LMTV 1078 Camper build concept
- Thread starter Coachgeo
- Start date
Mastersergeant
New member
Did you build your expedition rig? Thinking of buying an M1078 and do some type of build on it either a shelter or an actual from scratch build. Thanks.
Jody
Vermont
Jody
Vermont
Coachgeo
Explorer
Progress is slow. Mostly collecting pieces and parts right now.
New discovery. Had time to do some rough measuring today instead of assuming/eyeballing and came to conclusion that I probably can mount the Ambo Box as is by just enlarging wheelwell. This leaves room in front for OEM Air cleaner and spare tire location or still relocating these and mounting motorcycle in that space behind cab instead. Mounting box as is will overhang box about 19" more than the original bed. Can lob that off at an angle if need. Spare tire mounted on Rear and putting motorcycle behind cab would allow for having access to rear Ambo door(s) if put tire on a swing out rack. Putting motorcycle on rear closes that ability... buttt... then again... with bike behind cab means only unloading bike to the side and that would require more trail width to get her down.... which may not be an option when need to unload bike to ride to town after a mishap........ trade off's hmmmm.
Oh and Im commuting on KLR diesel (non military) to work these days. Though been laid up last few weeks doing maintenance. More on that at suckindiesel.com/thingy. Just search my username.
New discovery. Had time to do some rough measuring today instead of assuming/eyeballing and came to conclusion that I probably can mount the Ambo Box as is by just enlarging wheelwell. This leaves room in front for OEM Air cleaner and spare tire location or still relocating these and mounting motorcycle in that space behind cab instead. Mounting box as is will overhang box about 19" more than the original bed. Can lob that off at an angle if need. Spare tire mounted on Rear and putting motorcycle behind cab would allow for having access to rear Ambo door(s) if put tire on a swing out rack. Putting motorcycle on rear closes that ability... buttt... then again... with bike behind cab means only unloading bike to the side and that would require more trail width to get her down.... which may not be an option when need to unload bike to ride to town after a mishap........ trade off's hmmmm.
Oh and Im commuting on KLR diesel (non military) to work these days. Though been laid up last few weeks doing maintenance. More on that at suckindiesel.com/thingy. Just search my username.
Coachgeo
Explorer
Since this is ending up sorta my build thread..... still collecting parts. See this thread for where my future AC system is heading. Parts purchased. http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...st-Suit-etc-Another-words-Personal-AC-or-heat
aernan
Observer
We are in our initial design for a M1078 as well. Cool find the diesel bike. Awesome. I have a R1200 GSA LC. I like the diesel idea and I wish more bikes were diesel. Have you found any lift gates that will work well. I am kicking around the idea of relocating the spare to the rear to get more camper space and using a liftgate to carry my bike or a pair of dirt bikes on the outside.
Other build questions. Have you looked at the R values for the wall, floor, ceiling? I'm seeing R values for the ceiling that mean 8+ inches of insulation. That cuts into the cabin space a bunch.
Other build questions. Have you looked at the R values for the wall, floor, ceiling? I'm seeing R values for the ceiling that mean 8+ inches of insulation. That cuts into the cabin space a bunch.
mog
Kodiak Buckaroo
I have one of the AHT L-AL/AL all aluminum liftgates. One word - Awesome!
All aluminum, so about 60% lighter than steel, but it still has a 2000+ pound load rating.
It also is powered in both the horizontal and vertical planes, so you can mount your heavy spare wheels to it, stored in the vertical plane, and just lower straight down to remove them. Or power it to the horizontal plane, and use to haul ATVs, motorcycles, or a sidexside. The mounts are all extruded and/or billeted aluminum. The one I have even has 'lifting legs' to stabilize the back of the truck during loading/unloading. But in a camper application, it provides instance leveling capabilities.
Here is a link to the website, http://www.tail-lifts.com/en/content/index.htm you will have to page through
click- Tailgate Loaders
click- L-AL/AL
OK- now the downside. They are made in Austria and run about 15,000 € new, plus shipping.
I got lucky and bought mine from a towing company that had bought an ice cream delivery truck that had one on it. The wanted the insulated box, so they did not need the liftgate.
I have a 'normal' US steel folding liftgate on my Fuso FG and IMO, once you have a liftgate you can not live without one.
So keep an eye out for one of those AHTs on Craigslist (where I found mine), or other in the US sources. Besides being so much more versatile, they look great being aluminum with billeted and extrusion parts.
