Mercedes Overland Building/Tuning

[mog]

Have a question about cab tilt/ram. This fitting looks like that's where the ram end should go? Though the angle looks a little off.
I am thinking of a way to motorize the cab lift,
View attachment 726018

That mount might be for the 'safety rod'? There should be a secondary solid rod (painted red) that you can lock into place when the cab is lifted.

You might want to check the pneumatic lines running to the cab lift cylinder (btw, mine being a 3-part/shaft cylinder was the same one as used on the Unimog tilt/dump beds). On my 1979 1017AF, there was a pneumatic fitting (male) by the driver's step where external air could be connected to lift the cab. If your is so equipped, simple enough that if you have or add an 'air chuck' into your system for tire filling/etc, you could have used that to lift your cab?
Otherwise,
How to tell if a dreifachkabine owner has been doing a bunch of engine maintenance/servicing

 

[RoamIt]

Did cross my mind that it was a safety prop fitting, I used a couple 2x6's I don't even want to think about the cab coming down while I'm wrenching on the engine. I'll fabricate something from steel as a prop. Just trying figure out the how its supposed to work because the 'arm' pivots down. But you can't pivot it when the ram is propping the cab up.

Joe may be right, if the crew cab was an upfitter mod, then things may not be straight forward. Part of the learning process.

Will absolutely see if there is a way to use the pneumatic system to crank the cab up. There's a small lever just behind the cab you flip one way or the other to raise/lower the cab. But you hand crank both ways.

I do have an male air fitting under the drivers door, I have used it to charge the system to release the mechanical brake. It had a fitting that was not the std 1/4" or a 3/8" and I was afraid it was going to be a hard to find Euro fitting. I found out its a 'high flow' fitting. A few bucks at Harbor Freight and I had the matching female fitting on my compressor.

 

[Joe917]

The cab should reach a point where it "tips over" so that you have to pump it back to lower. This prevents it from dropping on you inadvertently. It is possible that the oversize cab may not lift far enough for this to happen.

 

[RoamIt]

It doesn't. I raised it as far as it will go today to get at the starter/alt. and then propped it up with heavy steel tubing I had laying around, then as extra insurance added a 2x6 that was a little short of contact. By the time I was done working for the day, it had dropped down far enough that the 2x6 was jammed and the steel tubing was very tight

Had to pump it back up to remove. I'll definitely be fabricating a heavy duty prop rod.

 

[mog]

The cab should reach a point where it "tips over" so that you have to pump it back to lower. This prevents it from dropping on you inadvertently. It is possible that the oversize cab may not lift far enough for this to happen.

The triplecabs don't open that high. Max opening in the photo below

I'll definitely be fabricating a heavy duty prop rod.

In the photo below, the red 'nub' on the frame above the brake assembly is where the frame end of my factory safety prop mounted. It was a removable rod (painted red), that was held in storage by a couple of mounting clips when not in use (sorry no photo)

 

[RoamIt]

I'm missing my 'nub' ? That is the same cylinder that's on my truck.

I did find a bracket with pin and a few holes in it that just sticks up with nothing attached and it's in the vicinity on the frame rail that would match with the bracket on the cab. May be able to work with that. One way or another I definitely need a prop.

I like those wheels, know what they are?

 

[mog]

I like those wheels, know what they are?

Hutchinson 'Atlas' rims (NSN#2530-01-479-2916). One of the very-very few MRAP wheels that are 'flippable' as both centers are smooth. (FYI - 82 lbs without runflat/beadlocks)


The downside is they are rarer than a leprechaun riding a unicorn. They also require the wheel half bolts to be replaced with bolts that have a shallower head.

Most other MRAP wheels will not work as 'flippable wheels' as they have stepped faces on one side.

 

[RoamIt]

OK, may be too exotic for my Mad Max build.

 

[mog]

OK, may be too exotic for my Mad Max build.

Well, a 'Mad Max builds' would require a STEEL version of the 'Atlas'. If you would like 4 steelies, I'll gladly donate them to your build. But a heads-up, they are so heavy that shipping them requires a 14-day prior notice to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as their movement affects the tides and earth's rotation.

