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About the subject of spare tires, if you have a common size like 385/65R22.5, a single decent spare is ok. However, if you decide to use MPT/military 20” tires, I recommend carrying a second unmounted spare. They aren’t common in any part of the world. If bad luck strikes and a tire is...

Not that I’m terribly interested in Ford trucks these days, but I think there’s been some cross-confusion the last several posts between the pre-2000 7.3 diesel, and ~2020s 7.3 gasoline motor. As far as the 6.0/6.4 questions, those were the last years one could get a manual (ZF-6) transmission.

Electric HEAT?? Do I need to spell out the reason for why that’s idiotic? Am I missing something in the specs? What is a “toe kick heater”? Obviously in a camper built for that market segment, a diesel fired heater, preferably hydronic (quiet) is the way to go. Either Webasto or Espar. Acela...

I am really sorry to be nitpicky, but a “standard” Unicat on a 14-18 metric ton chassis would be a mere ~ €1M. If Unicat were to build on this chassis and handed €1.65M, it would have, among other things, CTIS and 2 diff locks (maybe Axletech/Meritor 4000s), decent low speed (you’re carrying...

Looks like a very nice job so far. If you kept the stock suspension, I applaud you following KISS. Forgive me if I already made this suggestion to you in particular. MPT and military tires are NOT easy to find at tire stores, anywhere in the world. Especially in new condition. I strongly...

Don’t forget you need a spare tire and wheel. And pretty much everywhere, even used, Michelin Goodyear or other 16.00s are not abundant. So I VERY STRONGLY recommend that you carry a second, unmounted spare as well. Otherwise, if 1 tire is ruined beyond repair, your trip, at least as far as the...

Do you know the offset of the wheels when they are flipped “out” as installed on the rear? Obviously the net offset of the original duallies = 0.

We went there (Canol Rd) with my U500 camper probably summer 2008. Got about 5km past NWT border before turning around. Used “donkey” (working) gears. Was tagging along with a small group of Land Rovers from southern BC, they were trying to get all the way to Norman Wells by floating across...

Does it have rear planetary hubs? Some of the 4x4 heavier MB trucks do have them. Re the air issue, my U500 Unimog leaks down from 125-130 to maybe 100 psi for the brake circuit over days, so you have a significant air leak. The non USA MB trucks have even higher air storage tank pressure I...

Let me fantasize. Does it have a Duramax and ZF 6 speed?

Thanks very much for a simple, hopefully knowledgeable answer.

Peter, I have personal experience over the last 35 years with front lockers (ARBx2 on a BJ40 and 60, 1 Lockright on Dodge M37 and 1 Unimog U500) - 4 vehicles, and therefore lots of experience with their shortcomings. And I totally agree they have shortcomings and should be used for only 1-2...

Peter, your suggestions aren’t that helpful. That’s a bit of an understatement. Despite my advanced age, I do know how to use Google. And I of course searched prior to posting this. I have been unable to find anything, but there is some knowledge available on this forum. A small amount of which...

Thanks, but my question still is: Does the AAM 10.5” front diff on current 4x4 Ram 5500s have an available selectable locker?

The 2023 Ram 5500 4x4 has an AAM 10.5” front diff, AFAIK. The one in question has 4.89s; I believe it’s an AAM 12” rear and it was ordered with a LSD. Is there a FRONT locker available? I know factory LSD is all there is for the rear. TIA for your knowledge.

What about older ones? And what about the front axle bearings on both older and newer ones? Considering the offset and size/weight differences between stock and SRW setups, plus constant high loads, I’ve thought about this as a possibility for years. But there’s little information about this...

Open diffs, lack of very low creep gears = driving out of control with excessive use of right hand pedal and torque converter.

If your TC is one of the alloy chain-drive ones ubiquitous the last 20-25 years, it’s ~2.7:1. “Black box underdrive” is a short ~6” w/adapter gearbox that goes between transmission and transfer case. It’s only for trans/TC up to 350/3500 size vehicles. With a symmetric 6 bolt pattern between...

Really all I was trying to point out was that ER had switched from 335/80R20 to 365, evidently from load/speed/temperature issues. Which is intrinsically interesting to gearhead nerds such as myself.

I believe I wrote 335, not 355 (that size doesn’t exist AFAIK in MPT). When I said that “they” switched, I meant ER, not the customer. Below is all I can find on 355 in 20”.