M715's Good or Bad ??

[emr]

I also agree as far as a cool and awesome truck they sure are, as allot can be said about whats wrong with them, I for one see all that is right with them, they are a Jeep ! they are BEAUTIFUL !! and rugged looking all day long, and will need some upkeep , but man they are purdy

 

[bcowanwheels]

i have a power lock in the front and a detriot locker in the rear and it will go up any mountain here in tn at idle with no problem. I,ve got out of the truck going up hill to take a leak then walked and caught the truck, hoped in and it never skiped a beat. the design of this truck is very impressive in fact the military should have kept it in service with the following mods
4bt cummins
nv4500 trans
np205 t-case
12 bolt hummer rims and goodYear radial tires
possibly self adjusting brakes and or disc brakes
as normal JMO

 

[bmac6026]

They are my favorite ! I have had several and will have others.

 

[M715VFD405]

These are the 2 I cut my teeth on been in service in my dept for about 30 years. Im very proud of these trucks and they are the reason I am even here. I've been strapped to the front of these trucks going through the woods going over trees and brush most people wouldn't put a 4 wheeler through. The 3rd pic of the spillway at the lake I lived on, my very first fire as a member was down this very hill. Its hard to tell from the pic but it's about 100yrds to the bottom and just to walk up the hill you have to almost crawl up on your hands to keep from falling. These trucks drove up it head on with the 350 gals of water in the bed/tank. They are not fast, conferable to drive or pretty but if we wanted that sort of thing we wouldn't be in this hobby to start. And yeah they could be better, but what couldn't? I could set here all day and point out the flaws in every vehicle I've ever owned or drove, but look at it this way if you get behind the wheel of something and smile. Your in the best vehicle in the world.

 

[11Echo]

My wife took these pics at a garage sale she visited this evening. Not stock but, It sure is a nice truck. IROC 39.5's

 

[Commander5993]

I'm am seriously consider the M-715, actually I might get 2 if I could find them in good shape for a decent price. From everything that I have read, they should make a good "all purpose" vehicle. They work on road, although they might be a bit slower, but from all that I have seen, they are great off road. I might steer toward one that is has been modded, as I would like to go a bit faster on road, but I am looking at its off road ability mostly.

One thing I am not sure of, is how is it in mountain type terrain? Lets say Colorado? Especially when considering if you are hauling people in the back and pulling a trailer off road? Anyone had similar experience? Stock Engine/Trans/Diff or Modified?

 

[spicergear]

If you're going to be off road that alleviates a couple of things you would almost positively NEED to change. Stock engines...well, Bob covered those well but if you're really going to use it, a little more grunt would be nice. Off road, you will not need to swap out the NP200 T-case. If you plan on maintaining decent highway speeds it seems that only a licky few have had the NP200's not overheat with engine and overdrive trans swap crusing at highway speeds. It's a WWII T-case designed for 45 max in a day where 35 was common now being asked to hang at 55-65mph. It also has both front and rear outputs off the lower drop which builds more heat as driving the rear ALWAYS has to go through a gearset and not a straight through design like the later NP205. The 205 are close to being bolt in but you will need to fabricate the driver's side mount.

Easiest thing to do for the driver's side is to make a 1/4" plate cover for the PTO then make your mount to fit the stock crossmembers. Pass side easy was is to take a 205 mount and the stock 200 mount, overlap them and weld together. Simple and done.

I've had SBC and BBC in a M715 and they're both great combinations.

Stock axles will get most people really stuck. Stock axles with lockers and Mile Marker Selectro's, and good meaty tires will get you where you want and back out again. I ran mine with lockers, Selectro's and 37x13 TLS BOGGERS on stock wheels with a 427BBC and 3053A overdrive for a couple years with no problems whatsoever. Eventually it got a Rockwell axle upgrade and 1100x20 Goodyear Custom Extra Grips (measured 42") and was a GREAT road truck. Best example I can give of its road manners is this: M105 deuce two wheel trailer (not a light trailer) with a surface grinding machine (about 1,200 lbs) and a Bridgeport J-head milling machine (about 1,800 lbs). I had about a 75 mile return trip with that load up the hills of Penn's Woods and didn't have to drop out of fifth gear. The truck looked really well with the spring over conversion and set of Rock's under it and the 42" Goodyears fit the fenders nicely. I actually got pulled over 3 times for credential checks with the Boggers and not a single time with the truck higher and bigger with the Rocks.

