LMTV M1078 - Weight Capacities

[0627Devildog]

So, I have been lurking a while......and was primarily interested in a 6 x 6 LMTV until recently.

I recently saw an M1078 pulling a 10Ton trailer with a BobCat E85 on it.

This boggled my mind given the tow rating on the M1078's I have seen don't go anywhere near what that combination should weigh (according to spec sheets I have seen).

I spoke with the owner of the setup and he assured me he has used that complete rig extensively for YEARS without issue.

I had been looking at a 6x6 (Because, who doesn't like an extra axle) because they were supposed to be rated for that kinda setup.

Can someone give me a definitive tow/payload rating for the M1078?

 

[Mullaney]

So, I have been lurking a while......and was primarily interested in a 6 x 6 LMTV until recently.

I recently saw an M1078 pulling a 10Ton trailer with a BobCat E85 on it.

This boggled my mind given the tow rating on the M1078's I have seen don't go anywhere near what that combination should weigh (according to spec sheets I have seen).

I spoke with the owner of the setup and he assured me he has used that complete rig extensively for YEARS without issue.

I had been looking at a 6x6 (Because, who doesn't like an extra axle) because they were supposed to be rated for that kinda setup.

Can someone give me a definitive tow/payload rating for the M1078?

.
What about this... Spec Sheet is attached.
Towed Load of 12,000 lb

The thing that I don't know is if that stated capacity is on-road or off-road and I don't see that spelled out in the Stewart & Stevenson "glossy".

 

[0627Devildog]

.
What about this... Spec Sheet is attached.
Towed Load of 12,000 lb

The thing that I don't know is if that stated capacity is on-road or off-road and I don't see that spelled out in the Stewart & Stevenson "glossy".

This is the very thing I was referencing as having looked at previously. I am wondering if this is the "OFF Road" capacity as you indicated as I have heard it mentioned that way before. Seems weird to have a 20K pintle hitch on truck with a 12k capacity.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

This is the very thing I was referencing as having looked at previously. I am wondering if this is the "OFF Road" capacity as you indicated as I have heard it mentioned that way before. Seems weird to have a 20K pintle hitch on truck with a 12k capacity.

The pintle on my truck is stamped 100,000 lbs.

Assuming you have working trailer brakes - the truck is designed such that any of the FMTV models is supposed to be able to flat tow any of the other FMTV models. Which puts the capacity way above 12k lbs. For flat towing with trailer brakes that would seem to suggest at least 30k lbs. I mean - 12k lbs is a ridiculous under rate when a 2021 F-350 can tow 20k.

The listed capacities are WAY under what they will do - especially on road. For example - an (unarmored) M1078 has an off-road payload capacity of 5,000 lbs and weighs about 17,500 lbs right? So why then does my M1079 *also* have a payload capacity of 5,000 lbs when it already weighs in at over 21,000 lbs with it's empty AAR enclosure? My data plate lists my GVWR as 25,980 lbs - likely done to keep at least the LMTV under the commercial 26,000 number because S&S did sell these trucks to the public. And if my truck had been sent in for the A1P2 armored cab update it would have weighed in somewhere around 26k lbs UNLOADED and I'm sure would still carry a 5k lb cargo capacity on top of that giving it a fully loaded weight of over 30k all by itself.

The Meritor axles under the truck are rated at 7.5 ton each. So a properly loaded truck could handle 30,000 lbs and not exceed the rating of the axles. And I'm quite sure THAT rating is also off-road and under rated also.

I don't think anyone can really give you a definitive number, but I can assure you it's far higher than an F-350.

 

[DieselAddict]

Here is how I look at it. You can flat tow a LMTV with ANOTHER LMTV. If its loaded that would be over 20k lbs being towed AND I am 100% certain that a LMTV is harder to tow than a trailer of equal weight.

 

[coachgeo]

granted..... if one is not in the mood to wait for folk to reply...... they can always search in here...... you would be surprised how many times a similar question has been asked and answered.

will admit though.... searching is a science..... but its a learnable science with trial/error and thimking.

(PS- no three letter words like "Tow". common search rule for most discussion boards; like this here at SSoldiers

Search results for query: weight capacity

Search results for query: Towing capacity

 

[Mullaney]

This is the very thing I was referencing as having looked at previously. I am wondering if this is the "OFF Road" capacity as you indicated as I have heard it mentioned that way before. Seems weird to have a 20K pintle hitch on truck with a 12k capacity.

.
So, I waddled out to the passenger door on my M1088 and also to the M1089. There is a data plate on the doors of both trucks. I have them both attached. Those numbers appear to me that they are the "off road"numbers - but it is my best guess at best. AND these are 6x6 rather than 4x4, so we are looking at 10,000# rather than the 5000# on the 107x machines...

 

[coachgeo]

.
So, I waddled out to the passenger door on my M1088 and also to the M1089. There is a data plate on the doors of both trucks. I have them both attached. Those numbers appear to me that they are the "off road"numbers - but it is my best guess at best. AND these are 6x6 rather than 4x4, so we are looking at 10,000# rather than the 5000# on the 107x machines...

View attachment 857750

View attachment 857751

catch 22..... there being "on road" and "off road" numbers has been debated. While this was a for sure thing with past Military trucks..... and as understand it in the past it was stated in the material?? With the early 90's complete overhaul of how they do military trucks*...... it is said/debated that old way was NOT carried over to the new trucks like FMTV line??? So it could well be that what is on the labels.... is generic and not "off road".... in fact it may even be On-road specific.??? which does not seem to jive with the logic of the numbers though..... BUTTT... insurance and legality will NOT SEE IT THAT WAY. If your not using it by the published specs.... your ass is toast in a legal situation.

(* New stuff must be commercial parts required from commercial vehicle manufactures... thus more readily available supply of parts. Also requiring less to no need for manufacturer's to create special part making tooling .. but instead use same tooling for civilian vehicles and thus likely the parts to remain in the supply chain longer as well. .... and this lowers cost to govt. cause the parts are produced at higher volume since they are produced for commercial and military (supply demand economic thinking keeping prices lower) On top of that this puts by attrition the engines etc. to keep up with emission standards some what.

 

[Awesomeness]

Keep in mind that there is a big difference between the military and commercial definitions of "meeting specifications". When you buy an F-150 that can "tow 17,000lb", it's essentially saying that "it's technically possible, under ideal conditions", but you know that you're really going to be pushing your luck doing it. When a military contractor gets a spec list of all the stuff the truck they are designing MUST do, it must do all of those things under the worst possible conditions. So it will carry it's full rated load, at the full rated altitude, while towing it's fully loaded trailer, etc. ... and then still climb over the full 24" wall it is required to overcome. And as pointed out above, on a FAMILY of trucks like this, it will do that on the model that is worst-case, and then there is still an "engineering factor of safety" applied.

Legally, you'll be unwise to deviate from the data plate, due to the sad state of lawsuits these days. But from a practical standpoint, my LMTV barely notices that I'm towing my M1082 trailer fully loaded. There are videos on YouTube of people driving around with like 25k in the bed of an MTV 6x6, and towing like 90k with one (off road, too, I think). Clearly they are made so that even a dumb private will have to work extra hard to break it.

 

[coachgeo]

Keep in mind that there is a big difference between the military and commercial definitions of "meeting specifications". ....
(is rated for under conditions of: ideal (commercial) -vs- under shiaty-est conditions (military) )

excellent explanation Guido

 

[simp5782]

People also don't understand that towing with a towbar is limited to 35mph . Not highway speeds for towing. Why it is given the exception
This was done on 809 and 939s with the wreckers.