over the road from jobsite to jobsite (40 miles max). Main concern is if the truck can handle this or not.

As for the lmtv I'm not sure what I'd do with it yet. We have a cattle farm and plumbing/excavating business so i could find something to use it for.

The MTV is a 5 ton capacity truck though. More here http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/fmtv.htm each MTV (6x6) specs is listed on their own page. Link to each page is on right side of the front page of the included link. Also go outside and find something 5 feet off the ground. Then try to envision a dovetail length to make it work to drive up to something that high?

 

[Milspec2]

They do make a dump truck version of the MTV. I would suggest an MTV with roll back since you have a bed to begin with. You're building a custom truck anyway. Most of the MTV are set up for a PTO to run winch hydraulics and it's just a straight frame truck to begin with. Shouldn't be hard to find a roll off mechanism, then it doesn't take anything special. My buddy has an International flatbed roll back, has a 245 HP CAT 3116, it is 15K capable.

 

[chucky]

Just buy a used 12 ton backhoe trailer spread axle pintle hitch you will have 20 ft of deck and 5 ft of dovetail . You can put a bobcat and mini x on the trailer no problem but you should weigh the trailer loaded at a truckstop at a CAT scale keep the weight ticket in the truck at all times and add up what the tires on the trailer weight rating printed on the side of the tire all add up to has to be more than the weight with just the trailer axles on the scale . Not the truck the CMV OFFICER will go by your tire rating as long as your not over your allowed axle weight and you are allowed more weight for 2 single axles than you are a regular set of tandem axles