Surplus Humvee- Would it make a good rig?

rking.1688

rking.1688

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Ryan
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King
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Been a while since I've been on. I was doing some digging, why wouldn't a surplus Humvee work as an overland rig? A late 80's AM General with less than 50K on it seems to go for less than $10K. That's a lot lower miles than anything else in the price range. Being military I would imagine it would be a little underpowered. Aside from being crude, but that also means less stuff to break...


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Yeah, my thoughts - while they're cool, they're so wide... you may be limited to the trails and places you can go.
 
Unless you are a diesel mechanic and travel with a full support crew I'd stay away. Great farm truck where you can pull it home when you do something unadvisable. Actual distance traveled is brutal but this thought is coming from someone over 40 and just don't wish to subject my body to such a mode of transportation.
 
I would stay far, far away. As previously stated, these things are terribly uncomfortable. I've done a fair amount of "overlanding" in them in Afghanistan and training sites in the US and I would never own one in my personal life. Despite having IFS/IRS, they ride like dump trucks. They don't seal well so you'll always be cold/hot/dusty/wet/miserable. Despite being very simple in design, they are incredibly unreliable. I'm talking world-class unreliability. They need to constantly be serviced and maintenance costs would be unfathomable when you're not backed by Uncle Sam's bank account.

Well, there's my opinion. :-)
 
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I agree with all the above and if you see how they are driven in the military, you would probably think twice. It's kinda like a rental car but worse, let's just say they get treated a little "rough". I have been airborne in them more than once.

OB 3319
 
I was looking at pictures of a Hummer H1 that is for sale here in the Netherlands.. I know in the US everything is bigger but these things are so wide you can fit like 4 people next to each other without a problem xD how can you manage to drive or park that normally?
 
[DO]Ron said:
I was looking at pictures of a Hummer H1 that is for sale here in the Netherlands.. I know in the US everything is bigger but these things are so wide you can fit like 4 people next to each other without a problem xD how can you manage to drive or park that normally?
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Normally? You cant

OB 3319
 
Disregarding everything I wrote in my original response....the off-road capability of these vehicles is amazing in open terrain. The combination of IFS/IRS and the extremely wide track width provide amazing stability, ridiculous ground clearance, and relatively good suspension travel. They'll dive over anything, and I've taken one through almost 4ft of standing water with no ill effects. I still wouldn't want one, though.
 
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