Good SHTF Vehicles

[bobdog308]

160th MH 60.....best SHTF vehicle I ever rode in.

 

[41mag]

I've met a small number of true 'outback' life style individuals in my time. They all share one common feature on their 'outback phase'....they either walk or have pack animal/s.

They all have been more comfortable on the outer fringes of lesser populated areas.

None of them ride bicycles. While their lives are more comfortable with their individual pack gear, they can all leave now & not come back, with whatever is within their capacity to hike off the pavement far enough diesel and such don't matter much to them.

A large part of our lives each day have been traded, wittingly or otherwise, to service and feed the machines we believe free us from sweat & labor.

It's been a while since I discovered I ain't one of them.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Those vehicles are so small.........and again, an oriental Diesel........how are you going to keep it running.

Huge Kubota tractor market in the Western United States... I see them all over the place on farms and large properties, especially for the riding diesel mowers... also, popular with many of the landscapers here, because more affordable than the John Deere or similar companies. I understand one could build similar using a Briggs Stratton diesel, but those are getting harder to find for relatively cheap nowadays? While it is true the CJ2A-CJ3/M38 Jeeps are tiny, they still can carry more than one person can on their back
It takes a specific mindset to prepare with limited cargo size/capacity.. my Kia Sportage is of a similar cargo capacity, yet is far more comfortable and weatherproof, however it may not be as versatile due to being a fully enclosed vehicle (no easy way to just hang gear and stretchers on it), and being 2wd at the moment. It is sufficient for 2 people IMO, to get home, or bug out temporarily, but not quite for "I'm never coming home" situations.

 

[The Heretic]

Look at a Cummins 4bt conversion on a Jeep Comanche or Cherokee. Those are very cool when properly done.

The Cummins is a big heavy low RPM beast made for pulling weight.

For lighter vehicles the small vehicle diesels that run up to 4-5K RPM are better suited for their gearing. The Mercedes Benz OM617 5 cylinder diesel made for the MB 300D sedans is a more appropriate car diesel that makes decent power (especially the turbocharged versions) at higher RPMs, working better with the gearing in something like my Toyota pickup.

With low RPM diesels like the Cummins 4/6BT engines make their power at a little over half the RPM that the MB car diesel makes its power at - they were designed for tractors and then used in larger trucks later. They do better with close ratio transmissions - I rarely run mine over 1900-2000 RPM and then only to shift into a higher gear - they run best at about 1600 RPM.

 

[bobdog308]

machines do not free us, they enslave us.

 

[Argonaut]

The Cummins is a big heavy low RPM beast made for pulling weight.

For lighter vehicles the small vehicle diesels that run up to 4-5K RPM are better suited for their gearing. The Mercedes Benz OM617 5 cylinder diesel made for the MB 300D sedans is a more appropriate car diesel that makes decent power (especially the turbocharged versions) at higher RPMs, working better with the gearing in something like my Toyota pickup.

With low RPM diesels like the Cummins 4/6BT engines make their power at a little over half the RPM that the MB car diesel makes its power at - they were designed for tractors and then used in larger trucks later. They do better with close ratio transmissions - I rarely run mine over 1900-2000 RPM and then only to shift into a higher gear - they run best at about 1600 RPM.

I have taken many 4BT's out of Freto Lay delivery trucks. They came with T98 4 speed transmissions. I have 3 Mercedes diesels in my collection now. Including my 1986 190D that gets close to 50 mpg and a G300 with the old 300D engine. My Duramax rarely goes over 2000 RPM. That is one of the reasons Diesels have so much longevity. All that is nessisary is matching the final drive ratios to the speed you want. Torque is where it is at for a long lasting economical engine. My semi's make torque at 1200 RPM. Some of my heavy marine diesels only turn 320 RPM and they last got 150,000 hrs or longer. I own 7 Mercedes and they are my preferred brand but for longevity and robust design it is tough to beat American steel.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Wheres the steel and iron coming from though?

Anyways. What about electric motors... theoretically higher torque, silent, and can be lightweight? Only issue, batteries and how charge/recharge... where a 1hp diesel genny probably could help a lot here, maybe diesel-electric drivetrain system? Tech sure has improved for batteries and charging them, may be applicable to 4x4 systems w a small aux diesel engine?

 

[Quartermaster]

 

[CamoDeafie]

View attachment 469525

Thats awesome. Small turbo diesel, 4x4 it, roll cage, hang couple Large ALICE rucks off roll cage over engine, 10 gall tank? How far think it could go?

