Close to buying a Mog- what do I need to know?

[1speedlos]

As the subject line says, I'm seriously considering a Mog- a friend has a Doka camper that he's willing to sell to me for an embarrassingly low price.
I don't have details from him yet, but I know it's diesel,pretty sure it's a '74 416.
My wife and I are going to be packing up our stuff and spending a year on the road, seeing wild places in North (and hopefully South) America.
Any major problems I should be aware of? Achilles' Heel sort of stuff? This is really far off from what I've been looking for in an expedition vehicle, but I've always lusted after Mogs, and I can't pass up a deal this good without serious consideration.
Thanks for any input, I'll also keep up my research here and in other places!

Carlos

 

[Tennmogger]

Hi Carlos,

As with any vehicle, there are certainly things to know about Unimogs. The best way to learn about them is to read existing forums and do web searches. There's a huge amount of info available on line now. I'd also suggest you drive a 416 or 406 to see how they drive and to determine if mogs suit you. If you have specific questions just ask. I have been around mogs for a few years and will be glad to help.

One 'feature' of the 416 model is it's low power and speed compared to modern road vehicles. If 45 to 55 mph maximum speed is ok (as it is for me) then maybe you are a 'mog person'! :sombrero:

Some of the positives for a Unimog: world wide support from MB and service shops that work on MB's, probably the best of any brand. Reliability: once you get the bugs worked out (all older vehicles have them) a Unimog is practically indestructible. These are trucks made to last for 30 years or more, then be rebuilt and start on another 30 years. It's not unusual to find a Unimog that's 30 years old and having less than 1000 engine hours and 10k miles...practically like new inside. Downside: MB prices on some parts, but there's a huge network of independent Unimog 'dealers' that have most parts you could need, even used ones. You won't find mog parts in the local scrappers like you would for, say, a Toyota.

Bob

As the subject line says, I'm seriously considering a Mog- a friend has a Doka camper that he's willing to sell to me for an embarrassingly low price.
I don't have details from him yet, but I know it's diesel,pretty sure it's a '74 416.
My wife and I are going to be packing up our stuff and spending a year on the road, seeing wild places in North (and hopefully South) America.
Any major problems I should be aware of? Achilles' Heel sort of stuff? This is really far off from what I've been looking for in an expedition vehicle, but I've always lusted after Mogs, and I can't pass up a deal this good without serious consideration.
Thanks for any input, I'll also keep up my research here and in other places!

Carlos

 

[mhiscox]

One 'feature' of the 416 model is it's low power and speed compared to modern road vehicles. If 45 to 55 mph maximum speed is ok (as it is for me) then maybe you are a 'mog person'! :sombrero:

Times 2 for what Bob said, especially about the speed and power-to-weight ratio. The stock 416 engine is 110 horsepower and many Mog campers are over 5 tons in weight. Plan on climbing steep grades at the same speed as the loaded semis and figure 52-53 as a good cruise speed.

Now this may or may not be a problem for you. Like Bob, I'm not generally troubled. Contrary to what you might thik, a 416 is an enjoyable freeway cruiser . . . just plant yourself in the right lane and let the traffic move around you. Also wonderful on a lightly-traveled two-lane. The only time I have any stress is on a two-lane with narrow shoulders where the oncoming traffic is so heavy cars can't pass and I have to worry about traffic stacking up behind me. Pulling off and then finding a good gap in traffic to get back in can get annoying.

Once off-pavement, however, there's no comparison. The only thing is that your camper might be too big for some tree-lined trails. In the open spaces, you're king of the hill.

 

[toy_tek]

I'm the furthest thing from a Mog expert, but my good buddy had a '66 w/radio box about 10 years ago and I rode around in it a lot. The passenger "seat" is to this day the most uncomfortable thing I have ever sat in. And it was slow. But those were good times!

 

[Chas Stricker]

Howdy Carlos,
X3 on driving before you buy. It may be the perfect vehicle for you and your wife. How good is her sense of humor? If you can handle traveling "Mog-Speed" then go for it. How mechanical are you? These are very simple machines that are very capable but it would be handy if you can do your own service and really get to know your truck. I hope you don't take this as negative. I love mine and my family has "accepted" the mog and it's minor issues. You'll find the 416 is much more comfortable than a 404 in the earlier post with each having factory seating. Tell us how it goes,
Chas

 

[762X39]

If you like to go slow, your all set. I have a baby Mog (404) and Katherine has never had a problem as a co-driver (passenger) but then she is only 4'10". Definately drive one before you buy one and don't think that you can "improve" it. They are what they are but they are definately the Benz of the "cross country " capable 4X4 overland vehicle family.

 

[Tennmogger]

Hey Mike,

Would you like to post a photo of your big mog traction head camper to give an idea of how big some can be?

...chop... many Mog campers are over 5 tons in weight. .......

 

[bluemog]

Before making the final deal I would check out the axles & hubs thoroughly.

1. Climb up under the truck and look at the back of each wheel carefully. If there's grease radiating outward from the center all over the inside of the wheel a seal is blown. This isn't the end of the world but it's not that easy to replace.
2. Start the truck up, run it until it has plenty of air pressure, engage the differential locks, and go take a look at the dipstick for the transmission fluid in the transmission. If it's floating up & down and spewing transmission fluid you've got a bad locker seal in one of your axles. Note: If there's a catch on the transmission dipstick, release it and see if bobs up & down. Or pull the dipstick out part way and stick your ear close to the dipstick tube and listen to see if you can hear air. If the truck has plenty of air pressure and you're sure that the diff locks are engaged you can shut the engine down to help you listen for the air leak. I know at this point people may think I'm crazy. but when you have a leaky diff lock seal the air bypasses the seal, pressurizes the torque tube, and then tries to pressurize the transmission. Ask anyone who attended NWMF2005 about my little fountain under my truck. Diff lock seals are not the end of the world either but you have to pull half the offending axle out from under the truck to replace the diff lock seal. This is not an easy task.
3. Drain the fluid from the differentials and refill. If the fluid is milky or has metal shavings in it, run the other way. You've got to replace the axle.
4. Drain the fluid from the hubs and refill. If the fluid is milky or has metal shavings in it, run the other way. You have a problem with the gears in the hub.
5. Drain the fluid from the transmision and refill. If the fluid is milky or has metal shavings in it, run the other way.

