MAN 4x4 Truck camper build

[SpudBoy]

Central air tyre inflation system fitted

In the last 2 days I have gained an Air Central Tyre Inflation system (CTIS or Air CTI). So now I can change air pressures in the front and rear tyres whilst driving along

The system has external arms linked to a rotating hub. The arms stick out 50mm and I can see that there is the potential for an arm to be pulled off in the scrub. But the company assures me this is a very rare occurrence, and if it does occur the controller alerts you immediately. The drop arms have a sort of "fusible link" which detaches if it snags on something, and then you have to stop and re-connect it. We'll see how it goes...

Here are a few pictures:

It is controlled from the cabin by a series of solenoids. You can set different pressures front and rear. It takes a couple of minutes to go from (say) bitumen pressures to dirt road pressures.

Not as elegant as the UniMog solution (where the air is supplied through the centre axle hobs - so no drop arms required) but still a lot better than having to climb out and air up/down when you need to change pressures.

If you want more details, see this post on the blog: Air CTI installation

 

[charlieaarons]

A few years ago MAN had a true through the hub CTIS available. Is it still a factory option?

Charlie

 

[fuoristrada camper]

@ Charlie

The Veka Man Dakar trucks have it , but it's a Mil Spec option.

G16

 

[Victorian]

Something tells that's a bad idea... Sorry. But what's wrong with filling them up with hose?

 

[SpudBoy]

A few years ago MAN had a true through the hub CTIS available. Is it still a factory option?

Charlie

Don't think this is an option on the TGM range, at least here in Australia....

 

[SpudBoy]

Something tells that's a bad idea... Sorry. But what's wrong with filling them up with hose?

Depends how often you want to change the pressures. Where we go, it can start off bitumen, progress to dirt, areas of deep sand, back to dirt etc all day. 4 tyres x 5 minutes per tyre = 20 mins. Generally you don't bother, and just go with the pressure you already have.

I bought it as an alternative to buying a winch. Low tyre pressures give a huge improvement in traction in wet grassy countryside, sand & etc.

With this system is is a no-brainer to adjust the pressures. Doing it manually, it is easy to not change them because it's too much hassle, or to attempt a track and then lower them only if you get stuck.

 

[Joe917]

Another huge advantage to the CTIS system is a small puncture will not stop you. As long as the compressor can keep up you can keep going, either to a better or safer spot to change tires or to a garage/tire shop. Its no small thing when your wheel is over 150 lbs.

 

[SpudBoy]

A little more progress this week, this time sorting out one of the rear storage compartments with the gas bottles. I can only apologise for the interminably slow progress I am making. Life keeps getting in the way!

Had to TIG up some custom brackets to hold the cylinders against the rear wall of the box:

The angled area right at the back is a funny shape to store things, so I think it is going to end up as a dry firewood hole, or maybe a rubbish and recycling area. The area in front of the cylinders will store 4 wheel leveling wedges - they fit perfectly!

A few other areas have progressed, such as fitting a master 12v switch and a few meters inside the cabin to monitor the state of the battery:

More details and pictures in this blog post: Driver's side rear storage cabinet

I am not allowed to connect up all the gas stuff, so the lines between the regulator and the appliances (water heater and cook top) have to be done by a licensed gas fitter. After much searching I have finally found someone down in the city who will do this job for me.

 

[java]

Great progress! Cant wait to see it all done.

 

[LeishaShannon]

Nice build, great to see another Aussie DIY

 

[SpudBoy]

First attempt on plasma cutter

The "Water System" is the thing being worked on now. I've got the main 425 liter tank plumbed in and the Jabsco pump all hooked up, but I needed to make a bracket to hold a water filter/purifier, and got completely distracted with manufacturing this with my new PlasmaCam cutter.

It took about 3 weeks to build the thing, then another couple of weeks to work out how the software all worked. So this is probably the most expensive bracket ever produced!

I know I could have made it by hand with a Tig welder (I wanted it made from stainless steel) and a drill and a grinder, but I can see the potential for using the PlasmaCam machine for a lot of things on the build.

I made a YouTube video of the cutter working so you can see how quickly it cuts things. It is super accurate too. I wanted a hole for the filter of 111mm, and when cut it measured 111.08 mm, which is SO much better than I'd ever get doing it by hand.

Anyway, here's the video, and below that a link to the blog page with some more photos:


Blog: Plasma cutter in action

 

[Overland Hadley]

That is awesome.

 

[DzlToy]

A good friend of mine has one of these and they are great machines. He has cut all kinds of things for customers and friends and will soon be ordering one of the new machines. If you can afford one or have access to one, they will pay for themselves in short order.

 

[SpudBoy]

A few more jobs are now done. I am actually further ahead than the blog indicates because I don't get enough time to keep it up to date, but I've just put up 3 small posts about:

1) Depth gauge in my water tank, to show how much water is remaining from inside the cabin. It works by capacitance, and there are no moving parts, which is clever. It was hard to find a gauge that measured such a deep tank, but I tracked this one down from Germany (Votronic brand).

2) Cover for the cooktop, to stop the burners and the griddle bits bouncing off on corrugations, and to give more bench space when the cooktop is not in use.

3) Installed a TV/DVD player. Not so imperative at all, but it was a small job for the couple of free hours I had this afternoon. It is on a swing arm, so we can watch it from the main cabin seating area (when it gets built) or the bed.

More details in the blog posts:

Votronic Water level meter

A cover for the cooktop

TV/DVD installed

 

[SpudBoy]

Some more posts on the latest progress are up.

The area under the sink has been filled in with drawers and cupboard doors, so it looks a lot more finished:

Cupboards-and-drawers


I've got the solar panels fitted:

Solar-Panels


And most of the water system is fitted and functioning:

Water-system


One question I get all the time when I try to describe to people what I am building, is - 'How big is the truck?'. Most people have no idea what a Unimog is or what a MAN truck is.

Most of the pictures on the blog are taken in isolation, without a person in the shots, so here is one of me and my Doberman in front of it so you can gauge the scale of things!

How-big-is-your-truck?

Cheers
David