Why 407 Mail Trucks Have Caught Fire Since 2014
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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The Grumman LLV has been the US Postal Service's humble steed for nearly 40 years- but there's a problem. America's mail truck is fraught with problems: from low gas mileage, horrible comfort, and the fact that it CATCHES ON FIRE!! So why hasn't America found a worthy replacement? Watch and find out.
HERE IN MY GARAGE…
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Big shout out to my boy Taylor in Tacoma, the coolest Postman I know 👊
Do a up to speed on Lotus XD
Noice
Epic
Word
Ok
"gas is 2.19 as of now which is crazy I need to get out of LA" love how this aged
Yeah I know. They have like 5-6$ a gallon now.
@@The-Drone-Hobbyist now it’s up to $7
@@jefferyaung1404 yeah but I said that 3 months ago
Now it’s .17 cents
Current nationwide average is $3.52 and the current LA average is $4.86
"So old it's hard to find mechanics for them"
*and in the distance when the post mail needed him the most, Scotty Kilmer appeared in his shiny celtica to save the mail*
Edit: *Celica
@@2.0_brittt Yikes...
@@ImARealHumanPerson don't be hating on my boy scotty like that yo, all these premium automakers especially Lexus wish they had the reliability of toyoda!
Celica**
@@supdookayyy8108 YOOOO I FUCKED UPPP!!!
I work for the Post Office VMF, and every time we test new hires, most times they were too young to even know how to install a distributor at top dead center, or repair drum brakes. Because of that, they fail the bench test. Our vehicles are antiquated as well as our testing parameters.
A few corrections about the Iron Duke:
1> It's overhead _valve_ not overhead _cam_ (misspoke?)
2> It wasn't made of iron so it could handle more power - it was made of iron so it would be more durable. The engine it replaced (the 2300) was made of aluminum and had a tendency to overheat and warp. The Iron Duke wasn't able to handle much more power then it made from the factory. Its purpose from day one till its discontinuation was to be an inexpensive, reliable, high MPG engine that could still produce good low-RPM power.
3> The version of the engine used in the mail truck was only 4 years old, not 9. The version used in the LLV (the Tech IV) was much different from the original Iron Duke; it had completely different heads (crossflow vs the original reverse-flow), fuel injection, and a number of other upgrades over the original engine. It wasn't 9 years out of date, but even if it was, using "old" engine designs is standard practice for fleet vehicles, which prioritize reliability and ease of service over modern features.
There's already enough misinformation floating around about this engine that's been proliferated by automotive journalists and UA-camrs who want to rant about the "worst engine ever" to get quick clicks. A video dispelling these myths and misinformations is the kind of thing I'd really enjoy seeing coming from a big UA-cam channel with something like 4.6 million subs. If you're interested I have a link to a technical document written by a Pontiac engineer in 1977 explaining the engineering that went into the Iron Duke and why it was designed the way it was.
hi dad
👏👏👏 always thought they had a reasonably good reputation until this video. I've seen boats with them and my 91 Sonoma had one too. Solid but basic engine.
Oh god its the funny civic man.
Hey, thanks!
k
Update: Oshkosh has won the contract. No word if Ford will be involved as of Feb. 2021
Expanding on that: Production is expected to begin in 2023, pending final design, over the next 10 years. The contract is expected to see Oshkosh Defense produce 50,000 to 165,000 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) following the finalization of the design of the vehicle, which will be purpose-built to serve the needs of the USPS. It's said to have a list of safety features, including: Backup cameras, front and rear-collision avoidance systems, traction control (But.. why? it will be AWD; just make sure it's got chains and studs in the snow..), automatic emergency braking, and air bags. They will also be larger and taller than the current Grumman LLV - which has absolutely none of that. Hell it doesn't even have Anti-lock brakes (But then again, neither does my 2004 Ford Focus), and will also be upgraded *later* to be battery electric.
@@morgfarm1 And one of the biggest things for mail carriers is that it will have AC lmfao.
@@morgfarm1 I’ve been seeing them already
With Oshkosh already having a contract to replace the military hummer with the JLTV when it was little to have the USPS add the NGDV to the contract when before the USPS lost just over 400 LLV's to fire and other mechanical failures when those wonder how Canada post deals with their own fleet of LLV's.
Won it? Corruptly got it from backroom dealings. Workhorse’s prototype fulfilled the requirements and Oshkosh’s DID NOT. Pure corruption.
Honestly waiting for the LLV to get replaced so I can buy some and drift them.
Ls swap
Call it the PoSStal Truck.
@@NismoDJ20 ah, someone's already done that. I was think more along the lines of maybe 1jz or maybe sr20?
Maybe even something German.
@@TheRPGentleman your God damn right
@@nathanvoboril62 20v audi
Now thats called hot-mail
Lol best comment
ba dumb shh
Ba dum tshh
And they got to Look-Out (Outlook)
*L A U G H*
True Story: My dad was a letter carrier in Troy MI, back in the 60s and70s. They used the jeep vehicles at that time, those trucks were loud, cold, and not very safe. Anyway, one day he was driving from the PO to his route, when he smelled smoke. The truck had caught fire. He pulled over as soon as he could, ran around the back of the truck, and removed the carefully sorted mail. The way he would tell it, he had spend a fair bit of work getting them sorted and didn't want to see it all messed up! In the end, though, he actually was recognized, got a modest cash award, and his picture in the paper.
