Hello From NZ and help with a Big decision to make

[Iain_U1250]

I must say I am biased, but get a smaller Mog, and upgrade the engine, portals and get an overdrive. Mine sits at 100kph all day @2200rpm, we have done some extreme tracks and roads over here in Australia. The only real unique parts are in the portals, and they are pretty tough. Mine have over 130,000km on them, I replaced the portal bearings when I rebuild the truck. I will replace all the portal gears with new ones before we head overseas but they are still in pretty good condition. Basic things like shift cylinders, cltuch master cylinder are pretty small, and we keep spares of each. Mine has survived 50,000km on some of the roughest roads in Australia, and we are always close to our GVM of 8000kg. ( Sometime a bit above )

 

[Madoxen]

If it was just the 2 of us a smaller mog would be ideal but there will need to be beds for my 10 and 12 yr olds also

 

[grizzlyj]

Will they sit in the camper section?
Just regarding the green ring you asked about on the Mog, thats the headlight switch. There should be a little bar across the middle of the knob that you slide to either get normal road lights on one side, or only convoy (minimal tiny) lights on the other.

 

[Madoxen]

Hi Grizzlyj,
yes we plan on having 2 seat belted seats in the cabin. most likely next to the pass through hatch but the final layouts are on hold untill we have the exact truck we will be going with

 

[Sitec]

Hi Grizzlyj,
yes we plan on having 2 seat belted seats in the cabin. most likely next to the pass through hatch but the final layouts are on hold untill we have the exact truck we will be going with

Take lots of time with your layout. We were going with a 5m body but ended up settling on 6m as a) I went from a king mattress at the rear (where one of you has to forever clamber over the other to get out) to two single mattress with steps and a foam center that makes it a King across the two mattress's if we choose, and b) a ready made body came up cheap... I've still widened it, lowered the floor and moved the PA door to make it suit our truck though! Have a look at my thread if you want the plan.

 

[Neil]

We had our layout taped with black electrical tape on our living room floor for two years before we bought the truck. We even mocked up furniture.
It paid off as 7 years later we are still happy and wouldn't change it

Neil

 

[Madoxen]

Well the plot thickens looks like I might well be going for the 1835 merc with the 5.6mtr deck and 5 mtr wheel base oh and a 10mtr crane

 

[Iain_U1250]

We test fitted our interior out of cardboard and plywood before finalizing it. Spent half a day in the mock up to see how it worked. We made a few changes as a result, and would not change a thing now. It just works great for us.

 

[Sitec]

Well the plot thickens looks like I might well be going for the 1835 merc with the 5.6mtr deck and 5 mtr wheel base oh and a 10mtr crane
View attachment 557649

That looks to be a great platform! 350hp, 18 tonne chassis and on Hub Reduction axles front and rear. It should be geared nicely with that hp. If the crane is in ticket you'll see decent money back on it. If not you should still see $4000 to $5000 back. That wheelbase lends itself to a 6m body on it. The only negative I can see is the late ECU controlled engine, but that does seem to be the way of the world now, and they are good on fuel usage. If the price is right, you have driven it and like it, get it bought!!

Scale 6m x 2.5m plan for you to pull apart! Cab is to the left. Good luck!! Exciting times!

 

[Madoxen]

Yeah crane is all in date but i Have plans for it with in the business but can use it and then pass it on to help fund the rest of build, Thanks for the Plan we have made alot of layouts both floor plan and side view and have a plan that works from as little as 4.8 mtr but gets better and more roomy but have finished at 5.5mt alowing us to have a decent storage platfor on the rear. I must say that the thought of keeping the crane on has crossed our minds for ease of swopping camper box for flat deck and mostly to use as a 10 mtr tarsan swing over lakes haha kids realy want that one , well ok mostly me .

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

Our layout - in pictures.
The main features are:
1. Optimised for 2 adults.
2. N-S bed-over-cab which allows each to get out of bed without disturbing the other. Storage along each side and in front of the bed.
3. Huge rear picture window. Lets us be closely connected to the outside even when confined inside. Very important.
3. Maximised windows for best ventilation and uninhibited views.
4. Maximised bench space and all at the same height and ZERO furniture that protrudes above the bench tops from the toilet/shower back. This is crucial for the views and to reduce the claustrophobic effect of an otherwise small living space. Very important.
5. Maximised storage space, inside and out.

Looking rearward. Overhead cupboards across the back and down each side. Electrics and battery under the table at the back. Either side of that is storage accessible from outside. Recovery gear under our feet.


Looking rearwards and left (as pictured). Storage behind the seats and stove. DIY deep freeze under the seat. It is possible to add "fill in pieces" around the table to create another double bed at bench height.


Looking forward and to the left. Fridge, door, shower/toilet, ladder to access bed, wardrobe under bed which doubles as an emergency crawl through to the cab. Either side of the wardrobe is additional storage accessible from outside. Under the wardrobe is the hot water calorifier heated by the diesel heater or by the engine waste heat. The central heating can heat the bathroom only (stationary or driving) with the door closed and that makes it a great drying room for the laundry. Or it can heat the whole area.


