This thread is my steel soldiers alternative. They are so butthurt about anything HMMWV.

I can't remember what I post here or other places, so if it's redundant I apologies in advance: The 6.2L were phased out and replaced with "de-tuned" re: non-turbo's 6.5L engines. Newer and improved, but there really wasn't anything "wrong" with the 6.2L and so long as yours is operational, I'd let it be.

TIP:  For Jump Starting (if you don't have the proper slave cables or plug to make them)  take a 1/2" drive extension and insert it in the center of the slave receptical under the TC's seat and connect the POSIITIVE lead from the jumping batteries to it, ground at the battery lug (-) on the far left as standing outside looking down into the battery box.
If they're just weak, you can hook a single 12V battery into the mix, just jump to the left/rearward battery as looking down standing outside the vehicle....usually it'll work.  (even with those little carry around jump packs)  Ask me how I know.  

I sent you an email, but forgot to mention I also replaced all the seat belts.

If your vehicle has the "Hawker" Batteries, they can be a real PITA to re-charge, but done properly, they last a very long time.
Voltage/Starting isn't as much an issue because you're running a 24 Volt system, and when you get right down to it, the outside the glow plugs cycling, it really doesn't require much even running everything....most problems come from lack of use.  <img src=http://www.ar15.com/images/smilies/smiley_thinking.gif border=0 align=middle>

Exide supplies all our 6TM batteries and they are also available through sources like NAPA, and O'Riley....they might have to "order it" but that really shouldn't be any big deal.

On a side note: The fine folks at SS are a bit more "purest" relishing the nostalgia and historic significance of veteran vehicles, and I suppose it perspective;  I wouldn't feel bad about buying something towed off the Range to be converted, Bubba-ized, or modified into something that suits my purpose of fancy....now if it were a mint specimen or one just needing some finishing touches, that's different.  Pulling the Diesel and stuffing a BBC in its place would be an easy swap as essentially it's a big-block chevy, with a TH400 trans and NP transfer case, same as every other 3/4ton or heavier pick up truck.....I could see taking the engine-trans-TC out of a newer 1/2 ton truck, hell a LS with a overdrive transmission, and New Process case would be the cats-ass!

At first I was a bit more conservative in what was being done, (I like things simple, stupid, utterly reliable) which you guys have done, but now they look good too!  

I'm special mine is a 12volt system.....

That no weapons discussion policy is bizarre considering the subject matter of the site. I remember thinking that when I signed up and probably one of the reasons I never really visited often before I got my truck. The whole linking to eBay prohibition is strange too but, whatever... Their board, their rules and I play by them while I'm there. I may end up spending more time on G503 but I, personally, find their color scheme to be a bit tougher to read than darker colored boards like ARFCOM. And it does, unfortunately, get less traffic than SS.

As of now, thankfully, my Hawkers are still good. I wonder if it would be a good idea to rotate them if the rear has a tendency to go first.

Did your buddy say anything about the suitability of the antenna on both bands the Baofeng operates on? Please keep us updated on this. Since I'm so heavily invested in the Baofengs, I would be very interested in a suitable vehicle mounted antenna for it!


Some great tips!

Just an FYI, to anyone wondering about your part with connecting other batteries, batteries in series increases voltage while batteries in parallel increase capacity. So, that's why you can safely add in a battery in parallel to the series circuit, because you're only increasing the capacity of the one battery.


More great info!

I looked up the 6TM batteries and it looks like Deka makes them as well. No idea who would stock that though. Probably a special order as mentioned. The downside is they are not the more resilient AGMs like the Hawkers but are a lot cheaper. The only way you're going to get less expensive AGM batteries is to go to a smaller sized one.

As for the crowd on SS, I've got absolutely no beef with people looking to preserve or make accurate builds. Lawman's GMV build is a very, very fine truck! If I had the money I'd do a GMV build just like that. And that guy on SS that bought that HMMWV prototype from GP would be committing a crime against humanity to apply an ounce of bedliner to that truck.

That said they, the truck Fudds, would simply do well to realize that there's room in the world for all manner of owners; that not every M998 is a museum piece.

