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Real useful load limit LMTV&FMTV

Celticlady

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I need to settle a disagreement.

Is there any load limit configuration that exceeds:

5000 lbs for LMTV

10,000 lbs for FMTV

??
How much does the bed weigh?

Thanks
 

Mullaney

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I need to settle a disagreement.

Is there any load limit configuration that exceeds:

5000 lbs for LMTV

10,000 lbs for FMTV

??
How much does the bed weigh?

Thanks
.
What about this chart?
It is attached.

Not sure on bed weight, but that is included as part of the truck.
 

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Awesomeness

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Someone figured this out before by looking at the maximum capacity of the axles as the limiting factor.
 

Celticlady

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Thanks Ron. Your chart confirms the standard FMTV 5 ton=10,000lbs

Awsomemness, Interesting. Any idea where this discussion is? or where to find the axle limit? I get the point, however there is more to the equation than just the axles. Tires, frame flex, springs, etc. But it interesting.

OK

Here is the context. My chief said yesterday he has applied for a brush truck (LMTV) and a tanker ( FMTV) from the AR Forestry. He stated that they remove the bed and install no tank in any brush truck (LMTV) less than 750 gal and no tank on a tanker less than 2500 gal.

I choked on my beer....

I have been researching LMTV skid units and brush trucks for over a year. The only one I saw with a tank over 500 gal was one that had the bed removed and a army fuel cell or module ( can't remember the correct term) mounted between the frame rails. I am guessing the bed weights in around 2000 lbs.

And I am not even talking about the limitations of a 1 ton flatbed..... Which is the majority of the brush trucks.

I saw couple FMTV tankers, but I wasn't looking for that. So didn't pay attention.

Besides overloading the truck, I would be real concerned about the "tip" potential for any off road travel. Which in NW AR nothing is on the level.

I could not locate any thing on the AR Forestry page stating this. In fact the only tankers from the AR Forestry I have seen are the Oshkosh. And yes they have 2500 gallon tanks. ( Rural Fire Protection Program - Arkansas Department of Agriculture scroll to the bottom)
 

Awesomeness

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Awsomemness, Interesting. Any idea where this discussion is? or where to find the axle limit? I get the point, however there is more to the equation than just the axles. Tires, frame flex, springs, etc. But it interesting.
Those are all things, yes, but ONE of them is the limiting factor. I think that previous discussion decided that the axles had the lowest capacity.

I don't remember exactly what to search for, but I think the discussion started with someone asking if FMTVs had separated on road and off road ratings, like previous trucks like the M35 did. So maybe that, or searching for the axle model.

A big difference between military specifications and civilian specifications is that defense contractors are bound to meet the specs under all the contracted operating conditions. So these trucks must be able to carry 2.5T/5T in the worst case scenario specified... something like 120F, 10000' altitude, towing the M1082 trailer, etc. That's in stark contrast with "put your best foot forward" optimism from civilian companies. We know that the military was installing up-armor kits on these, and then still carrying cargo, so there is excess safety margin under at least SOME conditions... it's just hard to know what they are.
 
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Celticlady

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Those are all things, yes, but ONE of them is the limiting factor. I think that previous discussion decided that the axles had the lowest capacity.

I don't remember exactly what to search for, but I think the discussion started with someone asking if FMTVs had separated on road and off road ratings, like previous trucks like the M35 did. So maybe that, or searching for the axle model.

A big difference between military specifications and civilian specifications is that defense contractors are bound to meet the specs under all the contracted operating conditions. So these trucks must be able to carry 2.5T/5T in the worst case scenario specified... something like 120F, 10000' altitude, towing the M1082 trailer, etc. That's in stark contrast with "put your best foot forward" optimism from civilian companies. We know that the military was installing up-armor kits on these, and then still carrying cargo, so there is excess safety margin under at least SOME conditions... it's just hard to know what they are.

Interesting speculation. 🤔 That armor is heavy. But if you subtract the unarmor cab weight from the armored, what is the difference? Hummmm

Pulling any trailer behind slows them down considerably. Even a car hauler with a pick up.

Is this the discussion you were speaking of?

 

simp5782

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They mount 155 howitzer on the M1083s and they, along with ammo and crew, are over 15,000lbs in the bed. It handles it just fine. I delivered the original 1083 w/w that started that project to AM general/mandus in 2018. I thought for sure the gun would blow Brutus on its side.
 

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Last edited:

ramdough

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Location
Austin, Texas
I need to settle a disagreement.

Is there any load limit configuration that exceeds:

5000 lbs for LMTV

10,000 lbs for FMTV

??
How much does the bed weigh?

Thanks
I think (from memory) my 1083 bed was about 3,000lb.

I thought the 1078 was about 2500lb.

Hope that helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Awesomeness

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They mount 155 howitzer on the M1083s and they, along with ammo and crew, are over 15,000lbs in the bed. It handles it just fine.
I think (from memory) my 1083 bed was about 3,000lb.
Then that's not really a change, right? It's a 10k capacity truck, then you take the 3k bed off now giving you a 13k capacity truck, and stick a 15k howitzer on... you're only 2k over capacity for the M1083 cargo variant. You'd have to figure out which FMTV variant weighs the most in operation (e.g. M1083 cargo + 10k cargo? Or an M1084 crane? Or MTV tractor with trailer's tongue weight? etc.).
 

simp5782

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I
Then that's not really a change, right? It's a 10k capacity truck, then you take the 3k bed off now giving you a 13k capacity truck, and stick a 15k howitzer on... you're only 2k over capacity for the M1083 cargo variant. You'd have to figure out which FMTV variant weighs the most in operation (e.g. M1083 cargo + 10k cargo? Or an M1084 crane? Or MTV tractor with trailer's tongue weight? etc.).
Cant exceed more than 34k on the tandem so the M1088 allows for 25k vertical load on the plate plus the drive axle weight would be around 34k
 

