Where to buy a square mog? Advice?

Since my U500 camper weighs about 12000kg, I obtained a USA Class B CDL (any weight straight truck). I read the book twice, passed the written test at the DMV next day. It cost $200 for the practical (driving and mechanical knowledge) test. My Int'l Driver's Permit from AAA is stamped "any truck, >3500kg". Australia and Europe in particular require a CDL with truck of that weight even a camper. But when stopped by police once in Australia they didn't even look at the licence. And stopped by police umpteen times in Russia I don't they cared about the CDL, they were interested in visa and Migration Card.
Fortunately there is international reciprocity as far as drivers' licences.
Charlie
 

DzlToy

Explorer
Being "for hire" has nothing to do with the qualifications for or requirements for a CDL.

The GENERAL rules are (check your STATE CODES AND STATUTES FOR CLARIFICATION)

If you are driving a truck that exceeds 26,000 pounds, you need a CDL

If you are driving a truck that is under 26,000 pounds, but you are towing a trailer that is MORE than 10,000 pounds you need a CDL.

If you are driving a large RV (Prevost bus), you DO NOT need a CDL, despite the fact that the GVWR of the bus is over 26,000 pounds.

If you meet one of the requirements above and are driving a vehicle for personal use only, taking your RZR to the dunes, for example, you still need a CDL.

Pulled from a Google search, please complete your own verification and validation of the info below:

WHO MUST HAVE A PENNSYLVANIA COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE (CDL)?
Anyone who drives a commercial motor vehicle. The definition of a commercial motor vehicle is:

a combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, provided the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds;
a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds;
a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver;
a school bus; or
any vehicle that is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with State and Federal regulations.

Commercial motor vehicles do not include:

implements of husbandry;
any motor home or recreational trailer operated solely for personal use; or
motorized construction equipment, including, but not limited to, motorscrapers, backhoes, motorgraders, compactors, excavators, tractors, trenchers and bulldozers

WHO MUST SUBMIT A SELF-CERTIFICATION FORM?
Every driver who currently has a commercial driver's license, as well as every driver applying for a commercial learner's permit, must self-certify the type of driving in which they operate or expect to operate in i.e., Non-excepted Interstate; Non-excepted Intrastate; Excepted Interstate; or Excepted Intrastate. The self-certification process will identify commercial drivers that operate in Non-excepted transportation, therefore identifying which drivers are required to submit a copy of their valid Medical Examiner's Certificate to PennDOT.

ARE THERE ANY EXEMPTIONS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA CDL PROGRAM?
Yes, the following persons are not required to obtain a Pennsylvania CDL in order to drive a specified commercial motor vehicle:

a firefighter who has a certificate of authorization from his fire chief while operating fire or emergency vehicles registered to the fire department;
a driver of a farm vehicle which is controlled and operated by a farmer and used exclusively to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm owned or operated by the owner of the farm vehicle. The farm vehicle may not be used in common or contract carriage and may be used only within 150 miles of the farm;
active duty military personnel, personnel on full-time National Guard duty, personnel on inactive National Guard duty training or part-time National Guard training and National Guard military technicians who are required to wear military uniforms while operating equipment owned or operated by the Department of Defense.
 

evilfij

Explorer
Exempt I referenced above just means that if you are not for hire you are exempt from the medical. Exempt Interstate as referenced above. (As I understand the PA forms -- BTW PA is not too bad as vehicle reg stuff). Of course, under 26,001 lbs I suppose I don't need one at all.
 

Haf-E

Expedition Leader
While its not a unimog - this pinzgauer has a tilt bed and will go 65 on the highway... front and rear hydraulics - it is probably a bit too rusty however

http://www.pinzgauer.com/shpics.php?table=vehicles&idnum=143

shfull.php
 

unirover

Observer
As I said, in the USA, you do not need a CDL for an SBU Unimog unless you are using it commercially or you have a combined gross weight of 26,001 lbs or more. The brakes are hydraulic. Also Arnie's Unimog is not really for sale, it's just an advertising gimmick, hence the price;)
 

evilfij

Explorer
As I said, in the USA, you do not need a CDL for an SBU Unimog unless you are using it commercially or you have a combined gross weight of 26,001 lbs or more. The brakes are hydraulic. Also Arnie's Unimog is not really for sale, it's just an advertising gimmick, hence the price;)


Thanks. I am still confused from the U500 which could be 33k lbs
 

thebigblue

Adventurer
In Norway you need a light truck/CDL /class C1 (for light trucks),class D1 (for light busses), driver license to be able to drive all vehicles with registered total weight above 3500kg. and less than 7500kg. If the truck or buss exceedes 7500kg in total weight you need to have heavy truck driver licence (class C og D) This is applicable no matter if it is a truck/lorry or RV/camper. Here it is the weight of the vehicle that decides what type of driving licence you need, and it it totaly independendt of what purpose the vehicle has/what it will be used for. If you are driving a vehicle heavier than 3500kg for work purposes you also need an additional 2 week "commercial driver's course", which really isn't about the driving itself, but more about theory about special rules and regulations professional drivers need to follow. To top that of yo also need anadditional driverlicence if you are intending to tow any trailer/caravan behind your truck/buss/rv which has allowable total weight above 750kg.

