FLU419 SEE HMMH HME Owners group

[profo]

In case there are 24 Volt batteries, which is probably the case even though I never came across one, what would be the purpose?
Indeed, each connection is a potential trouble spot, so there would be a 50% reduction in those, but other than that I can't see any advantage over having the lower cost and extra capacity of dual 12 Volt batteries.

I went for the easiest way to replace in case batteries went bad and put two group 24 batteries in mine in series and been having them a year so far with no issues, did have to make spaces to secure them down tight though.

Marty

 

[The FLU farm]

I put 365/85/20 on mine and it improved the ride and driveabilty great can drive at 45 with no rock horse ride, and is much more stable, it killed the acceleration but improved the top cruise speed considerably!View attachment 617252

Id like to go the opposite way, to a shorter and wider tire, since I don't need the extra speed or ground clearance but would prefer a lower contact pressure and better stability.
Anyone have a suggestion in the 35 to 38-inch tall range? It could well be an ag tire as road use really isn't an issue.

 

[profo]

Id like to go the opposite way, to a shorter and wider tire, since I don't need the extra speed or ground clearance but would prefer a lower contact pressure and better stability.
Anyone have a suggestion in the 35 to 38-inch tall range? It could well be an ag tire as road use really isn't an issue.

I think the perfect tire would be the 365/80/20 and not the 85 I only had one and put it up to the truck and it was a perfect looking fit. I have recently got two more so now I have three working my way to a set soon. I think these tires are stiffer than the original tires and that's what takes out the bouncy part. tread is wider than original also, Plus to me it looks so much better!

 

[The FLU farm]

The 365/80s are too tall for my liking, and I should've also pointed out that I'd prefer a bias ply.
Main reason being that I'm not fond of replacing tires based on age, but also because I recently put a hole in the sidewall of a 12.5R20 and bias ply tires generally have stouter sidewalls.
To be even more picky, I'd like a tread with good traction in dirt, mud and snow, and which is also somewhat easy to clean mud off of.

And lastly, another thought on one 24 Volt vs. two 12 Volt batteries; With dual 12s you can use regular battery chargers. Unless, of course, you happen to have a 24 Volt charger, which I don't. Solar, yes, but not plug-in.

 

[Foxyjosh]

Here is my fuse panel. Most of the fuses are missing.

 

[kombisutra]

Stoked to see in the year since I've been off this forum, this thread has grown to 331 replies. LOTS of great, great information here, and I'm really appreciating it. I'm yet again, sitting in Afghanistan, looking out of a hangar into a SEE of heat, still feeling the tremors from the rocket attacks in the early morning, and dreaming of getting back home to my 419. So many posts I could respond to, but topping the list, the posts about the rear oil cooler fans rusting is front and center on my mind as every symptom described here points to my fans sticking: pops the fuse once the oil gets hot enough to open the fan circuit and shuts the service rpm right back down to idle. Kept changing 16 amp fused until I ran out! Thank you to our very own custom cab tilt bracket fabricator whose posts are back about page 15 or so, you better believe I bought a pair... quality work! Thank you all who have contributed here. I'll soon post some about my past year of 419 experiences. Digging it! Keep it coming!

 

[vtwin4christ]

FLU-419 Ownership and tips

419.101 SEE
1989
5,700 Miles
Wilmington, OH
Primary Use: Ministry Outreach
Insured via State Farm (liability only) - 146 every 6 months
M1101 Trailer 2007 Silver Eagle (slight mods to make it work with FLU-419)

To help document and share fixes, I have made many videos on the FLU-419 such as:

How to install alternator - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNszgiHxuY

How to fix "no charging problem" (replacing relay under alternator) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNszgiHxuY

How to clean fuel filter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Fk5JoW2VI

How to rebuild air regulator (takes forever for brakes to charge fix) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku2w6G_m7HU

How to replace air brake alcohol container - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHXyJccbDsg

How to change differential fluid if you can't get drain plug off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdzKmoGh_yE

Hub leak fix and home made compression washers for banjo lines (lines got ripped off in the woods) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUNi8Wt7Bdc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHEHttn74GQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xumpgWUW7k8


How to lubricate speedometer cable - https://youtu.be/CZcZZGrPg0A


M1101 / M1102 Trailer Conversion for FLU-419:
Sorry I don't have a video on this... But here is how I converted a M1101/1102 to work on a FLU-419.

