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Have an FMTV, how is the MTVR in comparison?

aw113sgte

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Have an A1R version (so the newest with the Cat C7). Considering picking up an MTVR in the future as I'm seeing quite a few popping up on Govplanet. Are there any key reliability issues with the MTVR? I'm liking they can go 65mph max versus the 58 of fmtvs (unless eco hubs added). Seems like a lot of the connections, fittings have a sealant placed on them? A bit concerning as the parts market seems to be far more sparse and the lack of parts manuals would certainly be a big difference as the FMTVs have all the TMs available. Seems if you need parts you need to find someone parting a truck. Any things to watch out for?
 

DeMilitarized

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You are absolutely right on the parts department. I am currently parting out 2 mtvrs at reasonable prices for as many parts as possible to try to alleviate this issue. The build quality on a mtvr is far far far higher than any fmtv i have worked on and even higher than the m939. All grounds are silicone sealed, all connections have silicone, all electrical connectors, ext. The truck is plumbed to ford water from the factory ie all the axle vents are routed up high. 505hp tune makes it a rocket ship. Fuel economy is somewhere between 3-6mpg. Strong as an ox.

On a side note as stated before not being able to get parts if you dont luck out on a good truck from auction you will quickly wish you bought a truck private sale for 2x the price because you can quickly spend thousands for little parts. ECM is usually dead, alternator could be bad, gauge cluster missing, turret cap missing (all combining to a total of $5-6k). Good truck but wont come cheap. The trucks that sell cheap at auctions are the ones that I and others already saw as not worth buying due to the nitpicky stuff missing.

Just my $0.02
 

aw113sgte

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La Crosse, WI
You are absolutely right on the parts department. I am currently parting out 2 mtvrs at reasonable prices for as many parts as possible to try to alleviate this issue. The build quality on a mtvr is far far far higher than any fmtv i have worked on and even higher than the m939. All grounds are silicone sealed, all connections have silicone, all electrical connectors, ext. The truck is plumbed to ford water from the factory ie all the axle vents are routed up high. 505hp tune makes it a rocket ship. Fuel economy is somewhere between 3-6mpg. Strong as an ox.

On a side note as stated before not being able to get parts if you dont luck out on a good truck from auction you will quickly wish you bought a truck private sale for 2x the price because you can quickly spend thousands for little parts. ECM is usually dead, alternator could be bad, gauge cluster missing, turret cap missing (all combining to a total of $5-6k). Good truck but wont come cheap. The trucks that sell cheap at auctions are the ones that I and others already saw as not worth buying due to the nitpicky stuff missing.

Just my $0.02
From what I'm seeing recently, looks like $20k ish can get a running one in decent shape. Seems like a lot have "blow by" though. I wouldn't even mess with a non-runner as it could have a dead engine or transmission and who knows what else.
 

DeMilitarized

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From what I'm seeing recently, looks like $20k ish can get a running one in decent shape. Seems like a lot have "blow by" though. I wouldn't even mess with a non-runner as it could have a dead engine or transmission and who knows what else.
When I scanned my ecms most of the time was idle time. Maybe a few hours at full cruising highway speeds. 20k gets your foot in the door. Like I said the small stuff missing can make it easily 30-40k.


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DeMilitarized

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Looks clean on the surface. Really doesnt tell much. Missing the inner fender liners, running a wix oil filter rather than a genuine cat (concerning), Tailgate is tweaked, got repainted kinda bad, hydraulic reservoir is empty, Hydraulics on the winch probably need all resealed, non air ride seat so you should account for a new seat because the armored version seat is unbearable, Either injection tank is missing so possibility of unfiltered air entering the intake manifold from the tube, non cat fuel filter. No clue on miles. If the ctis seals are blown then expect $200 per hub for the seals to repair. Those are my primary concerns but it may be a just fine truck.
 

aw113sgte

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Location
La Crosse, WI
Looks clean on the surface. Really doesnt tell much. Missing the inner fender liners, running a wix oil filter rather than a genuine cat (concerning), Tailgate is tweaked, got repainted kinda bad, hydraulic reservoir is empty, Hydraulics on the winch probably need all resealed, non air ride seat so you should account for a new seat because the armored version seat is unbearable, Either injection tank is missing so possibility of unfiltered air entering the intake manifold from the tube, non cat fuel filter. No clue on miles. If the ctis seals are blown then expect $200 per hub for the seals to repair. Those are my primary concerns but it may be a just fine truck.
Appreciate the detailed assessment!
 

IridiumRed

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Another thumbs up on Nate / swatmod. Good guy. Met him just the other day. Hauled some parts for him that he had gotten from someone near me, picked up some parts from him (all MTVR stuff).

Ive probably seen this truck in person, but didnt spend any time looking at it in detail, just in passing
 

IridiumRed

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NW MO, north of KC
Well, I'll be joining you guys soon....
Awesome!

I took a quick glance at the govplanet writeup, having complete cab + running engine id say you did very well :)

I just LOCVE these trucks. Theyre amazing. I work on class 6, 7 trucks everyday (mostly garbage trucks / rolloff trucks in the 30 to 50k GVWR range), and the people im around have same experience, some have experience w class 8 (semis), though everyone knows something about semis in terms of overall size and all that.

Anyways, EVERYONE who gets close to my 7ton is like "OhMyGod... Thats Cool!". Everyone is blown away by sheer scale... and the gearheads are amazed at the hardware, running gear. And a bunch of these people are more impressed by the 7ton then if it was a $250k+ custom semi... bc they think those are really cool, would love to have one, BUT they have seen those before. Nothing new. The 7ton is whole different animal they havent seen before.

And even if someone has had exposure to older military trucks like deuces and 5tons, theyre still blown awsy by the 7tons. Really are a whole nother level.

Anyways!!! Blah blah blah, enjoy new truck, good luck, let us know when u get it and all that!
 

BKubu

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Just too bad shipping is going to be around 4K since I'm about a thousand miles away.
Considering the truck will require a detach or similar trailer, your $4K quote is pretty good (possibly on the low side). Speciality trailers cost more. If the truck could fit on a step deck (it can't unless you remove the cab top, windshield, exhaust, etc.), you could get it moved for around $2.25/mile.
 

IridiumRed

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That height reduction for step trailer is relatively easy to do, not easy enough / quick enough to expect trucker to do it if youre not there, but if youre there to assist w pickup, thats a different deal potentially...is supposed to be 30 min job for two experienced people, so double or triple time for first timers? Havent personally done it, but have some idea whats involved... and there are good youtube videos out there (one or two of the people that have made such videos, might in fact be reading these posts sometime. Small world when it comes to MTVRs)
 

DeMilitarized

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Location
Gainesville, GA
That height reduction for step trailer is relatively easy to do, not easy enough / quick enough to expect trucker to do it if youre not there, but if youre there to assist w pickup, thats a different deal potentially...is supposed to be 30 min job for two experienced people, so double or triple time for first timers? Havent personally done it, but have some idea whats involved... and there are good youtube videos out there (one or two of the people that have made such videos, might in fact be reading these posts sometime. Small world when it comes to MTVRs)
It is super sketchy to reduce the cab. Make sure the support bars on the windshield are tight so it keeps the glass from slamming the hood. 1 hour being careful.


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