Going to be Unimoged

[Fanhunter]

Hello everyone! First of all excuse my English is not quite good. So...

I'm Alex from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). And if all goes well, I'll be "unimoged" shortly.

I have a lots of doubts, but fortunately I knew this forum by @Jostt , who already help me a lot.

Why an Unimog? I want an Unimos since I was a kid, (by the moment I'm still a kid but bigger and with more money and headaches), I want an expedition truck, so I'll go to the 3850mm wheel base length, I found 2 here in Spain in good condition, one is an U4000 with CTIS, 170hp, semi-auto gearbox, coming from a military ambulance. The other one is an U2450L/38 with the OM 366LA 240hp 10nuts axle , with also low mileage. Tomorrow I'll go to see both of them, I almost knew what about to check in this trucks so I hope all goes ok.

For me is a 90% go with the U2450, but I admit that I would like the portal axle of the U4000 and also the low rpm engine at 80-90km/h I don't want to go faster, but I would like to go low rpm to low the fuel consumption (economy+range) and mechanical saving. I know that there're options to do to the U2450 to have a similar or even better ratio, but it's quite expensive. By now both are around 50.000€ + taxes so, investing about 10.000€ in an overdrive is a lot of. In the other hand the U2450 have low and ultra low working gears if I'm not mistake.




And one important thing for me, what are this levers for? The seller has no idea also...




And by the moment, last but not least, according to this chart size, if I'm right I can make a camper box about 4800mm length, x 2200mm high and 245 with, I know I can go higher and wider (4m total high and 2'55m wide) but I'm not sure about the length of the box, not just for legal reasons in Spain also in Europe, but for maintaining a good exit angle. I think the image below is quite good representative of the size of the cabin. I Went a bit lower in the picture, but just to check how it fits.



Tomorrow I'll update the post, but for sure I'll get the 2450 if it's not in bad condition, that doesn't seem to be.

Thanks to all for read me and I hope we'll see off the road!

EDIT: Has anyone the instruction manual of this beast? the U2450L? Also the service manual if it's posible, thanks!

 

[Iain_U1250]

That looks like quit ea nice truck. The working gears much be pneumatic on that one, as there is no working gear lever. The four little levers area all look like hydraulic block levers, so looks like it has some other accessories as well.

Make sure it does have the working gears, the gearbox will have something like this on the front of it.

 

[Fanhunter]

That looks like quit ea nice truck. The working gears much be pneumatic on that one, as there is no working gear lever. The four little levers area all look like hydraulic block levers, so looks like it has some other accessories as well.

Make sure it does have the working gears, the gearbox will have something like this on the front of it.

View attachment 737673

Thanks Iain, the working gears could be the green switch? I have some more pics from behind


This is an old firefighter forestal tow truck with a crane, so the levers could be for the hidraulic pistons and some stuff like that, I don,t have pictures of the truck here, but tomorrow I’ll do some. The truck will be put on chasis as I request that to lower a bit the price.

 

[Roverchef]

Congrats on taking the plunge into the Unimog Welt!

 

[Iain_U1250]

That looks like working gears. Should be a good truck.

 

[Fanhunter]

So I went on Friday to see the trucks, the U2450 in Bilbao and another two in Burgos, all of them were really different, but to not bother you, I'll say I decided to go with the U2450L/38, not just because is a beast, with 240hp and taller cabin, but also because it is in really good conditions. With just less than 39.000km and 4450hr of work. And the ones in Burgos, were a bit used, with rusty parts, repainted, and one of them with a few miles (270.000km) all of the Burgos were modern ones U3000 and U4000, with the semi-auto gearbox, and the U3000 was on the workshop because it have a fail on the gearbox because a broken sensor... so that says all for me. I didn't mention that, but know I work as a firefighter, but I studied and worked as a mechanic, so I prefer basic mechanical engines as the modern ones with can-bus and all this shi**

Here are some pics of the truck, with some details, and my face as showing me as a little kid at the night before christmas












As you can see the truck is really high, I'm 1'84cm tall but the floor of the cabin is almost my height.


