Just a warning, I'm going to be as detailed as I can so this will be a long read!


After I posted I had just purchased a surplus HMMWV in this thread, at the request of Schott8283 I'm starting this thread to lay out what I've gone through in the purchase process for people who may be interested in purchasing one too, with the hope that people who know more than I do chime in and fill in any blanks I'm sure to leave.

Here's my truck I just bought:




















She's a 1994 M998A1 with a 6.2L diesel with 38,669 on the odometer. She runs and is intact from what I can see in the pictures (minus a broken mirror). There were 50 bids on my truck with me winning it at $9,500, up from a $5,000 opening bid.


First where do you find HMMWVs for sale? Just head on over to GovPlanet, the company awarded the contract by the US Government to sell off these trucks, to find the current inventory. From what I have heard, this was a first batch of roughly 4,000 trucks released by the government to see how sales would go. Sales started about a year ago and they are more than half way to 4,000 (2,600ish as of my posting this).

From there you will be able to narrow the inventory down by state and auction end time. Auctions are held weekly on Wednesday. Inventory listed is typically out two weeks.

Definitely read through the FAQ thoroughly. It will answer almost any question you've got. That said I did run into a mistake in it that has yet to be corrected by GovPlanet that I will detail below.


Now you'll have to decide if you want to buy something close enough to pick up yourself or if you want to have it shipped to you.

Shipping will, of course, cost more the further the truck is from you. That said, picking it up yourself can be cheaper if you live close to where it is located or don't mind a little travel. My truck I just purcased is about 4.5 hours from me so I'm going to be making a day of picking it up with my brother and a friend.

If shipping it, you will have the option to get an estimate from Veritread on shipping it from where it is located to you. This can found on every truck's listing on the right hand side.

If you are picking it up yourself, you can either trailer it or flat tow it.

Trailering is preferable from what I've read from people that have done both. Flat towing can be a bit of a task as the HMMWVs can manhandle a truck that is not up to the task. To flat tow it safely you'll need the military tow bar setup designed for the truck. The complete tow bar package will likely cost you $400-$600 if you can't find one to borrow. You'll also have to disconnect the half shafts (shafts that connect from the differentials to the geared hubs that drive the wheels, also known as portal axles) to safely tow it without damaging the transmission or transfer case. Just putting it in neutral will not suffice as either the transmission or transfer case will not properly lubricate itself. I can't recall which off the top of my head without looking it up but, trust me.

If you want to trailer it but don't have a trailer you can rent a U-Haul flat bed transporter trailer. It must be one of the newer models (galvanized as opposed to orange painted). The newer ones are wider and have a higher weight rating than the older ones. Also, if you truthfully tell U-Haul what you are planning on putting on it, they will deny you the rental because they believe it is too big/heavy. You'll have to... *ahem* stretch the truth as to what you're putting on it. From what other people have said, the HMMWV will fit (albiet snugly) and the trailer can handle the weight.

If your truck is running, when picking it up, bring fresh batteries and an air pump so you won't have problems loading it.

Now for the error in the GovPlanet FAQ. You may see in the FAQ that if you have your truck shipped to you, you will not be liable for the sales tax for the state it is in if shipping it out of that state. This is incorrect straight from a GovPlanet rep I spoke with on the phone after I made my purchaes. They are collecting sales tax regardless of whether you have it picked up by a shipper or pick it up yourself. I was originally going to pick it up myself but found through the Veritread estimate on the site that it would have been cheaper to have it shipped if the sales tax wasn't collected. After the purchase I called GovPlanet to find out how to schedule the pickup since it can't be picked up until your EUC clears (I'll go into this later). That's when I found out about the tax situation. So, if you are having the truck shipped, factor the shipment cost and sales tax into your final price. That said, if you are tax exempt for any other reason you can get your sales tax you have to pay refunded. No idea how that works but there is a section in the FAQ about it and process for it.


Here we get to selecting the truck you want.

After you've found the truck you want, I recommend picking another one or two trucks you can fall back on should you be outbid. Then again, if you have enough patience, you can always just wait until the next auction. I didn't end up with my first choice truck! I had originally bid on a 1992 M998 that ended up selling for $12,750, above my $12,250 max bid (it had 10,000 fewer miles, looked cleaner, and had a 6.5L diesel and full cargo cover).

When selecting a truck, read the description and look over the pictures very thoroughly. Unless you happen to live close enough to schedule an inspection, that is all you'll have to go off of for vehicle condition. If you do live close enough, you can contact GovPlanet who will put you in touch with the local rep to let you on site to look the truck over. I did not go inspect my truck prior to purchase though I will try to sometime between now and when I receive it.

You will find the trucks listed in various running conditions such as "running", "needed jump started", "needed ether", "not running", or listed otherwise.

