Test Drive Hummer H1 4 Doors Hardtop 1992 - 2006 SUV

Hummer - Hammer Guy

Unlike us, Americans are able to learn from their own mistakes. To take at least the infamous war in Vietnam: after its inglorious ending, the state began to establish the root reform of the army. Everything changed - from the method of picking the armed forces by the personnel (from military service refused at all) to the requirements for flight and combat facilities of aviation. It has come to the easiest SUV AM GENERAL M151, which took place from the legendary Willys MB of the Second World War. No matter how good the Willis was good, but by the mid-seventies, he did not suit the military neither by penetration, nor with a capacity, nor carrying capacity, or the degree of protection of the crew, or rather, its complete absence.
In 1979, the Pentagon announced a competition for a project of a light operational-tactical car for the needs of the army, to participate in which the company was expressed not only from the United States, but also from other countries. In July, American Motors General Corporation (AM General Corp.) began to create a SUV version (Am General Corp.), a traditional supplier of a variety of equipment for the American army. At that time, Am General was part of the American Motors Automotive Corporation, which produced Civil Machines of AMC and Jeep brands. A promising development was called HMMWV, which is decrypted as High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle - a high-purpose multipurpose wheel vehicle. It is clear that the language can be broken about such a name, and more than once, so engineers quickly came up with him the name easier - Humvee (Hamvi).
Exactly a year later, in July 1980, the first prototype went to the running tests in the Nevada Desert, where the most secret US Army Bases are located, and where the latest samples of military equipment are tested. For example, simultaneously with the SUV, the F-117A fighter and the B-2 bomber created as part of the Stealth program became on the wing. The purpose of the first stage of testing of all the cars presented was the selection of the best copies, and later another twelve months, the Special Technical Commission of the US Government announced such a sentence: contracts for the manufacture of experienced parties of their cars receive Am General, General Dynamics and Teledyne. The final duel began in April 1982.
The honor of Am General defended eleven HMMWV. Cars for five months entered the full order of the army and fleet, where one task was stood before the test: kill cars. In total, the prototypes rolled without a small million kilometers in the sands, swamps, snow and mountains, were subjected to sharp drops of temperatures, long-term water treatment and chemical exposure. The point in the tests was put on March 22, 1983, when the command of the American army concluded a contract with AM GENERAL for the supply of 55,000 HMMWV over the next five years. The amount of the transaction was $ 1.2 billion, which was an absolute record for all the long-term history of military cooperation with wheel vehicles. In addition to the contract, it was stipulated that the army in any year from five agreed years can book as many cars. Soon am General received a contract for the manufacture of another 15,000 SUVs, which automatically increased the amount of the contract to $ 1.6 billion. Taking a calculator into the hands, you can easily calculate the wholesale price of one HMMWV - it was within $ 21 - 23,000.
In April 1983, AM GENERAL began the re-equipment of his plant in Mishawak, Indiana (the one who once stamped jersey), under the production of the car, and after a few months the AMS corporation resold its military industrial concern LTV Corporation. The serial release of HMMWV, or am General M998, started in January 1985, and in September the first batch of cars entered the ninth motorized infantry division of the US Army.
We will try to figure out why the military preferred to Hamvi. First, the car fully complied with the latest technical standard RAM-D, which stipulates the requirements for reliability, durability, passability and rules of exploitation for all army transport. Moreover, the endurance of most nodes and HMMWV units in one and a half or two times higher than those specified in the RAM-D norms. Hamvi is really high. Perfect full-drive transmission, independent suspension, maximum clearance with a minimum body height, the absence of anterior overhang and a small back turn it into a unique all-terrain vehicle, capable of assigning impregnable, seemingly obstacles. Fifteen cars are placed in the C-5A Galaxy transport aircraft, and he does not need to land: Cars can be reset from low parachute heights. In the same way, a couple of Hamvi to the place of hostilities in the power to deliver the ch-47 chinook and CH-53 helicopters.
Secondly, low currency mass and solid carrying capacity is not least achieved due to the widespread use of aluminum in the manufacture of the body, which has a positive effect on the durability of the machine. According to American classification, M998 is attributed to third-class trucks, so the doors and roof are mandatory stamped from steel. Interesting body production technology: Aluminum sheets glued together, and then combined with rivets (they are numbered 2,800 pieces). For this technology, Am General in December 1984 was awarded the Grand Prix of the North American Aluminum Association.