1) Chains are too small... I purchased a 3 foot section of chain from ACE and some hooks.
2) I attach chains to welded area under pintle hook... Then use the original chains from M1101 on those. Could be prettier, but this is what I use because my M1101 issued on both the MOG (24V) as well as by civy vehicle (12V) class 4 hitch with raised pintle.
3) Cables... The M1101/1102 will come with the standard military cable. I added a 5 pin civil cable and leave the both connected.
4) Length of MIL cable - the cable on the M1101 is not long enough to reach the mog. If you climb under the trailer and relocate a few things (no wire cutting required) you can extend out your cable and get the extra length you need to reach the MOG.
5) Bulbs/Voltage converters... I was originally going to add a 12/24 converter... But I was thinking that was over kill. Instead I found LEDs to go on the trailer that are both 12 and 24 volt! This allows me to use the civy cable as well as the MIL cable without a costly converter! The bulbs I used are:

Marker light replacements for sides and front: http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Stars-11...1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage (12 of them for about 25 bucks)

Tailight bulbs (original link is dead so here is description): Mudder® 2Pcs Pack 1156 BA15S 3014 SMD 126-LED Warm White Car Lights Home Decorative Lamps

Brake lights: http://www.amazon.com/Boltlink-Ultr...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 (they now want 40 bucks! They were far cheaper when I ordered them)

I also added a modulator to the brake lights that I used on motorcycles that is 12/24V. This allows my brake lights to go FLASH-FLASH-FLASH STEADY each time I apply brakes. When this is used for turn signal it results in rapid strobe light flash patterns... Same for hazards.

A couple things to note:
The tail light/brake light reflectors are not LED friendly! Your reflection will be terrible so you have to play around with the bulbs... Not just for fit/size, but to make sure that drivers can see major difference between the running light/tail and the brake light. I accomplished this by applying black finger nail polish to much of the tail light bulb to help reduce it's brightness. Thereby allow the brake light to stand out more.

If I had to do it over... I would have skipped the mudders and the Boltlink Ultra Brights and found a different brand/size. But the marker light replacements (Gold Stars) were perfect!!!

The moral of the story is... Equip your trailer complete with 12/24V bulbs and you end up with a unit you can use on both your civil auto and your MIL gear with no special convert boxes.



Feel free to PM me if you have any mechanical questions regarding the FLU-419... Some other things I have fixed and didn't make a video are:
Sticking accelerator, installation of strobe unit on rooftop, converting a M1101 to support both 12 and 24 volt with both military and civilian plugs with no voltage converter needed (under 50 bucks), new belts from napa, how to remove radiator and re-install, door removal/installation fix, restoring original batteries from the grave.

 

[vtwin4christ]

Here is a video on how to change alternator and relay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNszgiHxuY

 

[peakbagger]

Major thumbs up on this! A few comments

My brake regulator did not have the screen in the air inlet bowl when I took it apart. It was not as badly crapped up but I have found junk in the lines all the way to the air tanks and beyond. I would suggest carefully disassembling the air fittings all the way to the tanks and the secondary regulators as far as you can go. I bit the bullet and ordered extra jumbo wrenches to fit all the fittings. I had the T fitting where the air line that runs from the passenger side to the drivers side fail without a lot of torque on it. I could not locate exact replacements but managed to find a combination of standard fittings that worked. In general, I think that it will take a lot of patience but a high priority for a SEE is to trace out the entire air system and just start cleaning it out as the grit inside the system is going to eventually raise havoc with downstream equipment. The brake booster is tied into the air system and reportedly rarely rebuildable. A rebuilt replacement is $1,000 plus so anything you can do to keep crap out of it is worth the effort.

There is a TSB on the cross body air line, the originals rotted out from the inside and the army swapped them to stainless. I switch mind to copper nickel tubing as its a lot easier to work than stainless

I have the Wabco version of the alcohol injector, I also had a broken reservoir and my injector was full of dirt. Despite carefully cleaning it, it does not work and air blows out of the air inlet so I plugged it. I plan to switch mine over to air dryer and be done with it. Reportedly some military folks got confused and poured standard antifreeze into the alcohol system and expect that that probably caused havoc with the system.

I expect that the Wabco parts are standard components with specific Mercedes parts numbers. I have done a lot of looking and still haven't found a way to find a source of rebuild kits for the alcohol injector and the secondary regulators. EI does have brake pressure regulators and brake pressure regulator rebuild kits.

 

[vtwin4christ]

J&n auto in Sharonville Ohio is an authorized Bosch facility for alternators... they actually bench tested mine. Not sure if they would have Bosch air regulator parts... but I would imagine they could.

As for the junk in the airlines... I HIGHLY recommend to any MOG owner to make sure your alcohol reservoir is sealed! Else it will draw junk into your system. Another tip is... make sure you drain your air tanks of moisture. Hot days and cool night's can add a ton of water in there.

 

[kombisutra]

Really great videos! Thank you! The air regulator rebuild was incredibly illuminating. I'll now know what I'll have in store for when I break into mine. Really appreciate it.