His history skipped right over the Mailsters! You know, those 3 wheel thingys? That's what I drove before the jeeps came in. Maybe they were only in warmer states.
@@juanitamoore504 From what I've collected, there were such an array of vehicles before the DJ was commissioned, none of those were technically 'official' like the DJ or the Grumman were. So, it was whatever the local Postal Service could get and afford.
cool
@@juanitamoore504 You missed the Studebaker Zip Van. They had a straight 6 because they didn't have a 4cyl in house. That along with 4:11 gears and positrac meant they were really quick 0-30 at least.
Major respect to your pops.
I love how this is kind of an up to speed on the mail truck
I've worked on a fleet of these personally. We had 3 transmissions in the back for WHEN it blew up. Not IF it blows. WHEN is blows
Yup totally true.
How many miles would you get out of a transmission?
I've had mine blow up cause I took it on the highway for 2 exits back to the office when I finished my routes. Probably a dumb idea but it was a nice summer day and I was done at like 12:30 and I really wanted to get out lol. Ended up getting paid an extra half hour waiting for the tow truck so it worked out.
I know what you mean, Canada Post still has a number of them on the road. I ended up replacing a transmission I replaced 6 months before that, blew the clutch pack right out of it -_- doesn't help that the drivers are like animals
@@JamieR2077 about 3 laps around the block
Day 302 of asking James to do an Up to speed on his Dad
Bro I'm supporting you
One day it will happen.
Bot? It’s way to accurate and is actually every day
omg ur still going🤣🤣🤣
One day
"Drive 960 miles over potholes at 10-14 mph" sounds like the first thing you have to do after reaching the gates of hell 😂
Glad that wasn't my job.
Sounds like a normal day at the rural post office.
Welcome to Los Angeles
My buddy eddie recently past away due to covid. He was a mailman and I would have sent this video to him in a heartbeat, I see you Ed. RIP.
Rest in peace
RIP ED
RIP Eddie
Man rest in peace
RIP ED
I still get my mail by a old Jeep and I love seeing it
Yea that's our "rural mail" truck, In The city it's USPS
@@Dyl_Cam our usps girl bought a 2009 eurospec jeep and it makes me happy
my grandpa does too, he live in a very remote rural area.
I still get mine by this truck here in Rural Tennessee/ honestly never thought nothing about it until I seen this video lol. I thought everyone got those mail this way.
You love to see it
I'll be a bit sad when the LLV goes away. It's kind of cute and endearing in a dopey way
On top of that, nothing else on the road sounds like it, so I can tell when my car parts are near before it even gets to my house.
Might be cute to look at but it definitely loses any of that charm once you have to drive it. Thankfully I dont have to drive it that much, but every now and then I do and it is never fun. I'll take sitting in the middle of my pickup and using my left arm and leg to drive any day of the week over using an LLV.
@@kumaWRX whel the car parts sill blow up in the truck before they blow up in the car
You said that because you never drove one before that car is hell on summer and most of the LLV don’t have mirrors in the back so there is no way to reverse that piss of shit
@@kumaWRX Same. When you are expecting a package, the sound of that little engine is music to your ears.
I have worked for the PO since 1988, so I was there when they first started phasing in the LLVs. At first they were a big improvement, at least as far as comfort goes. However, it didn't take long before one main problem showed up, these things are horrible in the snow. They couldn't have invented a worse vehicle for snow than these things, I have struggled in a half inch of snow before in one.
Still, they were good for a time, and I do remember being told they had a life expectancy of roughly 23 years. I think one big mistake the PO made was not planning for new vehicles sooner. They should have been exploring options for them 10 years ago, instead they waited until the last minute. Today these vehicles are seriously outdated, they have a ton of mechanical issues, always breaking down. If you go a month with no problems, that is considered a good month. They have 0 modern safety features, and are inadequate for our needs today, mainly the increase in package volume. I plan to retire later this year so I won't experience a new vehicle, but will be curious to see what they come up with.
, And thinking back, do you remember when the Neolibs decided to force the funding of pensions for a ridiculous amount of time, nearly bankrupting the whole damn thing? At some point, you have to consider that there's a whole lot of human shit trying to destroy one of the most American entities to exist, because they're anti-American assholes (anti-democracy). It would also prevent such equipment replacement measures from being possible.
Been with the post office five years....almost died when one of them spun ass first on a rainy day and put me sideways into a tree at 40 mph...lucky to be alive without any air bag....tree hit right behind the driver seat. Had to climb out the side window since the sliding door and back were smooshed shut permanently. Glad I didn't end up in water or down a embankment.
I once asked my coworker how he got up a snowy hill with an LLV. He said the only way to go up is diagonal.
They should get the Limited Slip for the S10 kit then...
I've been there before. I worked as a carrier for a few years in Denver. My first winter really sucked because it was a bad winter and I was a CCA never doing the same route. Kinda glad I'm not doing that anymore. I wouldn't mind delivering just packages for amazon or something like that though.
@@joeg5414 Seriously you wouldn't. Amazon pay terribly, overwork you and give terrible benefits. Stay with USPS.
My carrier clanked down the street today on tire chains after the 9-15 snowfall.
