>> "...Lt. Col. Bill Wheelehan of Army Public Affairs previously said the
problem was discovered last year after three trucks were involved in
highway accidents. When they were driven faster than 44 mph for long
durations, a use the trucks weren't designed for, vibrations caused
the flywheel housings and driveshafts to crack and break, he said."
You mean to tell me that the truck can't be driven for long periods of
time faster than 44 mph?
That being the case, just how fast is the truck designed to be run at for
long periods of time?
If 40 mph is the limit, it seems to me that we set our sights a bit low.
I'm assuming that when you said above Mach 3, you weren't referring to
faster than 30 mph, right?
This is my perpective: if an ISUZU cabover 2 1/2 ton truck can maintain
65-70 mph forever until it runs out of fuel and cost about 35K, and a
specially designed 2 1/2 ton truck is made for on and off road work and
costs 80-100K or more, then wouldn't the typical person expect it to be
able to maintain well over 45 mph indefinitely? I would.
Also, the M35 basic design (chassis) was created sometime just after WW2,
now it's 50 years later and the new truck is slower than the old truck?
This just doesn't make sense.
I would expect that the FMTV trucks should be able to maintain well over
70 mph on the highway indefinitely and also be able to do very, very
well off road. What is the top speed of a Hummer? They've passed me at
well over 70 on the freeway.
How would you feel if the top speed of a Hummer was less than 44 mph?
Dave Cole
On Thu, 08 Apr 1999 12:39:14 -0400 Chief William von Zehle
<ChiefvonZehle@wiltonfire.org> writes:
>My Army Reserve unit currently has two M1078 LMTVs which replaced two
>M35s (we still have two M35s left. Even though I'm a lover of the M35
>(it's a REAL truck), the new LMTVs are actually a pretty impressive
>vehicle.
>
>I know the bad press over the driveline vibration, but only two
>vehicles
>actually had a failure the last I heard. We picked our units up at
>Ft.
>Drumm, NY and drove them at "Mach 3" all the way to Connecticut with
>no
>problems.
>
>The CTIF system works great. The automatic transmission is much
>easier
>for new soldiers to operat. (Many of them can't drive manual
>transmissions.) All the top bows, canvas, etc. store under the bed
>when
>not in use. The spare tire is raised and lowered pneumatically to
>minimize injuries. Even though there's no A/C, the ventilation system
>is
>far superior to the M35s, and the windshield wipers are electric and
>actually work when going uphill! the built-in ladder for cargo bed
>access is nice, too. Engine access is excellent with the tilt cab.
>
>About my only initial concern was the vehicle's height and vertical
>center of gravity. However, after driving it on and off road, it
>isn't
>bad - it just requires training on the vehicle before letting soldiers
>out on their own.
>
>The units are being recalled to have the vibration problem repaired
>(probably at extra cost to US knowing DoD contracts!)
>
>By the way, the FMTVs are not new units. They're basically Austrian
>Steyr model 12 M 18 with US equipment (Cat. diesel, Allison trans.,
>blackout lights, weapon ring mount, etc.) added.
>
>All in all, don't believe everything you read and "try it before you
>criticize it".
>
>William von Zehle, Jr. (MVPA 593)
>Ridgefield, Conn. USA
>'53 M42
>
>Carl Konefsky wrote:
>
>> I was just in Texas doing business and saw truck loads of thease
>being
>> hauled down there.I ask about it and was told by someone who said he
>> knew what seems to be happening.The first ones are just plain bad
>news
>> and there is more problems then being reported its kind of a major
>> secert as this contact was like stolen from AM General and others
>and
>> given to a company who had no experance in building this type of
>> thing.Who know what is going on but we are getting screwed again
>like
>> importing and demiling.
>> Carl
>>
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