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5-Ton Noise Levels

Noskov

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Kahului, Hawaii
Hello,

Having read through what I could find in the search functions and the stories of several owners here who regret not wearing hearing protection; is there a difference between 5 tons in terms of noise?

I'm debating between an M813 or a M923/M925 purchase soon but was curious. When I browse ebay I notice even on half-deuces that there are ear muffs hanging on the steering wheel. Makes me wonder how loud the 5-tons are in comparison.

I did watch several youtube videos of half-deuces and 5-tons to maybe get an understanding of noise levels but each camera is different when it comes to audio recording and didn't help at all.

My main concerns is neighbors as usual, and long term use.

Appreciate any info for an eager military vehicle owner.
 

EMD567

Driver for the Ga Mafia
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Aiken SC
5 tons are loud, but it is in the lower ranges. Deuces have an ear spliting whine that will either call dogs in a 5 county area, or send them running, depending on the dog.
I can drive the 5 ton around town without ear protection. I would never drive a deuce without hearing protection. :mrgreen:
 
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73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
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the best answer is, see if you can find menbers close to you and see if you can go MVing with them in the different trucks, we all love to drive our trucks, even for NO reason at all, and showing it off is icing on the cake
 
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M813rc

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From experience, use a headset in the 813! It is a bloody loud truck.

I have comfortably driven the M925 (and its brothers) with just earplugs, much quieter truck.

Cheers
 
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MotorTMan

Member
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Aliquippa, Pa
Having alot of time driving all 5 ton series, The loudest are the multifuels. Straight pipe, whistle, and fan noise all in one. Next is the 800 series...although they have mufflers, you have the constant drive fan which is loud, and the stack mounted in front of the cab, which you can hear exhaust noise also. The quietest are the 900 series. You have a clutch driven fan, so fan noise is only on certain intervals when the motor heats up. You have a muffler, alsothe stack is mounted behind the cab with the pipe slightly facing rearward to throw the noise to the rear. Also, they have insulated floors to dampen out the noise. A much quieter truck. Hope this helps.

Russ
 

Noskov

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Kahului, Hawaii
Much thanks for the replies guys!

Is it considered sacrilegious to put sound dampening material in these trucks to lower as much noise as possible?
 
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OSO

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Arlington,Wa
Huh did you say something ? Just give me a while till I can hear again . You know your tranny ,and transfer case are working by all the sounds they make!!:smile:
 
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Fixlinc

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Friona TX
We have XM818 with 250 Cummins and M55A2 with Continental LDS 465 converted to fire trucks. We got rid of the under hood muffler on the XM818 running pipe behind the cab to a heavy duty regular truck muffler with extension that helped some on heat issues in summer and noise but they are both still noisy. You can add better mufflers like that and insulate the firewall and cabs with insulation and foam padding with insulation and rubber matting on floors like the later M35A3 and others have. We just got a M35A3 2.5 T and it is amazing how much quieter it is.
 
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mktopside

Banned
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Gainesville, Va
We have XM818 with 250 Cummins and M55A2 with Continental LDS 465 converted to fire trucks. We got rid of the under hood muffler on the XM818 running pipe behind the cab to a heavy duty regular truck muffler with extension that helped some on heat issues in summer and noise but they are both still noisy. You can add better mufflers like that and insulate the firewall and cabs with insulation and foam padding with insulation and rubber matting on floors like the later M35A3 and others have. We just got a M35A3 2.5 T and it is amazing how much quieter it is.
And I still wear muffs in my A3 because I think it's too loud!

Quiet at idle though, very quiet.
 

Fixlinc

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Friona TX
First time after running the pipe behind the cab on our 5 ton with the 250 Cummins I put a straight chrome pipe on it but got over that fast we couldn't hear our radio or talk so a muffler went on. :deadhorse: Our 1997 A3 seems like a Cadillac to us after driving the 5 tons. We are seriously considering putting some insulation in our 5 tons like is in tractor and construction machinery. DB Engineering makes it.

Cab Insulation
 
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03silverado

New member
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Millersville, MD
Type of top also matters hard tops are much quieter than rag tops m818 had a hard top and really wasn't bad still wore ear plugs my 813a1 has a rag top and is much louder ear plugs are a must believe it or not its mainly the fan which causes all the noise rolling down the highway.8)
 

Stick Man

New member
9
17
3
Location
SC
Hello,

Having read through what I could find in the search functions and the stories of several owners here who regret not wearing hearing protection; is there a difference between 5 tons in terms of noise?

I'm debating between an M813 or a M923/M925 purchase soon but was curious. When I browse ebay I notice even on half-deuces that there are ear muffs hanging on the steering wheel. Makes me wonder how loud the 5-tons are in comparison.

I did watch several youtube videos of half-deuces and 5-tons to maybe get an understanding of noise levels but each camera is different when it comes to audio recording and didn't help at all.

My main concerns is neighbors as usual, and long term use.

Appreciate any info for an eager military vehicle owner.
I just received my M813a1 from Oshkosh yesterday 10/21/21 and I was researching sound dampening materials when I saw this post. There are a lot of different types out there. Anyone know which one works best?
 
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jimk

In Memorial
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I got a roll of 1/2" metalized mylar from dB Engineering, for a different vehicle. I don't know if it is the best but seems to work. It is heavier than it looks and expensive. The stuff I use has a rubber sheet sandwiched in the middle, for increased performance. I do not see it on the current web site. Maybe it was discontinued. They offer a nice box full of small bits of what they sell.


I put a large stack mufflers and turbos on my 813 and M35A2. The sound level is comfortable.

photo - my friend/ driver Dave H.
2013 Veterans Day Dave (2).JPG
 
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