Most are "treasures" that should be buried.  
Truck Fudds, Gun Fudds,: Different moniker, same mind set.
These vehicles have been around for thirty years!  There have been many, many, multiple changes, adaptations, variations, but the still revolve around the same basic truck!
We're replacing the frame rail on one right now....that's right: we are replacing the right frame rail, which means essentially we've removed the body and drive train, un-bolted the rail and are now re-assembling it, and we've (I've) done several.  I'll try to take & post pictures next week.
Now for the "Up-Armored" vehicles, it's my roll-over supported position that they've packed ten pounds of shit into a five pound sack, that desperately wants to spill over.
The new M1113, and up are pretty sweet so long as you're under 5'8" and 150lbs (+30 for plates & LBE) they have A/C, and three tons of armor plating, of course if you turn turtle and catch fire it's not going to play well, and while there's more power and speed, there's a LOT more to deal with and a lot more things that can fail or be shot out from under you, but we're not very likely to see these in the Civilian World...perhaps just as well.  

Cool! One thing that is definitely awesome about these trucks is how modular they are. Was reading a thread on G503 where Ted Gates is doing an M1165 build from the ground up and it was funny to see the chassis in pieces but you could clearly see how it went together. Definitely a big part of the reason they've been in service for 30 years is that modularity, even if the newest iteration doesn't pull off the whole MRAP thing very well. BAE and Oshkosh have come up with some interesting v-hull solutions for that though to improve the whole truck instead of just doing like you said and packing ten pounds of shit into a five pound sack.



So last night I had to go watch the niece and nephew for my brother while he and his wife went to a wedding. We had snow/freezing rain forecast for the evening so I decided it would probably be a good idea to take the truck.

Came out to leave and this is what the truck looked like...

Attached File


I knew it was going to be an interesting ride home and it was!

The truck did fine but when people say these things can be "interesting" on ice they're right. You could feel the rear constantly dancing back and forth but, so long as you don't get crazy, the front pulling helps keep it in check.

And of course my direct route home was blocked by an accident. So my 15 minute drive home, which probably would have been 25 because of the roads, turned into a 40 minute drive having to take an alternate route. The MRAP heater did a great job keeping the windshield clear. Not a bit of ice on it!

Got home and found a nice glaze on the front though. Interestingly my non-heated LED headlights didn't have any ice buildup. What you see in the pic is just water.

Attached File


Attached File

Those big-fat tires ARE interesting on ice and hard packed snow.  Command requires Drivers install chains when the tank trails are ice/snow covered.....without them, you can lock the wheel to one side and spin donuts 'til you puke.  
Driven responsibly, they pretty well take whatever comes their way in stride, just have to keep in mind they're more like a 4-wheeler than a car or light truck and you'll be alright.
Iron Planet has/had a couple 998's that had been prepped as Range Targets, where they drain all the fluids, remove glass, paint over marker lights, reflectors, instruments, etc. and while the price wasn't bad at $3K, there would be a lot of time and effort bringing them back to 10 & 20 standards.  
My Wife saw me looking at them and said "Please, don't buy them."  
OK, one of the Boys will!  

Iron Planet HMMWV Sale  (the ones on Ft. Drum, NY must have already gone off)

Found it, but its $4k

Yeah, I've got a set of chains incoming now. I had been meaning to pick up a set but I was convinced they'd be a good idea to have after last night. I'd also mention to other readers, chains aren't just for those of us living in the land of that mysterious white stuff falls from the sky. They can be used quite successfully to get traction in bad mud too!

That Range Target truck definitely looks like it would need some TLC! Just curious, what's the purpose of painting over the lights and instruments? To help prevent it from being driven normally like an in service truck?

Ryan, are those guide wires or antenna hold down ties going form the bumper to the lightbar?

Well I took apart my old green labeled control box and found some burnt connectors and a loose piece, no wonder it didn't work. The thing smells really bad too almost like formaldehyde which I had been smelling for a few days in the garage. At least I know where the smell came from and lucky it did not burn any more than it did. I have the new one bolted up but not connected as I am still dealing with trying to get the rear battery back to life and still need to do the glow plugs. But the garage is 40 degrees so that may be a few days.  

Just some inexpensive limb risers, that cost less than $25 to make, to prevent my windshield from getting smacked by tree branches.


I saw someone on SS just have that exact same failure in their EESS. Let me see if I can find it...

Sorry, got distracted by some GD stupidity...

I'm having trouble finding the exact thread I'm thinking of but I did find this similar failure. Diode burned up on his box... How To Repair HMMWV EESS S3.

I'll do some more checking.

Nope, still not finding it... If I happen across it, I'll share it though.