Advice I had seen given was that GovPlanet will typically do what they can within reason, short of replacing parts or making repairs, to get a vehicle running so that it will sell for a higher amount.  If it isn't running it could be missing vital parts or it could have a cracked piston/head/block or some other catastrophic damage. Needing a jumpstart is likely not a big deal, possibly a dead battery or at worse a faulty charging system. If it needs a shot of ether, it could be a fuel delivery issue or possibly bad fuel. These trucks have been sitting for a while so things like that and flat tires are not uncommon. Again, if loading it yourself, bring fresh batteries and an air pump for this very reason! But, if it isn't running at all, there's quite possibly a very good reason for that and you should bid accordingly while possibly going so far as planning on replacing the drivetrain. Since even if you can inspect it, you can't tear it down, any non-running truck is going to be a gamble.

Besides being in various running conditions, you will also find trucks in various states of repair. Some will be nearly 100% complete while I've also seen stripped bodies on frames with partial engines being sold. A good bit of advice I once saw posted is that if it is missing parts, there could be a very good reason the unit it was with decided to start cannibalizing it. Maybe the transmission is slipping or maybe it doesn't stay running. Regardless it was seen as a more expendable vehicle for a reason. I'm sure a lot of readers, military or otherwise dealing with keeping fleets running, have experienced this first hand. Of course, you will pay more for a more complete and well running truck. Then again if you don't mind a challenge you can potentially save a lot of money. Just know that missing or broken parts that need replaced can add up and potentially be hard to find! My truck had a broken passenger mirror. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal finding some new glass for it since I've done that before on other vehicles. After several hours of searching I turned up nothing and was forced to buy an entire mirror assembly. Individual mirrors were around $90-$100 with eBay being the best source. Given that the individual mirrors were priced what they were and the driver side mirror's paint was pretty faded, I decided to purchase a pair which ended up putting the price of both mirrors at about $80 each since it was a package deal. I also have an ignition instruction plate that is unreadable. Finding a replacement was a chore but was located.

From people with experience, trucks with body damage or paint damage will require extra care in repairing them so bid on those accordingly as well. The bodies are aluminum so typical body repair shops may or may not be able to make repairs. The paint is CARC (Chemical Agent Resistant Coating) and is typically nasty stuff when applied or sanded and requires certain precautions some shops might not be able to handle.

Another thing to keep in mind is that despite what the odometer reading is listed as, it may not accurately reflect the mileage on the truck! Speedometers are switched out without much regard to the mileage except it being recorded in the maintenance logs (which you will not have access to). Compare the trucks typical wear spots with the mileage to see if it matches up. Also, sometimes trucks are put through a depot rebuild and this may be reflected in the odometer reading, especially if it is very low. These trucks will have placards/stickers to reflect the depot maintenance but I have seen that GovPlanet tries to avoid advertising these placards/stickers because they cannot verify if the trucks have actually been through the depot repairs. The part with the placard/sticker may have simply been cannibalized off of another truck that had and if they sell it advertised as having been done, only for the buyer to find out it hasn't, they're libel.


Now we come to the actual purchase.

As I mentioned, auctions are held weekly on Wednesdays.

Each truck is listed at a starting price based on condition. Running trucks are now being started at $5000 (down from $7500) and non-running and salvage trucks are being started at less than that.

The acutual auction time for each truck only lasts for 4 minutes and below is why.

The bidding process is a little bit different than most places you may have participated in. On GovPlanet you can bid at any time before or during the auction using what they call PriorityBid. Here is the FAQ section on what the PriorityBid is:

PriorityBid is our system for placing bids during the preview period of an auction. A significant amount of all bidding in our auctions occurs with PriorityBids; more than 70% of items typically have bids on them before auction day. Because they are placed during preview, PriorityBids have a delayed effect on the price of an item: the price does not change until the auction opens. There are several advantages of using PriorityBids:

   You do not have to be at your computer on auction day. When you place a PriorityBid, you specify the maximum you are willing to pay for an item. You will be told immediately if yours is the highest bid placed so far, but you will not know how much of your bid amount remains to protect you from later bidders. Your bid amount is confidential and our auction software will keep you in the lead against competitive bids through the preview and on auction day or until your maximum amount is exceeded. If you get outbid by another PriorityBid, an automatic email will immediately be sent to you.

   You can win the item for less than your maximum amount. In our style of auctions, the price the winner pays is determined by the price the runner-up was willing to pay. The final price is never more than one bid increment greater than the next-highest bid. So, if you have little competition, you can win an item for less than your maximum amount. We recommend you determine your "no regrets" price—the price at which, if someone else were to win, you would not regret the outcome—and then bid one increment below that.

   Bidding early helps ensure that you are the winner. When competing PriorityBids are placed for the same amount, the earliest bid takes precedence (it has Priority at that price), so submitting your bid early gives you an advantage. You can place a PriorityBid online any time day or night, or by fax during our Customer Care hours.

   Freedom to keep an eye out for other bargains. PriorityBids give you the freedom to browse and track other items on auction day without worrying about your "must-have" items. Our system acts as your assistant, constantly monitoring your PriorityBids and keeping you in the lead until the price goes beyond your designated maximum bid amount.