Coachgeo
Explorer
Fridge
Still just collecting parts
Sorta keep my eyes open to craigslist. Was not in market for a fridge yet and was even considering making my own.. but Came across an unused surplus buy Dometic 106L cooler for half the price of a new one and snagged it. Not new but still in box and was tested by seller. One model behind the newest one out there. Not bad for 425ish bucks
106Liter
Three stage battery monitor
Temperature read out
High impact weather-resistant polypropylene cabinet
LED indicators and soft-touch operating panel
31"x22"x20"[/i]
https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/pr...0-portable-cooler-refrigeratorfreezer-_-31582
Still just collecting parts
Sorta keep my eyes open to craigslist. Was not in market for a fridge yet and was even considering making my own.. but Came across an unused surplus buy Dometic 106L cooler for half the price of a new one and snagged it. Not new but still in box and was tested by seller. One model behind the newest one out there. Not bad for 425ish bucks
106Liter
Three stage battery monitor
Temperature read out
High impact weather-resistant polypropylene cabinet
LED indicators and soft-touch operating panel
31"x22"x20"[/i]
https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/pr...0-portable-cooler-refrigeratorfreezer-_-31582
Attachments
Last edited:
Coachgeo
Explorer
Couple Updates:
REAR AXLE/Driveline
Started working with a Welder who will Fab up new Spring perches on my replacement axle. This new one is the front of the rear pair of axles in a 6x6 . No not converting to 6x6. This is same thing the US Gov. did back around 2008?? This will bring the rear driveline (which is semi steep) to near Parallel to Chassis rails. Eliminates a weak link the FMTV line of trucks. Have had axle ready to go for over a year now. For more detail see following link, starting around post #40 http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/152277-M1078-vx-Mitsubishi-FUSO-4x4/page4?
ROLLING TOOL BOX
Expense of building this truck (esp. after unexpected Tranny Failure) ate my planned funds to build a garage (don't even have a carport or Lean-too) so building a rolling tool box. Will be so damn happy to get my tools out of all the nooks and cranny's stored in various tiny sheds. Stowed like that has made my tools not accessible. Is like not owning any..... driving me nuts. A cheap car Tarp tent garage thingy will be the Awning/Enclosed space to work under. Will somehow attach this to roll out from side of Ambo Box like an RV Awning.
After looking for the right deal for over a year finally got a Tandem Axle trailer used 17' flat bed trailer. Deck above wheels (not low boy). Had to be that to fit an 8' box on the top. OK price sorta.. needs 4 new tires.... and axle's rims are obsolete.... easy fix..... just more $$$. For something that wont be on the road much..... think I'll just go with semi hard to find obsolete tires to go with Obsolete rims. Comes out more expensive in long run....... mayyyyyybe....... but it is what it is.
Was going to mount to this trailer my already owned Cargo box of back off a 1990's era moving truck..... or one from back of another truck (which ever cheaper to get mounted on trailer) and in process found.. ANOTHER AMBULANCE BOX..... 14foot. Pre-wired for a Generator.. fully shelved with more space to stuff tools than the White House basement. And it is cheaper in the long run than a cargo box. So in a few weeks that will get mounted to trailer. Then can slowly start packing it with my gear.
REGISTRATION & TITLE
Plated truck in Vermont. VT does not need a title for a truck this old to register it. In most states you need title to get registration and plates. Seller and I turned in the original title to Missouri DMV when I bought it to start process of converting ownership to me. Normal procedure right. Well been fighting MO ever since. They've been holding my title ransom for almost two years. They want me to take time off work and drive all the way from Southern OH back to MO where I bought if from, to get a third inspection. This time to verify Vin Numbers (they did that already once in another inspection). They pulled this...... "you need to get another "Required inspection" three different times now over the last nearly two years. Each inspection slightly different than the previous. Each time AFTER they held up the title and you call them a million times before they say...... "oh...... well its held up cause you need "inspection X" to finish the process". Granted this 2 year time span is also due to having the tranny rebuilt SLOWLY in order to get best of cost for parts and labor (shop doing the work when they are slow) and cause the seller works outside MO most of the year. Thus even if wanted too there was no rushing it. You see, only the seller could deal with MO DMV cause it was not yet titled fully in my name. He helped all he could. Even flew in and drove the truck back to MO to help out once. Hell of a guy. Just life put his help in the slow lane.
Will convert to my states registration after VT ones get here. My state and all others HAVE to accept the VT registration as proof of ownership by Federal Law since they VT is a no title state after a certain age. Stopped by Post office twice a day all week long to see if if new plates have arrived.. Not yet...... GRRRR they are closed today (Veteran's Day). Hopefully tomorrow Anyway..... when get new registration and plates locally this process will also create a new title. Will wait till get the Yellow Ambo Box pictured earlier in this thread installed before Reg and plating in OH. This way when I change over to OH it will get titled as an RV. Will cut insurance cost way down.
