MRAP Buffalo Trainer

[fuzzytoaster]

For those who haven't heard I've come into possession of a Buffalo MRAP trainer built on an M925A2 chassis. I want this thread to document the unique nature of this machine and updates as I work on it (even if slowly). I felt this should go under the "Heavy Armor" category due to the extensive retrofit work by the military in modifying this vehicle to replicate the Buffalo MRAP. I believe they did a fair job at it considering they reused a lot of readily available parts I'm sure.

By quick glance anyone can see features of the M939A2 series truck including tires, wheels, frame, and air tanks. From what I could tell during the short time before dark is that everything frame and below is stock to the M925A2. I'm unable to tell if a truck was pulled from existing stock or rebuild before going through this transformation at this time. The cab/firewall was reused as part of the design when the body/v-hull was built leaving it with a very M939 feel when in the driver seat. The body/hull is thick and will require further investigation as to it's actual armor but the windows are very much real. I assume it was easier to requisition the real stuff from inventory than outsource fake glass but this is only light speculation.

https://youtu.be/QpyMeztbFIk

The power plant is a Cummins 6CTA 8.3 turbo'd engine mated to a 5 speed transmission and t-case as expected on an M939A2. The engine was refitted with a 200V dual output Neihoff HMMWV alternator (again..working with that's available) and an A/C compressor was adapted on the driver side. The mount and pulley setup looks to match the factory Red Dot parts I have from an actual A/C kit through the hoses and inside cab components are build from the Red Dot catalog. The condenser is in the rear of the vehicle and hidden from view. One coolant line stretching the length of the frame began leaking so they have some additional plumbing going on that will require "tracing and replacing".

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Wes got the truck running with fresh batteries and plumbed it to a 5 gallon jerry can to load it up yesterday. He jumped it at the starter to prevent any electrical issues as the vehicle has been sitting for 5 years outside. I believe it was the right call as there are 12v, 24v, and 120v systems going on. KISS method! I did the same to get it started and unloaded. The tires are typical 14.00's of a mixed variety and all need to be replaced. The fronts are absolutely garbage and wouldn't take air after deflating for transportation (hints why the video was shaky). I didn't see a CTIS controller or module on quick glance so it may have been removed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc2SD-eZsCk&feature=youtu.be

The video shows it seats 6 comfortably and includes VIC-3 stations for each occupant. No headsets were found but there were more commo components in the back where the system was based including a 1000w converter. The batteries for the truck were relocated from inside the M939 cab to the boat shaped rear internal storage box opposite of the A/C condenser. I'll have more photos in the coming days as I poke around and clean up to help make sense for anyone reading this...also we all love pictures, right?

The boat shaped rear of the truck is..unique on its own. You do feel like you're boarding a vessel climbing the ladder to get up into the back. The truck measures about 12.5' tall with the arm on top, but I've not verified that against my own measurement, so that's a fair ways to climb up. The air intake and fuel systems appear to be completely stock. The exhaust was routed horizontally using the stock muffler and will likely all need to be replaced. The external lighting is either stock M-Series lenses and housings or some various remote control light kits that have come from surplus back in the GL days.

There are 4 sunroofs/escape hatches I'm assuming that are accessible from inside. They all need to be replaced due to decontamination and all the windows need a heavy scrubbing to see out of. As one would expect there are many blind spots on this vehicle but seeing forward wasn't as bad as I had thought. It feels like an M939 due to hood length except there's that arm in the way of course. There are cameras mounted on the front and rear for the operator but I'll get into electronics in another post when I know more about what is what and what may be classified. That being said..

If anyone happens to have access to the TM 9-2320-327-10 I'd appreciate a copy, the TM is unclassified according to the Army Publishing Directorate but not published. The owners manual that came with the vehicle is nice and moldy.

 

[simp5782]

The headlight boxes are common buffalo boxes. MWMules has some at the beefco warehouse in Ohio. To replace the one thats broken. They use mack retainer rings for the lights and freightliner buckets.

 

[pontiac62]

What an interesting truck. Don’t know much about them. Will be following your story as it unfolds.
Any guesses as to how many are in private hands?


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Man of few words

M1081 LVAD

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Subscribed with great interest.
Being the Frankenstein truck that it is, I wonder if it slipped under the regulator's radar in being released to auction.
In any case, CONGRATS on the unique score!

 

[theQ]

Super cool Truck

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Do you know if this is a one-of-a-kind critter? Or, might these training-generation Buffalo bred and reproduced any other of their kind???