As auction day approaches, you can check the status of your PriorityBids in the Buying List of My Account. Make sure your email address and notification settings are correct in My Account Profile so that you can receive outbid notification emails. Before even being outbid, you can increase the maximum on any of your PriorityBids by placing a new PriorityBid on the same item for your new maximum amount (don't worry, you can not outbid yourself). Like all bids, PriorityBids are binding and can not be retracted nor reduced.


That pretty much lays it out. Bid what you're willing to go to before the auction starts. You won't know what the actual price is but if you get outbid at any point they will notify you via email and you can up your max bid if you want. If you bid a certain amount first, you get priority if someone else bids the same amount after you.

Also, bids are in $250 increments.

When deciding how much to bid, as I mentioned above, you will have to add in sales tax and transportation costs. That's not all though! You'll also have to factor in title costs as well as a 10% buyer fee! The title option with a Florida state off road title, a SF97 (essentially a federal government title), and a bill of sale will run you $150. Just the bill of sale and SF97 is cheaper but, you'll have to know if your state has any problems with dealing with SF97s. The Florida state title option was developed to help buyers deal with states that have problems with SF97s. Just the bill of sale is cheaper still but that may not be enough for some states. Know what is good for your state or err on the side of caution and get the full package!

I bought my truck for $9500. Between the 6% Kentucky state sales tax, the full titling option, and the 10% buyers fee I ended up with about an extra $1750 added to my purchase price. Then I've got to add in trailer rental and fuel costs to go pick it up.


And here we get to the post auction process.

So you've won your auction! Congratulations!

There are now some steps to take to finalize your purchase.

You will start by going through the checkout process. Here you will decide if you're shipping your truck or transporting it your self, selecting your titling options, and then finalizing the invoice total based on the options. After the invoice is finalized you will pay GovPlanet via wire transfer. Payment must be made within 3 business days or you may incur late fees usually $25-$50 per day depending on final sale price. If you go past a certain time, your item may be considered abandoned and you get charged an even bigger fee. There's also other stuff listed here.

But paying for it isn't the only thing you have to do!

On your account page you will be sent links (on the right hand side of the main account screen) to fill out your Hold Harmless Agreement which gets sent to one email address. You can print it out, physically sign it, and then physically mail it in. You can physically sign it, scan it, and then email it in. Or you can digitally sign it and email it in.

Most importantly, since the HMMWV is a defense article, you will have to fill out an EUC - End Use Certificate. This basically lets Uncle Sam know the final disposition of the item you're buying - if you're going to keep it, sell it, exporting it or not and if you are you have clearance to. This may seem to be a daunting part but GovPlanet has conveniently set up a form wizard that will assist you in filling it out correctly with descriptions of each field needing filled out. You will also need to send in a copy of your driver's license (preferably) or other government issued ID. Make sure your scan/photo of your license is crystal clear or your EUC may get kicked back after a very lengthy initial time period delaying you even further! Just like with the Hold Harmless Agreement you can send it in using one of the previously mentioned methods. It will be emailed to a different email address than the Hold Harmless Agreement though.

Directions are included with both forms.

First time EUC filers like I am can expect a 8-12 week wait. If you've previously filed an EUC with GovPlanet (GovLiquidation not included!) within, I believe the last year, your wait will be considerably shorter. This part is a bit like the whole NFA application and waiting game!


Here I'm getting to the pickup process and since I haven't yet picked up my truck, can only relay what information I've gleaned.

After your payment is received and your EUC is cleared you have 8 business days to remove your truck or you'll incur storage fees. Now, not to worry, if there are incidental delays GovPlanet will work with you so long as you are making a good faith effort to pick it up. This is word straight from a GovPlanet manager on Steel Soldiers. They simply put that there to keep people from abusing the time given to pick up the truck.

To pick up the truck you'll have to schedule a pick up time. If you are picking it up, it should be as simple as it sounds. If you're having a shipper pick it up, the pick up time will have to be coordinated between GovPlanet, your shipper, and you. You don't need to be on site for the shipper to pick it up.

Since I'm fuzzy on this part if you have any questions it would be best to call GovPlanet for clarification at 1-844-225-8799, Monday-Friday 6am-5pm Pacific.


Once you've got your truck at your site, it is not recommended you hop in and start cruising around! Your truck may have been sitting for months or a year or more!

A full fluid change is recommended. Since these are diesels, Shell Rotella T is a good motor oil. Replace other fluids as recommended by AM General. Specifications can be found in military TMs which are available at Steel Soldiers and other sites. Add fresh fuel, draining as needed to get a good mix to burn off the old stuff.

Check all of your important fasteners like lugnuts to make sure they are secure. Some very important fasteners unique to the HMMWV design are the bolts that connect the differential to the half shaft and the half shaft to the geared hubs. These can work their way out and should have some blue Loctite applied to prevent that. If they come loose they can damage brakes and other equipment!

Check for any leaks GovPlanet may have missed.