Awesomeness

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Cant exceed more than 34k on the tandem so the M1088 allows for 25k vertical load on the plate plus the drive axle weight would be around 34k
Wouldn't just that 25k be the answer, then? You could add the weight of the plate, but the weight of the axles themselves wouldn't be added. So 25k, plus the weight of the plate (2k?), minus the weight of everything else on an M1083 cargo (e.g. bed, different bumper, etc.).
 

simp5782

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Wouldn't just that 25k be the answer, then? You could add the weight of the plate, but the weight of the axles themselves wouldn't be added. So 25k, plus the weight of the plate (2k?), minus the weight of everything else on an M1083 cargo (e.g. bed, different bumper, etc.).
No. Cause anything forward of the front tandem becomes steer axle weight. Generally every 1/2in forward is 600lbs
 

jasonjc

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Gravette Ar.
Thanks Ron. Your chart confirms the standard FMTV 5 ton=10,000lbs

Awsomemness, Interesting. Any idea where this discussion is? or where to find the axle limit? I get the point, however there is more to the equation than just the axles. Tires, frame flex, springs, etc. But it interesting.

OK

Here is the context. My chief said yesterday he has applied for a brush truck (LMTV) and a tanker ( FMTV) from the AR Forestry. He stated that they remove the bed and install no tank in any brush truck (LMTV) less than 750 gal and no tank on a tanker less than 2500 gal.

I choked on my beer....

I have been researching LMTV skid units and brush trucks for over a year. The only one I saw with a tank over 500 gal was one that had the bed removed and a army fuel cell or module ( can't remember the correct term) mounted between the frame rails. I am guessing the bed weights in around 2000 lbs.

And I am not even talking about the limitations of a 1 ton flatbed..... Which is the majority of the brush trucks.

I saw couple FMTV tankers, but I wasn't looking for that. So didn't pay attention.

Besides overloading the truck, I would be real concerned about the "tip" potential for any off road travel. Which in NW AR nothing is on the level.

I could not locate any thing on the AR Forestry page stating this. In fact the only tankers from the AR Forestry I have seen are the Oshkosh. And yes they have 2500 gallon tanks. ( Rural Fire Protection Program - Arkansas Department of Agriculture scroll to the bottom)

Could he have that wrong? No more than 750 and no more than 2500 maybe??
 

Celticlady

Active member
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Location
Arkansas
Could he have that wrong? No more than 750 and no more than 2500 maybe??
Well he may have it wrong. But I said it exactly as he said it. But he is a recently retired 1st Sargent.

He was b!iching cuz Forestry charges labor to install lights & siren. Actually they do not. It's right there on their page. Materials only.

I have spent the last 6 months trying to understand the electrical system on my LMTV. I have 30 years avionics experience. He thinks he can turn his teen age son loose installing lights and siren. ...right...

He also has this grand idea that our present brush truck, a 2001 2 dr 4x4 Ford350 with turbo diesel, with out the flatbed/tank is worth 15,000. It has gobs of miles ( had a crate engine installed 20,000 ago. We are the third FD to have it. Its been beat. Cabs a mess. Dash is all torn up cuz every tom dick and harry has mounted stuff on it. AC doesn't work. Frames been busted. It has spent its entire life running AR gravel roads at top speed. Now its needs a ABS module and Ford no longer supports this truck. Its sitting in the Ford dealerships yard. ...right...
 

Mullaney

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Well he may have it wrong. But I said it exactly as he said it. But he is a recently retired 1st Sargent.

He was b!iching cuz Forestry charges labor to install lights & siren. Actually they do not. It's right there on their page. Materials only.

I have spent the last 6 months trying to understand the electrical system on my LMTV. I have 30 years avionics experience. He thinks he can turn his teen age son loose installing lights and siren. ...right...

He also has this grand idea that our present brush truck, a 2001 2 dr 4x4 Ford350 with turbo diesel, with out the flatbed/tank is worth 15,000. It has gobs of miles ( had a crate engine installed 20,000 ago. We are the third FD to have it. Its been beat. Cabs a mess. Dash is all torn up cuz every tom dick and harry has mounted stuff on it. AC doesn't work. Frames been busted. It has spent its entire life running AR gravel roads at top speed. Now its needs a ABS module and Ford no longer supports this truck. Its sitting in the Ford dealerships yard. ...right...
.
There is one in every crowd...

Knows everything, Has a relative that knows everything.
Most of them aren't capable of reading either....
 

jasonjc

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Location
Gravette Ar.
Well he may have it wrong. But I said it exactly as he said it. But he is a recently retired 1st Sargent.

He was b!iching cuz Forestry charges labor to install lights & siren. Actually they do not. It's right there on their page. Materials only.

I have spent the last 6 months trying to understand the electrical system on my LMTV. I have 30 years avionics experience. He thinks he can turn his teen age son loose installing lights and siren. ...right...

He also has this grand idea that our present brush truck, a 2001 2 dr 4x4 Ford350 with turbo diesel, with out the flatbed/tank is worth 15,000. It has gobs of miles ( had a crate engine installed 20,000 ago. We are the third FD to have it. Its been beat. Cabs a mess. Dash is all torn up cuz every tom dick and harry has mounted stuff on it. AC doesn't work. Frames been busted. It has spent its entire life running AR gravel roads at top speed. Now its needs a ABS module and Ford no longer supports this truck. Its sitting in the Ford dealerships yard. ...right...

I've been there too. I used to be on a VFD in NW Arkansas too.
 
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