Need LMTV assistance in Fairbanks, Alaska

[XCRV]

Just bought our first military vehicle. Looks like it's been sitting a while. Anyone available around May 12 to help us look over it?

2000 M1079A1 LMTV
http://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/item/860503?h=345-22,21791&reloadCode=close,860503,1493835014825http://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/item/860503?h=345-22,21791&reloadCode=close,860503,1493835014825

 

[snowtrac nome]

im on the same latitude it would cost you a plane ticket but I would love to help you, if you need some tech support my number is 907 434 0692. Im in Nome so I just cant drive there.

 

[Suprman]

Bring a new keypad with you

 

[XCRV]

We talked to the GP inspector (a super nice, helpful guy). He said the truck is in great shape and probably just needs the front drive shaft reinstalled. We're flying in so won't have many tools. We want to change filters and fluids so will take it to a local shop.

Thanks for the offer snotrac nome.

 

[Suprman]

Did you ask him about the mode button? If the mode has to be on to drive in the trucks present condition that is normal. If it has to be continuously held to drive that is not normal.

 

[XCRV]

He said he had to press, not hold, the mode button. Must have been a misprint on the website.

 

[TNriverjet]

That's a really nice looking rig. Keep us posted on the return trip. I'll be here in TN rooting for you. I'm in west Nashville, so if you need assistance on your last leg of the trip, just reach out. I can PM you my number if you like.

 

[TNriverjet]

Oh, also make sure you check oil levels in the drivetrain. Hubs, diffs, tranny. Probably a good idea to buy and carry some gear oil and a tube of RTV silicone.

 

[BKubu]

He said he had to press, not hold, the mode button. Must have been a misprint on the website.

I honestly doubt it is a misprint. Go back and take a look at the listing again. Where they rate certain aspects of the truck, there is one red star next to "Drivetrain Controls," followed by "The mode button must be continuously depressed for the drivetrain to operate in forward only." It appears to be indicating that there is a problem, or at least they think there is. With that said, who knows if they are right...but I don't think that was a misprint. Nice truck, though!

 

[XCRV]

We phoned the GP inspector who checked the truck. He said press once, do not hold then went into detail as to why he thought replacing the front driveshaft would solve the problem. I didn't ask who typed the listing.

I really appreciated the GP rep taking time to answer our many questions. Great guy.

 

[Baradium]

I honestly doubt it is a misprint. Go back and take a look at the listing again. Where they rate certain aspects of the truck, there is one red star next to "Drivetrain Controls," followed by "The mode button must be continuously depressed for the drivetrain to operate in forward only." It appears to be indicating that there is a problem, or at least they think there is. With that said, who knows if they are right...but I don't think that was a misprint. Nice truck, though!

The gov planet guy really is a nice guy, and he should be the one that did that listing too. I'm actually poking around the LMTV side because he wants to make sure this truck is ready for XCRV and was asking me what I knew about it.

I'm going to steal a little thunder from XCRV here and go ahead and ask the questions for the info that he should be getting a phone call about right now.

So with mode selected (he does not need to hold it in, just press it), it only has gears 1-5 available. I don't have an LMTV but he'd like XCRV to have 1-7, is this limitation normal in that condition? It is shifting fine through 1-5.

With the truck not running he can turn the front t-case output by hand.

If I understand correctly, with the truck not running, he can turn the front axle input by hand as well.

I'll be stopping by there tomorrow for some other things so I'll go by and look at it, I don't know a whole lot about LMTVs though.

XCRV, how long you going to be in town? I think I'll be out of state on the 12th but will be back the 15th. I actually went to MTSU so I spent a few years in Murfreesboro myself.

 

[Baradium]

The gov planet rep does say that in normal drive (without selecting mode), the front t-case output is what's spinning. He's worried the front diff might be bad is why that front shaft is out of it though.

 

[BKubu]

The gov planet guy really is a nice guy, and he should be the one that did that listing too. I'm actually poking around the LMTV side because he wants to make sure this truck is ready for XCRV and was asking me what I knew about it.

I'm going to steal a little thunder from XCRV here and go ahead and ask the questions for the info that he should be getting a phone call about right now.

So with mode selected (he does not need to hold it in, just press it), it only has gears 1-5 available. I don't have an LMTV but he'd like XCRV to have 1-7, is this limitation normal in that condition? It is shifting fine through 1-5.

With the truck not running he can turn the front t-case output by hand.

If I understand correctly, with the truck not running, he can turn the front axle input by hand as well.

I'll be stopping by there tomorrow for some other things so I'll go by and look at it, I don't know a whole lot about LMTVs though.

XCRV, how long you going to be in town? I think I'll be out of state on the 12th but will be back the 15th. I actually went to MTSU so I spent a few years in Murfreesboro myself.

Without MODE selected and under normal circumstances, gears 2-7 are available. You need to actually put it in 1st to get it to go there. I am not sure of the exact speed, but I'd say 5th gear tops out around 45 mph...give or take. These trucks have plenty of power, but you are in 7th gear before you know it...at least this is true of my truck (the only one of this series I have driven). I completely understand why guys are changing over the high-speed gears.

 

[BKubu]

Is getting it trucked home a possibility? I know it will be costly, but these are repairs that will be much easier in your driveway (or with a local mechanic). Again, I know it will cost serious money and the OP also loses out on an adventure (I saw that he had been planning a trip to AK anyway). I don't know if this was covered elsewhere in another thread.

 

[800summit]

I talked to the GP guy last night, I asked a bunch of questions, it sounds like the front differential is messed up. The yoke has several of the bolts broke off. He can spin the front yoke with both of the front wheels on the ground.The GP guy is a great guy to talk with, he was going to try to see what he can do to fix it, he was there working on it last night after 11pm.

 

[XCRV]

Baradium: Pickup date moved to May 18th. We'll likely spend the summer in Alaska and plan to stay in Fairbanks as long as needed. My sister-in-law just graduated from MTSU. We've used their RV park.

BKubu: We were full-time RVers for ten years. Sold our previous motorhome last summer. This will be our next full-time rig. "Home is where the jacks are down!" (No jacks on a LMTV but that's a FT RVer's expression.)

 

[snowtrac nome]

the guys in Fairbanks talked with me this morning the t- case is working normally. it was a misprint the mode button is depressed once than the t-case locks up. there does appear to be something wrong in the front end likely from being stuck and rocked. it has a new driveline but may need other parts to.

 

[NDT]

Have the GP rep take the caps off the drive flanges on both hubs on the front axle (simple to do with a pipe wrench). Take a look in there to double check the issue is not the wheel end reduction gears. If nothing is mangled in the wheel ends, my advice would be to ship a known good complete axle up there and swap it, rather than try to repair your broken one.

 

[snowtrac nome]

I talked with him, the 3rd shop looked up previous work orders they believe it is a reduction gear at the outer axle, also we know the short shaft side is holding because he can turn the yoke and watch the joint on the drivers side, but he needs an assistant to look at the passengers side. The strange part is he cant feel any back lash leading me to think there might be problems deeper in the axle.

 

[Suprman]

If its something you can order parts for I do have a good first gen truck front axle here. I believe the 3126 A1 trucks use the same axles as the first gen. Driveshafts are different though.
Will