If you run into anything that was not on your inspection report, report it right away to GovPlanet to take advantage of their Iron Clad Guarantee which basically states they will disclose any problems as best they can. If they examine your claim and find it valid, they will refund a portion of your purchase price. If it's something internal and you knowingly bought a non-running truck don't count on any sort of refund. If you bought what appears to be a complete truck and it's missing say a mirror or seat, or it has some other problem that wasn't listed, you will likely see some money coming back to you. When in doubt file a claim. Worst case they deny it.


Now at this point we get into a topic that Steel Soldiers will not permit on their site: Titling, plating, and insuring for road use.

If you do bring it up, the topic will be deleted and you may be banned. For some reason they think that violating the purchase agreement and putting these trucks on the road will cause Uncle Sam and GovPlanet to stop selling them.

When you sign the Hold Harmless Agreement with GovPlanet, part of it states that you acknowledge the HMMWV is not roadworthy. The Florida title and SF97 are also stamped "Off Road Use Only":




That said, in many states, there are methods of titling off road vehicles for on road use. Check local laws! We've tried to compile instructions for various states below.

(Old Ohio registration information contained within)
Click To View Spoiler

For insurance, a number of companies out there will insure military vehicles. You'll have to call around. Although Steel Soldiers doesn't allow discussion about insuring the HMMWVs for road use, they do have a list of companies that have been known to insure military vehicles.


If you want technical information on the HMMWV there are two great resources

Steel Soldiers
G503.com

Despite my thinking that banning certain discussions about on road use of HMMWVs on Steel Soldiers is stupid, both have excellent information on HMMWVs and other military vehicles. Steel Soldiers also has one thing G503 doesn't which is a section dealing with the intricacies of purchasing from GovLiquidation and GovPlanet. A GovPlanet manager with the username of "Jwade" also participates in the HMMWV purchasing threads there answering questions and helping clear roadblocks you may run into. This thread is a good place to find him. (Update: "Jwade" is no longer with GP, Phil Hasty has filled his role.)


While waiting for my truck I've already started picking up accessories for it. If anyone wants me to I can go into what I've been picking up and why but customizing your truck will come down to what you like!


So, this is where everything currently stands with me. If anyone who has gone further in the process or has more detailed knowledge spots missing/incorrect information could contribute, it would be most appreciated!

HMMWV How-To Tech Links:

• Cutting Down 2 Man Troop Seats To Fit A 4 Man Truck


• Making Soft Half Doors

HMMWV Reference Material:

• HMMWV Operator and Technical Manuals

UPDATED 7/19/2017: State Registration Instructions

Ohio:
As of April 21, 2017 The State Of Ohio Department Of Public Safety, Bureau Of Motor Vehicles, Title Division sent the following Title Broadcast to all state title offices:



This is being used as justification by the BMV to (incorrectly) deny accepting the 3803 forms mentioned previously (to the point of claiming the form no longer exists). There have been conflicting reports of whether the BMV is continuing to accept registration for HMMWVs with valid, on road out of state titles. So far there has been no rescinding of on road titles for currently titled trucks.

THE BELOW IN THE SPOILER BOX FOR THE STATE OF OHIO SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ON THE PREVIOUS PROCESS!


Click To View Spoiler


Georgia: (Thanks to Lawman734)
The Georgia procedures manual states that to register a former military vehicle, it has to have been titled elsewhere (like a FL or MT title) or an SF97 needs to be provided. You'll need a VIN verification regardless (form is available at the tag office).

SF-97 - Even if it's not in your name, a bill of sale is sufficient from the original owner (GovPlanet) to the new owner (you). This works ok, but you're at the mercy of the clerk regarding the "Off-Road Use Only" part. Many are ok, others get a hassle.

Off-Road Florida titles - These don't seem to be an issue, but again - you're at the mercy of clerk on how they want to handle it given the fact its an off-road title and offroad vehicles in GA don't require registration.

Montana titles - These seem to be the easiest to work with and the most hassle free.

Prepare yourself so that it appears you know what you're doing. Bring the Title/SF97 along with your completed (signed by LEO) VIN Verification form and proof of insurance. It's a good idea to bring a photo of the vehicle and the vehicle data plate for good measure, even if not needed. The sales tax you paid will do you no good for the Georgia taxes and fees, but with proof that you paid in Georgia - contact Iron Planet because they say they'll refund your taxes - I'm still waiting on my check after 3 weeks.


Iowa: (Thanks to beef1911)
In Iowa you can get a Bonded title. All you need is a bill of sale or paid invoice. You have to apply to the DOT (2 weeks to respond), sign a form for military vehicles saying it meets FMVSS standards, get a bond for 1.5x the value of the humvee ($113 for $7500 bond for 3 years), wait for the DOT for 2 more weeks, then they say you can go get it registered. Same process for if you bought a car and did not receive a title. All this was done over email. Except for the registration.


Texas: (Thanks to EagleArmsHBAR)
In Texas, vehicles like a military surplus HMMWV can be registered under several categories:

1) normal registration;
2) antique (if over a particular age); and
3) former military vehicle

If registered as an antique or for more military vehicle, they don't have to pass inspection, but they are then limited on road use. If the vehicle passes inspection and is insured, it can be registered as a regular vehicle.