The next step and the one with I' struggling more, is to get a subframe to mount the camper module, because the crane has it self subframe, and I can't use it, one because they keep it with the crane, and second because it's for a crane mount. So, any advice? I Send an e-mail to Atlas4x4 but, in his webpage he just say that made frames for the 3250mm to 3700mm so with 3850mm I'm out I think... Also I contact to Atkinson Voss for lot's of thing, but the important one now is the subframe, they seems to have a subframe design service that some one here can build with the design. I don't want to do it, because I don't have the knowing and the tools, so it's imposible for me.

The truck is set ups to GVW of 14tn, and now sits on 13tn... so the crane and superstructure should weight about 7tn? I can drive it a bit, and moves really well even with all this load, and yes, it have working gears, I'm not sure if it also have another kind of reduction, because there was another switch that I din't try it (I know... I should) And I'm thinking if it's posible to hace both working gear and super ultra low gear, or just have one or the other? not both? May be for the PTO? I don't know, will try the day I'm going to take to home.


Some things I want to do to this beast are:

-Pneumatic suspension seats.
-Shock absorvers conversion to the cabin (Atkinson have one kit to do it)
-Faster hub gears if it's posible (I ask that to Atkinson to made ones if it's posible, as they have for 6 bolts axle) if not, I'll go with the crown and pinion, but I'm not sure to go with the Overdrive (splitter) beucase it's a lot of money and I want to improve first the hubs to go lower rpm, and if you get the lower engine rpm with the overdrive the hubs and differentials move at the same rpm as before, no change for this mechanical parts, and we all know about the hubs problems at high speeds (like 90km/h) for long time.
-Sound deadening the cabin with standarplast, and a final carpet.
-Aircondition

As you can see I'm thinking about improve the comfort, I know what it is, but for me is worth it, as I want my couple to come with me, and I want to drive lot of miles without problems and relative comfort.


I'm not sure about to change the tires for a bigger ones, to get more floor clearance and high speed same rpm, I'm thinking about the 14.00R20 but I'm not sure about it, its about 10% more diameter if I'm not wrong, with 365/85R20 now, but I think they are lees confort, because Michelin recommend about 6'5bar with 365/85 and about 8 with 14.00R20. I want to change the rims, but not sure, the ones now are splitted ones, and hutchinson are really expensive. Here at work we have some spare wheels of trucks that we don't use any more, and I'm thinking about inquire for it (images below next post)* they have displaced rim so I'll gain also with of tracks as you can see mines are not flat with the nuts, but this ones are.

Thanks for read it!

PS: Can I ask someone to get for my some info? I didn't find a user manual, the service manual, and some specs... WDB4371361W193340

 

[Fanhunter]

 

[Fanhunter]

So, I was a bit bussy searching for parts. And some stuff.

I decided to change the rims for a hutchinson aluminum ones, as I tough will be more expensive, but not at all.

Continue searching for a subframe of a 3850mm unimog, Do you know any website to check for second hand frames? Some yard in Germany?

For the camper module I will keep short, after talk with Josst I think the size will be about 2100mm high, 2340mm with (as the rear wheels are) and 4500mm length.

I must say I'm hyped to get the truck here, and I'm sure I will want to do some off road in the trip from the buyer place to my home that's about 1000km and 2 days ship trip, just to check all is okay for sure hahaha, will see how this beast manage without any weight.

PS: I bought from Buch und Bild the workshop manual for the U2450L 6x6, instruction manual for the 427/437 in English both, and an specific manual for new models 437 like an actualization in Spanish.

 

[charlieaarons]

B28	No code designation available
B42	No code designation available
C51	No code designation available
D10	No code designation available
D11	No code designation available
E01	No code designation available
E30	No code designation available
E37	No code designation available
E52	No code designation available
E55	No code designation available
F64	ELECTRIC FOLDING EXTERIOR MIRROR
G20	No code designation available
G50	No code designation available
G65	No code designation available
H02	No code designation available
H14	HOT WATER AUXILIARY HEATER, BOOSTED
H75	No code designation available
H79	No code designation available
L05	No code designation available
L63	No code designation available
M02	No code designation available
M03	No code designation available
M91	No code designation available
N16	No code designation available
Q08	No code designation available
R32	No code designation available
S05	No code designation available
S12	No code designation available
S81	No code designation available
S82	No code designation available
S83	No code designation available
T32	No code designation available
U41	No code designation available
X19	No code designation available
X26	No code designation available
Y20	No code designation available
Y31	No code designation available

 

[charlieaarons]

Also has Y95
You have to look up the codes.
It does have G20 working gears. Probably 6.38 axles/portals. Which means even with 14.00s you will be turning 2460 rpm at 89kph (standard autoroute truck speed in EU from my experiences). About 2000rpm with the Claas overdrive, a very nice rpm for that OM366LA.

