What does the X stand for in XM816?

[Marinawreckers]

Hi, New member here. Joined because just about every time I searched for info on my m818 or XM816's, I was referred to this site. In case you are wondering, the photo in my avatar is our M818 that we put a small hydraulic boom on. We use it at our marina to pull boats that weigh 30,000 plus and their trailers up and down a long steep ramp. Anyway, my question refers to the two XM816's that I just bought from GL. The question is simple "what does the "X" stand for. The trucks seem pretty much identical to the ones that are just m816's. Thanks.

 

[wreckerman893]

Experimental.

 

[Marinawreckers]

That was quick. What made it experimental?

 

[velociT]

That was quick. What made it experimental?

He meant experimental like one of the first built.


Doesn't increase the value.

 

[Marinawreckers]

Thanks! Not worried about value. These are working trucks that we don't intend to sell. Was just curious.

 

[drgreg]

Pre-production.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Hi, New member here. Joined because just about every time I searched for info on my m818 or XM816's, I was referred to this site. In case you are wondering, the photo in my avatar is our M818 that we put a small hydraulic boom on. We use it at our marina to pull boats that weigh 30,000 plus and their trailers up and down a long steep ramp. Anyway, my question refers to the two XM816's that I just bought from GL. The question is simple "what does the "X" stand for. The trucks seem pretty much identical to the ones that are just m816's. Thanks.

X is for Xtreme! Oh wait...yeah experimental.

 

[998Junkie]

X is for Xtreme! Oh wait...yeah experimental.

I thought GL put the X in front to denote it's an X M***....

 

[clinto]

Welcome to the site, MarinaWreckers. I'll bet most all of us would love to see some pictures of your MV's at use in the marina. It never ceases to amaze me all the ways these vehicle get used in their retirement. It seems there are few jobs they aren't well suited for.

You'll find that many of the questions you might have about your trucks have been covered in the past, the search here will quickly become your best friend. ( Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite - Search Forums )

Here are some threads that discuss the "X" that some 809 series trucks have in their designations:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/16622-xm818-vs-m818.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/14279-whats-difference.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/10386-so-what-does-x-mean.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/26581-xm-designation.html

 

[319]

That was quick. What made it experimental?

To see if it would withstand thirty or forty years of 18 year olds driving and wrenching on it and then a leisurely life of being driven and wrenched on by civilians.

 

[Marinawreckers]

Thanks too all. Clinto, thanks for the links. I am not exactly computer literate, but not illiterate either. I did initially check the archives, entering different variations of the question from something as simple as "x" to "difference between x and xm", always with no results. I looked under "advanced search". Apparently I did something wrong. How did you find these posts?

 

[Capt Pat]

I think most of the guys and gals on this site learned the terminology from the books. There are several out that explain the nominclature of the numbers used in the truck, on the truck and about the truck. There are alot of particulars and they have changed over the years from pre world war two on. The trucks coming out now would be hard on the guys who decided the nomenclature back in WWII like the DUKW, each letter means something, yet they get a common use of DUCK out of it, Some of the collector groups such as the MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) among others as well as advertisers in the two printed magazines dedicated to the hobby in the states sell them. Good luck with your machines, you'll learn to love them. (its the color, causes a strange mental malady in most people) Also welcome aboard. By the way, I use mine all the time working around our boats, (all military too) especially the M series wrecker.

 

[clinto]

How did you find these posts?

It took me a second-the search here is..... how do I say this nicely.... not optimal?


I tried searching by "experimental" and a couple other ways, but eventually didn't find what I was after. I finally just did a search, in all forums, for "XM818" and then XM813". I went through all the results and picked out the ones that covered this topic. I knew including "XM818" would net any question that had to do with the X designator.

There is a thread up and running where we've encouraged people who are searching for a particular topic but aren't having luck to post in. Post what you are looking for and one of us will try and find it and explain how they found it.

Link: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/website-help/58151-trouble-searching.html

 

[gimpyrobb]

Welcome to the site. I agree, post some pics if you get a chance. Looks like we have another member to the "wrecker club"!

 

[Marinawreckers]

I don't have any photos of the M816's yet, other than the GL ones. I just cleared EUC approval (5 year re-up, took forever). They should be here this week. I got them at the giant Fort Meade auction in November. These photos are crappy, taken with my cell phone, but it shows the M818 that we have used without incident for four years now.