If all else fails in Texas and they won't accept an SF97 for some reason, a title can be obtained by going the bonded title route. Of course there are additional details with any of these registration methods, but that's the basics.


New York: (Thanks to kevin101)
My experience with NY was pretty simple.

1. I called Geico and was able to insure it pretty easily. It's insured as a normal vehicle with full coverage and didn't cost too much.
2. Brought my insurance card, SF97 marked "off road use only", my reassignment letter from GovPlanet, and the paid invoice from GovPlanet.
3. I handed everything over to the motor vehicle clerk who looked everything over. She mentioned the off road use only stamp but didn't seem to give it much thought and it didn't come up again.
4. Due to the truck not having a standard VIN she had to enter the vehicle manually. The only problem she had was having the computer accept the 6 digit ID number. She called a supervisor over who also looked over the paperwork quickly and the supervisor was able to override the system to enter the 6 digits.
5. I had to pay NY sales tax for the purchase price of the truck. I paid a 6% tax for Kentucky but NY doesn't have a tax agreement with that state. I'm hoping to get a refund from GovPLanet for the KY tax I paid.


Michigan:
Sorry, but anyone in Michigan seems to be out of luck with any sort of surplus HMMWV. Your state hates you. Not only are they denying on road registration of newly purchased auction vehicles but, if you buy a HMMWV legally titled out of state they will contact the state of origin in an attempt to get the title revoked and still refuse to title it on road. I'm betting you'll still run into some sort of issues even with the clear titled M1123s too due to ignorance but, who knows.

I suggest you all get some legislative action going to fix this!


South Carolina: (Thanks to An51960)
for the registration process, in SC, I would avoid the Greenville (University Ridge) location (that's where the lady told me I needed a title rather than a "certificate to obtain title"--she clearly had never seen an SF-97 and did not know what to do with it). After the one lady made several trips to ask other agents how to proceed, she said, "My boss will have to call headquarters." HQ was also clueless about how to proceed, however, they did get on a high horse about the off-road notation and state that there was no way to convert an off-road vehicle to an on-road vehicle (though they did admit that you could build a dune buggy in your garage and get it on the road). I ended up leaving there and going to Woodruff.

At the other location, I buried them in paperwork. I showed them my email where I won the auction, my invoice from gov planet, my email certifying my payment, my notice that my EUC was approved, my bill of sale, my insurance paperwork, my SF-97, and the notarized form transferring ownership from gov planet to me. The attitude at this office was much more figuring out how to help versus how to shut me down. The lady was very confused, but asked a fellow employee how to do things and pushed everything right on through. They told me I was going to have to pay sales tax all over again and get a refund from gov planet for the tax. They said the policy went into effect on 1 July. I pointed out that I had purchased before this date and they let me out of that even though the computer insisted that I pay it again. They kept my invoice showing the payment of state sales tax in case they needed to defend themselves again their own bureaucracy. The lady who issued my temporary tag works at this office and she knew enough to tell me that I would need my government certificate (SF-97) to get a title, so she clearly would've known what it was if she had been the one behind the desk that day.

I would also avoid the Blythewood location since this is where the Greenville office called.



UPDATED 8/7/2017: Insurance

Here's a list of insurance companies that will insure the trucks. Some more easily than others. You should probably call since these aren't standard trucks.

- State Farm
- Geico
- Liberty Mutual
- USAA
- Progressive
- Hagerty

There are other insurance companies that are out there that may insure these trucks so, if you are able to use one not listed, please let me know and I'll add it to the list.



Reputable Parts Suppliers:
So you've got your new HMMWV and are probably now looking for parts to fix one thing or another. Beware there are a lot of new companies popping up to make a quick buck off all of the new HMMWVs hitting the market and may be selling substandard parts.

If you're looking for OEM HMMWV parts there are a couple good sources sources:

- Mac Motors - They carry a couple handy pre-assembled filter kits. Just search for PM-A, PM-B, or PM-C depending on what you need. Otherwise search for your needed part number
- Hummer Parts Guy - Can search by name or part number.
- AM General Direct - Parts direct from AMG. Some good prices, some decent prices on some hard to find items, and some items priced like they're selling them to Uncle Sam.
- Kascar is a popular HMMWV parts dealer but, a number of buyers including myself, believe we have received out of spec reproductions and non-OEM substituted parts. In some instances, Kascar might be the only option available but they I can't really be recommended them as a primary my first go to source.
UPDATE 8/23/2017: Updating this section as Ron from Kascar contacted me personally today after seeing this post, looked me up by my name and order history, and assured me they always supply OEM parts and, to contact them if there are ever any issues with parts quality. In fairness to Kascar, I'd say after several purchases from them since this was made, my experience could best be classified as a "mixed bag" though I hope any and all future purchases are all positive
UPDATE 2/17/2020: I've made several orders with Kascar since the last update with all going well and everything exactly what it was supposed to be.
- Adventure Accessories is another great OEM option but they're geared more towards civilian H1 parts since they're the former Lynch Hummer group.
- BlueHummer Outfitters also sells OEM parts for both HMMWVs and H1s but also has some in house upgrade parts like upgraded spindle nuts, reusable half shaft bolt kits, and flexible caliper side brake lines. BlueHummer has closed up shop. Their items are now carried by Mod Mafia.

