Iain_U1250
Explorer
Things are looking great David, and you were talking about a Unimog being big, that thing is massive?
MAN 4x4 Truck camper build
- Thread starter SpudBoy
- Start date
I know. When I first drove a Unimog I was overwhelmed at how much bigger they were than my Land Rover Defender 130. I am sure there will be times when we curse the size of it and wish we were back in the 130!!
But after you've driven a few, and then a few other trucks, they don't seem so bad. Also, driving the MAN, which is a very modern truck, is so easy it masks the real size of the thing. My missus hopped in and drove it from our farm down to the beach with no dramas, and she had never driven a truck before (she had to use "L" plates).
How's your build going? Haven't seen any progress posts for a while.
But after you've driven a few, and then a few other trucks, they don't seem so bad. Also, driving the MAN, which is a very modern truck, is so easy it masks the real size of the thing. My missus hopped in and drove it from our farm down to the beach with no dramas, and she had never driven a truck before (she had to use "L" plates).
How's your build going? Haven't seen any progress posts for a while.
Iain_U1250
Explorer
Progress has been a bit slow, not had much time to get anything substantial done. At least I have finished my overhear console, bit of overkill but then so is most of the things on my truck now. Looking back, I think I've spent almost as much time as some guys on here spent on their entire camper shell LOL.
Posted a progress report on it on the weekend, hoping to get some more time in the shed soon
Posted a progress report on it on the weekend, hoping to get some more time in the shed soon
Iain - your build has so much more to it than mine, with all the cabin work you have done. I am only tackling the canopy part. Hats off for all the work you are doing.
For me, this weekend's efforts involved putting a door on the wardrobe, fitting an overhead cupboard over the sink, and designing a way to hold the crockery so it wouldn't smash over corrugations.
Nothing too exciting about the wardrobe door. It's a door on hinges with a magnetic catch.... Inside is just a hanging bar and some Ikea drawers on some very simple shelves.
The shelving material is ultra light weight fibreglass waffle board. Each shelf only weighs about 200g. Blog link: Hanging-space-and-drawers
The overhead cupboard was a lot of fun! It needed to have a microwave, an exhaust fan and filter and some shelf space.
I swear that about half of the design time on this job was trying to work out where to fix the gas struts!! It's not as easy as it first seems. Blog Link: Sink-Stove-Overhead-Cupboard
Lastly, I had a couple of goes at designing a good way to store crockery.
This took more thought than I initially imagined. My first prototype was very short lived. The trick is to stop the plates and bowls from moving when you're travelling, but still allowing easy access when you need to get a plate out. Blog post: Crockery-drawer
For me, this weekend's efforts involved putting a door on the wardrobe, fitting an overhead cupboard over the sink, and designing a way to hold the crockery so it wouldn't smash over corrugations.
Nothing too exciting about the wardrobe door. It's a door on hinges with a magnetic catch.... Inside is just a hanging bar and some Ikea drawers on some very simple shelves.
The shelving material is ultra light weight fibreglass waffle board. Each shelf only weighs about 200g. Blog link: Hanging-space-and-drawers
The overhead cupboard was a lot of fun! It needed to have a microwave, an exhaust fan and filter and some shelf space.
I swear that about half of the design time on this job was trying to work out where to fix the gas struts!! It's not as easy as it first seems. Blog Link: Sink-Stove-Overhead-Cupboard
Lastly, I had a couple of goes at designing a good way to store crockery.
This took more thought than I initially imagined. My first prototype was very short lived. The trick is to stop the plates and bowls from moving when you're travelling, but still allowing easy access when you need to get a plate out. Blog post: Crockery-drawer
You may wish to take a page out of the UNICAT book and re-design your crockery drawers:
scroll for pics: http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/MXXL24AH-MAN8x8-sh-2.php
scroll for pics: http://www.unicat.com/en/pics/MXXL24AH-MAN8x8-sh-2.php
something along that line yes. I was thinking that would eliminate having to pack something between the dishes and would prevent sliding around, possible chipping, rattling, etc.
Maybe a horizontal "shelf" for each plate or saucer to sit on then the whole thing gets lowered into the drawer as if you were dipping something into a parts washer or a chroming tank?
Maybe a horizontal "shelf" for each plate or saucer to sit on then the whole thing gets lowered into the drawer as if you were dipping something into a parts washer or a chroming tank?
Today I got the winch/slider system built to get the spare tyre in and out.
Normally this requires no special thought on a normal vehicle size wheel, but these buggers are around 125Kg and extremely unwieldy.
This is what it ended up looking like:
I went with a hand winch for simplicity and cheapness, given that it should be an unusual occurrence to have to change a tyre. The slider is made from 4 rollers that make sliding truck sides roll. The first time I used it, the frame bent down a little, so I've added an extra stiffener plate to make it less flexible.
