LMTV-->Rally Truck clone/poser/wannabe build thread

[319cssb]

I've just never heard anyone advocate against safety equipment for an off-road application in a non-ironic fashion before. I think my outlook is more the roll cage is more impractical than it is unwarranted or undesired. I sure desire one. Stuff happens. Especially in snow.

Im an not advocating against safety equipment. I am advocating against clone/poser/wannabe, which this thread is clearly about (as the title already lets onto). Safety equipment that is capable of actually saving ones life is very expensive. Something that doesn't entrap or impale the people inside the vehicle. I have not seen 1 LMTV roll over by driving within the safe parameters of the vehicle and with a properly maintained vehicle. That includes speed, approach angle off terrain. and plain common sense.
But I don't care what anyone does to their vehicle. Nor do I argue about it online. It was asked here if I also secretively dream of installing a clone/poser/wannabe piece of equipment in my truck and I said that it never even remotely was something I had the urge to do. (see my earlier responses, in case of confusion).

I am for safety. Drive with a distance. Drive the speed limit and drive the safe speed of the vehicle. Know how to stop and how long it takes. maintain your vehicle. Learn how to operate it in all conditions and practice all of that, which was learned.

 

[aleigh]

I agree with you 100% about all that. My reading of this was that he wanted a poser rally truck as in he did not intend to race the dakar and jump it 20 feet off sand dunes. Not that he wanted something just for show / looks. Maybe he'll clarify.

 

[319cssb]

I found two things when I searched for roll over LMTV. one was a video of how you get into a roll over very easily.

https://youtu.be/ALJEyEL-JPQ

and then something about the cause and how not to roll over.
The Three Main Causes of Rollovers

So, if most rollovers aren't caused by external conditions, speed or inexperience, what does cause them?

1. Driver error is responsible for over three-quarters of all rollovers. Rollovers can happen to anyone at any time, so drivers can never be too comfortable behind the wheel. Over 90 percent of the time, the rollover is not the "first" event - in other words, some other dangerous event occurs before the rollover. It maight be drowsiness or inattention, which together contribute to about 20 percent of rollovers, with running off the road due to inattention being the leading cause of serious crashes. The event might be a driver drifting over into a soft shoulder, riding up over a curb or incorrectly making a turn at an intersection. Attentive driving can prevent most rollovers.
2. Vehicle condition plays a role in some rollovers. In a recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study, 54 percent of the vehicles involved in a rollover accident had a brake defect of some sort.
3. Load size is also a factor in some rollovers. More than 90 percent of cargo tank rollovers occur while carrying partial loads, so if you are hauling liquids, it's important to understand the "slosh and surge" effect of liquid loads. "Slosh" refers to liquid running up the sides of a tanker, which changes the tanker's center of gravity, and "surge" refers to liquid shifting from front to back and then back to front when accelerating or braking.

How You Can Prevent Rollovers

Since a large majority of rollovers are caused by driver error, most crashes are preventable. Here are several ways you can prevent a rollover and get to your destination safely:

• Slow it down. Obey the speed limits and take it slow around corners.
• Stay alert. Falling asleep at the wheel or driving while fatigued is unacceptable. Turning up the radio or rolling down your windows are not effective ways to keep you alert. Hours-of-Service regulations are in place to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
• Put down the cellphone. Not only is it extremely dangerous to text while driving, it is also illegal for truckers to do so.
• Ensure your truck is mechanically sound before your trip. You don't want to be involved in a rollover or other accident because your brakes weren't properly checked before a trip.
• Understand the design and performance of the type of truck you will be driving. For example, tankers handle differently than reefers or flatbeds.
• Always make sure loads are tied down properly. Shifting loads can easily lead to a rollover.

Ultimately, many of the factors that can cause a rollover crash are entirely under the driver's control. Always remember - deadlines are important, but safety is your number one priority.

 

[319cssb]

chuckling, in the video the guy was 'putting the pedal to the floor ' and was going 35mph, I guess the Dakar rally isn't going to happen in an LMTV

 

[Third From Texas]

I actually do want to have a chance to survive a rollover, so the rollcage will be "real". The pics of LMTV cabs crushed like a beer can is pretty convincing.

I am not going to race the truck, however it will see offroad driving in adverse conditions.

I was just kidding with ya. Hence the ;p

 

[Third From Texas]

Personally, I wouldn't mind the rally-truck "look" for an LMTV. Of course it becomes fake knowing full well the limitations on our trucks, but that doesn't make it an awful concept. I think the MULE build is a good example (sort of "rally look" to a display platform).

Like I used to say with Harley's when people discussed color and whatnot: "they can't all be black Roadkings"

As to the "rollbar" design discussion, I actually find it an interesting one. With our cabs being already heavy on the existing lift system as well as nose-heavy, adding weight becomes a bit of a pickle. I've seen trucks modded with enough tubing to build a pipline and still function, but there obviously is a limit. Then you have the issue of bracing (with little to tie into structurally and still allow the cab to raise).

I would likely add most of my roll protection aft of the cab itself (ie: the rollbars posted in images on pg. 2). Another reason I've always favored the ambulance box as a viable camper solution as well as additional roll protection (those things are designed brutally). While I have tinkered with sketches of internal cab support, I'd not thought of total encapsulation (which in itself is an interesting concept). The old stepside-bed pickup rollbars were a sort of "mushroom" shape and might work internally to provide some structural integrity (supporting above the frame as long as the cab is attached). We used to build entire roll cages inside VW's back in the day (that was a tight fit for working).

Agreed though, the best safety protection is knowledge, skill, and judgement. Nothing beats applied training...