 

[simp5782]

I know of atleast 5 in civilian hands. 1 in alaska. 2 in texas now. 1 was sold out of Lima, OH a few months back and another is a carcass in southern Georgia.

 

[M813rc]

These and the MRAP trainers are made out of thick steel, but not armour, so they are "just trucks" as far as surplus is concerned. Most have stencils on them saying they are not armour and are for "Training Use Only".
When I was working with the Army at Ft Irwin ten odd years ago, there were a bunch of the M939-based MRAPs in use, and a couple or so of these Buffaloes

Cheers

 

[Russ Knight]

Awesome vehicle!

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

Cool truck , Russel military museum has one in Illinois.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

A quick update since I've had too many irons in the fire. My tire guy came and installed some good 14.00 XZL. The truck was moved and blew the heater coolant hose which was routed along the passenger inside frame to the rear A/C system. It all will be replaced anyway and they just plumbed it into the heater ports on the block like a standard M939 so it was easy to cap off. I bet this thing takes forever to warm up inside due to the length of that heater coolant hose.

 

[TehTDK]

What were these trainers used for?.

I know the Danish army contingent in Iraq etc used US Navy Cougar HEV 6x6 as actual units when deployed. But we had 1-2 Cougar JERRV's located at the Army Combat Training Centre to be used for driver training and familiarisation. While not trained on one I was given the chance to drive it around the block and into its "pen" for the night. Was very surprised in regards to how well its suspension worked, compared to our regular military MAN trucks

 

[fuzzytoaster]

What were these trainers used for?.

I know the Danish army contingent in Iraq etc used US Navy Cougar HEV 6x6 as actual units when deployed. But we had 1-2 Cougar JERRV's located at the Army Combat Training Centre to be used for driver training and familiarisation. While not trained on one I was given the chance to drive it around the block and into its "pen" for the night. Was very surprised in regards to how well its suspension worked, compared to our regular military MAN trucks

IED route clearance was the goal for this Buffalo MRAP. From sources that messed with MRAPS they rolled off the production line due to high demand of the trucks overseas and they couldn't spare any for training so they did the next best thing. I actually found some photos of her sister vehicle used for film/movie

Buffalo (mine protected vehicle) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Buffalobwana]

Someone in Alaska(?) had one of these for sale. I sat and stared at it for a long time. Just couldn't afford it.

Super cool unique rig. Congrats on the score!

 

[RussellMM]

Is the 12' 6" height accurate? With the air out of the tires did you have to pull an overheight permit to bring it home?

 

[simp5782]

Is the 12' 6" height accurate? With the air out of the tires did you have to pull an overheight permit to bring it home?

A 16in deck lowboy picked it up. Tires flat it can easily get under 13ft6 ony RGN trailer. The truck is overwidth with the spare tire on it i believe. The front bumper is 102in wide and it sticks out past that.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Update:

I've had some time in between projects to pull the "Buffalo" out and diagnose issues. She had no power to anything so I've been jumping the starter relay directly. Mechanically it's happy and sounds like a good running M939A2. I've managed to get 12v power to the cab internals and all interior lights, fans, and remote monitoring systems power up but I can't get a signal from the front or rear cameras. The crane controls haven't been tested as they require PTO engagement and a coolant hose needs to be replaced that runs the length of the frame to the rear A/C unit.

All 24V components are dead beyond direct power to the starter when jumping it. I'm going to treat it like a typical M939A2 no-start situation to trace wiring down and find out what they've hacked into. Oddly when I flip the power switch on the dash a relay in the rear of the truck "thunks" but nothing from the PCB and still no 24V power.

 

[m715mike]

Oh, I get it! It’s training you to fix electrical issues!

 

[Trailblazer0506]

IED route clearance was the goal for this Buffalo MRAP. From sources that messed with MRAPS they rolled off the production line due to high demand of the trucks overseas and they couldn't spare any for training so they did the next best thing. I actually found some photos of her sister vehicle used for film/movie

Buffalo (mine protected vehicle) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Spent about 85% of my time overseas running the Buffalo interrogation arm for route clearance (trailblazing mission) in Iraq about 15 years ago. These photos are the real deal in action. Our unit found and disabled almost 500 IEDs over the year we were there. The models we used were built off Mack powertrains and the hull was the chassis. We had 3 of them that rotated through our group and ran them 24/7. One heck of piece of equipment that saved lives no doubt.