FMTV Cab Question

[TNriverjet]

I saw this on an "e" site and have been confused by the cab. It appears the whole thing can fold to reduce height. Also has a two-piece windshield. Is this the "airlift" cab I've read about? I can't imagine you wouldn't have more rattles when in operation with a setup like this.

 

[Rmtaunton]

Yes the all fold down for height and are more of the rare ones

 

[sargentwolf]

More stuff that can break/leak, but you can take the top off and do the whole topless jeep thing...in a massive truck...

 

[coachgeo]

Search "Air Drop" or "Airdrop" LMTV. That seems to be the common name used for them..... which makes since (if I recall correctly) ... that's what they were used for

 

[mkcoen]

M1081 is the "airdrop" LMTV. They aren't really that rare. There have been a lot of them that sold on GP out of NC (go figure - Home of the 82nd and all). I looked at several but the added shipping helped me decide on something a little closer to home.

 

[TNriverjet]

Thanks for the prompt replies! I would probably choose to stay away from this setup to reduce rattles and long term maintenance issues.

 

[DSD277]

In a few years when people break their windshields, they'll wish for a LVAD. All the glass is flat.
I've had my M-1094 since mid 2012. and they are the rarest of all the LVADs. A member here that was at Ft Bragg estimated less than 174 made. A manager at BAE thinks 125 would be high.

Thinking of them as a Jeep is wrong. The reduced height was only for being airdropped. It was removing the top and folding down the sides,the back, doors and windshield frame.
The use of making War Pigs was by stripping a M1081 (or M1093) of everything above the waistline and any other non-essential components.
If I wasn't downsizing my MVs, the M1081 would be the only LMTV I'd buy. The lock to hold the door tops uprights are the only weak link I see, the rest of the cab is tied together by interconnecting members and a lot of captive bolts (the little catches are only to hold things together until the bolts are secure)... the doors are the exception.

IF I was (much) younger, I'd have fun making a LVAD into a fun "road" convertible, and have it still go back to it's original setup.

From this pic of mine, you can see the new mirrors (no door tops, no mirrors), the 3rd point for the seat belts ( again, no quarter panel, no shoulder mount), the windshield also has a brace for being upright, without it, the catches would let go in first hard braking.

And how they'd look hanging from their chutes.

 

[TNriverjet]

Interesting! That shows a shorter air intake as well... There was another thread here discussing the possibility of shortening the intake for a camper build. The photo above tells me S&S at least built them that way on the LVAD version.

 

[DSD277]

That truck is pretty much all me and my interpretation of of all the photos and info I was able to find at the time of a War Pig. The sleeve of the intake was only a tube, and a no biggie to cut.
I used to tell people when I was building the truck, that the truck 'told' me what was wrong with it, and every time it was a logical solution, and I never thought I was smarter than the engineers. But I did occasionally get a tip on how a system worked from an BAE tech.

 

[FloridaAKM]

They are good trucks, but the cabs aren't sealed as tight as a M1078; it you don't like wind noise, you might not like the M1081!

 

[Lmtv772]

I like the way you say 'as tight ', because mine leaks in the rain and I don't know where. I took all the marker lights and the turret cover off and sealed with silicone and new gaskets. Still leaking

 

[FloridaAKM]

I sealed mine up with a yellow heavy duty tarp bungeed to the cab, no more water problems & the wind won't blow it away! Now, after I get a turrent cover, the problems you are experiencing, will be the same ones I address! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[DanM7890]

Even though mine isn't running yet, I love the fact it all folds down!

 

[DSD277]

I sealed mine up with a yellow heavy duty tarp bungeed to the cab, no more water problems & the wind won't blow it away! Now, after I get a turrent cover, the problems you are experiencing, will be the same ones I address! Thanks for the heads up!

I love it! The kettle calling the pot black.... or the coffee pot calling the teapot wet.

The LVAD cab is a purpose designed cab, not a cut up version of a standard cab. The cab weighs 200 lbs more than the std cab. It has an exact order in which the back and sides are folded up and the roof is set in place and secured. There are 10 captive bolts holding each the back and windshield frames to the top, and 4 on each quarter panel. The bolts only hold the panels tight and "cones and sockets" align all the panels together and interlock them. The sheetmetal lapped to shed the elements.
As far as leaking, I would imagine the hinge and matching panels would have air leaks, noises only if the panels weren't secured completely and little or no difference in rain intrusion. The front doors are the weak link (imo) as the catches were the only fashion in which they were secured.

As for surplus M1081s, and M1093s ( I hadn't heard of another M1094, but don't look either). I would believe if they were ever air dropped, the panels could suffer from the jarring of being dropped from 500 ft with parachutes and failure to tighten and check that all bolts are tight when reassembled, or check as a PM with typical ground use.

 

[m715mike]

As for surplus M1081s, and M1093s ( I hadn't heard of another M1094, but don't look either). I would believe if they were ever air dropped, the panels could suffer from the jarring of being dropped from 500 ft with parachutes and failure to tighten and check that all bolts are tight when reassembled, or check as a PM with typical ground use.

By my count, GovPlanet has 59 closed auctions for Low Velocity Air Drop ("LVAD") FMTVs. The auctions (which range from March 18, 2015 to May 25, 2016) are summarized by vehicle and location as follows:

Vehicle	Location	Number of Closed Auctions
M1081	Colorado	1
	North Carolina	48
	Texas	1
	Washington	1
M1081A1	North Carolina	1
M1093	New York	1
	Pennsylvania	1
	Texas	3
M1094	Missouri	1
	North Carolina	1
Total LVAD FMTVs		59

Data from the June 2016 auctions, if applicable, is not included in the table above.

 

[DSD277]

2 more M1094s, as I said the rarest of the LVAD .. I'd be interested to know their condition.

I had been told by BAE there is a video of a M1094 having a chute "malfunction" , but they weren't able to locate it.
One person was wondering if it was mine, but another tech said 'no', it happen a dozen years before mine laid on it's side and took a "nap" .

 

[m715mike]

2 more M1094s, as I said the rarest of the LVAD .. I'd be interested to know their condition.

The first M1094 was sold by GovPlanet on April 8, 2015 in North Carolina for $4,750. I can only speculate that the low closing auction price is an indication of the vehicle's condition. I say speculate because the auction details are no longer available for this vehicle (I think GovPlanet removes the details after a certain amount of time).


The second M1094 sold on December 2, 2015 in Missouri for $12,750. As pictured below, this truck looked to be in decent shape. GovPlanet stated that, "The engine started and ran." However, on the down side, the windshield/windows were damaged and the accelerator petal sticks according to GovPlanet.





DSD277 - PM inbound.

 

[m715mike]

Oops.... Did I say "decent shape?" I said that before looking at all of the pictures, and GovPlanet definitely put the good ones first. Here are a couple more pictures of the M1094 that sold last December:

 

[DSD277]

Thanks for the link you sent.

The front left corner is hammered on that truck, I might have the door that's missing. lol
Glass and frames were/are the least of my worry for the LVADs. I'm in the glass industry and with the help of another person, I had the windshield frame straighten/racked and ready for glass in 2 hours for mine.

A few years back I had found a 'take-off' LVAD cab, but chose to keep my functional cab and straighten it at the waist and below, and hoping to find a cab that from the waist up was good, If I so decided to go back to the original configuration.

I also knew the government had bought 100 LVAD cabs back in 2010, and maybe some would come up.