Not generally recommended:
Wolfer Parts/ComTac/MotoFino Truck Parts/Augusta Engine Parts has a combination of surplus OEM parts as well as in house manufactured driveline parts like half shafts and suspension parts like ball joints. It appears their "in house" parts are Chinese manufacture but they don't disclose this.

There are some surplus parts dealers out there that are great to deal with like Equipment Parts Sales. If you don't see it on their site, email them direct about what you're looking for. They've told me they don't always have their full inventory up on the website. They'll also work on prices on bundle purchases.

There are a number of surplus parts dealers also selling on eBay. Of them, the most reputable are beltfed34/Austin Aviation and amtak2/Arrowhead Lake XS Surplus. hdps_corp and militarysurplusparts deal in surplus parts but may have limited HMMWV parts. As mentioned, there are a number of others selling surplus parts. Just make sure if you're buying from them and they're claiming new surplus, they have correct military stickers on the packaging with the NSN or, at the least they have good feedback on the surplus they're selling.

Lastly, for surplus and especially hard to find parts, get in touch with Steel Soldiers and G503 member 86humv.

When in doubt though, post here and ask!

I suppose for as often as you'd drive your Humvee, the Treadwrights will be adequate, I'm just not a fan of retreads. I'd be really reluctant to use them offroad. I've also seen a lot of negative reviews on these to go with the positive.

I've used the MT's, MTR's and Baja's though.

The MT's are OK,  but prone to flatspotting. (Had them on my Excursion and Humvee)
The Baja's were really nice but loud and wore out faster than the others. (Had them on my Excursion and they came on my Humvee too)
The MTR's were really nice, wore well and aren't as loud as the Baja's. (Had them on my Excursion and now on my Humvee)

My top two choices would be the MTR's and Baja's followed by the MT's and last would be the Treadwrights.

Excellent! Thank you!

Definitely considering the MTRs now and, they would be cheaper than the Treadwrights. Need to find out how they handle snow though... Also seems like the Bajas are more geared toward sand use from what I've been reading so I don't know they'd necessarily be best for my area and I would certainly prefer a longer lasting tire.

1992 AM General M998, 19k Miles:


Hauling back home: (2016 Ram 1500, Hemi 5.7, 8 spd trans, 8010# Tow Rating):


During the tow, activating rear cam to check straps:


Interior:

Have you seen this guy?
http://littlerock.craigslist.org/wto/5401390535.html
or you can locate 17" wheels off a H1, I can roll down the interstate at 90mph, 16.5" will beat the chit out of you..

You ain't running 90 in a stock A0 or A1 Humvee though.

For the speeds a standard Humvee runs, the 16.5" tires and wheels aren't bad.

Lol I kinda wanted to say this.  Anyone worried about how a wheel diameter will make a Humvee feel on the road, is someone who hasn't spent much time in a Humvee.

Ive put around 6000 miles on one, and that's on 3 different sets of tires.  None made a whole lot of difference

Wow! That is a really clean truck!

Congrats!

Please feel free to post or PM me your experience in getting your truck titled in Ohio. I'd like to go into the situation with some knowledge if I can.



No, I had not seen them. I will definitely have to get in touch with them. $200 for tire/24 bolt wheel combos is very attractive! The truck and spare wheel I bought already have runflats so those could be transferred over to the new wheels.

Much appreciated!

yes I know, I have a 2003 HMCO with BFG Mud Terrain T/A KM2, I like the look of 24 bolt wheels, couple yrs back the company I work for was R&Ding trailer axles for DRASH, they gave us 4 brand new 24 bolt wheels on BFG's, I bowered them for a couple days didn't care much for them...

Anyone make a purchase Wednesday?

I made a purchase today!

And it involved a trip upstate...



Now, if only I had a truck to put it on...

I picked up a couple of fording stacks, I plan on installing them tomorrow.......

Are you going to extend your headlights too?



 

Nice! I recently picked one up off eBay that happened to come with the mounting bracket even.

Got a Turbo III precleaner that's going on top of it. Picked up the rubber 90 degree airbox elbow too so at least the intake will be fully sealed up. I want the full deep fording kit but I just can't swallow that pill for the cost of it. I'll likely just work on piecing it together over time.


The ECV front end may be a project down the road. Lord knows I've already spent more than I should have on this!

Yeah,  I picked up the exhausts and still need to get the intakes - I have the mounting brackets for them though.

I know that you can't ford without the full fording kit installed, so I'm just going for the look of the trucks I had in the Marines. The exhaust and intake stack will give me that. Hell, when I was in we never crossed water to the extent that we needed to activate the fording gear anyway.

