FG best value truck?
- Thread starter Gold Boy
- Start date
I have 2 -
a 1993 109 in wheelbase with an 11,600 gvw that I bought new and at 113,000 miles runs perfect. Brakes are only worn 25% from new. Other than normal service just one repair - the electric fan on a/c condensor. Was a custom camper, now a stake truck.
a 2004 133 in wheelbase with a 14,500 lb gvw that I also bought new. More hp, more torque, much quieter and more comfortable. Custom camper with only 12,000 miles. No problems so far.
Newest year has even more torque.
For capability, capacity, comfort, size and price, only truck to buy IMO.
a 1993 109 in wheelbase with an 11,600 gvw that I bought new and at 113,000 miles runs perfect. Brakes are only worn 25% from new. Other than normal service just one repair - the electric fan on a/c condensor. Was a custom camper, now a stake truck.
a 2004 133 in wheelbase with a 14,500 lb gvw that I also bought new. More hp, more torque, much quieter and more comfortable. Custom camper with only 12,000 miles. No problems so far.
Newest year has even more torque.
For capability, capacity, comfort, size and price, only truck to buy IMO.
dhackney
Expedition Leader
We've only got about 2,000 miles on ours, so we can't give you any real reliability or mileage data yet.
As long as you keep the weight of your camper & systems package low I think it's a viable platform for its intended use.
Our field testing to date tells us that it's good for ungraded fire road type use. We don't see it as a full-on off road vehicle. We are not experienced 4x4 off road people, others who are may be much more aggressive in their use of this platform.
Things I'd recommend based on our testing and use to date:
- air seats
- Dynamat type lining for the cab
For improved ride & handling, and especially if you get toward the upper reaches of GVWR, I'd highly recommend:
- Deaver springs (much more compliant and supple ride than stock)
- Bilstein or other aftermarket shocks (no comparison in damping control, especially in the front)
- Rear sway bar
If you are putting a 3 point pivot frame under your camper I'd also recommend some shocks to dampen the lateral motion.
When we did our initial field testing we had the stock suspension and no shocks on the 3 point pivot frame. We drove over 200+ miles yesterday in various conditions and there is a tremendous improvement with the aftermarket components installed. Our FG drives, rides and handles like a completely different vehicle. We drove over some of the same roads we did during testing and there is literally no comparison.
We've found the truck to be eerily quiet in the cab. The only time we can hear it running is when the radiator fan clutch engages and we can hear a little fan noise.
Based on our very limited experiences to date I don't think you will be disappointed in your choice.
As long as you keep the weight of your camper & systems package low I think it's a viable platform for its intended use.
Our field testing to date tells us that it's good for ungraded fire road type use. We don't see it as a full-on off road vehicle. We are not experienced 4x4 off road people, others who are may be much more aggressive in their use of this platform.
Things I'd recommend based on our testing and use to date:
- air seats
- Dynamat type lining for the cab
For improved ride & handling, and especially if you get toward the upper reaches of GVWR, I'd highly recommend:
- Deaver springs (much more compliant and supple ride than stock)
- Bilstein or other aftermarket shocks (no comparison in damping control, especially in the front)
- Rear sway bar
If you are putting a 3 point pivot frame under your camper I'd also recommend some shocks to dampen the lateral motion.
When we did our initial field testing we had the stock suspension and no shocks on the 3 point pivot frame. We drove over 200+ miles yesterday in various conditions and there is a tremendous improvement with the aftermarket components installed. Our FG drives, rides and handles like a completely different vehicle. We drove over some of the same roads we did during testing and there is literally no comparison.
We've found the truck to be eerily quiet in the cab. The only time we can hear it running is when the radiator fan clutch engages and we can hear a little fan noise.
Based on our very limited experiences to date I don't think you will be disappointed in your choice.
dhackney
Expedition Leader
GB,
Check out Haven's post to you on your thread over on ExCamper. It's got links that will show you clearly what a 3 point pivot frame is and how it is implemented.