From there it went to 46" XML's and street driving was concluded especially for PA's vehicle laws. We did have fun at Top Truck Challenge though-

Anyway...any engine you can pretty much think of has been in these from 4 and 6 cyl Cummins to Caddy 472 and 500's to ANY SBC-BBC, 6.2's and 6.5's or Ford SB or BB or even the mopar guys have wedged all their engines in too. It is a platform for creation. I think one of the best swaps, though a cost a little upfront is the CUCV Dana 60 and 14 bolt swap. Later model axles with stronger parts, disc brakes, standard 8 bolt lug, and 4.56's instead of 5.57's. That swap is HUGELY helpful in making the truck comfortable on the road.

 

[spicergear]

Pics of Velvet, the above described build.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

July 18th, 2011.

There IS something to be said for the M715.... KIA produces one with a diesel engine, I only wish we could figure out how to get a batch of them over here at a good price.... Our 715 would hold 45-52 MPH before she stared bouncing from the unbalanced and unaligned front end with 4 or 5 pallets of brick on it... My complaint was the aforementioned water pump bearing, but our 715 had the 4 V groove pully on the generator and the water pump....
That truck was given to a county park that beat it to death then flipped it over a hill in the woods, which finally killed it....

 

[Commander5993]

If you're going to be off road that alleviates a couple of things you would almost positively NEED to change. Stock engines...well, Bob covered those well but if you're really going to use it, a little more grunt would be nice. Off road, you will not need to swap out the NP200 T-case. If you plan on maintaining decent highway speeds it seems that only a licky few have had the NP200's not overheat with engine and overdrive trans swap crusing at highway speeds. It's a WWII T-case designed for 45 max in a day where 35 was common now being asked to hang at 55-65mph. It also has both front and rear outputs off the lower drop which builds more heat as driving the rear ALWAYS has to go through a gearset and not a straight through design like the later NP205. The 205 are close to being bolt in but you will need to fabricate the driver's side mount.

Easiest thing to do for the driver's side is to make a 1/4" plate cover for the PTO then make your mount to fit the stock crossmembers. Pass side easy was is to take a 205 mount and the stock 200 mount, overlap them and weld together. Simple and done.

I've had SBC and BBC in a M715 and they're both great combinations.

Stock axles will get most people really stuck. Stock axles with lockers and Mile Marker Selectro's, and good meaty tires will get you where you want and back out again. I ran mine with lockers, Selectro's and 37x13 TLS BOGGERS on stock wheels with a 427BBC and 3053A overdrive for a couple years with no problems whatsoever. Eventually it got a Rockwell axle upgrade and 1100x20 Goodyear Custom Extra Grips (measured 42") and was a GREAT road truck. Best example I can give of its road manners is this: M105 deuce two wheel trailer (not a light trailer) with a surface grinding machine (about 1,200 lbs) and a Bridgeport J-head milling machine (about 1,800 lbs). I had about a 75 mile return trip with that load up the hills of Penn's Woods and didn't have to drop out of fifth gear. The truck looked really well with the spring over conversion and set of Rock's under it and the 42" Goodyears fit the fenders nicely. I actually got pulled over 3 times for credential checks with the Boggers and not a single time with the truck higher and bigger with the Rocks.

From there it went to 46" XML's and street driving was concluded especially for PA's vehicle laws. We did have fun at Top Truck Challenge though-

Anyway...any engine you can pretty much think of has been in these from 4 and 6 cyl Cummins to Caddy 472 and 500's to ANY SBC-BBC, 6.2's and 6.5's or Ford SB or BB or even the mopar guys have wedged all their engines in too. It is a platform for creation. I think one of the best swaps, though a cost a little upfront is the CUCV Dana 60 and 14 bolt swap. Later model axles with stronger parts, disc brakes, standard 8 bolt lug, and 4.56's instead of 5.57's. That swap is HUGELY helpful in making the truck comfortable on the road.

Good Points. Well for what I need it to do.... Maybe I should be looking at a 2 1/2 ton Deuce multi fuel...? I was hoping to find something like a deuce, only smaller.

 

[Barrman]

Tom, Spicergear, two post up pretty much said it all about engine choices. He also has more experience with hills thatn I do because of where he lives.

However, I had my 396/NV4500 powered M715 out in Colorado back in 2008. We were climbing mountains. Above 9,000 feet or so, the big Block really didn't have much advantage over a stock 230 powered truck. At 7,000 feet I was just a toe twitch away from leaving the stock trucks in the dust. The higher we got. The less power advantage I had. I also had a Suburban 3rd seat in the bed of my truck, 400 plus pounds of people back there, a tool box full of stuff, a set of tow bars with feet and another 400 plus pounds of people in the front. Nothing like driving in the mountains with the windshield flat, cool breeze in the air and a hi compression engine snarling out the side pipes just below your ear.