 

[kombisutra]

I realize our 419s will never articulate like most other unimogs due to the extra beef in the frame, but does anyone have experience with swapping to much softer springs and other modifications to allow our huge behemoths (WITHOUT loader and back hoe) to actually wallow down a mild 4X4 route respectably? There is this guy in Moab here, but I'm not sure what work he's done. Are those early 416 drum brake wheels? Video says owners name is Tom. Anyone know this guy? Nice truck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcN4oKlsKw

 

[The FLU farm]

I, too, am curious about the tires and wheels.
But why buy a SEE and take the useful stuff off of it?
To then also modify the suspension would make it that much harder to put the useful stuff back on again.

 

[tennmogger]

I have been offroad with that SEE. It does perform ok but only after it had a lot of work done on it. He winched me up a long muddy slope at Wind Rock. Those Michelin XM-47 tires easily went where my XL's could not. Perfect tires for mud and snow (and even good on the highway).

On the truck, I recall frame lengthening or wheelbase lengthening (or both, to move the shock towers), extending torque tube and driveshaft for the rear, new springs and shocks, and lots of 'little' things. It was an expensive undertaking. I'm with 'FLU farm', it's a terrible thing to do to an SEE if you ever want to have a functional work truck. On the other hand, if there is no intention to use the implements again, the SEE makes a heck of a base truck to modify since Unimog 416's are scarce.

 

[The FLU farm]

I must be getting old, because it bugged me when I came across the forklift and crane parts off an HMMH for sale.
That means that somebody took a useful vehicle (only 290 made) and turned it into a basic Unimog.
Except with a front suspension lockout and blackout lights.

But, hey, it's a free country and we can do what we want with our FLUs.
Although, I much prefer taking my Flatfender Jeep when going 'wheeling. And leaving the windshield at home.

 

[Another Ahab]

I realize our 419s will never articulate like most other unimogs due to the extra beef in the frame, but does anyone have experience with swapping to much softer springs and other modifications to allow our huge behemoths (WITHOUT loader and back hoe) to actually wallow down a mild 4X4 route respectably? There is this guy in Moab here, but I'm not sure what work he's done. Are those early 416 drum brake wheels? Video says owners name is Tom. Anyone know this guy? Nice truck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcN4oKlsKw

That IS a nice truck.

I love the creeper gearing on the Unimog, that's great stuff.

 

[kombisutra]

WOW the mods on that truck are major if he pulled the rear axle back! Thanks for the testimonial on the tires, I'm hoping to eventually get some, but the next question is about those wheels... any idea?

In regards to the 419, I liken it to a Swiss Army Knife, it that in order to use another function, you've got to pull out that particular blade. So too do I hope to swap springs and dump the attachments on occasion for some minor trail moto action. Only to change it back when I get it home. Maybe too much work for some, but I'm ok with doing the transformers thing with the 419. Lots more for me to learn.

 

[Another Ahab]

WOW the mods on that truck are major if he pulled the rear axle back! Thanks for the testimonial on the tires, I'm hoping to eventually get some, but the next question is about those wheels... any idea?

So the wheelbase on that rig (in the video) is longer than standard?

 

[The FLU farm]

Maybe too much work for some, but I'm ok with doing the transformers thing with the 419. Lots more for me to learn.

Since I'm not sure just how much work it would be to remove (which is likely the easy part) and reinstall the backhoe, does anybody know of photos and/or a video of the procedure?
What I do know is that hooking up a 3-point backhoe to a tractor was a royal pain, even with extendable lift arms and a hydraulic lift link on the tractor.
And that was a PTO driven unit, so it really couldn't have been any simpler.
It was the time consuming hassle with that backhoe that made me buy a SEE instead.

If I had to remove the SEE's backhoe on occasion, I'd build a "jig" to park it on, on concrete, so that at least it'd stay put regardless of the hydraulics leaking down and without having to worry about the cribbing shifting.
I'd also convert to air springs, to avoid wasting half a day swapping springs.

I'll hopefully get a chance to install air springs at some point, because the idea of being able to dump the bags when running the backhoe is appealing to me, and could also make the loader more useful. Maybe with more practice I could learn to scrape up dirt with the SEE's loader, but I have yet to master compensating for the suspension movements and use a tractor instead.
I'd also plumb the air springs to "lock" in the dumped position, which would help when traversing ditches.

Not that it's likely to happen anytime soon - I had an air suspension setup figured out for my Jeep, which would allow compensating for side hills, and the only thing that came out of that idea was that it inspired Soni to build the Scorpion. Meanwhile, the Jeep is still on leaf springs, some 20 years later.

 

[kombisutra]

Turned the stock wheels inside out? What are those wheels?