mlvw

Nope, it is an M35A2 2 1/2 ton with single rear wheels.  It has similar tires and wheels, but they are smaller than a M923A1/A2 5-ton's tires and wheels.

MLVW:

US M35A2 (dual rear wheels):

US M923A1 5-ton:

it's the fact that they look so close in pictures that i forgot the differences. on army news they had a story on the growing concern that the mlvw breaks do not work.

Curtis;

The MLVW has had a number of problems over the years. However, it has been a reliable vehicle for the purpose. It will remain in the line of service until Ottawa decides to go with an alternative for replacement. The rumour for years was that Canada would adopt the HUMMVEE series of vehicles, but due to licencing for manufacturing it has not come about yet. It should only be a matter of time before the MLVW is replaced like the ILTIS was with the G Wagon series.

Cheers;

Gregory

mlvw is a good old war horse, but when towing a m777 down a hill and hitting broken brakes is not comforting.

If the brakes are failing when pulling an M777 Howitzer, it is most likely due to one of a few things.  Either the crew/unit hasn't done proper maintenance on the brakes, they are not being driven correctly, or the M777 is too heavy for the 2 1/2 ton pulling it.  Since they are air brakes, if you lay on them too long, you will run out of air.  They have to be pumped and released or downshifted, just like a commercial tractor trailer truck.  No issues wih US M35A2 brakes that I know of.  I had 5 of them in my Battery in Iraq and no brake issues if they are properly maintained, and driven right.  Old Duece-and-a -half is a great truck and is still going strong.  Lots of life left in them.

thouse trucks are given the best care but are gust getting worn out. we have the same manufacturers as you guys do (boeing, g.m., and macdonald douglas to name a few) think canada is a third world country and do not think we are deserving of spare parts so everything has to make do or gets the duct tape treatment.

No one said anything about Canada being a Third World Country.  Don't start that again.  Any unit can have maintenance problems.  Happens in the US Army as well.  Just saying that if the trucks are maintained, there should be no problems.  I know you have all the same suppliers as us, that is my point.  No issues with them here, shouldn't be any issues with parts there either.

i'm not starting that again don't worry. what i'm trying to say is that we are on the bottom of the suppliers list.

I would venture to say it is your government and its spending money (or lack of) on new parts that is the issue then, not the suppliers.  Your money is as green (or is it more reddish?) as ours.  They will send the appropriate parts to whoever pays for them.

This is strictly a money issue.  If we are willing to buy, the suppliers will sell.  The Canadian government just won't spend the money to keep an adequate supply of spare parts on hand.

curtis remington wrote:

thouse trucks are given the best care but are gust getting worn out. we have the same manufacturers as you guys do (boeing, g.m., and macdonald douglas to name a few) think canada is a third world country and do not think we are deserving of spare parts so everything has to make do or gets the duct tape treatment.

Curtis;

Actually, the MLVW is manufactured here in Canada by Bombardier. Follow this link

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101sm-hlvw.htm

As far as the getting worn out, yes they are. Think of it this way. When Canada has deployed troops to every Peacekeeping, Disaster etc. etc. guess which vehicle goes the most. The old reliable MLVW. My MLVW in Petawawa (callsign 22C) had so many paint and re-paints the slightest scratch would reveal a new layer. White from Peacekeeping with the U.N.,Green Black from days in Germany, Sand from Somalia and so on. Despite her age she was the most reliable truck I had ever seen next to the HLVW.

As far as the make do, well again it comes down to how much punishment can a vehicle take and still keep running. The duct tape treatment? The only duct tape measures I have ever seen and or  used was for hasty camouflage over reflectors on the bed sides.

As far as your comment about Canada being thought of as a Third World Country in the eyes of suppliers......as Heavy Arty has already said "Don't start that again".... I understand by your previous posts that you are involved in the Cadet movement in Kitchener. To Learn - To Serve - To Advance please heed that motto when posting about Canada and her forces.   