Working 6 days a week is keeping this $lowly moving along. Even if I got loan$ and did it fa$t and got her done quicker would still have to work 6 days maybe 7 to pay for it which would not let me enjoy it so in a round about way it is working out to being on a slow path to hell.
REAR AXLE/Driveline
Started working with a Welder who will Fab up new Spring perches on my replacement axle. This new one is the front of the rear pair of axles in a 6x6 . No not converting to 6x6. This is same thing the US Gov. did back around 2008?? This will bring the rear driveline (which is semi steep) to near Parallel to Chassis rails. Eliminates a weak link the FMTV line of trucks. Have had axle ready to go for over a year now. For more detail see following link, starting around post #40 http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/152277-M1078-vx-Mitsubishi-FUSO-4x4/page4?
ROLLING TOOL BOX
Expense of building this truck (esp. after unexpected Tranny Failure) ate my planned funds to build a garage (don't even have a carport or Lean-too) so building a rolling tool box. Will be so damn happy to get my tools out of all the nooks and cranny's stored in various tiny sheds. Stowed like that has made my tools not accessible. Is like not owning any..... driving me nuts. A cheap car Tarp tent garage thingy will be the Awning/Enclosed space to work under. Will somehow attach this to roll out from side of Ambo Box like an RV Awning.
After looking for the right deal for over a year finally got a Tandem Axle trailer used 17' flat bed trailer. Deck above wheels (not low boy). Had to be that to fit an 8' box on the top. OK price sorta.. needs 4 new tires.... and axle's rims are obsolete.... easy fix..... just more $$$. For something that wont be on the road much..... think I'll just go with semi hard to find obsolete tires to go with Obsolete rims. Comes out more expensive in long run....... mayyyyyybe....... but it is what it is.
Was going to mount to this trailer my already owned Cargo box of back off a 1990's era moving truck..... or one from back of another truck (which ever cheaper to get mounted on trailer) and in process found.. ANOTHER AMBULANCE BOX..... 14foot. Pre-wired for a Generator.. fully shelved with more space to stuff tools than the White House basement. And it is cheaper in the long run than a cargo box. So in a few weeks that will get mounted to trailer. Then can slowly start packing it with my gear.
REGISTRATION & TITLE
Plated truck in Vermont. VT does not need a title for a truck this old to register it. In most states you need title to get registration and plates. Seller and I turned in the original title to Missouri DMV when I bought it to start process of converting ownership to me. Normal procedure right. Well been fighting MO ever since. They've been holding my title ransom for almost two years. They want me to take time off work and drive all the way from Southern OH back to MO where I bought if from, to get a third inspection. This time to verify Vin Numbers (they did that already once in another inspection). They pulled this...... "you need to get another "Required inspection" three different times now over the last nearly two years. Each inspection slightly different than the previous. Each time AFTER they held up the title and you call them a million times before they say...... "oh...... well its held up cause you need "inspection X" to finish the process". Granted this 2 year time span is also due to having the tranny rebuilt SLOWLY in order to get best of cost for parts and labor (shop doing the work when they are slow) and cause the seller works outside MO most of the year. Thus even if wanted too there was no rushing it. You see, only the seller could deal with MO DMV cause it was not yet titled fully in my name. He helped all he could. Even flew in and drove the truck back to MO to help out once. Hell of a guy. Just life put his help in the slow lane.
Will convert to my states registration after VT ones get here. My state and all others HAVE to accept the VT registration as proof of ownership by Federal Law since they VT is a no title state after a certain age. Stopped by Post office twice a day all week long to see if if new plates have arrived.. Not yet...... GRRRR they are closed today (Veteran's Day). Hopefully tomorrow Anyway..... when get new registration and plates locally this process will also create a new title. Will wait till get the Yellow Ambo Box pictured earlier in this thread installed before Reg and plating in OH. This way when I change over to OH it will get titled as an RV. Will cut insurance cost way down.
Working 6 days a week is keeping this $lowly moving along. Even if I got loan$ and did it fa$t and got her done quicker would still have to work 6 days maybe 7 to pay for it which would not let me enjoy it so in a round about way it is working out to being on a slow path to hell.
Last edited:
Couple Updates:
REAR AXLE/Driveline
Started working with a Welder who will Fab up new Spring perches on my replacement axle. This new one is the front of the rear pair of axles in a 6x6 . No not converting to 6x6. This is same thing the US Gov. did back around 2008?? This will bring the rear driveline (which is semi steep) to near Parallel to Chassis rails. Eliminates a weak link the FMTV line of trucks. Have had axle ready to go for over a year now. For more detail see following link, starting around post #40 http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/152277-M1078-vx-Mitsubishi-FUSO-4x4/page4?