A M715 is hard pressed to fit a lot of mountain trails. Especially the ones with tight switch backs. I know I had to 3 or 4 or 5 point turn a few that guys in Rubicons just steered around. I think a M35 would be way too big. Even a bobbed Duece wouldn't fit. If your goal is mountains and trails. Along with some kind of alternative fuel use. Look at a M1009. not as robust, but they fit places a M715 can't, drive 60-70 mph as is and get 20 or so MPG. A 715 won't do that until you throw a lot of time and money at it. A lot.

 

[quickfarms]

Good truck

Buy it if the price is right and you can afford it

 

[m16ty]

I've been debating about selling my m715. I like the truck but I hardly ever get the time to drive it. It's bone stock other than a civilian ignition.

 

[spicergear]

Good Points. Well for what I need it to do.... Maybe I should be looking at a 2 1/2 ton Deuce multi fuel...? I was hoping to find something like a deuce, only smaller.

The transfer case is divorced mounted so almost whatever engine and trans you feel like can be put in. Quite a few have gone with the 4BT Cummins and several of those with NV4500's. It's a good swap. Down and dirty if you have the time is the CUCV axle swap then SBC and TH350 or 400 and a 40" tire. Bang, done, drive. They ARE a tough truck.

Barrman mentioned the CUCV trucks as an option and it's a good point. No real work to do to the thing other than make it safe (most likely from sitting at GL) and you're set. Heck, you even feel less bad when you grind a tree against the door because there's still half a million of them out there.

 

[Wolf.Dose]

I own my M715 since 1980 and road registered it in October 1982. Changed to a German Diesel engine by that time, the original engine was DEAD. Fuel consumption was o.k.on long distance, however on short distances due to 20 l of oil to heat up, poor.
In 2002 I restored the truck a second time, put a 6.2 l Detroit Diesel in it. The driving performance for German legal requirements is very good, fuel consumption due to more than 50% more power ok, however I do not use the truck daily.
If you work on all the discrepancies they put into the truck during production you have a reliable truck. My odometer reads 109000 miles plus. The truck had 18125 miles on the odometer when I got it. However, I found out meanwhile, that the truck saw a maintainance in a Depot, so the reading is not the total miles the truck drove. I also found out some more things about the truck, which however after so many years in my possession not realy make me nightmares.
Wolf

 

[Atomic]

Jeepman hasn't posted back on this so I'll just hyjack it. My first thread hyjack....mmmmm.....

I'll chime on this so I won't have to make a new thread.

I found one today in a pecan orchard. Sorry no pics. No camera at the time. I will venture back and post them up, later this week.

The good: 69' Baby blue with a hard top and factory winch ( I think). It has been sitting for 2 years. The farm hand told me that they used it until the carb crapped out. It has all the lights and correct tail gate. It has been sitting under a roof of the shop the whole time. While low, none of the tires are flat andseem to be in decent condition. The engine looks complete and for a farm truck, clean. Data plates intact. Looks like it was bought from some military vehicle dealer in Orlando, FL (nifty data plate looking tag next to the door).

The bad: It does have some rust through above the driver's side rear wheel fender and surrounding area. The passenger side window has been down the entire 2 years and some critters have "removed" the upholstrery. And last but not least. The area that I would call the driver's side foor board does not exist anymore. Bad rust. The passenger side looks clean as whistle and still sound. So a new cab is in order or a form fitting piece of plywood at the least.

I think I might offer $1100. About scrap price.

So as I have not gone through the 715 sites much a couple very quick questions:
Weight
Body parts availability (cab)
winch " " " " " " "

Worth it? Not the money but the vehicle itself.

Thanks guys as always.

Russ

 

[Atomic]

Ok in doing some research it does have the factory winch. Also I show the weight as 5100 and change? That seems a bit on the low side. Is that correct?

 

[spicergear]

The weight is close...still be under 6,000 with the winch. I believe that's the LU4 winch which is the same winch used on the earlier Power Wagons...so those guys may have parts around if you need them. IF you happen to have a hurt bronze bull gear, Jeff @ Frontline Surplus (if he's still around) had some at one point. Cab parts will mostly match the full size jeep trucks of that era. I think those parts are available like JC Whitney maybe.

 

[Barrman]

Jeep panels plus and BJ off road have panels for the rockers. IFSJ.com will be your best source of cab body parts since they are the same as the FSJ's.

Tom is right about the LU4 winch.

Sounds like the farmer put a lot of fertilizer in the bed and had it on his feet when he got in and out.

 

[Atomic]

Yeah they had the john deere's out in the pecans pulling the sprayers as I walked up. I contacted the owner today. He said he would take a look at it and determine if he would sell it. Scrap price at 5100lbs is $410 so I think $1100 is more than fair. Overall the body other than what I listed is in good shape. Honestly I would drive it as is for a while before tearing it apart. It will have to be painted back to green though...

And yes I know