Thirdly, the HMMWV family includes fifteen modifications with common chassis, engine and transmission - from a boat car to a sanitary machine and a mobile missile installation. And that is especially important, all this variety is based on interchangeable and easily mounted modules, which are numbering 44. Thus, the HMMWV can be called a large designer for uncle in military uniform - for example, a two-door truck with a simple set of tools elementary turns into a mobile command center, and vice versa. And this is not only extremely practical, but also saves taxpayers money. Fourth, the military themselves called the potential of M998 not otherwise, as unlimited, having in mind that a wide range of weapons can be installed on the car, starting with a 7.62-millimeter machine gun and ending with the TOW anti-tank missile system. Fifth, HMMWV is also available in an armored version, irreplaceable when patrolling in regions with a stressed environment. Of course, Hamvi has a lot of other benefits, but we will not dwell on them. Suffice it to say that he became the center of the modernization of the entire car park of the American army, replacing not only the Willis, but also a number of other cars - alone AM GENERAL considered it possible to stop the production of trucks M274, M561 and M880, since HMMWV coped perfectly with their functions.
We would not like to ignore the interests of our readers who are fond of military equipment, and therefore decided to tell the car in more detail. Body M998 is attached on a steel spar frame; To ensure the best mass distribution along the axes (51% of the mass of the car, it falls on the front axle, 49% on the back) engine is significantly shifted back. For such a decision you have to pay a decent part of the cabin, which the gearbox cable eats. But successful weighing along the axes and the low location of the center of the masses provide HMMWV excellent stability. The car overcomes the rise in 60% and is not afraid of the side slope of 40%. An angle of entry (without a winch) is 72, the angle of the congress - 37.5; The machine can climb the parapet with a height of up to 60 cm.
At Hamwi first releases, 6.2-liter atmospheric diesel engine V8 produced by Detroit Diesel with a capacity of 150 liters. p., developing torque in 339 nm. A three-step automatic general Motors automatic transmission was worked in a pair - reinforced option of a regular box for light trucks; The use of the machine allows you to conduct a car even a seriously injured person. The car developed a speed of 113 km / h.
HMMWV is equipped with a constant full-wheel drive, the free inter-semicircle differential has a forced blocking. Remultiplier gear ratio - 2.72: 1. Axial hypoid gearboxes with high-friction differentials of the Torsen type Torsen type Torsen brand are rigidly attached to the frame, through them the moment is transmitted to the planetary wheel gearboxes. Ventilated brake discs are accommodated directly next to the axial gearboxes. Thus, three goals are achieved: the load on the inter-wheeled differentials is reduced, braking efficiency increases, and, most importantly, this complicated transmission is capable of increasing the engine of the engine 78 times! As a result, on wheels, it is possible to realize a colossal torque of 26,400 nm, so it is not surprising that the base 2.7-ton Hamvi with a loading capacity of a little more than one ton in a state of towing a trailer with a weight of up to 3.8 tons.
The engine, gearbox and demultiplier are rigidly connected to each other. We also add that, in addition to the radiator of the cooling system of the power unit, under the hood of the machine there are oil radiators of the engine and transmission and the radiator of the steering hydraulic system. All units have centralized ventilation, which allows when forceing water obstacles to maintain atmospheric pressure inside them.
Car suspension is completely independent, on double (A-shaped) transverse levers. Levers and many other details of the front and rear suspension are interchangeable. Road clearance is 40.6 cm. The HMMWV is also equipped with a centralized system for maintaining the tire pressure, and inside the tires there are special rubber inserts that allow the machine for a long time at a speed of up to 50 km / h to ride the wheel-trapped wheels.
Demultiplier, all gearboxes, starter and winch are made of hermetic, as a result of which HMMWV calmly drives around the water reservoirs to 76 cm. In addition, the equipment is easily mounted on the machine, the removal air intake and the exhaust pipe to the roof level. Since the generator, the fuse block, the hydraulic power supply pump, the dashboard and the electronic motor control unit are absolutely moisture-proof, then the depth of the overcome fusion increases to 152 cm.
In August 1989, after fulfilling the first contract, Am General has received the second five-year-old contract for the supply of an army of another 33,331 cars, and in November 1990, the company's engineers began work on the civil version of the car. It is not known whenever it appeared on sale and would appear at all, but then the operation of the storm in the desert began, and in the days of Hamvi turned into a superhero. The car constantly flashed on the pages of newspapers and in television reports from the Persian Gulf, received such a promotion, which would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars in other conditions. And it's not just a magnificent promotion, but also in the halo of immense steepness, instantly surrounding HMMWV. To miss such a chance would be unforgivable.
In July 1991, Am General officially announced the intention to produce a civilian execution of the car. As the name of Hummer originated, now it has already become almost a legend. They say that someone from journalists noticed that Jargon Hamvi looks like a reduction from Hammer-Vikl, that is, a hammer car. And Am General managers deftly filled the word Hummer in deep meaning, to fit the motto High Utility, Maximum Mobility, Easy Raiding - high versatility, maximum mobility, trouble-free operation. In July 1992, the first Hummer was left from the enterprise gate in Mishawak, the mass production of these machines began in August, and a full-scale presentation took place only in October.