ROLLING TOOL BOX
Expense of building this truck (esp. after unexpected Tranny Failure) ate my planned funds to build a garage (don't even have a carport or Lean-too) so building a rolling tool box. Will be so damn happy to get my tools out of all the nooks and cranny's stored in various tiny sheds. Stowed like that has made my tools not accessible. Is like not owning any..... driving me nuts. A cheap car Tarp tent garage thingy will be the Awning/Enclosed space to work under. Will somehow attach this to roll out from side of Ambo Box like an RV Awning.
After looking for the right deal for over a year finally got a Tandem Axle trailer used 17' flat bed trailer. Deck above wheels (not low boy). Had to be that to fit an 8' box on the top. OK price sorta.. needs 4 new tires.... and axle's rims are obsolete.... easy fix..... just more $$$. For something that wont be on the road much..... think I'll just go with semi hard to find obsolete tires to go with Obsolete rims. Comes out more expensive in long run....... mayyyyyybe....... but it is what it is.
Was going to mount to this trailer my already owned Cargo box of back off a 1990's era moving truck..... or one from back of another truck (which ever cheaper to get mounted on trailer) and in process found.. ANOTHER AMBULANCE BOX..... 14foot. Pre-wired for a Generator.. fully shelved with more space to stuff tools than the White House basement. And it is cheaper in the long run than a cargo box. So in a few weeks that will get mounted to trailer. Then can slowly start packing it with my gear.
View attachment 424709
REGISTRATION & TITLE
Plated truck in Vermont. VT does not need a title for a truck this old to register it. In most states you need title to get registration and plates. Seller and I turned in the original title to Missouri DMV when I bought it to start process of converting ownership to me. Normal procedure right. Well been fighting MO ever since. They've been holding my title ransom for almost two years. They want me to take time off work and drive all the way from Southern OH back to MO where I bought if from, to get a third inspection. This time to verify Vin Numbers (they did that already once in another inspection). They pulled this...... "you need to get another "Required inspection" three different times now over the last nearly two years. Each inspection slightly different than the previous. Each time AFTER they held up the title and you call them a million times before they say...... "oh...... well its held up cause you need "inspection X" to finish the process". Granted this 2 year time span is also due to having the tranny rebuilt SLOWLY in order to get best of cost for parts and labor (shop doing the work when they are slow) and cause the seller works outside MO most of the year. Thus even if wanted too there was no rushing it. You see, only the seller could deal with MO DMV cause it was not yet titled fully in my name. He helped all he could. Even flew in and drove the truck back to MO to help out once. Hell of a guy. Just life put his help in the slow lane.
Will convert to my states registration after VT ones get here. My state and all others HAVE to accept the VT registration as proof of ownership by Federal Law since they VT is a no title state after a certain age. Stopped by Post office twice a day all week long to see if if new plates have arrived.. Not yet...... GRRRR they are closed today (Veteran's Day). Hopefully tomorrow Anyway..... when get new registration and plates locally this process will also create a new title. Will wait till get the Yellow Ambo Box pictured earlier in this thread installed before Reg and plating in OH. This way when I change over to OH it will get titled as an RV. Will cut insurance cost way down.
Working 6 days a week is keeping this $lowly moving along. Even if I got loan$ and did it fa$t and got her done quicker would still have to work 6 days maybe 7 to pay for it which would not let me enjoy it so in a round about way it is working out to being on a slow path to hell.
Stoked to see your process! It is also very cool to see other SS members over here. I am hoping to get mine started very soon too!
Coachgeo
Explorer
Would like go to 22.5's on mine (will have military axles.... well whole truck is military.. Ambo box is an ad on). Reason being I'd like to have an easy to find tire.... rather it be now or in a SHTF situation and stealing one from a dump truck was a last resort option that could take. Finding Military in either situation is not fun and owner probably armed in SHTF scenario lol. BUT.... I can't go to shorter overall tire diameter.... and would rather actually go taller just a tad..... and think that scenario does not exist in 22.5 at all much less meeting the easier to find goal.... yet my search has not been to deep yet either so maybe Im wrong? As learn more will post back.
View attachment 427735
My tires are sizes in middle column. Ignore the other two columns. Its a lifted net image from an irrelevant thread to this one.
View attachment 427735
My tires are sizes in middle column. Ignore the other two columns. Its a lifted net image from an irrelevant thread to this one.
mog
Kodiak Buckaroo
Here is the Tire Size Calculator that screen capture is from.
A very handy converter that works great.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?