engine was approved. New J8s are
currently entering service worldwide.
As well as being used in mines in
Utah, Wyoming and Montana, J8s are
currently working in Germany at the
K&S (Kali & Salt) mines operating at
depths of approximately 900 m.
The J8
Jeep developed the J8 with a view to,
once again, become the number one
supplier to the world’s military
institutions. The J8, with its off-road
capability, is specifically designed to
operate effectively in difficult
conditions, ranging from mountains,
jungle, desert – and now, underground
mining environments. Its body
strength and modular structure
facilitates a wide range of conversion,
accessorisation, armouring and
industrial adaptation.
The Jeep J8 is manufactured at AAV
in Cairo, Egypt. AAV was established
in 1977 as a joint venture with
American Motors (now FCA). The
almost 1.4 million ft
2
AAV/FCA
manufacturing facility employs
693 employees and is ISO 9001/2008
certified. The factory uses the same
modern assembly protocols as other
FCA Jeep manufacturing facilities
worldwide. This ensures consistent
build quality, uniformity and
availability of component parts. Some
90% of J8 parts are common to the
civilian JK Wrangler Unlimited and are
readily available through multiple
outlets, including any Jeep dealer
worldwide. The parts that are
J8‑specific are stocked internationally
by Chrysler and are readily available
through J8 certified dealers worldwide.
While the underground mining
J8 transport looks similar and shares
many parts with Jeep’s latest
JK Wrangler Unlimited, AAV/FCA
builds the J8 tougher, stronger and
more capable than its civilian
counterpart. The J8 is tested to a duty
cycle three times more demanding
than the Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited.
In short, the modern Jeep J8 is a
high‑tech, multi‑purpose light
military/heavy-duty industrial vehicle
with affordable sustainment and
lifecycle costs. It is a favourite of the
Israeli and Egyptian armies, as they
have found the tough Jeep to be
stronger and more mission capable
than the 4x4 vehicles they have
replaced.
The J8 is powered by an
MSHA‑approved VM Motori 2.8L
Turbo Diesel (MSHA EA#07-
ENA140001) that develops 197 hp and
343 ft lb of torque at a maximum
3600 rpm. This reliable diesel mill is
free from exhaust after-treatment and
is designed to operate on a wide
variety of diesel fuels. A greatly
enhanced cooling system allows the
engine to run cool, even in the hottest
environments. The desert intake air
filtering system on the J8 handles
severe environments and is easily
serviceable. The five-speed with
overdrive W5A580 Chrysler automatic
transmission includes a low first gear
and the Jeep NV241J transfer case
features a 2.72:1 low range ratio.
Unlike its civilian Wrangler
counterpart, the J8 has a military Dana
M60 HD rearend with 3.73 gears and
an anti-spin differential. The military
Dana M44 frontend has 3.73 gears and
an open differential for
manoeuverability in tight spaces. The
front axle housing is much stronger
than its civilian counterpart.
Figure 4. Mine-duty bumpers and a variety of cab styles are available.
Figure 3. While they look similar to a wrangler, the J8 is significantly upgraded for
underground use.
June 2015
|
World Coal
|
25