Second outside kitchen plus additional storage.


Front 2 side windows were subsequently made the same depth as the rear most one. Pop top with big zippered windows on 3 sides. We can stand on the bed with the pop top up but can still sleep with it down in very high winds. 880W of solar on the main roof.


Don't spoil that view.




15 years and counting.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Madoxen]

Happy Christmas We have just committed to the 1835 with crane and paid a deposit on it today. But it will be a few months before we can get it, which gives me plenty of time for more planning

Thank you Peter for the great walk through on your layout , I like the DIY freezer under the seating we had planned already to make 1 bench seat the freezer and the other a chiller , ( as we hunt it is nice to be able to process and keep all meet when you are out. and a chest style set up will be mire efficient than door front one.

I like the idea of a pop top but would be worried about leaks ect how do you get on with yours ?

Many thanks

Anthony

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

The pop top over the bed works well, although I would not suggest including one unless it is really needed. It does not leak. It does make the bed area very spacious and "liveable". I would certainly NOT support a full size pop top over the whole roof area. The living area must be usable full standing height at all times without ever having to raise or lower it. I have found that with Earthcruisers and the like, the pop top inhibits the view due to the window placement and you loose the overhead storage, just so the vehicle will fit into a shipping container, which might happen rarely or never.

Insulation is almost zero although the diesel heater easily overcomes the cold. If the diesel heater is not run, there can be some condensation on the inside when it is cold outside. It is also vital to avoid any "cold connections" to avoid condensation on interior surfaces.
In hot conditions, there is an unexpected benefit from the thermal chimney that is created when it draws air in through the windows and out through the pop top.
The chest freezer is only about 25L nett, but has 150mm of closed cell polyurethane foam all around, so power consumption is quite low. We use a few tricks to get the best value from it like cutting 1L of ice cream into 4 pieces and putting it in the freezer in zip top bags. We also tend to pre prepare meals which we also store frozen in zip top bags. They pack in closely, using the minimum of space. The compressor is in a compartment in front of the cabinet. The air from the condenser blows up to dry the tea towels.
Our fridge is 130L "all fridge", no freezer compartment. Small fridge/freezers often do not work as well as they might because the 2 compartments don't have separate controls.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[Sitec]

Our layout - in pictures.
The main features are:
1. Optimised for 2 adults.
2. N-S bed-over-cab which allows each to get out of bed without disturbing the other. Storage along each side and in front of the bed.
3. Huge rear picture window. Lets us be closely connected to the outside even when confined inside. Very important.
3. Maximised windows for best ventilation and uninhibited views.
4. Maximised bench space and all at the same height and ZERO furniture that protrudes above the bench tops from the toilet/shower back. This is crucial for the views and to reduce the claustrophobic effect of an otherwise small living space. Very important.
5. Maximised storage space, inside and out.

Looking rearward. Overhead cupboards across the back and down each side. Electrics and battery under the table at the back. Either side of that is storage accessible from outside. Recovery gear under our feet.
View attachment 557692

Looking rearwards and left (as pictured). Storage behind the seats and stove. DIY deep freeze under the seat. It is possible to add "fill in pieces" around the table to create another double bed at bench height.
View attachment 557702

Looking forward and to the left. Fridge, door, shower/toilet, ladder to access bed, wardrobe under bed which doubles as an emergency crawl through to the cab. Either side of the wardrobe is additional storage accessible from outside. Under the wardrobe is the hot water calorifier heated by the diesel heater or by the engine waste heat. The central heating can heat the bathroom only (stationary or driving) with the door closed and that makes it a great drying room for the laundry. Or it can heat the whole area.
View attachment 557694

Second outside kitchen plus additional storage.
View attachment 557700

Front 2 side windows were subsequently made the same depth as the rear most one. Pop top with big zippered windows on 3 sides. We can stand on the bed with the pop top up but can still sleep with it down in very high winds. 880W of solar on the main roof.
View attachment 557701

Don't spoil that view.
View attachment 557704

View attachment 557705

15 years and counting.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

I spy SA plates!

 

[Sitec]

Happy Christmas We have just committed to the 1835 with crane and paid a deposit on it today. But it will be a few months before we can get it, which gives me plenty of time for more planning...

Great news! That's the easy bit done! Re crane, a lot of people asked me why I didn't keep the crane on my truck... and the reasons may be valid with you... Firstly, they're a heavy bloody thing! The front of my truck came up 120mm when the crane was removed, and it took up over a meter of valuable living space! Is it worth trying to do all the crane jobs before starting on your build 'proper'? The second and main reason I sold it was because if I'd left it on the truck, it would still have been a 'work truck' and classed as a commercial vehicle, and not a full overlander. With the body on mine only suitable for living in, I should be able to register it as a motorhome/overlander and not a truck.. Worth looking into in NZ as I'm guessing the rules would be similar to Oz. Hopefully our paths will cross in the not too distant future, as NZ is looking like it might be the first stop on our list! Great news re purchase!