I did find this, however, for everyone's viewing pleasure...

https://www.velocitychannelgo.com/wheeler-dealers/1992-humvee/

I'm watching it now.

ETA: They just opened up an S3 box for a their truck that wouldn't start.

Spoiler Alert!

Click To View Spoiler

I know there is a thread where it burned at the exact same spot. Searching again seems to turn up alot of issues with the green labeled boxes. I am lucky mine did not burn like this guy's box.

Painting over anything shiny, or glass covered is to prevent reflection....these are static targets set out on the Range, usually for Aircraft, but I've seen Artillery as well as other munitions used against them. "Moving" targets are invariably plywood, plastic, or some combination of materials to present a outline of a vehicle or personnel.
They could be brought back to life, but the economical feasibility would be a challenge.

Growing up and hunting in the South, our "buggies" often had chains on the rear drive wheels: you'd be astounded how well a set, even wide spaced ones will pull.....Up here, I used to have a 2wd Ford F250 with the 300 six and a 4 speed trans: In the winter I'd put a few hundred pounds on the back end so it got around: heavy snowfall, throw on the chains and it would go and pull as well as a 4wd.  Speed has to stay pretty well below 45mph, but I've found if you deflate the tires, properly install and re-inflate the tires you can run faster and smoother, but you still should wear a mouth guard to keep your teeth from chipping.    I use a Farmall H with a plow on the front, and loaded, angle bar tires on the rear: Heavy as that bastard is, it'll sit and spin without chains....love 'em or hate 'em they WORK!

Funny, in all these years the only box I ever opened was one off a M-35 that was made in the 70's IIRC it was all mechanical.
There have been multiple changes and suppliers, we used to go by color codes, change the temp sender first, etc. anymore if it doesn't work the part number we order has both the box and sender and we replace both, then send it.  
Glow Plugs: quick check with a multi-meter will tell if they're good (resistance) or no good (open) some like to change just the bad one(s) I figure if one or more are bad, the rest will follow suit, so I change them all....six months of the year we have freezing temperatures and three of those will often see single digits or below, so why fuck around trying to save a buck on substandard components when its already hard enough to get them started.
Maybe next time one fries, I'll open it up and take it to the electronics shop to see what makes them tick and if they can be repaired.

A little late in this but I contacted Govplanet regarding my tax issue that I posted about before. I emailed them a copy of the receipt that I paid NY and got a response within a week that they were looking into it. I got a refund check yesterday for the KY tax that I paid at auction. It took about a month to get it but I'm not complaining.

I keep seeing the same three issues:

1. GP needs to get the tax issue resolved (they even charge a diesel tax on trailer and then refund it if you ask), now that they are owned by Ritchie Brothers I hope that goes away.

2: Title problems. I also see that the DMV varies greatly. Even here in the Houston area the one I went to was quick, in and out in 15 minutes, but I had all my paperwork prefilled out and I went in 15 minutes before they closed so the lady was very willing to finish up. A friend went to one 20 minutes away and got turned away, but had no problems at the one I went to.

3: Insurance. I just got a cancellation notice from JC Taylor as they wanted to reduce the value from 20K to 7500K as they are not that rare anymore. Plus they changed it so there were a ton of restrictions to the point it almost had to be trailered anywhere, no driving except to an auto show that had sponsors. I asked my agent why and he said they should never have approved the original policy in the first place. Oh well, calling Geico tomorrow.

Awesome Ed! Congrats on the purchase!

Don't worry, you're in good company here if you're not going "authentic" on it. I'm just glad you guys are giving us a popular forum to discuss important things like titling and insuring, unlike Steel Soldiers. So thank you!

And of course, it goes without saying...

Speaking of not traditional, I'm strongly considering painting mine flat black and then remarking it with all the military lettering in either white or light gray. It's going into my garage this week and hopefully the little heater I bought will make the garage warm enough for me to actually work on turning it into a 4 man truck. I already have most of the parts collected.

Just found this thread - great to have a place to discuss the HMMWV other than SS.

Here is my latest one.

Serial Number 10 (plate shows 00010)
rebuild before going to DRMO
6.5 engine

EdwardAvila - PM Sent

More pics of rebuilt serial number 10, our tax dollars at work.







Edit: Whoops, don't know what happened to the drivers side pic

OK - Last one I promise

That is really nice! Looks like you got a good, solid foundation to build on.

