The links below take you to information on each of
the specific subsystems of the unimog.
Zen
and Art Home Disclaimer
Errata
Parts and Parts
Vendors
Truck Sales Service
and Repairs
Engine Fuel Hydraulics Radiator and Cooling
Air System Brakes Wheels Tires Electrical
and Batteries
I have spent a lot of time taking notes and photos, keeping lists and the like, but never found the motivation to actually aggregate this information into a central location. From time to time I get emails and phone calls about Unimogs, mostly due to my web page. For the most part, these questions are repetitive and while I am willing and happy to answer these questions, it occurred to me that there is probably a better way. Thus this set of pages.
The objective here is not so much to unburden myself from responding to emails but rather to attempt to codify my experiences that came with 15 years of Unimog ownership. We had fun, no doubt, and have no regrets about either purchasing the truck or the things that happened during its ownership. To be truthful, purchasing that truck was one of the best decisions I ever made. We have made a set of life-long friendships that would not have been possible without that truck. And, it allowed us to go places and have adventures that simply would not have been possible without the vehicle.
These things said, the mog is a tweaky beast. With the correct care and feeding, you too will have fun. Without the necessary attention, the truck WILL fail and very well may strand you in an uncomfortable or dangerous place (like Compton, CA or a foreign country but these two are really the same thing). The key part of maintenance is being able to head off those trip-spoiling failures and to be able to minimize the impact and cost of things when they do fail.
This missive is not intended as a repair manual but rather a set of guidelines on truck ownership. And, if you are considering purchasing a Unimog, you might find some of this information useful in determining whether the truck is right for YOU. Mogs are cool; they get attention everywhere they go whether you want it or not. If you have a truck, you already know what I am saying. If you are thinking about purchasing a truck, then be prepared for the onslaught of questions and comments that you will get. In fact, Kathleen and I developed our own "top ten" list and jokingly would say "that guy is a #4" referring to his lead question when he approaches us at a fuel stop. One Unimog owner I know, who shall remain nameless, solved the question problem by doing a FAQ document that he put in is windshield every time he was away from his truck. At first I thought it was arrogant and rude, but now I understand the wisdom of that approach.
Where
appropriate, I
have included
links to
photos that
show the issue
described.
Since the link
points to a
full page, you
may have to
scroll down to
find the
appropriate
photos of the
issue.
In other
cases, I have
included the photos
directly as
part of the
description of
the issue.
This
is my own
personal work,
not endorsed,
sanctioned or
commissioned
by anyone
else. I
am solely
responsible
for its
contents.
Any
opinions expressed
in this set
are mine and
mine
alone. The
listing of a
vendor or an
aftermarket
part does not
constitute an
endorsement
of that vendor
or part.
Nor does it
imply that
changes or
enhancements
that we made
on our rig are
appropriate
or useful for
your
application.
Our rig was
used for
pleasure, not
commercial
work and therefore
our criteria
for choosing
parts, modifications,
enhancements
were
based on our
desires and
needs, not
necessarily
a "good, cost
effective
business
decision".
So much for
the lawyer-eese.
There are/will be mistakes in this document. If you see something that is substantially in error or something particularly offensive, feel free to contact me a bcaid "at" yahoo "dot" com. Assuming I don't see your comments as substantially in error or particularly offensive I will make reasonable attempts to correct the error.
The observations in this document are primarily
focused on our rig - the U1300L. The 1300, one of the
"SBU" cab style trucks, is one of the more common mogs in that
the European military purchased a bunch of them and they are now
available as surplus. The 1300 is a diesel and therefore
comments in this document are focused primarily on diesel
trucks. Some of the information here MAY also apply to the
U900 (AKA 406 or 416 models). This document is not
intended as a substitute for the shop manual or instructions on
how to repair your truck. It is, however, intended to
highlight issues that may require your attention before the
situation gets critical.
Each model of the Unimog product line is a bit
different. They likely share major characteristics in
common, but may not. If your model is not a 1300, then
take these comments with a grain of salt until you can verify
that your configuration is similar or not.
In North America, there are a limited number of competent sources for parts. Parts can be new or used, and each kind has its own strength and weaknesses. The list below is dynamic and there will be additions and changes in the future. Inclusion in this list does not constitute endorsement of the vendors as to competence, reliability or delivery times. That said, I have done business with most of these fellows over the years and have no complaints.
As a vehicle owner or prospective owner, I would caution you
on the issue of lead times. Some parts can take weeks or
months to obtain, so be sure to ask about the delivery date
before you place your order. Every part in the Mercedes
Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) can be obtained, it just may
take awhile. And, there is the issue of cost.
These trucks are industrial in size, weight and design.
Heavy generally equates to expensive (you buy stuff by the
pound of material, plus shipping). Be sure you
understand the cost of your items before you place your
order. The list below is in no particular order.