There are FG expedition vehicles out there that don't have a 3 point pivot frame, such as Don & Kim Green http://www.questconnect.org/ so they are not necessarily a requirement.
We didn't think a production camper could take the torsional stresses of the FG frame so we used one. If you get a camper box built as tough as Don & Kim's you may not need one.
Doug
Check out Haven's post to you on your thread over on ExCamper. It's got links that will show you clearly what a 3 point pivot frame is and how it is implemented.
There are FG expedition vehicles out there that don't have a 3 point pivot frame, such as Don & Kim Green http://www.questconnect.org/ so they are not necessarily a requirement.
We didn't think a production camper could take the torsional stresses of the FG frame so we used one. If you get a camper box built as tough as Don & Kim's you may not need one.
Doug
pivoting subframe
The three point "torque free mount" is a sub-frame that joins the camper to the truck chassis. The purpose of this subframe is to prevent the twisting of the truck chassis from damaging the camper.
The three point sub-frame has two fixed mounting points to the truck chassis at one end of the camper, and a third, pivoting mount under the center of the other end of the camper.
The pivot can be at the front or rear. I tend to favor placing the pivot at the front. This places fixed mounts between the sub-frame and chassis at the rear axle. By holding the camper parallel to the rear axle when the chassis twists, the clearance between rear tires and camper is preserved.
A four point pivoting subframe is also possible. The sub-frame is attached to a pair of rails that run parallel to the truck chassis. One end of each rail is directly bolted to the chassis. The other end rides on a coil spring. When the chassis twists, the spring on one side is compressed. This allows the chassis to move without twisting the camper.
Chip Haven
The three point "torque free mount" is a sub-frame that joins the camper to the truck chassis. The purpose of this subframe is to prevent the twisting of the truck chassis from damaging the camper.
The three point sub-frame has two fixed mounting points to the truck chassis at one end of the camper, and a third, pivoting mount under the center of the other end of the camper.
The pivot can be at the front or rear. I tend to favor placing the pivot at the front. This places fixed mounts between the sub-frame and chassis at the rear axle. By holding the camper parallel to the rear axle when the chassis twists, the clearance between rear tires and camper is preserved.
A four point pivoting subframe is also possible. The sub-frame is attached to a pair of rails that run parallel to the truck chassis. One end of each rail is directly bolted to the chassis. The other end rides on a coil spring. When the chassis twists, the spring on one side is compressed. This allows the chassis to move without twisting the camper.
Chip Haven
pivot
The Unimog has a two pivot design as you suggest:
one pivot close to the cab, two fixed mounts at the
rear axle, and one pivot behind the rear axle. This
would be necessary to control a heavy load. The
campers we're talking about don't weigh enough for
the rear pivot to be necessary. No harm in adding
one, though, if you're concerned about it.
Chip Haven
The Unimog has a two pivot design as you suggest:
one pivot close to the cab, two fixed mounts at the
rear axle, and one pivot behind the rear axle. This
would be necessary to control a heavy load. The
campers we're talking about don't weigh enough for
the rear pivot to be necessary. No harm in adding
one, though, if you're concerned about it.
Chip Haven
Robthebrit
Explorer
Dunno about that, the rear pivot on my 416 camper mog is needed. The truck twists like its made of rubber when offroad, I can get 20 between the cab and camper box. My mog camper is also heavy, fully loaded for a long trip with 200 gallons of diesel and 44 gallons of water I can almost get to GVW (15,000).
Charlie's Unicat is 10,000 pounds heavier than me!
Rob
Charlie's Unicat is 10,000 pounds heavier than me!
Rob
dhackney
Expedition Leader
Gold Boy said:
Simon,
I built a page to describe what a 3 point pivot frame is and how we implemented ours:
http://www.hackneys.com/mitsu/index-pivot-frame.htm
Doug