 

[RoamIt]

But do they have spikes sticking out.....

 

[RoamIt]

Minor update: Got the Alternator out today, its a Bosch 80amp model (also fits DAF's) Actually a lot cheaper than I thought they would be. But I'm looking around for a higher amp one.
Never found a MB part number on it.

Starter is most of the way out hard to get to the bottom bolt. Not sure if I can take it out the top or I'm going to have to remove some exhaust and drop it out the bottom. Either way, I'll have it out next day or two and begin that part hunt.

I have the EPC, but having challenges getting it installed, files extracted. Hopefully I didn't get a bad one, never know about Ebay purchases.

Found an inspection sticker inside the drivers door dated April '19 and what looks like a road inspection sticker on the rear of the truck dated February '20. So I'm guessing it was retired a couple of years ago and been sitting on an auction lot. Not surprised something went out once it was being driven again.

 

[Joe917]

Minor update: Got the Alternator out today, its a Bosch 80amp model (also fits DAF's) Actually a lot cheaper than I thought they would be. But I'm looking around for a higher amp one.
Never found a MB part number on it.

Starter is most of the way out hard to get to the bottom bolt. Not sure if I can take it out the top or I'm going to have to remove some exhaust and drop it out the bottom. Either way, I'll have it out next day or two and begin that part hunt.

I have the EPC, but having challenges getting it installed, files extracted. Hopefully I didn't get a bad one, never know about Ebay purchases.

Found an inspection sticker inside the drivers door dated April '19 and what looks like a road inspection sticker on the rear of the truck dated February '20. So I'm guessing it was retired a couple of years ago and been sitting on an auction lot. Not surprised something went out once it was being driven again.

I think I had to remove the turbo to get my starter out.

 

[RoamIt]

Removing the turbo would make it easier from the top. But as I was underneath looking at things, I realized it would drop right out and the bottom bolt would be easy to get to from underneath.

Trying to think ahead, if I sectioned the down pipe there, be easy to swap in a new starter without disconnecting all the bits I did to reach the top bolts, or the turbo, or the dump pipe from the turbo, etc. I'll figure that out in the next couple of days.

What I'm really trying to figure out now is how to get to the belts without taking half the truck apart. Luckily, they look nearly new, but I want to get spares, so need to be able to match them up with what available locally.

I actually was thinking that everything would be easy to get to on a simple, analog truck, but it's tighter in there than I imagined.

 

[RoamIt]

Success! Was able to get the starter out from the top without pulling the turbo or sectioning the exhaust. Have new starter on the way, still looking for a higher amp alternator. I may just order a new 80amp one for now as I want to get the beast rolling again. Alternators can be rebuilt for higher output, within reason. So I may look around for a shop to rebuild the one that came out for more juice.

It's the little wins that keep you going

 

[VerMonsterRV]

Removing the turbo would make it easier from the top. But as I was underneath looking at things, I realized it would drop right out and the bottom bolt would be easy to get to from underneath.

Trying to think ahead, if I sectioned the down pipe there, be easy to swap in a new starter without disconnecting all the bits I did to reach the top bolts, or the turbo, or the dump pipe from the turbo, etc. I'll figure that out in the next couple of days.

What I'm really trying to figure out now is how to get to the belts without taking half the truck apart. Luckily, they look nearly new, but I want to get spares, so need to be able to match them up with what available locally.

I actually was thinking that everything would be easy to get to on a simple, analog truck, but it's tighter in there than I imagined.

The air pump/power steering pump belts should come right off. For the alternator belts you need to pass them by the fan blade one blade at a time. Reverse the procedure to re-install.

For USA belts look at the Gates HD green belts, I think you need the 13mm x 1025mm for the air pump and 13mm x 1350mm for the alternator. If possible you should double check with the belts on your truck. Gates has a belt sizing chart on the web with the belt part number on it.

From my research it looks like Mercedes used the same alternator mounting style on a few of their engines, so a specific part number is less important than the "foot" of the alternator size.