So what is the difference between a civil car from army? The most important difference is to design the cabin: Hummer, of course, much more comfortable, he has an interior trim of doors and even such an option as air conditioning. The machine is equipped with an electron control, the power system is electric, not a mechanical fuel pump, and in the exhaust system - the neutralizer. Electrical equipment is not hermetically changed, the transfer number of the demultipator is changed, and the experts mark an even unpleasant sound signal.
In 1993, Am General won a competition for the best modernization project of old HMMWV in the M44A2 modification (2.5-ton truck). The American army went to the restoration of the machine for the first time, but the command remained very pleased with the result, and soon it was 2400 charged trucks on the alteration. Then the company received an additional order for another 10,000 HMMWV with a delivery time until 2001.
Since 1994, the upgraded Am General M998A2 has been produced. The main innovations relate to the technical part of the machine: 6.5-liter eight-cylinder diesel Dietroit Diesel with a capacity of 170 liters is now used as a power unit. p., whose torque reaches 394 nm at 1700 rpm. Replaced and gearbox - now this is a four-stage GENERAL MOTORS M 4L80E machine, borrowed from heavy Chevrolet / GMC pickups. Now the maximum speed has increased to 133 km / h, and an acceleration of up to 97 km / h from the car takes 19.5 seconds.
However, Hammer's buyers diesel engine did not quite suit - in North America, the popularity of cars operating on the diesel car and SUV is very low, and in some states, for example, Alaska, diesel fuel is far from every refueling. Submitting customer requests, in January 1995, in the Detroit Motor Show, the company introduced a gasoline Hummer. The GENERAL MOTORS Motor was installed on the car with a volume of 5.7 liters with electronic fuel injection, widely used in shipbuilding. This engine has developed a capacity of 190 liters. with. And the moment in 407 nm and ensured exactly the same dynamic characteristics as diesel. In the rest, he clearly lost: due to the leakage of the starter and the ignition distributor, it was impossible to travel in the reservoirs in a depth of more than 61 cm, and on the off-road gasoline machine eaten two times more fuel than diesel modification. When moving along the highway for every 100 km, the diesel version spent 17.5 liters of fuel, in gasoline - all 22. All this was the reason that after a year and a half the production of gasoline modifications stopped.
Instead, in 1996, an HMMWV / Hummer with a diesel engine was released on the scene, equipped with a superchard system. Turbocaddv allowed to increase power up to 190 liters. s., And torque - up to 528 nm. But such data seemed a little - a year later, an improved turbodiesel, outstanding 195 liters, occurred to the conveyor. with. 3,400 rpm and a moment in 584 nm per 1800 rpm. To accelerate up to 97 km / h, the car spends only 18 seconds.
At the moment, Am General has released more than 150 M998 and M998A2 cars in military and civil execution. HMMWV serve not only in the Army and the Fleet of the United States, but also in special, rescue and fire services, geological exploration, a variety of government agencies. These machines work in the army of thirty allied countries, and the Portuguese company URO and Swiss Mowag even established mass production of copies of the American SUV for the needs of the armed forces of their countries. Today, Hammers traded 75 official dealers, 18 of which are located outside the United States. Buyers are offered cars with one of the four bodies: a two-door hardtop (a pickup with a rigid roof), a four-door hardtop (sedan with a small cargo platform), a four-door softop (hardtop option with a tarp roof) and a five-door wagon. As the recently spent survey of machine owners shows, most of them (42%) use a car on off-road only occasionally, 29% - often, 17% - episodically. The most common is the system of heating and air conditioning (in 44% of cars), then follow: the elements of the suspension and tires (30%) and customized electrical options (23%); 24% of buyers complain about oil leaks and coolant. The most reliable nodes of the machine are recognized by the engine, gearbox, demultipator and other elements of the transmission.
Among the owners of Hammer is a lot of famous names. From sports celebrities, there are such cars from Basketball player Dennis Rodmanna, Hockey player Alexei Gusarova, Boxer Tyska Tyson, Rider Elah Anser Jr., Tennis player Brand Phillippetis and the first world racket Andrea Agassi. Among the heroes of the show business before the temptation to acquire all-terrants, Ted Turner, Kulio, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lans Henrixen, Lorenzo Lamas and the once popular Emsh Hummer (this is how to buy a car - the holy business).
From the latest news about the car. In the spring of 1999, an improved Hummer with ABS and electronic anti-test system TT4 (TORQTRAC4) appeared. And in the summer, Am Generalhal sold all the rights to the civil version of the HMMWV Corporation General Motors, in return by obtaining a license and equipment for the production of 6.5-liter turbodiesel. While Hummer continues to be issued on one C HMMWV conveyor. In January 2000, a presentation of the Hummer H2 concept, a modern body design and a comfortable interior, took place at the exhibition in Detroit. The issue of Serial production H2 remains open, as the departure from the brutal image of a military SUV can scare a significant part of potential buyers who need a car exactly like marines.

Source: Magazine "Wheels" [№3 / 2000]