The total cost of heavy truck driver licence + heavy trailer driving license + "commercial driver's course" will easily set you back 120 000 NOK / 14 500 USD / 13 000EUR!:Wow1:

I´m in Denmark, I´m a bit confused by the "commercial drivers course". Here we don´t need it if the Mog is registered for transportting private goods. But anything above 3.5 tons will require a C license, and this will allow you driving anything above the 3.5 ton.
 

grizzlyj

Tea pot tester
Anyone have the u1300 Atkinson Vos pinion gear set? That to me sounds like a good solution. For the factory "fast axles" is the reduction different in the portal hub or the ring and pinion? i don't want to use giant tires, I would prefer normal unimog sized tires, I was just looking for something that would allow me to go highway speeds.
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Hi
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U1700/1850/2150 etc were designed to run on 395s and were a factory option, so they aren't oversized. 365s are I think max road going factory fit on smaller Mogs?
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Someone at AV told me that as soon as you step up to that size Mog parts become more standard. Smaller Mogs are a bit more variable. And for an additional 500kg (approx for any given length/set up U1300l vs U1700) you get portals with a lot more oil in them to maintain lower temps, and much bigger brakes.
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I also "think" most ex army U1300ls won't have the important bit in the gearbox to allow a pto for hydraulics?
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"Short" vs "long" is also a bit subjective, as some might say a U1300l is long because it is longer than most, but then what is a U1700L38?! :)
 

mogwildRW1

Adventurer
It's not subjective at all.

The "L" in U1300L stands for longer frame overhang, the wheelbase would be 3250mm which is standard. A U1300L37 however would indicate a 3700mm wheelbase, a U1700L38 indicates a 3800mm wheelbase.

As soon as you step up to the U1700/1850/2150 you get the beefier axles, but parts (brake pads and rotors for example, tires and rims, that kind of thing) become much more expensive, and they will actually be less common in North America. (All that said I prefer the larger, 2pc axles)

Now the shortwheelbase square cab stuff (425 series 1300 (note there is no "L" in that model designation, and 424, 437, and 427 series) could be had in 2650 and 2810mm wheelbase.

Standard Unimog hydraulics are run off the belt driven pump from the engine. The high output, stationary (crane, water pump, etc) hydraulics can be ordered and those are usually run off the transmission, if eqipt. Being military has nothing to do with this option being present or not.

Now being military does have to do with the 5-8 lockout, so the higher gears cannot be used in reverse, it's quite common on ex-bw U1300l's.
 
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mogwildRW1

Adventurer
I've used 5th and 6th in reverse several times, especially plowing a narrow long drive you can't turn around in.
 

grizzlyj

Tea pot tester
It's not subjective at all.
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Hi
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Since this thread was just talking about "short" and "long", I thought this was subjective, rather than now being specific as you mention.
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Although I'm surprised you use the word "standard" :) L37 seems to be 3750mm sometimes, similar +50mm with L38, and my no L U1700 had the same dimensions as its U1300l predecessor allowing us to swap over our camper box.
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Thank you for the corrections though.
 

mogwildRW1

Adventurer
Your right, 3850mm, not 3800, my bad, been out of the square cab game for over a year and went back to the simpler, round cab series ;) I wasn't dissin', just trying to help someone new wade through the madrid of options that is the Unimog

tech100.jpg

The U1300L and U1700 (no L) are the same wheelbase, as is the U1700L, as the "L" in the U1700L refers to a longer frame overhang, not wheelbase. Assuming both are 435 series. My U1700 had the heavier 2pc axles, but with 8bolt rims (split rims! the tire guy wasn't impressed) instead of the more modern 10bolt.

And since with Unimogs they like to switch things up, you really have to go by the series (first six digits of the VIN), not the "U" Numbers I have owned a U1700AG, and U1700L, different wheelbases because one was a 435 series (435.111), one was a 437 series (437.100). Both were U1700's to be sure but one had a 3250mm wheelbase with a longer frame overhang and one was 2810mm with short frame overhand for tipper box.

The really cool feature of the shorter wheelbase Unimogs (2810mm and the even shorter 2650mm such as the U1600) is with the Unimogs tight turning radius, you can literally turn the mog around in two lanes on the road without touching either ditch.

heck, you can even turn sharp while towing:
For a real mindscrew, there's the U1300L and the U1350L, the U1350L is basically a U1550L, detuned in horsepower to 130hp of the U1300L, but with the newer frame, turbo and intercooler (but without raised cab...same as the U1200/1400TUGS) and newer 2pc axles. Ah Mercedes, you ask, they will build it for you, poor guys in the parts department...

One can always refer to the spec sheets if curious, and if they want to go even further, the bodybuilder portal has more info even still.

You are right, I should never use the word "standard" with a Unimog, since even the passengers side sun visor was optional until the newest 437 series! Thanks for the correction/reminder ;)
 

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