The M561 (GamaGoat Truck)

[Truckstuff]

We were at Stave Lake on Sunday and this guy drove in with his new toy. This truck is street legal. Wow.....

The Gamagoat or "military" M561 1 ¼ Ton 6x6 is a multipurpose all terrain-articulating vehicle. The drive train consists of a center mounted Detroit 3-53 diesel engine that supplies power via a four speed Chevy Truck Transmission to a two speed transfer case. The transfer case can split the engine power either to the center axle (two-wheel drive) or to all three axles (six-wheel drive). All three axles are fitted with dual pack limited slip differentials with a 5.57to 1 ratio. All six 40-inch wheels are mounted on independent suspensions with an outboard brake drum.

The complete frame and hull is constructed from a lightweight aluminum alloy. The hull has no doors and is completely watertight. This allows the Gamagoat to float in water to cross rivers and lakes. The tires propel it forward and a build in bilge pump keeps water spills out of the vehicle.

The M561 has also four-wheel steer, the front steers in normal fashion and the rear most axle is mechanically steered in the opposite direction at 50 percent of the front axle movement.

[J20]

man that thing was cool............it sure went places but such a bid unit................i want one:redneck

[J20]

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/1acb260a-92dd-4bef-8e0f-988d00188773.htm

[lars]

We were at Stave Lake on Sunday and this guy drove in with his new toy. This truck is street legal. Wow.....

The Gamagoat or "military" M561 1 ¼ Ton 6x6 is a multipurpose all terrain-articulating vehicle. The drive train consists of a center mounted Detroit 3-53 diesel engine that supplies power via a four speed Chevy Truck Transmission to a two speed transfer case. The transfer case can split the engine power either to the center axle (two-wheel drive) or to all three axles (six-wheel drive). All three axles are fitted with dual pack limited slip differentials with a 5.57to 1 ratio. All six 40-inch wheels are mounted on independent suspensions with an outboard brake drum.

A guy showed up in one at a trail clean-up near Sooke, several years ago. Noisy thing but very, very cool. Those axles are what Gebby (Kelowna) used in that super CJ he built that won the 2nd or 3rd Top Truck Challenge.

...lars

[Enigma]

I remember an older 'fella showing up at one of the IRC Rock Crawls (2000?) with one. It was pretty neat, I love the obnoxious factor of that detroit diesel. Would be a fun engine swap but would probably drive you nuts in short order.
I was pretty amazed at how well it ramped, at first glance it does not appear like it would it make a decent ramp attempt.

[Corey_lax]

did it ramp forward or reverse? id like to see it in reverse on like a 25 foot ramp. itd be rediculous

[vince69007]

the 6v53 is one of those put you to sleep at cruising speed engines, when set up properly they can propel a 17ton armoured vehicle 45mph. done it.. its a cool engine and very easy to fix and if maintained very reliable.

[McJeep]

Clipped from Four Wheeler Site:

The Only One

Geby Wager's incredible Jeep from Top Truck 1997 rivals just about any TTC entrant for weird, cutting-edge, and capable. Like the War Wagon and Scorpion, there's not a component on this vehicle that isn't innovative. Under the fiberglass '86 CJ-7 body rumbles a built 514ci Caddy motor. Power flows to a modified Ford T-18 tranny, while an NP 205 splits power to modified 2.5-ton Gamma Goat independent front and rear axles loaded with 5.57:1 gears and Powr-Loks. And as if those stout differentials didn't make this big Marshmallow neat enough, Geby built a unique in-cab adjustable air-over hydraulic strut suspension with extra damping from Fox remote reservoir shocks. All four 15x14-inch beadlocked steel wheels can steer, are mounted to the axles with NASCAR wide-five hubs, and hold 44-inch Boggers.

This thing set new records at Top Truck with 19.6 inches of ground clearance, a 1,396 on the ramp (remember its four-wheel independent), and an average Approach/Departure angle of 91 degrees. It won Acceleration and came in Second in Engineering and Third in the Mud Pit, Mini Rubicon, Obstacle Course, and Tow Test. When all was said and done, Geby won TTC 1997 quite handily.

http://fourwheeler.com/featuredvehicles/101large+jeep_wrangler+front_side_view.jpg

[McJeep]

And oh BTW ;0) They've decided to market the suspension system etc :cwm30:

http://gocms.com/

[Truckstuff]

Great info guys

[HEAVY METAL]

wheres the pics of us pullin him out? cant let everyone think it is unstoppable...

i made it thru everythin ghe did ( but with way less forward/ reverse tries).....cauze he was eggin me on all day.....betcha the chevy cant follow me...

we'll havre to try that agin raul....maybe u'll have too drive across the lkae too lose me? :beer_cheers:


cool unit but i wasnt overly impressed with the performance...

[Truckstuff]

wheres the pics of us pullin him out? cant let everyone think it is unstoppable...

Hey Dean.... I had gone to work when he got stuck, but here are some pics I found. :beer

[Corey_lax]

o man.. http://www.gocms.com/gallery/Cool-pics-of-our-trucks/pictures4

[Truckstuff]

o man.. http://www.gocms.com/gallery/Cool-pics-of-our-trucks/pictures4

That is a Totally Cool Pic....

[Truckstuff]

A couple of web pics

[Buster Cherry]

I'd be curious to see it on some real tires... I've had the NDs, and they suck.... severely.