Ot M-715

[Jonas Smith]

Hey, Have any of you guys (or gals) run the M-715's? They have recently sparked my attention. I drove on today and was quite impressed with the driveability, and I like the utilitarian look.
Reason I ask is I'm looking at picking one up without Motor or trans for a Diesel- OD 5 speed conversion. I know it has 5.87 gears but 4.56 gears are available. Dana 60 rear, Dana 70 front. Same t case as a Power Wagon.
I've been to the M-715 zone. Looks like a lot of little mans diesease in the forums which is too bad.

Plus with VPW's latest aquisition of 715 parts and my credit card already being on file with them....

Any thoughts on the M-715?

[Gordon Maney]

I had a conversation with an engineer at Dana once, some years ago. I was researching the similarities between the front axle on the Jeep and the Dana 70 on the Dodge.

He advised me that the front was not a 70, but rather it was a 60 with 70 wheel end parts. He told me that the different series of axles sometimes had their components mixed for special applications. He said there had been mixtures of 70's and 44's, if you can imagine that.

It looks like a really good chassis and drive train.

[Jonas Smith]

I meant it has a Dana 60 FRONT and a 70 REAR. I looked at the front end again. It looks like a big knuckle Dana 44 with a Dana 70 differential. The rear 70 has hubs that extend out like a Dana 60 on 3/4 ton trucks, unlike the "flush mounted" hubs as seen on a W300 Dana 70.
It's quite a beast.

[Jonas Smith]

OT again, but a good read!
Go to :

http://www.olypen.com/craigh/m715-a.htm

and enjoy!

[Cheyenne Dave]

The only negetive thing I've heard about the M-715 is the stock engine...Tornado? Cyclone?, something like that. I believe the problem is related to the cam. Almost everybody I know that has one has re-powered it. The rest of the truck seems pretty reliable.

[Gordon Maney]

It was an overhead cam engine. Something about the head design was bad. I think your Tornado word was the correct one.

[rumplecat]

I was up at Memphis Equipment during Christmas, they have one truck out front for sale and a slew of them out back, I guess for parts. If I didn't have an M37 and 48 B1 Power Wagon already in line for restoration I would have a M715 they are good looking MVs.
James G.

[Terry Newton]

You can find him on the m715 zone, and also the Big E.

He let me drive his, and I loved it. At the time the only mod he had was new 11.00 X 16 Michelin XL's. The brakes were stock, and it would lock 'em up at will.

He was also running the stock engine that everyone curses. That thing had a **** of a lot more power than any 230 I have ever driven, and was much quieter. He had no maintenance problems/issues with that engine.

With the 11.00 tires, and NO lift, he had something like 19 inches before you reached the frame located between the tires. He is located in south LA, and liked the waterproofing that came on the vehicle as water is his biggest problem, not mud.

The last time I heard from him he was in the process of converting to a Cummins diesel. Not b/c he was unhappy with the stock engine, however. He found the diesel for only a few hundred dollars, it is in good shape, and bound to give him better than the 12 or so mpg he was getting with the stock 6.

BTW, they use the same LU-4 as the M37.

Contact him and tell him I sent you. Any guy that will let you drive his fine MV and buy you all the craw fish you can eat is a good guy, and don't you ever forget it!

[Cheyenne Dave]

Originally posted by Gordon Maney
It was an overhead cam engine. Something about the head design was bad. I think your Tornado word was the correct one.

Yes...as an overhead cam head, the cam is in the head. It was either a soft cam or a soft head [like mine ;-) ], allowing the cam to slop around in the head.

[HWooldridge]

I recall reading somewhere that the cam will fail due to oil starvation and that preventive maintenance was important, plus the engine was more finicky than the Motor Pool guys were used to. Private owners who are conscientious mechanics should have fewer problems. I know a local guy that has the ambulance version (M725?) and it is a good truck.