FLU419 SEE HMMH HME Owners group

[BigBison]

I was in the market for a knuckle-boom crane truck before I decided to get the HMMH. Browsing used-equipment sites, the only crane trucks I found under $40K were used almost to death. Spending that much buying & debugging the HMMH gives better cost-benefit for my purposes. I have 40 undeveloped acres, what I'm planning often comes down to "what can I build with my crane" like Quonset huts, geodesic-dome greenhouses, and prefab timber-frame structures which can be built from the top down, by lifting them up as they're assembled. Savings on construction labor & subcontractors should go a long way towards realizing Return on Investment from my Mogs.

The forklift on the HMMH really sealed the deal, for me. Sure, I could put forks on the SEE's loader bucket to unload trucks at the end of my driveway, but getting pallets of construction materials where they need to go on my hilly spread is going to require that load-tilt. Shipping's less if you don't need liftgate/forklift service on your end. I think the HMMH will prove itself worth every cent!

 

[rabbitjaeger]

New member, waiting for my SEE to be delivered. Bought it sight unseen from a gentleman in CT. Fingers crossed it is as good as he says.

I am anxious to put it to work on my property, removing smaller trees, clearing ditches, excavating a retaining wall or two, etc., etc. My wife thinks I am nuts, but she's used to that. LOL.
I fell in love with the 406 series UNIMOG when I was stationed in Germany in the 70's. What a marvelous machine. Finally 40 years later I'm getting my chance to find out.

 

[Another Ahab]

New member, waiting for my SEE to be delivered.
I fell in love with the 406 series UNIMOG when I was stationed in Germany in the 70's. What a marvelous machine. Finally 40 years later I'm getting my chance to find out.

Good luck with that.

And welcome from here in Virginia.

 

[Bikers33]

New member, waiting for my SEE to be delivered. Bought it sight unseen from a gentleman in CT. Fingers crossed it is as good as he says.
.

Welcome to the addiction, you'll love it..

 

[rabbitjaeger]

Thank you. I appreciate the welcome.

 

[BigBison]

If I put hydraulics on the SEE to run that snowblower, I can also run one of these next summer:

http://www.brushwolf.com/product/72-m-ax/

My own land only has grass & sagebrush. The cutting width on that beast is enough to clear a track for the Mog. With the hoe removed, a skid-mount UHP fire-suppression system could be mounted on the rear. Picture a trailer with a water tank, a front-mounted nozzle, and a water-hose reel on the skid, and the SEE could make a nifty two-man firefighting brush truck. Without the tender, the external-tool hose reel could run a water pump tossed in a nearby pond or creek.

 

[Another Ahab]

If I put hydraulics on the SEE to run that snowblower, I can also run one of these next summer:

That is a bush hog on steroids; take out 8" diameter brush!

 

[BigBison]

Yeah, a bit overkill for sagebrush. But that pretty stand of cottonwoods in the background of the pics I posted? All but a handful are under 8" so the SEE w/ brush hog could just drive back and forth and reduce it to mulch in a few hours... I'll probably find a few folks in this neighborhood willing to pay for that service. I'm not planning on working my Mogs full-time, I'd like to take on enough jobs to pay for my own use of my toys though, so keeping them maintained won't be a money pit.

Everyone around here already has access to backhoes and trackhoes, so the stock SEE configuration might only be called on for a job or two a year. Snow removal and brush-hog work are easier to come by, especially if I can just drive the Mog to jobs, try that with a skid-steer! May have to put that one-ton brush hog on a trailer, for that.

 

[Another Ahab]

Yeah, a bit overkill for sagebrush. I'm not planning on working my Mogs full-time, I'd like to take on enough jobs to pay for my own use of my toys though, so keeping them maintained won't be a money pit..

That sounds like a real good plan.

 

[General Hood]

More pics of the HMMH...

View attachment 645030

View attachment 645031

View attachment 645032

Nice to see the HMMH in action. Thanks for posting

 

[General Hood]

New member, waiting for my SEE to be delivered. Bought it sight unseen from a gentleman in CT. Fingers crossed it is as good as he says.
View attachment 645037View attachment 645038
I am anxious to put it to work on my property, removing smaller trees, clearing ditches, excavating a retaining wall or two, etc., etc. My wife thinks I am nuts, but she's used to that. LOL.
I fell in love with the 406 series UNIMOG when I was stationed in Germany in the 70's. What a marvelous machine. Finally 40 years later I'm getting my chance to find out.

Looks good from the photos. Here's hoping it meets all your expectations, BTW, welcome to the forum, from SE Oklahoma

 

[General Hood]

If I put hydraulics on the SEE to run that snowblower, I can also run one of these next summer:

http://www.brushwolf.com/product/72-m-ax/

My own land only has grass & sagebrush. The cutting width on that beast is enough to clear a track for the Mog. With the hoe removed, a skid-mount UHP fire-suppression system could be mounted on the rear. Picture a trailer with a water tank, a front-mounted nozzle, and a water-hose reel on the skid, and the SEE could make a nifty two-man firefighting brush truck. Without the tender, the external-tool hose reel could run a water pump tossed in a nearby pond or creek.

Nice! Does it come in 3 color camo?

 

[The FLU farm]

Today's minor-progress report, a bit delayed since I couldn't access the SS site until now.

Inspired in general, and by Mr. Hood in particular, I started with slathering Armor All on the parts SEE's tires.
Not as bad as it sounds since those tires are old and decrepit, so speeding up their demise isn't a big deal.