I'm definitely digging that roll bar setup! I've seen some H1s with something similar. Usually they've got a spare mounted up there but there is no way on earth I would want to wrestle one of these tires up there. That Rhino tire carrier is some of the best money I've spent on this truck, maybe only second to my MRAP seats.


My only beef with the SS ban on discussion of titling and insurance is that in many states it is 100% legal to to take an off road vehicle and title it for road use. Here in Ohio we can get road plates for home build rail buggies and truggies and, you can even get plates for golf carts. There's even a rather eccentric gentleman that lives near me that has an FV101 Scorpion plated for road use! I know in any number of states, including Montana, you can get road plates for quads since I saw a number out driving on my road trip to northern Idaho a couple months ago. Other states allow snow machine use on roads. And there's even at least one state mentioned in this thread, I can't recall without looking, that doesn't offer any sort of off road title so the only option is to title it with a regular title.

When I signed that purchase agreement acknowledging the truck was for off road use, I took it to mean that as it sits when I purchased it, it can't be guaranteed to be legal for road use as it may lack the necessary equipment. And they are correct. To bring it up to code for the state of Ohio, I had to add a license plate light to it to legally get the title changed. I know some states also require the addition of reverse lights as well. Seems like classic CYA to me since it is called a "Waiver and Hold Harmless Agreement" after all,  but some people seem to want to treat it as etched in stone, immutable law.

My other beef is with .gov and GovPlanet. We're supposed to believe that the 998s and 1038s going through GovPlanet are death machines so must be banned from the roads but miraculously the 1123s aren't and are being sold with non-branded titles. Very interesting how those also manage to carry a $10k+ premium over the 998s... Sorry, but that 4L80E and 12k drivetrain is not a $10k option. Not to mention GovPlanet turning a blind eye to the listing by private sellers of 998s that have successfully had the titles washed. All of that on top of the fact there are zero title restrictions on every other military vehicle auctioned off that I can think of like Deuces and 5 tons all the way up to HETs and even HEMTTs! When you can buy a behemoth like a HEMTT with zero restrictions (ignoring any local regulations) but the HMMWV is supposed to be unfit for road use, I just don't buy it. Granted, I understand it isn't GovPlanet coming up with the restrictions on the 998s and 1038s sold but rather the Army/FedGov under the terms of the contract for GovPlanet to sell the surplus but still, all the double standards are just dumb.





Wow! Another sharp truck!

Looks like yours even came with the newest style rear canvass and the fatter, late model steering wheel! Are the front top and doors as new as the rear top?

The seats I have are NSN 2540-01-557-6837. It is apparently made by BAE for the RG31. I got 2 locally and 2 more off eBay. They're made of a rubberized ripstop Cordura. That said, I'm not seeing any on eBay now.

The only ones I'm seeing now are these (that's the best price on them BTW and I've bought from that seller, he's GTG) which look similar. These look like they're made of something like 1000D Cordura. The mounting on these seats look slightly different in that they've got studs, mine had holes I put bolts in. Both style seats are apparently pretty similar to the seats in the H1, minus the arm rests.

Which brings me to the next part. It looks like your truck's got the standard driver's seat base. That's going to be the hardest seat to replace because it will mean replacing the seat base before you install new seats. The one you've got is a bit flimsy for any seat upgrades. The A1/highback seat base is much heavier duty (and heavy!). The MRAP seats I've got actually bolted direct to the highback seat base but you end up with 2 seat slider mechanisms. @EagleArmsHBAR can give you some pointers on replacing it since he made the upgrade to his truck. I do know it requires drilling out all of the old rivets and there are a number of them. I'm not seeing any bases on eBay currently but they look like the one on the seat on the left in this listing. Since there aren't any on eBay you might want to get in touch with Greg/86humv on SS or G503. He might have one. You might also need the highback battery cover but I don't know for sure. EagleArms would know.

All of the other seat locations should be pretty easy to install. You'll just need to drill the lids as needed. You won't have to worry about a ton of reinforcement because the belts are all mounted to the body so in a collision, the seats don't take a whole lot of force.

Buried back in the thread is my post on the seat install. The only thing I'd add to it is to make sure you've got some extra 3/8" or 1/2" washers to space between the seat rails and covers as needed so they slide correctly.


For the seats you've already got, I'm pretty sure I've seen at least 1 truck with them installed on SS. Should be easy to find searching "MRAP" and/or "seats" in their HMMWV forum. No idea how comfortable they are compared to the ones I've got though. They do look on the firm side.