@@christophercripps7639 : Yup, around my area it's either chains when things are *really* bad, or studded tires most of the time in the winter months. I'm guessing at the beginning of their routes with all the weight in the back it's probably a lot easier getting up a hill than at the end of said route.
nolan: "mail vehicles"
my brain: "male vehicles"
Right? Lol What about female vehicles, Nolan
* insert that Simpsons clip about the fe-mailman that probably hasn't aged well *
Dude. I was going to post the same thoughts.
"Send us Males"
Are males considered perishables? Because I fit in a box
male carrying vehicles
Bro how did you get my thoughts spot on
Hell yeah finally some love for us mailmen and women, delivering everyday. I’m a letter carrier in San Diego, Ca!
Carrier from Pittsford NY here! Represent!
Thank you for what you do
Y’all have been a life saver! Thanks for all y’all do
thank you for everything!! i appreciate you and your peers more than i could put into words. stay warm/cool and stay safe!!
RESPECT MY Gs
My dad actually is a mechanic who works on these trucks. He mostly does the FFVs but every so often there'll be an LLV in his shop. I've gotten to ride in the back of both.
After having serviced these vehicles for 20 years, I can tell fires are caused mostly by oil leaks Not washer fluid dripping on the ECM. If fact, the ECM is located inside the vehicle in the center of the dash, not under the hood.
Timestamp: 8:33.
@@ScottRothsroth0616 Yeah, that's incorrect. The ECM is located inside(I have worked on these). They mostly catch fire because of oil leaks and degraded wiring harness insulation, causing shorts along with corroded fuse blocks.
My work remanufactures the engines. Block castings suck and our warranty probably does because of it.
Oil leaks and worn out/torn wiring harnesses. This year's TSB from the post office requires us to check the positive cable from the battery which runs along the block and tends to rub on the metal bracket that guides it.
@@lichking3711 I've replaced countless dash harnesses because the fuseblock would get bathed whenever it rained by poor sealing in the windshield area. Terminals would corrode primarily in the hazard flasher circuit, burning up due to resistance. I could bang those harnesses out in an hour. Sadly, after over 20 years , a new VOMA came in and decided SHE was going to push her weight around. Another shop is now repairing the trucks in our town (or attempting to). My mail carrier bitches to me all the time that they can't fix his truck....
$2.16 per gallon: "I need to get outta LA"
Rolls out red carpet in European: "Hey Nolan, you will not like our prices!"
Fuel price in Sweden, $ 5.10 ... ☹️
2.89 In SE. Pennsylvania.
Today.
$2.40 per gallon here in Connecticut
And jet they are crying about the pric, those americans....I would be happy with that price you have
Nolan clearly wasn’t driving around 2006 lol
To all the guys at Donut Media: Watching you guys talking and joking about cars has been one of the main reasons I've managed to get over a recent heartbreak. Nolan, James, Jeremiah, Zach, Bart, THANK YOU!
... bart left more than a year ago
@@SkyHighGD but you can still watch the old episodes with him in them 🤷♂️
@@SkyHighGD And that means I can't watch and enjoy the videos he was in? The fact that you that is what you decided to point out out of what I wrote is a bit stupid
@@lovegabrielrichert9259 Is your username the name of the person who broke your heart by chance? That would be hilarious
@@Chrislav7 No, it's my name, and it wasn't a person, it was an event. And I really don't see how that would be hilarious...
This gives a whole new meaning to hotmail.
I hold to the mentality of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The only issue with the mail... thing, is the antiquated engine.
Honestly if they LS swap all the mail trucks theyd probably get better fuel economy.
I think the biggest reason is is because that program has paid off exponentially by the rigorous testing. And if it’s not broke don’t fix it. To replace that Fleet cost billions. To me a plug-in hybrid makes the most sense if they’re really trying to save money cut down on consumption.
and the no ac
@@NicholasOrlick the hybrid part would help a lot in efficiency, since stop and go is what a mail truck does. But still have long range with a normal engine.
Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!
Canyonero! Canyonero!
"Nor rain, nor shine, nor heat'. Yeah that's how that goes.
Nice
Nor rain, nor shine, nor heat, but god help you if it gets a leak.
Police get updated cars
Taxi get updated cars
Military get updated cars
Mailman:
"You get new cars?"
Most of the new hires in my office are younger than the trucks they're delivering from. 🙃
As a gear head I would buy one of those 😂😂
Yeah we're not exactly funded by taxes lol
@@JetSnowBlind1 true we get fucked. All the other tax covered vehicles are updated a d maintained better while the usps isn't backed up with the cuntforment money so we are not legally required to have updated vehicles or working ac systems haha bs
Because our country's priorities are killing or beating up people, not delivering the mail or doing anything useful. But to my understanding most of the military stuff (land vehicles and otherwise) are all pretty old too. They're still using B-52s from the 1950s with no plan to replace them in the foreseeable future, though they have been upgraded and modernized. Granted most of these vehicles don't really see that much regular use, mostly just training and occasional war-zone deployments, while mail trucks are driving all day six days a week.
Someone: what would you want from every mail truck design in the future?
Me: .... *S L I D I N G D O O R S*
A light weight sliding door, and the step down that is the right hight to the seat
Can you imagine showing up to a hill climb in a beefed up mail jeep unannounced, yeeting it up the hill while fake envelopes and packages are falling out left and right.
