Lmtv m1078 questions.

[coachgeo]

we just got this M1083 for a brush truck it is very slow on take off but once it winds up its great but not good in the bush starting off . changed fuel filters and air filters , any Idea's ?View attachment 710081

see your other thread

 

[Suprman]

Adjust throttle cable.

 

[Awesomeness]

How reliable are they? Honestly thinking about using one for our business as a daily driver.

The trucks appear to be designed pretty well, and are based on commercial trucks. They are claimed to be the most reliable military truck to date, or something loftly like that.

Biggest "flaw" I see is that the driveshafts on the trucks are at steeper angles than are typically allowed, and that caused troubles originally. All FMTVs were upgraded to beefier driveshaft components in the late '90s. That didn't change the problem of high driveline angles or put in place a u-joint system that could actually handle those angles, it just band-aided the symptoms. It seems like if driveline components start to fail, it quickly degrades into destroying things like the originals did.

Other than that, the only real problems are that you'll have a 20 year old truck, beat on and "repaired" by kids who weren't really interested in taking care of the truck. So all the rubber parts (e.g. bushings, o-rings, hoses, seals, etc.) are reaching the expected life of the rubber, and each truck seems to have its own unique puzzling "repairs" that were done to it, or gremlins in the works. The more you drive it and use it, the more of these you'll repair, but then those repairs should last another couple decades.

 

[snowtrac nome]

I use mine as a service truck and drive it daily, I have had no problems yet except for a cab air bag rupture.

 

[Duckworthe]

As of today my driveshaft's are still in the shop. My shaft builder Todd told me that he is still waiting to get to mine but the u joints are still in like new condition physically, however the seals are hard and dry around the cups. They will be replaced anyway. He looked at my truck and the angles and told me that they really aren't that bad as the truck only see's 60mph. The u joint that are in these trucks are rated up to 40,000 lb. loads. Plenty for these trucks. I think he said they were 6010 joint size??? I forgot what he said the size was. He said that the thing he is surprised to see is, my truck has 20,000 miles on it but they are worn like it is actually 120,000 miles. His comment was that I may have been greasing them but the prior users didn't do a good job at it. That's probably where the wear came from. And again, His quote, " hinging, lateral spline movement, call it what you want, there should be ZERO. If there is better get it fixed. That tolerance is for moving the truck around, not driving down the freeway. If you want to go with those tolerances, good luck to you" end quote. Once I get my shafts back I will give full report.

 

[aleigh]

Adjust throttle cable.

this.

 

[Suprman]

The truck only does 60 but its with hub reduction so I think the driveshafts are really humming away at speed.

 

[aleigh]

Which brings us to, drumroll please... http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a416038.pdf

TL;DR the original driveshafts explode at ~66rpm which is only 17% higher than the max rpm with stock gearing, violating SAE standards, and also, the angles on the joints exceed best-practice standards in general.

In terms of a daily, sure, if you are into it. It is reliable enough to be a daily and if anything use it that much will keep it in better repair than parking it for prolonged periods. They're certainly conceptually no less reliable than a commercial truck of that era when they are in good repair. Most of the problems they seem to have are the kind you can get home with.

 

[jetblack3s]

Hi Duckworthe, what part of San Diego are you from? We saw a “quick sand” color in fiesta island a while back was that you or another member on here? I am in the market for a MTV and would love to check out your build!

 

[Duckworthe]

I live in Jamul. I go to Fiesta Island often but mine is white and black. If it was a stock work box truck it was probably another member on here. I will be out of the Area pretty much into the new year. Going out to AZ to find a Vacation home and property near Flagstaff. Need to get out of CA. I don't think I can drink to many more cups of Liberal tears! My cup runith over with their tears.

 

[jetblack3s]

I live in Jamul. I go to Fiesta Island often but mine is white and black. If it was a stock work box truck it was probably another member on here. I will be out of the Area pretty much into the new year. Going out to AZ to find a Vacation home and property near Flagstaff. Need to get out of CA. I don't think I can drink to many more cups of Liberal tears! My cup runith over with their tears.

I know what you mean, I am in the same boat trying to leave San Diego but doesn't know where to settle, probability do some traveling first and see where I want to be. Flagstaff and the whole Sedona area is very nice! good luck with your property search.

 

[1951M1078]

Duck, bring lots of money ! $$$$$$$$$$$$ LOL

 

[Roach1319]

Hey guys and help here would be much appreciated. I got my M1078 last week from fort drum its been amazing so far. I checked the Trans fluid today and its a bit low. I have been trying to figure out what they used and I am hearing anything from 15W-40 to 10W and some have said could be ATF. The fluid looks very clean and looks like regular motor oil.
I called the contact person at the base where my Truck was pickup and he asked techs on the base and they said 10W.

My question is am I going to hurt anything by possibly mixing fluids?
Should I use 15W-40 or should I try and get some 10W

Thank you

 

[aleigh]

I've always understood it to be that mixing oil weights is not harmful. Your weight just comes out to be somewhere in between. They probably used whatever weight they were putting in the engines for the climate. That said, I'd probably put in whatever the TM says.

 

[snowtrac nome]

If they used what was specified in the lube order it should have been 15w 40.

 

[Roach1319]

That's where my concern is. If I mix 15W-40 with what they said was possibly used 10W would I be ok?

 

[snowtrac nome]

Allison specs 15w40 in their data sheet for the 3000 series transmission, the lo calls for 15w40. Unless some motor Sargent made a command decision to change the oil to be inline with the 900 5 tons, which I believe had a mt 654 in them my money would be 15w40, regardless what the gov plannet guy said. The exception would be if it came out of Alaska all of those 5 tons included had their oil changed to oea , which stands for oil engine arctic. That is a synthetic 0 w 30.

 

[coachgeo]

At some point you should switch to ATF might as well do it now. Your tranny will thank you. Search for the thread in here on changing to ATF. Probably will have to search via your favorite search engine. You can't search by three letters in here or most any other bulletin board.

 

[Roach1319]

Thank you for all the input.
The Info I got about 10W being used was from the Techs on the base. I have read the thread about switching to ATF and that is the plan in the near future. Just have too many things going on now and I don't want to get into any issues that may come up. Truck runs amazing. I have been driving it all over the place since I have gotten it. Over 150 miles since the weekend.

 

[Coffey1]

ATF is ongoing debate.
My trucks will never have ATF I off road my trucks and ATF has a lower boiling point.
If you are going to keep her a highway queen pulling absolutely no heavy loads on hilly terrain then switch to ATF.