And I'm glad you mentioned using the B-pillar support beam to attach the harness belts. As I mentioned, these seat lids aren't really designed for a ton of force and will not hold safely in an accident if the belts are secured to the seat.

Front canvas and doors are brand new.

I would not recommend installing the seats Ryan and I did without the highback battery cover because the original battery cover is plastic and doesn't seem strong enough to hold the seats in the event of an accident.

While they're not as nice (by any stretch) as the MRAP seats, they Military changed from those flat, bleacher pad pieces of schitt with the M1097.  They used a seat that would slide back and forth (drivers only) and a heavier battery cover with a high back seat for the passenger (aka "TC") Both look more like something found on a modern piece of equipment.
Seat belts:  We routinely install and replace the conventional lap/shoulder restraint belts more often that not because of damage to the buckle....they are serviced as sets, and not individual pieces.
I'll have to look to see what size bolts they use.
While they're not "ideal" or likely as safe as a modern vehicle, they do work; just keep in mind that rolling over, isn't going to go well for you and head-on/rear-end is going to result in facial damage.  

Removal of the driver seat base is a PITA.  I recommend buying a long drill bit extension that will allow you to reach all of the rivets that need to be drilled out.  Also, make sure you get the seat base reinforcement pieces for attaching the A1 seat base; they help distribute the weight of the new seat and seat base.

fp1201 reminded me of something I forgot to mention in my post, the seat belts, but it sounds like you've got that covered. Just an FYI, there are 2 style buckle receptacles. One has a shorter cable, and one has a longer cable. If you're installing new, thicker seats, the longer ones are preferable as they come up over the top of the seats better.

Not sure what application that stiffener would be for. You can ask the seller. beltfed34 deals a lot of HMMWV parts and knows his stuff. I've bought a lot from him too.

As for the driver's base and battery cover, definitely get in touch with 86humv. Greg has most every part you could think of, including hard to find ones and prices his stuff very reasonably. The Rhino tire carrier I bought off him was $100 cheaper than the cheapest on eBay and he even had all of the rear electric winch mount hardware I was looking for. Great guy to deal with! I think we chatted on the phone for almost an hour about my truck.


If you build a box for it, you will lose one thing the highback base offers, vertical adjustment. If you don't mind it being customized to just your seating height, you could go that route though.

"Tax dollars at work"
Son, you've no idea how many vehicles I've returned to service with tons of work and new parts only to have it "turned in" for disposal.  

That roll bar looks fantastic. I showed it to my daughter who just graduated from Ohio Technical College where she scored good grades in welding and fabrication, and she might look into helping me try something like that when she has time.

The roll bar looks good and reminds me of the original Special Forces Roll bars. On the parts for the rear seat lids try and find the reinforced lids. As others have said contact Greg (86humv) or Austin (goes by beltfed34 on the auctions sites and forums, even has a bolt face logo on one of his vehicles so maybe a member here) as both are great guys to deal with and I have bought a bunch from both. I had the pleasure of meeting both when Greg brought my Slant back kit to Austin's place.

But back to your truck, where are you going to mount the guns for the hog hunts? Swing outs on the rear sides?

Just an unpdate for any 5 ton or 2 1/2 ton guys lirking in here as well as humvees possibly . 5 ton was having trouble in the electrical department. our mechanic pulled the bench seat cover to find the terminals had burnt and were black as well as some wire involvement turning black near the terminal. Could have been nasty . On a side note the winch works again after we removed the water from the drum.  Next project will be tool storage and still need a ladder 

so exactly how much water in the vehicle is normal with hmmwv's?
i get water trickling in a half dozen places when driving n the rain. all into the driver side area.

Did your mechanic say what the cause was? I'll have to let my buddy know what to look for on his 5 ton.


These are just naturally very leaky trucks and all you can really do is hunt down your problem spots one at a time and address them as best you can.

I've got water that comes into the driver's area due to epoxy aging, cracking, and breaking up around a number of body panel joints in the fender and windshield area. It will make your left foot wet. I'm waiting until I'm ready to paint the body to re-epoxy them. I'd bet you've got the same thing going on.

No answer yet. He was swapping terminals when I saw him last I'll update when I find out more

After seeing some mrap seats i have been looking for a tan pair to go in the front. I have brand new tan high back hmmwv seats in the rear, but od in the front. Can't seem to find any tan seats. I guess i could try seat covers from Jatonkas.