More photos & etc here: Spare-Tyre-under-the-bed-Winch-system
Cheers
David
Normally this requires no special thought on a normal vehicle size wheel, but these buggers are around 125Kg and extremely unwieldy.
This is what it ended up looking like:
I went with a hand winch for simplicity and cheapness, given that it should be an unusual occurrence to have to change a tyre. The slider is made from 4 rollers that make sliding truck sides roll. The first time I used it, the frame bent down a little, so I've added an extra stiffener plate to make it less flexible.
More photos & etc here: Spare-Tyre-under-the-bed-Winch-system
Cheers
David
GR8ADV
Explorer
Today I got the winch/slider system built to get the spare tyre in and out.
Normally this requires no special thought on a normal vehicle size wheel, but these buggers are around 125Kg and extremely unwieldy.
This is what it ended up looking like:
I went with a hand winch for simplicity and cheapness, given that it should be an unusual occurrence to have to change a tyre. The slider is made from 4 rollers that make sliding truck sides roll. The first time I used it, the frame bent down a little, so I've added an extra stiffener plate to make it less flexible.
More photos & etc here: Spare-Tyre-under-the-bed-Winch-system
Cheers
David
Awesome. My 200# wheels is in the back as well. Pretty sure I can have gravity get it out, not sure how yet to get the old one back in other than hoping for a friend. Good idea here and gives me reason to ponder something similar.
The MAN got an outing over the long weekend, up to the Flinders Ranges in the mid-north of our state (South Australia). A round trip of over 1100Kms (about 600 or 700 Miles I think).
I was very happy with how it went, especially over corrugations and washouts. I drove it up one of the unpaved roads which has a good mix of creek washouts, some tight corners, corrugations, some interesting side tracks and lots of dust. Ridiculously comfortable!
The only downside of the whole thing was the rather high fuel consumption. On the way up it was over 30L/100Km with a very strong headwind. On the way home it did hugely better at 23.7L/100Km as I drove 5Km/h slower and didn't have that headwind. Still a lot of fuel even at 23.7L/100..... (that's around 9.9 MPG for you US guys).
We had lovely weather. This is the view from the camper on the Saturday morning:
I did a short excursion to the radio tower just outside of where we were camping, which is up a narrow track and very rocky. Again, no dramas. Low range 1st is super slow so going straight down a steep hill was not a problem with huge engine compression holding it back.
I stupidly forgot to latch the cupboard closed, so over the slow rolling bumps the door flew open and the drawer launched itself across the floor, breaking it. A lesson for beginners
More photos & etc on this blog post: Shake-down-trip-to-Blinman-Flinders-Ranges
Cheers
David
I was very happy with how it went, especially over corrugations and washouts. I drove it up one of the unpaved roads which has a good mix of creek washouts, some tight corners, corrugations, some interesting side tracks and lots of dust. Ridiculously comfortable!
The only downside of the whole thing was the rather high fuel consumption. On the way up it was over 30L/100Km with a very strong headwind. On the way home it did hugely better at 23.7L/100Km as I drove 5Km/h slower and didn't have that headwind. Still a lot of fuel even at 23.7L/100..... (that's around 9.9 MPG for you US guys).
We had lovely weather. This is the view from the camper on the Saturday morning:
I did a short excursion to the radio tower just outside of where we were camping, which is up a narrow track and very rocky. Again, no dramas. Low range 1st is super slow so going straight down a steep hill was not a problem with huge engine compression holding it back.
I stupidly forgot to latch the cupboard closed, so over the slow rolling bumps the door flew open and the drawer launched itself across the floor, breaking it. A lesson for beginners
More photos & etc on this blog post: Shake-down-trip-to-Blinman-Flinders-Ranges
Cheers
David
charlieaarons
Explorer
My U500 (about 12 metric tons,2 spare unmounted tires on roof) averages about 27L/100km, about the same as you.
Charlie
It only has 2,000Kms on it at the moment, so I am hoping for a slight improvement as the engine beds in.
My 2007 Land Rover Defender started out at 11.5L/100Kms when it was new, but after 20,000Kms it improved to 10L/100Kms on average. Not sure how more Kms makes it use less fuel - maybe things are tight to begin with?
The MAN weighs in at just under 9,000Kg currently. That's made up of 6,250Kg of truck chassis & fuel + 2,000Kg of canopy + around 700Kg of clothing, water, cutlery, crockery, food & etc.
My 2007 Land Rover Defender started out at 11.5L/100Kms when it was new, but after 20,000Kms it improved to 10L/100Kms on average. Not sure how more Kms makes it use less fuel - maybe things are tight to begin with?
The MAN weighs in at just under 9,000Kg currently. That's made up of 6,250Kg of truck chassis & fuel + 2,000Kg of canopy + around 700Kg of clothing, water, cutlery, crockery, food & etc.
java
Expedition Leader
Thats a heavy beast! Mine is 5171KG, and gets ~8mpg, If i did the math right thats 29.4L/100km?! Ouch. I need diesel....