🤣🤣
Bruh lol
Would be insane
Imagine daters come here XD
@RITA - I WANT Š È Х ! САLL МЕ ! yo hackers, your bots are broken.
“Just ls swap it”
thank you
@@lrhlrh5570 what for?
@@5cylinderdreamz for the comment
@@lrhlrh5570 you’re welcome then I suppose haha
@@5cylinderdreamz #LSswapeverything
Previous mailman here, my truck would literally start smoking in the cab almost once or twice a month. Also they broke down CONSTANTLY
Did you drive an LLV?
Ever drove a 1/2 Ton? I used to drive a 1/2 Ton that had a hole in the floor; you could see through to the road beneath you. Once I went over a bump in the road and my key...which had just been in the dash-mounted ignition...popped out and landed on the floor of the vehicle. Truck kept going! Scary part was me thinking “What woulda happened had that key fallen through the hole in the floor?” eek!
@@ChrisStargazer yeah I drove the LLV's, haha thats an awesome story 🤣 it was always something new everytime I drove the trucks
Only problem I see with Ford transit is sometimes the power steering goes away and transmission makes noises in highway speeds.
Serious question.
Do you know what the components that failed were in your experience?
mine use to shut off if you turn
The LLV on fire at 8:20 is actually an FFV (Ford based) mail truck. Good job on the correct Willys pronunciation ;-)
The sound effect of the gun cocking when he adjusted his glasses made me laugh out loud. Kudos to the editor who came up with that.
Shut up!
He’s gotta reload his brain man
That's been in every video of him the past several months, sort of a running gag at this point.
@@quillmaurer6563 For longer actually
Holy crap, I have been watching these videos for at least 2 years and I never noticed but dang that is funny now that I see it
Drive 15 to 20 miles each day and coming to a full stop every 100 feet and see what your gas mileage or battery life will be.
Regen tho
You'd have no trouble with running out of charge. EVs rule at the low-speed stop-and-go use case. And with few exceptions (say, Tonopah, NV 89049), most ZIP codes are small enough that even a 100- to 200-mile capacity would be plenty. Frankly, you could have each vehicle's range tailored to its expected duty cycle, thus trading battery mass for carrying capacity.
If the USPS selects another gas guzzler for their next-generation vehicle, it'll be a huge missed opportunity to save BILLIONS in fuel and maintenance costs.
@@ewmlloyd trucks are not always used exclusively on one route. They usually spend 6+ hours out on a route not counting if they have to give assistance to another route. This would mainly be a problem for mounted routes but the PO is pushing to mount all routes. So there is a little more to delivering the mail than most people see.
@@salt6 Yeah, fair enough. I was just spitballing about the variable-range idea. But still, any EV with a decent (say, 250-mile) range would be more than up to the task of delivering the mail each day, as long as it's charged back up to 100% overnight. And if it has a CCS plug for Level 3 charging, it can be zapped up from dead to full in a half hour or so.
Lol, we average 6 mpg in the 25' UPS trucks (natural gas engines)
The reload sound when he pushes up his glasses kills me
My fave
I wish I could get that when I push mine up
Haven't heard it since Dom Mazzetti stoped making content.
Everytime yeah hilarious hahaa
I would expect the Oshkosh/ Ford transit van to win solely based on it already has infrastructure in place to make the basic parts of it so that would get them on the road faster.
Simple answer: US Government idiocy, and backhanded relationships with government contractors
Great advertisement for libertarianism...
I didn't know the government were making the washer fluid container leak...
@@GrubbyPaddler Yeah, but the issue is lack of funding too.
CitizenFoffie didn’t the postal service just get $25 bn for their role in the election.... that’s $76 per person ( or about $250 per ballot)
I don’t think it’s just the funding, just the inefficiency of bureaucrats and gov departments... fed ex worked out how to depreciate and pay for vehicles while being profitable
@@GrubbyPaddler • FedEx also does not have the burden of junk mail being distributed daily to every single mailbox •
All those new concepts look huge. I feel like a smaller vehicle that’s more maneuverable would be better
I thought the same too. Something like the size of a Ford Transit Connect may be better?
possibly for safety reasons, those grumman vans were probably a deathtrap when getting t-boned by an suv
@@williamrutkowski my mail carrier had to switch from a Subaru to a Dodge Caravan to carry all the Amazon boxes.
@@kenbrown2808 mine went with an older honda van from a 4x4 s10 blazer Now in the worst weather he cannot get out here
As someone who drives both an LLV and a ProMaster for different mail routes I can agree that a Transit would be far too large for some routes. That tight turning radius and maneuverability is what makes getting to certain boxes during curbline delivery possible at all, especially when people like to park on the street. The ProMasters are only used for walking and business delivery since they're left hand drive, but they wouldn't be suited for driving routes anyways.
when they start phasing them out and selling them off I wanna get one.
Good luck, they are crushing them and not offering them to the public.
@@Levman74 I sort of understand why they would do that, but it is a shame. Also they could probably make some money selling them to collectors, but the liability wouldn't be worth it.