Cheers;

Gregory

 

Just a side note, the RCHA gunners are using the Steyr HLVWs to pull the new M777, not the ML. The only problems they seem to be having was with drivers not being used to the extra armour on the trucks, and occasionally rear ending other vehicles, like, say, a Bison.

The MLVW is a " Deuce and a Half" , ( 2.5 tons .) I have heard of the odd brake failure . But the fleet wasn't  " grounded " . There was a problem with the wheel rims , the MLVW fleet , was grounded , but the problem has long since been rectified . The good old MLVW is reliable . Just like the HLVW. We have problems with the LSVW ( high fuel consumption , mechanical problems , etc ), the vehicle is generally disliked . So as for Canada being a " Third World Country " , I say NO ! We have the best kit , that our army has seen in ages . That goes from everything from boots , to helmets , and everything in between .(Yes , I know people in the Army like to buy the " Neat Kit ", from surplus stores , etc )The LAV III , was a great leap over the M113's , and the Grizzly .As for spare parts , that boils down to a paperwork problem , it got " lost " , or the good old " Didn't you get my e-mail ? " Or pehaps there is just not enough Mechanics to do the work.I am sure almost anybody in any army has experienced that problem .

Back to models , as far as I know , no one makes the MLVW . The closest kit I know of is the old Monogram M-35 ( " Eager Beaver " , I think they called it .) I wish I could find one .

Frank

" PERSEVERANCE "

AFV Club makes a M35A2. The problem lies in converting it to an ML, I'm not sure how the rear rims compare with the American style ones provided. The situation could probably be rectified with a little bit of hard work and some resin casting, however.
And, Curtis, let me again remind you that you are a Cadet, and therefore have very little incite into the actual machinations of the modern Canadian Forces. I know several of your recent posts have angered me as a deployed member of the CF, and I'm sure many other members and veterans of the same organisation. Even though you may disagree with the decisions of the government of the day, the Cadet movement still ostensibly serves that same government. Your place as a Cadet is to learn some skills that may some day be applied in the CF, not to call out the government we serve and the military to which we belong.

Strathcona wrote:

The MLVW is a " Deuce and a Half" , ( 2.5 tons .) I have heard of the odd brake failure . But the fleet wasn't  " grounded " . There was a problem with the wheel rims , the MLVW fleet , was grounded , but the problem has long since been rectified . The good old MLVW is reliable . Just like the HLVW. We have problems with the LSVW ( high fuel consumption , mechanical problems , etc ), the vehicle is generally disliked . So as for Canada being a " Third World Country " , I say NO ! We have the best kit , that our army has seen in ages . That goes from everything from boots , to helmets , and everything in between .(Yes , I know people in the Army like to buy the " Neat Kit ", from surplus stores , etc )The LAV III , was a great leap over the M113's , and the Grizzly .As for spare parts , that boils down to a paperwork problem , it got " lost " , or the good old " Didn't you get my e-mail ? " Or pehaps there is just not enough Mechanics to do the work.I am sure almost anybody in any army has experienced that problem . Back to models , as far as I know , no one makes the MLVW . The closest kit I know of is the old Monogram M-35 ( " Eager Beaver " , I think they called it .) I wish I could find one . Frank " PERSEVERANCE "

Frank;

Check the local hobby shop for the M*A*S*H kit it is the same truck just under a new logo. It's a Revell kit and I have seen some of them from time to time at shows and a few of the local hobby shops. Latest sighting was at the local Wal-Mart.

Cheers;

Gregory

Best kit to make into an MLVW would be the AFV Club M35A2.  The Monogram/Revell M34 is not the same truck.  The cab is similar, but the bed is different, with a cut out for the rear wheels since the M34 was an enginner vehicle with a lower bed.  Also, the wheels/tires are not even close to the ones on the MLVW.  You could probably get away with putting the front tires from an Italeri M923A1 model all the way around it.  They are closer and are actually undersized in the Italeri kit.  They would work.

 

Here is the Revell M34 to compare.  It is also a 1970s kit with little detail, oversized working hinges, etc.  Not the best kit out there.

Actual M34.

 

AFV Club M35A2, which is an awesome kit.