As I alluded in #2, I had a leaky front diff lock seal. It was tough to replace and we decided while we had the truck in pieces we would see what other seals had been overlooked in the rebuilding/restoration process. We decided to replace the outer hub seals on all four corners because one had blown. Then I decided to go ahead and replace the rear diff lock seal. When we split the rear axle in half we found a brown milky fluid and metal shavings. The axle had gotten water inside it and the seal had spun. We found pits in the diff gears and trash in the hubs. The rear axle had been completely overlooked in the rebuilding/restoration. Luckily I found a used rear axle from a SEE tractor (think illegitimate offspring of a Unimog & a backhoe) with under 100 miles on it and replaced the bad axle in total.

The rest of the truck a good diesel mechanic should be able to check out. The engine and its systems are pretty basic and although air over hydraulic brake systems are not that common they're not that complicated.

Climb under the truck and look on the outside of the right frame rail just ahead of the front axle for the chassis number and post it. From that number you can find out all the configuration/options for the truck. This may also lead to a couple other achilles heels.

 

[mhiscox]

Hey Mike,

Would you like to post a photo of your big mog traction head camper to give an idea of how big some can be?

Of course, Bob. I luv showing off Camper Mog:

For the interested, there's about 70 more pictures, including interior shots and system information at:

www.picasaweb.google.com/mhiscox01/CamperMogAssortment.

Twenty-three feet long, seven feet wide and about eleven feet high. Big, but the interesting thing is that these dimensions are very small for an American motorhome. All depends on the frame of reference, I guess.

And I ABSOLUTELY second what 762X39 wrote: "Definitely drive one before you buy one and don't think that you can "improve" it. (Emphasis added)]

This is an important concept. A distressing percentage of the people who have looked into buying Camper Mog have had questions about turbochargers, engine swaps, larger diameter tires, etc. In point of fact, virtually all Mogs, from little ones to biggies like mine, are top speed limited due to engine redline. Depending on your combination of axle ratios and tire diameters, you will have a fixed top speed based on limits to engine RPM. For the most common older diesel Mogs, this is somewhere in the low to mid-50s.

You have to understand that these came from a country where the maximum speed limit for these trucks was 80 KPH. I have a red warning light that comes on my dashboard when I break 50 MPH. Once off pavement, Mogs are plenty fast. On back roads, Mogs are plenty fast, On a multilane road like an interstate where the traffic can get around you, Mogs are plenty fast.

The only problem comes in on a heavily traveled two-lane where the cars behind you can't pass and you stack up traffic and end up pulling over to let it by. On any other kind of road, the issue is just one of the driver getting used to a slower pace, which some do well and some never "get it."

 

[dhackney]

My wife and I are going to be packing up our stuff and spending a year on the road, seeing wild places in North (and hopefully South) America.


Carlos

Carlos,

80 to 100 kph is maximum speed for developing countries. You'll only see that on the main city to city and city to market town roads. Chicken bus roads will be <10 kph (no kidding) to 60 kph. Traffic out there is slow by North America standards. You will fit right in with all the trucks.

Also, you don't have to worry about holding up traffic. They will just pass you, even if it is uphill around a blind corner.

As a matter of fact, they will pass anything uphill around a blind corner, even if they are driving a loaded fuel truck passing another loaded fuel truck... :Wow1:

Doug

 

[Esmi]

Would you like to post a photo of your big mog traction head camper to give an idea of how big some can be?

I spirited this photo from the globetrotters.ch website. Might give you an inkling how a 2450 measures up to a full-size motorhome. I don't know anything about it other than the Mog is enormo.

 

[bluemog]

For a frame of reference...

... here's my Unimog next to the previous members of my fleet , next to Mike's camper Mog:Wow1:, and next to the Dino Mog:bowdown:.

Lengthwise and widthwise my Unimog is roughly the size of an extended cab pickup. A Doka should be about the same.:costumed-smiley-007

I don't get to drive my Unimog as it's currently in storage :box: while I'm working over in the Middle East.
:26_16_2:

In the meantime I have to settle for driving my South African assembled H3 around town and out into the dunes. :safari-rig:

 

[w5yk]

That looks familiar!

Here's my red 2450 next to that same blue DOKA 2450.

 

[Esmi]

and so ... ...

Well, Carlos,

Did you buy it? Let's hear some detail!

 

[1speedlos]

Well, Carlos,

Did you buy it? Let's hear some detail!

Sorry, haven't been on here for a bit...
Unfortunately, the 'Mog in question needed serious work- Transmission had water in the the oil, engine didn't have great compression in 2 cylinders, rear diff needed work.
Probably not a biggie if I had the money to invest, but then I wouldn't be looking for a deal on a 'Mog!

Notwithstanding, we did get a chance to check out my friend Paul's 416, and it's gonna take some major convincing my better half to be o.k. with "Mog speed."

I'll start out by swapping a MB OM617 into our Jeep... hopefully be a "gateway drug!"