When the military first rolled out the Humvee, it seemed like a brilliant idea. It was quick, able to carry infantry and equipment over long distances, and even able to traverse rough terrain.
However, the military began to realize that it was not well suited for the new forms of asymmetric warfare. This is why it began retrofitting them with armor and bulletproof windows. Visit Website to learn more
The military Humvee was designed to do more than just drive on roads. It was conceived as a way to get soldiers into areas they couldn’t get on foot and protect them from mines and other explosive devices that had become more commonplace in the modern forms of warfare fought by US troops in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Army gave contracts to AM General, Chrysler Defense and Teledyne Continental to design and build eleven prototype vehicles for testing. These HMMWVs would spend more than 600,000 miles in tests that included rugged off-road courses and exposure to desert heat and Arctic cold. In the end, AM General’s Humvee proved to be the most durable and practical – which is why it still dominates the fleets of all four branches of the United States Military today.
While the Humvee was never designed for high speed driving, it does offer a smooth ride and a relatively low center of gravity. It also has a wider stance than most trucks, which makes it less prone to rollovers in sandy conditions. This is why it’s so popular with off-road enthusiasts and people looking to do work in remote places.
Despite being slower than your Honda Civic, the Humvee can get up to 12 miles per gallon in city traffic and closer to 16 miles per gallon on the highway. Its engine is powered by a gasoline/diesel four-cylinder, giving it plenty of power for the job at hand.
The US Military is currently working on short and long term replacements for the Humvee, including commercial off-the-shelf vehicles like the MRAP and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. While these vehicles aren’t quite as versatile as the Humvee, they offer enough of a upgrade in reliability and safety to make them viable options for some of the same tasks.
Performance
The Army isn’t quick to approve or implement new designs, which is why the HMMWV, and its semi-civilized spinoffs, are still in use after more than 40 years. But that doesn’t mean military engineers haven’t been working on ways to make them better.
During the HMMWV’s development in the 1970s, the US Army wanted a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ light tactical vehicle that could replace multiple trucks already in service. It would have to perform well off-road, be able to climb a 60-percent slope and ford five feet of water with its onboard electronics.
In order to satisfy those requirements, the Army drafted final specifications for what eventually became the Humvee. Chrysler Defense, Teledyne Continental and American Motors under its AM General subsidiary were chosen to design prototypes. Eleven vehicles were tested, with the winners being those that had a combination of off-road performance and protection against improvised explosive devices.
The original HMMWVs were powered by a 6.2L Detroit diesel engine, which produced 113 horsepower. But field testing uncovered the need for more armor and gunnery equipment, and fully equipped Humvees can tip the scales at twice their original design weight. Suddenly, that unfavorable power-to-weight ratio starts to hurt.
To tackle that issue, a company called Banks Power of Azusa, California, applied its engineering prowess to a mil-spec HMMWV and came up with a performance upgrade package that bumps the horsepower from 190 to 245, while adding an extra 50 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the Banks-tuned HUMVEE now accelerates to 60 mph in a leisurely 36 seconds and actually crosses the quarter-mile mark before reaching that speed. Watch MT’s Jonny Lieberman put it to the test in the video below!
Reliability
The military Humvee has been through a lot since its inception in the 1980s. It has conquered sand, rocks, snow, and ice. It has dangled from the belly of CH-53 helicopters, been dropped by parachute, and traveled across continents inside transport aircraft. It has also been a hot-rodded Jeep when the military needed an off-roader and an armored outpost when service members needed shelter.
The Humvee’s reliability has been attributed to many factors including its unique design and engineering. For example, the Humvee’s independent front and rear suspensions, advanced shock absorbers, and torque-biasing differentials allow it to get traction on terrain that would stop other trucks dead in their tracks. Additionally, its aluminum body keeps the vehicle light and allows for more body flex when off-roading.
Another important aspect of the Humvee’s reliability is its ability to withstand roadside bombs. Throughout the years, the Humvee has gone through several upgrades that have helped it to better resist these deadly devices. The Army and Marine Corps will continue to use Humvees in frontline service until 2021 when they will be replaced by the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
The JLTV is a big technological leap over the old AM General Humvee. The JLTV has better armor; a V-shaped mine-resistant hull; a 400-horsepower diesel engine that leaves the best Humvee engines in the dust; and a more spacious cabin with more comfort features than the original Humvee. It will also be able to travel longer distances on a single tank of fuel, which is a significant advantage. In addition, the JLTV will be manufactured in China by Sichuan Tengzhong. This will keep the Humvee name and design out of the hands of private civilians, which is important for the military’s mission.
Street Legality
There’s a lot of interest in military vehicles, and there are many ways to get your hands on a surplus model. But if you want to be able to drive your Humvee on the road, it’s going to take some work. Military vehicles are not typically titled for street use, but it is possible to make them so that you can enjoy them on your daily commute or even for a weekend trip.
First, you’ll need to make sure that your HMMWV meets all the requirements for your state’s road regulations. This means that it must have proper headlights and tail lights, mirrors, seat belts, and so on. You may also need to have it pass an emissions test or vehicle inspection, depending on your state’s laws. You can usually find out what your state requires by checking the DOT’s website or asking someone at your local DMV office.
Once you’ve got all of this taken care of, the next step is to get a bill of sale for the vehicle. You can usually get this from the auction house that sells your vehicle, or from a private seller who has one. The bill of sale will need to be submitted to your state’s DMV as part of the process for getting a title for your Humvee. You’ll also need to submit a government form called an SF97, which is essentially an End-User Certificate.
Once you have all of these things in place, it should be fairly easy to make your Military Humvee street legal. However, it’s still worth mentioning that the process can be lengthy and frustrating, especially if you’re new to it. If you’d like to save time and effort, consider getting help from an experienced company. The experts at 5 Star Registration will handle everything for you so that you can drive your military Humvee safely on the roads in no time.
Value
The HMMWV, or Humvee, is an American icon. Designed in the 1980s, these vehicles are synonymous with military service and have become a symbol of US troops worldwide. While the vehicle may not be as spectacular as a jet fighter or nuclear bomber, it is a reliable and durable workhorse.
While HMMWVs are built for off-road travel, they can also be modified for street use. They can be fitted with street-legal equipment like headlights, turn signals, and mirrors to make driving them safer. In addition, some military Humvees have already been fitted with the additional armor that is needed to protect against roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Despite the military’s desire to replace them with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the Humvee is expected to remain in service until 2050. This means that there will be plenty of used military Humvees available for civilians to purchase through a surplus auction company like GovPlanet.
These vehicles are typically sold at a steep discount from their retail price, making them an excellent deal. They also have low mileage, meaning you can drive them for years before they need major repairs or replacement parts.
In order to be sold to the public, military surplus vehicles must go through a process called demilitarization. This process removes all weapons and armor from the vehicles, making them much lighter than their original combat configurations.
This makes them easier to transport and handle. However, this can add to the cost of shipping the Humvee to its new owner, especially if it is being shipped cross-country. You can minimize these costs by working with a government contractor to arrange pickup and shipping services for your Humvee before the sale is complete.