@@scottthewaterwarrior seller has no liability in a used car sale so long as they are open about major issues(ie. Not safe to drive type issues). Vehicles are sold as is. Only issue is people personating a mail carrier and commiting crimes, like what people do with retired police vehicles. But its a buyer beware and sold as is situation. Hard part might be getting the vehicle insured. I could see companies auto parts companies who shuttle parts from store to store jumping on these vehicles. Car collectors for sure, or people looking to make a camper out of them
@@sorenzx1923 That's what I meant by liability: people impersonating mail carriers. Though the USPS does supplement the LLV fleet with white commercial vans painted with their logo, so someone could already impersonate a postal worker pretty easily.
I'd rather have one of the old DJ Jeeps.
I worked at the USPS for 17 years, and never heard of an engine fire.
400/140000, 0.0028% have had a fire.
@@HunterShows dude your math is wrong, it's around 0.29%
@@HunterShows Didn't carry the decimal when converting to percent...
@@julians2042I just mash buttons on the calculator and cross my fingers.
Good luck driving a 30 year old Kia Soul that’s been driven stop-and-go for every day of that time.
Not to.mention the fact that it wouldn't be able.tp.handle that 1000 pounds of weight in the back without some modifications, guessing on my part that a vehicle designed by hamsters (kias own ad) wouldn't stand up to the toughness that the USPS goes through
Also, not to mention that it would probably not get 32 mpg with all the starting and stopping. It would probably only get half that.
@@kyledavis4890 We hamsters can carry a lot. We have cheek pouches, which are basically built-in cargo space. We can carry as much as 20 percent of our body weight in our little cheekies. So, a hamster-designed vehicle would be very tough, and can carry a lot. You stupid humans don't have built-in cargo space on your bodies, and you are jealous of us hamsters.
Not to mention the LLV is a Tank, try hitting a single mail box post with a KIA and see how far you get, the LLV can take out an entire row of mail boxes and shake it off like its nothing.
@@scout2nut I feel that there might be a story involved here.
Nolan: "mail vehicles"
Me: "Car parts"
Engines you don't want and transmissions you don't want ... how many other parts out of this are actually useful?
@@petergamache5368 the *delivery* of car parts
@@gojitte hahaha
Finally, as a mailman, this video makes me happy
One Question Does the Gruman LLV Really get as Hot as what People makes it out to be
Top four jobs on the road
Milkman defunct
Paperboy defunct
Mailman active
Garbageman active
The iron duke is OHV, *not* overhead cam. Pushrods, baby.
He was also wrong about the chassis. They don't use a narrowed front end, that's all stock s-10 pickup. The chassis are actually adapted from the Astro vans, and they used the wider version of the GM 10 bolt rear axle made for full size trucks, all done to increase the size of the cargo bay.
That engine has a lot of kick... Or maybe my Postman is just a lead-footed A-Hole?
@@livewire2759 Sonoma GT ❤❤❤❤
@@livewire2759 I heard they switched to Ford Explorers...90s Ford explorers.
@@JungleYT that's just his motor mounts are bad
Oh, so *THATS* why my packages never come...
Lol best comment
How does this only have 9 likes?
You do realize that’s only 0.04% chance one would catch on fire.
@@lawnmowerdude that combined with the lack of power and that they don't have ac to get done quicker
ფუუ
Funny how they were looking for reliability and somehow ended up with GM.
For fleet vehicles the S10 based LLV was reliable...
@@davidhollenshead4892 Cmon man, that cant be true! Im sure its super unreliable. Here, lets count the other fleet vehicles that have lasted more than 20+ years....Oh wait....
gm was pretty decent back in the days. cheaply made like any american car of the era, but reliable
@@gunshipproduct2 Hey, the Crown Vic is getting there
Funny how you think 143,000 vehicles delivering mail every day for 30 years aren't reliable...
My country's post service has some little Piaggio electric vans for the ultra-dense urban areas, I love them
I’ve been seeing a lot of Mercedes mail vans in my town.
Yep me too
They suck up here in the north east. Can't throw chains on front wheel drive - and lord knows they'll ever spend the money on snows or 4x4
It’s a temporary solution, same with the ram promaster. Both are being used until a replacement for the llv comes out
Yup I’m a mailman that what we are slowly merging too none of those llv that he shown
Yup that’s what I’m driving 👌🏼
When I hear loud squeaking noises I know the mail is coming. It’s been like that for years. Roy the mailman deserves a new rig.🚙
I can tell because of the drone of the exhaust and that it starts and stops 4 times within earshot of my house lol.
The amount of misinformation and lack of automotive experience and knowledge in this video is appalling
To 21st century hipsters, the presentation of the message is more important than the actual content of the message.
@@DanEBoyd Don't need to be ageist; it's a common behavior across age groups and common knowledge of "As seen on TV!" products. Most people are sheepole, though I expect most folks reading this far in DoNut video comments may have a more durable attention span on vehicles - LOL.
We're listening
It's trollish -- of course.
@@jameswyatt1304 you just described 90% of population in United States. Product of the envirment
I drove those for 3 a months before I quit that job, they turn really good! Noisy, and the metal walls look so thin, it was fun to drive for a jalopy
The crazy thing is it was new when my daughter was born, now she works at the USPS where she drives the same trucks # WTH
Tell your daughter to do the right thing and find those ballots
@@thatoneguy1154 maybe they are hidden in your fat rolls g
@@thatoneguy1154 Trump lost dude.
@@thatoneguy1154 jizzing in an envelope and mailing it in doesn't count as a vote for Trump. Sorry big guy.