 

[Argonaut]

Huge Kubota tractor market in the Western United States... I see them all over the place on farms and large properties, especially for the riding diesel mowers... also, popular with many of the landscapers here, because more affordable than the John Deere or similar companies. I understand one could build similar using a Briggs Stratton diesel, but those are getting harder to find for relatively cheap nowadays? While it is true the CJ2A-CJ3/M38 Jeeps are tiny, they still can carry more than one person can on their back
It takes a specific mindset to prepare with limited cargo size/capacity.. my Kia Sportage is of a similar cargo capacity, yet is far more comfortable and weatherproof, however it may not be as versatile due to being a fully enclosed vehicle (no easy way to just hang gear and stretchers on it), and being 2wd at the moment. It is sufficient for 2 people IMO, to get home, or bug out temporarily, but not quite for "I'm never coming home" situations.

That is because they are cheep to buy new. They are so expensive to repair most go to the junk pile instead of being repaired. John Deere has taken much of there market share in small tractors. They are using Yanmar diesels in smaller machines and had to teach the Yanmar people to support there engines with Parts and technician training. With all the agriculture where I live, there is one Kubota dealer within 100 miles or so and 8 John Deere stores. Kabota was early with small tractors, I have bought several surplus but they are so expensive and difficult to repair it is tough to come out ahead with them. The Indian Mahindra is beating them up pretty badly in the market too. I have a 1943 Ford 9N for sale right now. Just came out of the paint shop. Everything is readily available for it and it runs like a new one. Parts are cheep and good quality. You can't find that with a Kabota that is 10 years old.

 

[The Heretic]

The OM617 MB diesels have a reputation for being million km engines - they do last. That is the diesel I want to put in my Toyota.

I like the 6BT in my Dodge, but the transmission gearing is all wrong for it - it needs more gears, or a splitter on the transmission. Since I have lost fifth gear anyway (it came off the spline, like many of the NV4500 transmissions) I am thinking of adapting something like a Fuller or something similar that can handle the power and has closer ratios. When your engine makes its power in 1K RPM bands, you need a close ratio transmission.

 

[Argonaut]

This is another unusual vehicle I have for sale. I love these too.......this one uses no fuel but most I have owned are 50+ MPG Diesels and the front wheel drive gets around well too.

 

[Argonaut]

The OM617 MB diesels have a reputation for being million km engines - they do last. That is the diesel I want to put in my Toyota.

I like the 6BT in my Dodge, but the transmission gearing is all wrong for it - it needs more gears, or a splitter on the transmission. Since I have lost fifth gear anyway (it came off the spline, like many of the NV4500 transmissions) I am thinking of adapting something like a Fuller or something similar that can handle the power and has closer ratios. When your engine makes its power in 1K RPM bands, you need a close ratio transmission.

You don't understand gears, it has plenty for a realitively light vehicle. It just needs a higher final drive whether you get there with an overdrive or higher differential ratios. Both get the same result. The engine has plenty of torque and band to pull a reasonable weight. If you are trying to move 50,000 lbs. more gears might be nessisary. Early Dodge Diesel trucks had a 2.5 to 1 differential ratio and a 3 speed automatic transmission.

 

[Argonaut]

we used to use 180 to 220 HP Cummins to move 80,000 lbs on the highway. Those situations require many gears to get and keep you going. Then Mack came out with the first broad torque 237 HP engines with 5 gears that would do the same thing. Everyone eventually followed suit and now broad torque engines are the norm. They will pull from 800-2000 rpm doing away with the need for many gears.

 

[Argonaut]

Thats awesome. Small turbo diesel, 4x4 it, roll cage, hang couple Large ALICE rucks off roll cage over engine, 10 gall tank? How far think it could go?

The only thing most modern turbos do is reduce the emissions. Most are low pressure that improve the fuel burn not to make a lot more power. Like a Porsche vs a Saab turbo. Some Porsche's make 50 lbs of boost, the Saab made 15. The term turbo is used as a marketing tool. Like describing a 2 stoke diesel as "super charged" well, yes it is but it doesn't increase fuel/air pressures, it scavenges the exhaust so it can operate as a 2 stroke. The hot rodders modify the units to push more air into a 4 stroke engine to make more power.

 

[Quartermaster]

Thats awesome. Small turbo diesel, 4x4 it, roll cage, hang couple Large ALICE rucks off roll cage over engine, 10 gall tank? How far think it could go?

 

[DunRanull]

A feller could do worse than a coupla small Missouri mules... can be outfitted to ride as well as pack, stronger, smarter and easier to feed than most any horses. Will also tow wagons, like the old ones we see out here in the "back woods of Colorado" ... still there is that feeding and care issue with recurring vet bills for one thing and another.

 

[3MTA3]

machines do not free us, they enslave us.

And when they get smarter than us...

 

[3MTA3]

View attachment 469525

Just needs a 50 cal mount and you're in biddness

 

[41mag]

re: 'mules'......I knew a guy that did 'mule logging' with his team of matched white (no privilege implied) Missouri mules. Watched him run them a number of times. Just damn amazing. I ain't so sure whether they actually might have been "smarter than us" already