Name |
Contact |
Name |
Phone |
Eurotruck Importers (US) |
http://www.eurotruck-importers.com/ |
Sean Philyaw |
770-837-3636 |
Euro-Tech Services (US) |
http://www.eurotech-services.com/ |
Jim Ince |
541-837-3636
|
Expedition Imports (US) | http://www.expedition-imports.com/ |
Scott Ingham |
707-643-6757 |
Von's Mogs (US) | http://vonsmog.com/ |
Von Kittelberger |
585-377-7164 |
Terry Lee Enterprises (US) | unimogrob@yahoo.com |
Rob Pickering |
719-384-0882 |
Hans Mross (CA) | http://www.unimogcanada.com/ |
Han Mross |
604-888-6228 |
Couch Off Road Engineering (US |
http://couchoffroad.com |
Jay Couch |
888-986-4664 |
VK Cars BVBA (BE) |
htttp://www.vkcars.be/en |
+32 56 64 43 65 |
|
AC Price Engineering (UK) |
http://www.acprice.co.uk |
+44(0) 15242 42333 |
|
Atkinson Vos, Ltd (UK) |
http://www.unimogs.co.uk |
+44(0) 15242 62922 |
|
Merex Autovertrieb, GmbH (DE) |
http://www.merex.de |
+49 7225 9816 39-19 |
|
Westfield 4x4 (DE) |
http://stores.ebay.de/westfield4x4 |
+44(0) 15247 91968 |
|
HP-Hoster (DE) |
http://www.hp-hoster.de |
||
Univoit (DE) |
htttp://univoit.de |
||
Nufashop (DE) |
http://www.nufashop.de |
||
Metallbau-Feulner (DE) |
http://www.betallbau-feulner.de |
||
United Parts Service (US) |
http://www.unipaser.com |
Mike Smith |
650-364-9184 |
Depending on what, specifically, you are attempting to get,
you may find relief at Freightliner. Freightliner was
purchased by Mercedes some years back, but every one that I
have visited, save Pacific Freightliner in the San Diego area,
have generally been ignorant about mogs. If you have the
Mercedes part number, you stand a chance, but expect mistakes
as they don't deal in mogs frequently. If you live near
the Mexican border, Freightliner Mexico may provide a better
experience (assuming the parts guy speaks English or you speak
reasonable Spanish).
With a couple of exceptions, I have done business with some of he folks in the table above. Each may have access to the EPC (you should ask) which helps remove uncertainty.
When ordering parts, you will need the VIN of your
truck. The EPC has a record of every truck sold and the
specific configurations of that truck. So when the
question of "what is the gear ratio in my axle hubs?" comes
around, the EPC tells all. That is, of course, unless
you modify something from the stock configuration, in which
case I hope you kept the part number.
Generally speaking each of the parts vendors also sells trucks or knows of trucks for sale. Some are on consignment, some are for normal sale. Each as imported or re-sold many trucks and they are competent on the issues associated with the purchase.
In the US, trucks can occasionally be found on the
Unimog Exchange web site, Expedition Portal or on Craig's
list. Occasionally, the higher-end and more
expensive trucks can also be found on the Robb Report. In
Europe, Unimogs are much more common and a simple web query
would bring out reasonable web sites selling surplus
trucks. You will have to confront the import laws, so if
you elect to go this route I strongly suggest you fully
understand the dance you will have to perform to get the vehicle
through customs. Addressing these issues are the "added
value" that the folks in the table above provide.
You may, from time time, find trucks available via
the internet. My suggestion is to have a set of
"qualifying questions" in mind so you can vet the truck before
purchase. In my case, my 1300 was my first truck of this
type and I only looked at 3 (and not of the same model) before
making my decision. I paid more than I should have and the
truck had been worked much harder than advertised, so
substantial repairs ended up being required within the next few
years. Knowing what to look for could have helped that
situation. Also, willingness to get dirty and look under
the hood and below the truck would have been beneficial.
Because Unimogs are tweaky, finding somebody who understands the complexities and variations is a difficult thing. Each of the parts vendors MAY offer service, but I can say for certain that Rob Pickering does that as a significant part of his business at Terry Lee Enterprises. Rob was the Unimog North America representative and knows these trucks inside and out. He does offer an out-call service where he can come to you, but the costs could be considerable under that scenario, so I would contact him directly before you put that in motion. Of course, if you are stuck in Podunk, KY or a foreign country that approach may be the only solution.
Enhancements to a fully-developed truck is a different ball of wax and should be approached with great care. Usually, the premise that you know more than the Mercedes engineering design is somewhat specious. But, should you choose to got that route, I suggest that you contact one of the parts and service vendors and ask them their opinion of your proposed "enhancement" to the truck.
Things like adding turbo-chargers can be done with low risk by the right personnel.
There is nothing like the collective intelligence
of the web to assist you in getting your problems
resolved. There are two sources for this collective
knowledge. First is the "mog list" which is a moderated
email list, but you have to be an accepted member to post to it
to get help. See http://rockymountainmoggers.com/mailman/listinfo/mog_rockymountainmoggers.com
for details.
But, that will not help you when you are in a
pinch and need info NOW. In that case, use the
Benzworld.org forum:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/unimog/
The Benzworld group represent the finest minds in
the mog world and you can get immediate help with your issues.
Zen
and Art Home Disclaimer
Errata
Parts
and Parts
Vendors
Truck
Sales
Service
and Repairs
Engine Fuel Hydraulics Radiator and Cooling
Air System Brakes Wheels Tires Electrical
and Batteries