While on a roll, the SEE's (good) batteries were moved to the parts SEE, which had dead batteries.
That enabled me to try stuffing group 31s into the SEE, making me wish I that I had bought batteries that would fit, rather than the batteries I want.
Also no biggie, from the looks of it, as removal of one of the "stop brackets" in the back will allow the Optimas to sit side by side.

Voluntary electrical work, not necessitated by rats. Life is good.

 

[The FLU farm]

Skidpad, the minor discrepancy in width between the adapter and the loader I made up for by measuring the adapter with a Penthouse tape measure (it shows exaggerated lengths). It should work out anyway, since it looks like the outer brackets will be a "corner to corner weld". If not, add material, like you said.

Mr, Rabbit, welcome to the world of strange machinery. Useful strange machinery, to more precise.

 

[rabbitjaeger]

Many thanks. I hope to learn a great deal here. Looking very forward to the experience.

 

[General Hood]

View attachment 645192Today's minor-progress report, a bit delayed since I couldn't access the SS site until now.

Inspired in general, and by Mr. Hood in particular, I started with slathering Armor All on the parts SEE's tires.
Not as bad as it sounds since those tires are old and decrepit, so speeding up their demise isn't a big deal.

While on a roll, the SEE's (good) batteries were moved to the parts SEE, which had dead batteries.
That enabled me to try stuffing group 31s into the SEE, making me wish I that I had bought batteries that would fit, rather than the batteries I want.
Also no biggie, from the looks of it, as removal of one of the "stop brackets" in the back will allow the Optimas to sit side by side.

Voluntary electrical work, not necessitated by rats. Life is good.

Flu Farm
If you take your SEE to the drive through car wash, please post a video. All kidding aside, glad to hear the former parts SEE is getting some attention

 

[The FLU farm]

Flu Farm
If you take your SEE to the drive through car wash, please post a video. All kidding aside, glad to hear the former parts SEE is getting some attention

Drive through car wash? Nah, here we only need to wait for the afternoon thunder shower. No driving required.
But now you have made me want to find one. Anybody know if the customer would be liable for any damage to a car wash?

Yes, the so far neglected parts SEE is now getting readied for action. There's a rather long to-do list, but making it able to start on its own is...uh, a good start. Engine oil and filter will be next, followed by a complete lube and check of other fluids. If the weather holds up, I'll rig up my newly purchased 12-Volt pump and use that for filling the front and rear hydraulics with AW-32. I'm pretty tired of hand pumping that stuff.
No rush, though, as I probably won't need to use it until spring. The "regular SEE" is a different story - it needs to be snowblower ready halfway soon.

And speaking of snowblowers, I bought a hydraulic 6-footer today. A bit narrow for the SEE perhaps, but the price was good. Worst case, I'll figure out a way to run it on the tractor. Either way, I have single handedly all but guaranteed a minimal snowfall this coming winter.

 

[Skidpad]

FLU farm, I think that I must have been using that tape for a long time because, well, you know, exaggerated lengths and all... Seriously, I'm thinking you're onto the welding it at the corners. My only problem is that the way I have my brackets designed I'll definitely need a few more inches to make the plate work. My only concern is making sure that I don't mess up the fitment for any of the quick-attach parts. I'll have a brush-hog, just nothing as large as Bison's...

So, here's my question for the evening. I finally drove the SEE the few miles from my buddy's house where it's been living and up onto the hill that's soon to be all mine. Other than needing to get better at figuring out which gear and range to select for any given slope (did I mentioned it's a lot of hills?). Is it pretty normal for something this heavy to feel, well, bouncy when going over ditches and rough terrain? I was going slow so I had no issues but it tended to wander just the slightest bit around 30 mph and when I was in low gear headed up the unimproved road to the site it tends to sort of bounce some. I've driven hummers, deuces, 5-tons, but I don't think I've ever driven something so big with springs as the primary suspension.

Also, any hints as I try and figure out why the coolant gauge isn't responding?

SF!

 

[peakbagger]

That enabled me to try stuffing group 31s into the SEE

The prior owner of my rig did the same mod with what I believe are group 31 AGMs. They fit well except the height is bit tight. Hooking up that last terminal requires some care. I wrapped a wrench with electrical tape just to make sure I don't short the wrench between the battery post and the case.

 

[peakbagger]

One other project I have been doing is collecting all the PM magazine articles and references to SEEs and on rare occasions HMMHs into one PDF. Someone (CHOPRBOY) on the Benz World Forum did a major favor by going through 20 years of the magazine and had posted them in number of posts but they are rapidly getting buried in a thread and its easy to miss. He did screen grabs which are good but what I have done is gone back to the sources and extracted each pdf page and will assemble them in one PDF volume. If you aren't aware of PM magazine, there is link in the technical manuals section. They are PM and operator tips done up as comic books that are issued every month. They occasionally repeat some items like cold weather operation tips and expect the repeated items are things that come up frequently. There are also a lot of specific fixes to solve existing defects in the design. Some are just tantalizing like the PN for the complete wire harness. There is repeated warning about the rear fender mount and stabilizer bar mount bolts that can damage the frame that looks like an important one to check.

I have sent a PM to the technical manual forum moderator to see if I can post it there as it is a large file. Hopefully we can find a home for it as it should be required reading for new SEE owner.