 

[olly hondro]

clarification on the intended use of the wannabe

For nearly 30 years I have been running AZ trails e.g. Chiva Falls and Charleau Gap with the same bunch of "jeep guys". Initially with a Series 2 Land Rover (what a piece of crap) , the last several years very successfully with the modified CUCV Blazer. Additionally, I logged extensive number of hours in the M35A2 109 variant working the border fence: mostly in 6WD low range, first gear on roads that more closely resemble a cow path. I say this to underscore that I am not new to the offroad scene nor to large vehicles.

I find that I am nowadays less enamored with crawling over the rocks, would like to do more sightseeing off the beaten trail: mining towns, historic markers, that sort of thing. Unimproved roads in some cases. I have a 36 ft Allegro Bay, but am pretty much constrained to near the Interstate with that behemoth.

Enter the LMTV. Cabover truck, diesel, noisy, argh argh. I see pics of lighting mods and expedition builds that remind me of the Class T4 trucks. So it occurs to me to make a copy. Because it is pleasing to me and I cannot strive to be ordinary. Its a character defect that I embrace.

I post here then receive advice about rollover protection, just as I did in the CUCV forum. I received that advice well then, had a cage professionally built for the Blazer (the cost which exceeded the value of the vehicle by the way) and am glad I did. The same advice, I believe, applies to the LMTV truck, regardless of the rollover stimulus. It could be something as simple as me miscalculating then driving off the edge of the road.

I am not constrained by notions of practicality, preserving the original configuration, nor worry of wasting fiscal resources.

I welcome counsel like maybe I have to double up the cab lift ram. The between-the-lines doubt of my intellect not so much.

So, I will share the build here, as its valuable to me and to some of you. The interweb comes with haters, I get that, just do not be surprised if I do not "like" a hater's contribution.

 

[joshuak]

Rock on Olly. I've enjoyed following your CUCV modifications and look forward to seeing what you do here.

 

[olly hondro]

Rock on Olly. I've enjoyed following your CUCV modifications and look forward to seeing what you do here.

Thank you for the kind words, joshuak.

 

[aleigh]

For nearly 30 years I have been running AZ trails e.g. Chiva Falls and Charleau Gap with the same bunch of "jeep guys". Initially with a Series 2 Land Rover (what a piece of crap) , the last several years very successfully with the modified CUCV Blazer. Additionally, I logged extensive number of hours in the M35A2 109 variant working the border fence: mostly in 6WD low range, first gear on roads that more closely resemble a cow path. I say this to underscore that I am not new to the offroad scene nor to large vehicles.

I find that I am nowadays less enamored with crawling over the rocks, would like to do more sightseeing off the beaten trail: mining towns, historic markers, that sort of thing. Unimproved roads in some cases. I have a 36 ft Allegro Bay, but am pretty much constrained to near the Interstate with that behemoth.

Enter the LMTV. Cabover truck, diesel, noisy, argh argh. I see pics of lighting mods and expedition builds that remind me of the Class T4 trucks. So it occurs to me to make a copy. Because it is pleasing to me and I cannot strive to be ordinary. Its a character defect that I embrace.

I post here then receive advice about rollover protection, just as I did in the CUCV forum. I received that advice well then, had a cage professionally built for the Blazer (the cost which exceeded the value of the vehicle by the way) and am glad I did. The same advice, I believe, applies to the LMTV truck, regardless of the rollover stimulus. It could be something as simple as me miscalculating then driving off the edge of the road.

I am not constrained by notions of practicality, preserving the original configuration, nor worry of wasting fiscal resources.

I welcome counsel like maybe I have to double up the cab lift ram. The between-the-lines doubt of my intellect not so much.

So, I will share the build here, as its valuable to me and to some of you. The interweb comes with haters, I get that, just do not be surprised if I do not "like" a hater's contribution.

Build what you want man, it's your truck... Just post pictures!

 

[Gunny 0369]

We looked at this interior option with our shop, and did some weight tests. With the added interior build seats and cargo top AC mount, AND the cage wgt the hyd lift was a bit slow.
We abandoned the wgt IN the cab, and looked at the side lift bars, to fabricate an arch, and the project is sitting... again, the wgt of the HEAVY steel bars were just to much.

really interested in seeing what some of the Fabricators come up with.....

 

[coachgeo]

... fabrication begin!!

[/QUOTE] Gunny unfortunately an opening [Quote Tag] got cut out..... can't tell what is your comments or point without knowing who said what.

 

[mogger7]

would love doing this to my lmtv as soon as i get it driveable i'v had it 2 months and never driven it because of transmition issues

 

[olly hondro]

these guys did it someway

But there is also a gorilla sized hoop behind the cab.

 

[olly hondro]

Almost ready for the cage build: need to remove windshield and engine cover mat.

 

[aleigh]

Very cool.

 

[olly hondro]

To be continued here:
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/back-to-a-big-truck.198028/

 

[aaronsb]

You could always install a HIAB knuckle boom crane to act as your ROPS bar.

Take a look at the size of the SEE tractor FOPS bar for an idea where you're starting for size, and then enlarge from there for LMTV sized vehicle. An actual ROPS would end up pretty heavy, any way you slice it. I like the idea of reinforcing the cab itself so instead of crushing like an empty beer can, it crushes like a lunch box. (a mild improvement, at least)

 

[scottmandu]

For what it's worth, I've jumped mine, although I can't say I recommend it.

I've got air in one of my LMTV's and all I can say is it hurt.

 

[scottmandu]

Reinforcing the cab may not do much, as it's liable to just get ripped off in a hard collision, there also isn't any substantial structure to mount a roll bar to which can hold up to the weight of the truck. The best place on the LMTV to put a roll bar is on the forward lifting eyes behind the cab, a single hoop should be enough structure to support the truck in a rollover.