An update to this... Yesterday I spoke with City Salvage and Recycling about stopping by and inspecting my truck and, they told me I could come by any time they aren't closed (weekends, lunch, or after 4pm) to look it over. No appointment needed!

Probably heading down the week after next.

So if you buy a truck from "Hopkinsville, KY" and the location address given is 2671 Greenville Rd, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, 42240, that is City Salvage and Recycling and they are extremely accommodating!

Any tips on things I should look for or get pictures/video of while I'm there that they didn't include in the original listing? Not really planning on making another trip down until it's time to pick it up so I don't want to overlook or forget anything.

Take lots of pictures of everything. I have read lots of stories about parts going missing after the auction especially when it is at a non military storage lot.

Take note of the condition of the seats, top, and doors as you can start buying those while you wait. Also see if any of the lights are led and if not start buying those too. Move the front passenger seat and check the batteries.

Will definitely be taking <span style="font-weight: bold;">lots of pics in that case.

New seats are already in hand, awaiting the truck.

Picked up 4 of these:




Doors appeared good in the pics but will give them and the top extra attention.

None of the external lights are LED and in fact don't work according to the GovPlanet.

Already found the troubleshooting section in the TM for external lighting and already have a complete set of LED headlights, front turns, tails, front and rear markers, and blackout driving light as well as a replacement push button master lighting switch (I suspect the 3 lever is bad causing the lighting problem). Got the new style, self cancelling turn signal assembly as well. Will be adding in the extra grounding harness when I get the truck too.

Good idea to check the batteries and dates on them!

Thanks!

If you're going to look at it, might as well check for any leaks anywhere on the vehicle - don't forget to look at the hubs too. Look it over for things that you know that you'll need to address or replace and make a list. Take a look at the condition of the fluids - do they appear clean/fresh or do they smell burnt? Pull the doghouse cover off - see if there's a date written on the oil filter as that could give a good indication of when the last service was done to the vehicle.

LED lights are nice - I haven't done that to my trucks yet but want to. I avoid the push button switches at all costs. You're better safe than sorry by using the reliable 3-switch. Even newer trucks I've looked at still have the 3-lever in them.

Granted,  there isn't a whole lot that you can do without actually taking it home,  but a heads-up of things that need addressing is always nice so that you can research and mentally prepare a game plan on tackling them.

Fluid check was definitely in the plans. Good to know about the date on the oil filter. Wasn't sure if that was something that was done.

With the push button master light control, because of the price, I did do some reading on it before I made the purchase to see if it was worth it. I did see that it has mixed reviews with some people liking it and some people having issues with short hazard. I could be wrong but from what I read, it seemed like most of the issues resulted from a) early models that came out 8+ years ago, b) were running incandescent lights instead of LED, and/or c) had grounding issues. I suspect these issues tainted them and .mil decided they were simply more trouble than they were worth and went back to the simpler 3 lever. Thus the spotty rep they have.

My unit is used but with the level of wear it has I'm pretty confident it's a newer version. I'm also considering adding fuses to each individual circuit on the harness but I'll need to figure out what normal draw with the LEDs is and how feasible even adding the fuses inline is when I've got the truck. Thankfully the wiring systems on these trucks are extremely well documented and pretty simple!

I do stand ready to get a 3 lever if I have to but would really like to use the push button if at all possible.

Are you sure those seats will fit? Looks like the ones out of an MRAP and are too big. There is a cross brace right behind the drivers and passenger seat that limits you on seat size and no real reclining.

As for the light switch, I personally avoid that type as even the newer vehicles are coming from the manufacture with the regular 3 style switch. If you go with it be sure to install the Kascar Grounding Kit.

Yep, the extra grounding was for sure in the works. Was going to make my own harness as I can get the materials a lot cheaper than they sell the completed one for.

With the seats, you're right, they are MRAP seats but, before I selected the seats I made sure I did some reading on what other folks at Steel Soldiers had installed in their trucks. There are a couple options, like the FMTV seats, but I really liked these because of the rubberized ripstop material they're made of versus the 1000D Cordura nylon the FMTV seats are made of.

Here's some pics I cribbed from SS of a couple member's truck with those seats:

Those Mrap seats are really close to civi seats minus the armrest

Taggage

I just got my seat upgrade mounting hardware. Looks like it will be a PITA.  I think I'll wait on seats.  Maybe it won't seem like a pain once I have the HMMWV to see what I'm really dealing with.

....kind of want.  But I know my wife would hate it.

Do you have the old style seat base? If so it's a pain to change out. Over 30 rivets have to be drilled out. Look for the detailed instructions by Retiredwarhorses on Steel Soldiers. He gives a lot of tips on doing this.

Need a set up in the backseat so your "kids" can play video games.

I just bought this gem for $5500. It's going to be a LONG 3 or 4 month wait. Im sure my friends will be asking me "did you get it yet? Where's this humvee you said you bought? You got scammed."



Are EUCs getting better? Seems like they had a bad 3 months last year and just getting through that backlog. I'm on day 2

Looks cool!  What's the item number?