@@tombstonejones9581 ouch you killed him dude
In a disposable society I admire the PO ability to make something last.
It will last as long as you're willing to keep tossing money at it.
@@warrensteel9954 until flames
they sure are not making our tax dollars last
@@potatochobit USPS is best delivery service.
They tossed more money at the shitty cars theyve been using than what they wouldve if they replaced the damn things 15 years ago. Nothing to admire at all...
"The car you probably think of when you hear Iron Duke, the Fiero GT."
Good job predicting that most people are bad and wrong.
FWIW: The Iron Duke was used in the base models of Fiero, the Fiero GTs had the L44 V6. (more or less)
For guys that say they like the fiero they sure got a key point wrong.
Timestamp: 6:30.
mine has a 355 ci small block the kit was made for a few years And yeah it is a bit loose but fun as hell
I’ve been a mail carrier for almost 30 years. I don’t have any idea about the history of this LLV. All I know is that it really sucks. Fortunately it doesn’t rain every day here in Socal. However every time it rains the cargo area is leaking like crazy. Steering is never right. Engine sounds like crap. Breaking down is considered normal. Exhaust fumes are strong.
I’m a mailman and this makes me very happy to see you guys make a video on LLVs.
They’re very fun to drive because of their tight turn radius and large windows
Yeah well one of your fellow mailmen hit my BMW in his LLV, should have put that maneuverability to use huh
@@chrisgill4888 Pos BMW deserved to die
@@MrJMS814 It didnt get totalled, thanfully it was pretty minor damage. And it's nowhere near a pos
Then buy an s10 if you love it so much.
U turns must be easy in the llv
2:31 Skip to actual start. 3:00 1953 RHD mail Jeep DJ lasted til 1984. 4:02 LLV spec. 4:32 3 finalists: Poveco, AMC, GM/Grumman. 4:43 extended prototype testing in Texas... 9:14 2009 start looking for LLV replacement. Preventive maintenance program to extend expected life by 6 years. 9:38 2016 search.10:45 after years of delays, 3 finalists.
You Sir, are a champion
Great timing of this video, my mail llv literally just broke down in front of my house last Friday, had to get towed away. 😂
SHUT UP
Nolan: "$2.16 national average is expensive"
Me in 2021: *cries in $3.18*
Lol. The threes. Laughs in October 2021.
…
Someone needs to start a fact checking service that you tubers can take advantage of. This video could really have used one.
But who will fact check the fact checkers?
@@Deucealive75 GTFO
Welcome to donut. Also hope you like clickbait!
@@Deucealive75
So basically you don’t want any fact checkers because you’re in an endless loop?
@@Deucealive75 Facts and Logic.
*cough* The Fiero GT had a V6, no dukes in GT’s 🤷🏻♂️
Not to mention its ohv, not ohc.
ნინუცა
2M4 baby!!!
Ok you finally won me over with this one, subscribing right now . I work for the USPS and I must say this is one of my favorite videos to date. Nicely done 👍
Dont catch on fire mate!
Relocate that washer fluid!
5:36 This is NOT an LLV. It's a Ford based Utilimaster FFV (Flex-Fuel Vehicle) which was manufactured around 2000-2001. It's based on the Ranger/2-door Explorer Sport platform and has a 3.0L V6. Some FFVs are actually 4WD too, which I never knew up until recently.
9 mpg seems pretty good for eternally stop and go driving.
The postal service in my town just uses, used jeeps of various models and ages.
i have a new found respect for that engine if it can run for that many years of "stop and go" type driving that a mail truck endures.
Great engines
It sadly doesn't run that well. I'm a mail carrier for USPS and I have had these engines just die while driving 30 mph on a somewhat main road. Killing the power steering, and making it a very close call for an accident.
Mechanic at the post office. Most of those truck are on their 4 to 6th engine .Same with the transmission!
@@nikolaynikolov3939 but it's only a 3 speed!!!
Isn't heating and cooling cycles the hardest thing on an engine? I thought so long as the engine stayed at temperature, stop and go miles weren't any worse than contiguous miles. I guess ignition does also wear a lot on an engine. Idk how often mail trucks idle.
Mercedes metris vans are now being used and my neighborhood uses a Chrysler Town and country to deliver the mail.
I’m seeing a lot of those small Mercedes vans with a US mail logo in the grille in place of the Mercedes badge.
i see the ford transit vans
Those will eventually take over the well known ones we see everyday. My office is in a city that's so small we don't even have a city route
@@iankeeffe7800 I see Ford FFV's too.
I see plenty of Ram Promaster vans in my area.
@@Harey0407 Here too, but they're not used for residential mail delivery.
"Outdated" - what part of _"LONG LIFE VEHICLE"_ are you failing to comprehend?
Its because they still run 8track players and not cd players that they are outdated :P
In Paterson NJ, they still use many, going as far as putting new chassis (from GM) under them. Jersey uses salt by the ton & these steel parts & salt do not get along too well.
@@trainsntile Same thing in the entire northern mid-west but those ugly-ass trucks still run 15+ years.
In Arizona they will last Forever, no rust, EFI, and Electronic ignition....just oil changes, tires and brakes...lol😎👍
@@trainsntile: Good condition S 10/15 frames in boneyards are sold to vehicle maintenance facilities. Chassis box steel is a weak point of the LLV.