 

[Jostt]

Hello Alex nice to see you here, Congrats for the truck, I will be hones if today I start again my camper project it will be with a truck like this, perfect unimog for me, I will follow your project close, enjoy the forum, here it's a lot of people with good experience on this trucks and very good ideas for your future project.

 

[sfluke]

I just looked through this thread by accident. I’m actually in the process of having a long wheelbase (3850mm) truck built out by Atlas4x4. So they definitely can make a frame for it. I can highly recommend working with them.

 

[Fanhunter]

So, next week I’ll pick the truck to bring it to home.

I work with my father to chose the best options for the camperbox or whatever I should call it hahahaha, we also work a lot with the subframe stuff and even that I asked to atlas for the subframe some weeks ago I didn’t have an answer yet. Not a problem at all, thinking about selling own subframe by the half of price.


We asked to Unimog for some charts and blueprints also advices and for my surprise they respond very fast and well so I’m so happy with that.

This is the design that I like the most by the moment, so no major changes will be done I think.


it’s about 4400mm lenght 2130 with and 2100 tall. 65mm walls and roof and 95mm floor.
About 1600 solar watts, 300ah lithium 12V,
Hutchinson rims with the actual 365/85R20 XZL
2x 20.000Lbs runva with pneumatic clutch actuator and syntetic rope, one at the front and the other one at the rear.
Some led lights like a full bar on the roof and 2 more points near the windshield on the hood. Also 2 reverse lights.
Koni shocks
A roofrack for the wheel also with frame structure to protect the cabin.
Modified exhaust to be less restrictive and shorter
Aluminium 220L fuel tank and use the original as a backup, or thinking about the grey water not sure about it.

This week I was making some test with the piant and I’ll go with Raptor colored RAL 1039F9 and as we are in the mud paint all the discovery as it need it

 

[Jostt]

Nice color, and many things you need to put together, jeje, it's nice always the beginning of some project, I don't have very good experience with runva winch's, I use it for the motorbike trolley and the relay it's not always working well, If you have time there is many used Warn 12 k lbs, by my point of view much more effective option, for the rope in USA you can find rope for 30 or 40 tones, here in Europe it's difficult, the rope with the water and sun becomes like paper so it need to be covered if you want to keep it in good condition with the years

 

[Geo.Lander]

So, next week I’ll pick the truck to bring it to home.

I work with my father to chose the best options for the camperbox or whatever I should call it hahahaha, we also work a lot with the subframe stuff and even that I asked to atlas for the subframe some weeks ago I didn’t have an answer yet. Not a problem at all, thinking about selling own subframe by the half of price.

View attachment 741428View attachment 741429
We asked to Unimog for some charts and blueprints also advices and for my surprise they respond very fast and well so I’m so happy with that.

This is the design that I like the most by the moment, so no major changes will be done I think.

View attachment 741430View attachment 741431View attachment 741432
it’s about 4400mm lenght 2130 with and 2100 tall. 65mm walls and roof and 95mm floor.
About 1600 solar watts, 300ah lithium 12V,
Hutchinson rims with the actual 365/85R20 XZL
2x 20.000Lbs runva with pneumatic clutch actuator and syntetic rope, one at the front and the other one at the rear.
Some led lights like a full bar on the roof and 2 more points near the windshield on the hood. Also 2 reverse lights.
Koni shocks
A roofrack for the wheel also with frame structure to protect the cabin.
Modified exhaust to be less restrictive and shorter
Aluminium 220L fuel tank and use the original as a backup, or thinking about the grey water not sure about it.

This week I was making some test with the piant and I’ll go with Raptor colored RAL 1039F9 and as we are in the mud paint all the discovery as it need it
View attachment 741433

Nice truck! and cool disco too!

A little note, your central cups on the subframe seems a little too far back, they should be at the centre of the chassis twist otherwise your box will be susceptible to feedback torsional forces even from regular driving.

Great project and you seem to be moving really fast (unlike mine). Good luck I will be following along and learning!

BR Dimitri