 

 
I get to drive 1151's, 1152's, Razers, and MATV's whenever I want pretty much.  Just gotta walk down to the MOPO and fill out the dispatch paperwork.  


Now if my dad would just hurry up, retire, and buy a house on a large chunk of land he keeps talking about I could be more easily swayed.

686868 Needs some gauges and 3 doors but that helped the price stay down. Plus its in the middle of Minnesota.

Seriously though, these are the salad days of HMMWVs! Best to get while the getting is good!

Remember, it wasn't that long ago, the EPA cut off <span style="font-weight: bold;">all surplus vehicle sales since they didn't meet modern emissions requirements.

Welcome to the club and congrats on the purchase!

Looks like you've got yourself a fine diamond in the rough you got for a darn good price considering it is a running truck. Needs a little elbow grease but I have no doubt it will come out looking good!

To answer your question, supposedly EUCs are getting a little better. When I bought my truck on 1/20, I still ended up with a 1 month delay between when I made my purchase and  my EUC got sent off to TSC. Fingers crossed I get my truck in April but could be May.

I'm wondering right now which will get approved first... My EUC or some Form 1s I put through mid February.

For those looking for doors there is a guy on Steel Soldiers doing a run of front "half doors" skins for $250. You still need the hardware and the rear half doors which run around $400-500 (a few months ago they were around $300 on ebay). So for around $1k you can have a set of complete half doors as found on Special Forces vehicles. The front sets have always been impossible to find so this is a rare opportunity to get a set.

Link to Steel Soldiers

Now I just need to find a Special Forces C Pillar Roll bar and get a hard top and then I will have a SF hmmwv copy.

Damn, those would be pretty cool to have for a day on the trails!

Unfortunately I've got to save the last of my funds for the cargo rack above the cargo area I've got to get fabbed up. Won't have anywhere to mount my MRAP lighting kit if I don't have that. Plus Lizard Skin and bedliner for the interior.

Hopefully those half doors are something I'll be able to pick up next year though. Would really like a set.

(By the way, if anyone is wondering, TedG is a great guy to work with! Got my 66" HID/IR lightbar and custom passenger side mounting bracket to make it work with my snorkel from him. Very helpful with information and fast to respond to any and all questions.)

Where are you applying the Lizard Skin? I keep debating whether to have bedliner sprayed on the entire interior. Then laying down a dynamat type material on the floor boards and covering that with the factory floor mats/insulation.

I'm planning on doing both their ceramic thermal insulation as well as sound insulation on the entire interior floorpan, drivetrain tunnel, and the sides and tops of the rear fenders in the bed. From all of the video reviews I've seen of Lizard Skin, it looks like very effective stuff!

Pretty sure I'm going to go with OD colored Monstaliner on top of it so it matches the rest of the truck. Definitely not looking to spend over $1k to have LineX sprayed in.

I may do something like Dynamat on the underside of the hood and doghouse too.

My X doors arrived today!
 

Nice doors, where did you get them?  

My dad got a bunch of doors oit of a dumpster 10 years ago and sold them for $400 a piece. Sure wish he kept a set now.

I got them at Walmart in the gardening section.  They have a bunch for $39.95 each.  Just kidding, I got them from an individual.



 

Looks like you are starting a parts pile in your garage. I did that while waiting on my euc to clear and it continued to grow even after I got my Hmmwv.

Yes I have and there is a lot not pictured. I've spent too much.  Way too much.  And I still haven't paid for shipping or mechanical repairs (if needed).  

 

I know what you mean. Even after it arrives the parts will continue to grow. I have an airlift bumper waiting for some time off to install. While I have been waiting, I got the mud flaps and added them to the pile of parts to install. Now I am looking at a tire carrier so I can install everything at once. Plus I picked up some rear half doors and hoping that a member on steel soldier will make the front half so I can have a complete set of half doors to run with when I don't want to use the X doors.  

You are doing it right by buying parts now. I wish I would have bought some more parts while I was waiting before the prices shot through the roof. I would recommend buying the door strikers for the hard doors now because they have gone from $30 to over $100 in the last few months.

I'll bet before long a company like Quardatech will start offering HMMWV parts.

EUC was sent the day after I paid. Hopefully that means I'll be approved by early May.

An improved aftermarket would be great! Especially if some could start producing some of these hard to find/expensive parts like X-Doors and Deep Fording Kits.

I watch the Power Nation shows every weekend on CBS SPorts and I'm waiting for Xtreme Off-Road to start a HMMWV project. They already did the SubUrban Gorilla knockoff Hummer.

Then I'm sure prices will jump on everything even more!



Wow! Seems like GovPlanet has really improved!

Too bad they did it after I bought mine and I've now got an extra month tacked on to my wait.

At least I'll be going to look my truck over Monday.

I took the time today to put all the brackets and panels in my truck. I'd say my M1038 is now more of an M1044 - I still have to get the fording stacks on though.

This might be of some interest to some people  in this thread.

https://youtu.be/uMsrjeny5pE

The video doesn't work for me - it's just a blank page.

 

Copy and paste it, the hotlink is broken but the URL is good.