I’m literally working out of one of those trucks right now haha
My mailman Buddy likes his. He stuck flame stickers on the side one time when nobody was looking
Is that the “How To Drink” fancy music you’re using?
Yes lol. The background music was making my thirsty
I was going to comment the same thing 😂
Ahh such a good channel, Greg’s got great vibes, stories and is even a nerd to boot!
Question: Why is the government inept at something?
Answer: duh?
The USPS is kinda weird in that it isn't fully government run, but it isn't private either. In fact the government has been actively trying to sabatoge and kill the post office for years now to appease donors in the private postal industry.
@@gp. While Biden is certainly an improvement over Trump, I'm not a fan of either of them. A lot of Biden administration picks are industry insiders too. We will have to see, but I don't have much faith there will be improvements under Biden, but at least he isn't continuing to make things worse.
Broh... LOL
@@scottthewaterwarrior Well said... Thanks for not going off into partisan Koo, Koo land, Sir
@@gp. Tragically, Biden may well be unable to unseat Louis DeJoy anytime soon. The Postmaster General doesn't server at the pleasure of the President, but that of the Governing Board of the USPS. The current Board is stacked with Trump appointees and deliberately vacant seats reserved for Democrats (which Biden may _finally_ be able to fill). Unfortunately, there's also one alleged "Democrat" on the board who has steadfastly stood by DeJoy and may be unlikely to vote to unseat him.
I only got 2 takeaways from this video.
1. They are going to replace the LLV soon so the market will be flooded with them.
2. They are built on a s10 blazer frame so they can be lifted with relative ease.
That “WHAT!?” In the background made me blow air out of my nose
" made me blow air out of my nose" so it made you breath? were you not breathing before? either way I personally think breathing is a good thing.
@@roberteospeedwagon538 gOoD oNe 😐
@@roberteospeedwagon538 hilarious 😐
@@roberteospeedwagon538 got the whole squad laughing 😐
It was Christina aka @cleveralias who said it.
“Where my W-2’s at?”
In the mail
@@jeremykissner2281 🤣
I'll do your taxes. Just need name, D.O.B, and SSN
@@martinlucas6004 lmao
@@martinlucas6004 call me at 911
The llv is so damn reliable though, we had on come in that had a fist sized hole in the engine block. They had driven it for a week after the hole had happened until they noticed it had been overheating a ton lately.
I mean, there's a reason they are still on the road, and yeah, part of that is just not replacing it, but they are pretty easy to repair, and keep trucking along long past their expiration.
A note, the LLV is only seen a lot in cities and larger towns. Out in the bergs (My name for very small towns since PA has so many "berg"s and they're all small) you'll see people driving normal vehicles, like Rangers and Cherokees. Only reason I even know what they look like is because of a larger town I frequent a lot and the large town my county is named for. If not for them, I'd have never seen one.
This was an informative video to watch. Here in Canada you do see those kind of mail tricks occasionally, but I see Dodge Caravans with the Canada Post logo more often driving around delivering mail
In my home town they use the dodge vans too.
Yeah here in canada I don't think we even have a standardized vehicle. As far as I know ot just personal vehicles and they get paid gas. Like I know someone who uses a right hand drive jeep JKU
ive also seen some ups vans but newer
@@alexaviation4170 your name should've been left in the dark in 2012
I’ve honestly wanted to buy one of these ever since I was little and I don’t know where to get one 😭
I'd love to turn one into a Gambler 500 car lol
@@Donut Yes!! Or, be fully a hippie and turn it into a tiny motorhome!!
I've seen a video of an LS swapped one because of course
I would love to put one of the little ecoboosts in
As a mailman - you do NOT want them. They are a turd and not in a "its a turd but its fun to mess with" kinda way. They just drive terrible, are uncomfortable, horribly unstable with the front end being more narrow than the rear, and the walls literally bend and flap above 60mph. I felt safer whipping around in a 91 geo tracker without doors/roof and a rear floor made of plywood. I know you picked a weird hero, but he's one you're really better off not meeting.
@@BmxDieseldude jesus that sounds horrifying. Kudos to you man for getting our mail to us 6 days a week!!!
@@StuckOnAFireHydrant you do know that the mail runs on Sunday as well. Amazon outsources to them. Quit being a ignoramus.
They’re fun to drive. I love the Mercedes at my office.
Sprinters are so much fun!
I’m lucky enough to drive one of the new Metris’ too!
My route was deemed "too long" for a metris. Out of 56 routes in my office I'm the last one that still uses a pov.
@@jasonroth376 POV life man, I do about 32-36 miles a day. Consider your alignment never perfect again
@@some1_on_youtube i have a 48 mile route. I feel your pain.
$2.16😂😂😂 last time I looked CA was $6+, some places $8
6:28 The Fiero GT has the 2.8l v6 and the normal Fiero had the 4 banger. (It was mentioned in Up to Speed.)
Came to say the same thing. Fiero GT didn't have the iron duke. Source: the Fiero GT sitting in my parents' garage.
@@LEVELMotorsports dang lucky
I have an '84 with a 4 banger and a 4 speed with about 60k miles
Anyone else chuckle every time Nolan pushes up his glasses with the sound effect? Like it's just such a small thing but it gets me everytime
Yup. I see it too! I wonder why he doesn't have better fitting glasses.
The mail truck is a Grumman Olsen with A 2.5L “iron duke” 4 cylinder, similar engine to the S10’s and the cavalier’s engine. They had a 1985 Chevy S10 chassis. (Chevy S10 Blazers used the same chassis as a Chevy S10. They use the iron duke in boats and forklift trucks too.
Great information
@@SSpecialDelivery thanks man
@꧁ RITA - F**СК МЕ ꧂ what are you doing?
@@SSpecialDelivery btw that 04 Silverado is dope
good stuff man...I was wondering, at 9mpg, since its a Chevy chassis anyway why not just use the 4.3 V6 instead of the iron duke. They could propane (and propane accessories) and improve longevity and mileage immensely.
This may have been said already, but a correction: the Iron Duke was uses in the Fiero only in the 2M4, and the Indy Pace Car variants. all GTs used the 2.8L V6.
Day 53 of wanting Up To Speed back
James shot like 4 episodes last week. Hang in there
Yesssssssss
@@Donut but does he say mo powa babeh?
@@Donut 4?!..4??!!??!!..4!?????!!!!!!!!!!!!??..WE ARE F ING SAVED
I would love to see it come back!
7:37 "$2.16 per gallon is insane"
Dude, come to Europe 😭
Come to Europe with your 2.5l 9mpg engine 😫
Petrol costs three times more in my town
My closest, supermarket petrol station in Dordgogne France.
95 1.43 euro p/litre
98 1.45 euro
Diesel 1.30 euro
But, E85 is 0.69 euro p/litre (a 30min drive away). i've seen it as low as 0.50
that's why i converted my little turbo NB MX-5/Miata to E85 ;)
loving the Money Pit series!!
Its like 4.5dollars per gallon in my country soo.
I'm reading all these and I think I'm going to stop complaining that gas prices near me are inching closer to $2.50
$4.11 is the highest average national price in US history (in 2009)
Dang, the car world would probably be a lot different if AMC would've gotten that contract
@Tiger Woods' Escalade I think modern suv's and other family cars would be totally different if they had been able to get by. They had such oddball designs, they would've probably broken up the monotony of today's vehicles at least a bit.
Those fires never would've happened, and jeeps would be reliable had Chrysler, and Fiat not got a hold of them
In an alternate universe, perhaps the us postal truck is a right hand drive amc eagle
My mother's been a rule carrier for years she's went through a lot of different vehicles when it comes to her job. She's went through little sedan cars. She's went through two Jeep Cherokees that had to be modified with two steering wheels in front. She's also went through two Subaru Outbacks both right hand drive. And now she has a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is what she's running male in now so yeah rural carriers have the rough of it but she always upgraded her vehicle to accommodate her route.
"the national average for a gallon of gas is $2.16 , which is insane, i need to get out of L.A"
.
.
me in Washington with gas over $3 average... >:(
Very progressive. Keep the poors off the roads.
Fun fact: everyone else including me who is commenting right now hasn’t even watched half of the video yet vhg
Exposed
That's cool but can you stfu and stop commenting the same damn thing, like in almost every video
Ur comment says 4 mins ago and the video says 3 so I’ll take what you’re having lol
To those who don’t know this is a bot. Usually if it has a stupid name like this it’s a bot. Just report it for spam
The first one looks the coolest by far, I just love the boxy classic yet modern design. Probably wouldn't be the most efficient but it's still do cool
That one was my least favorite lol I think it looks really plasticy and cheap and ugly
Production beginning shortly in Spartanburg, SC in a large space off of i85 that used to be a Rite Aid regional warehouse.
donut: why hasn't the mail service updated their cars
me: sees a rise in rebadged mercedes vans
LOL yes. Put a roll-up door on a Sprinter and you're good to go.
@@petergamache5368 well actually the USPS did recently purchase a number of RHD Mercedes Benz Metris vans to augment the fleet. There are also some LHD Grand Caravans and Ram Pro Masters in the fleet as well.
However currently the main fleet for carriers is still the LLV. But there are also a large number of carriers who don't have a postal issued vehicle and drive our personal vehicles to deliver mail with. You won't see that though unless you are away from big cities and suburbs.
@@ram89572 Mercedes Sprinters from the UK would have been perfect.
@@melchorvincentagot1002 I don’t know. Those full size vans like the Sprinter, Transit, and Promaster have very tiny side windows for the portion that actually rolls down. You really need a good sized window to make it easy to reach the boxes since not all boxes are exactly the same. Some are higher, some lower, some lean, some are far away and you really have to lean to reach them.
@@ram89572 You just said right hand drive Mercedes vans so it was a suggestion from me.
Fun fact. A lot of people thought of Greg from “How to Drink” when the music started playing after the AD.
ვინ
I'm interested to see what LLV's sell for when they flood the market.
I see a opportunity for a dumb space frame track car
(Yes I know the vehicle is ladder/body-on-frame)
Scrap...
The LLVs are about to be replaced. Some of the concepts that were proposed as replacements were very interesting. I particularly liked the Workhorse one.
they confirmed making the Oshkosh
I always know when the mail comes when I can hear an LLV with a bad muffler drive by
I can hear the mail truck coming half a block away and I do not think it even has a bad muffler. Four bangers just make more noise.