FLU419 SEE HMMH HME Owners group

[Go Go Gadget FLU 419]

HOT dog, finally did something with my Mog! I found this VERY large breasted woman who wanted me to absolutely decimate her old trailer house and get the frame out from underneath it. Turns out, that's my specialty, taking things apart. Couldn't find my screw driver or pry bar, so I used the SEE. I lost a tooth on the bucket, and my hoe got a few leaks here and there, but it wouldn't be fair to have such a victory without catching some flak. Now she is selling the land to the neighbor and wants me to clean it up. Not nearly as fun, but it'll pay.


Thanks for all the input on the air hose everyone, can't wait for that! I've always wanted an excuse to get an air ratchet. I don't know why.

I knew something was wrong with my Mog. You think yours is a boat? Run it with 30 PSI in the tires...it's moderately terrifying on these country roads. Imagine conducting a gigolo apprenticeship at a Rosie O'Donnell look alike contest on a trampoline floating in the ocean with free jello shots in the midst. 45 PSI is night and day, still not quiet like the BMW though.


"I have all the PDFs extracted of everything I could find. I have them stored with the file names describing the subject."

I just gave you a standing ovation, Sir!


YES, that was a big question I always forget to ask about. Somewhere I read "Servicing the lockers on any 3pc axle should be top priority for any mog that's been sitting. Sure the seal is cheap, but getting to it...sucks.".

I saw a youtube on how to do it. All I remember it that I want to avoid doing it. Now, the MMO part I did not know about. I've got to squirt some in there. Thank you for bringing this up! I know it's a proven method for freeing up old engines. Soaking them in Marvel Mystery Oil, sometimes for many years, until they break loose.


"I really want to keep this thing up and running 'cause I've work to do."

I know that's right!


Shoot Skid, my air system goes to 120 PSI, IIRC. Then leaks down to ~30, and will hold that. Hope that isn't too much, hate for the rusty turn to develop a sudden leak on me. I have yet to see the PTO pop out, but I'd be glad to blame that for all the times I forgot to engage it before I mount the hoe. Ooh, and my fans work fine too! (Thank GOD!)


"General Hood is currently home-bound with what he claims are really nice, laminated, poster size schematics for the SEE."
What...what is happening? I have a SEErection!


"Seems Uncle Sam used a large fork loader to pick these out of the woods, and anything vulnerable, such as muffler or air tank paid the price."

It surely does SEEm so, as I got a crushed (nearly flat) exhaust, and 2 deformed air tanks. Ooh well, better than leaving them in the woods I guess. Unless they were headed to Texarkana.

Yup FLU farm, that's what I did, bought me a section of the straight exhaust pipe, and the more expensive braided flexible kind at the auto parts store. Seems like the flexible kind would reduce the air flow a little, but I can't tell. Meh, it works, who cares.

Mog it up fellas! I'll try to post pictures and check back in a week or so.

 

[peakbagger]

The issue with SEE muffler is that its a weird configuration. Most mufflers have inlets and outlets on either end of the muffler. On SEE the header dumps into side of the muffler (the steep side of the oval) and then exits out the top side of the muffler (the flat side of the oval with a 45 degree elbow. In the past when I have cut into mufflers there is series of baffles perpendicular to the flow with some fiberglass mixed in. Hopefully there are turning vanes inside but I expect there aren't. The header pipe is factory crushed just below the exhaust flange so I guess they weren't out to make a free flowing exhaust.

By the way if you don't mind paying the shipping Atkinson and VOS in England claims to have piles of surplus air tanks of various sizes for sale.

 

[peakbagger]

Here's the Mrs holding a copy. They are 27X30 Gov issue. I marked up the photograph, like a cancelled check

View attachment 645748

Name your price and what pay pal account to send it to

 

[Skidpad]

Racing FLU? Yeah, I'd love to see Jeremy Clarkson take this thing around the track...no, sorry, strike that, I really want it to stay in one piece.

Gadget, it sounds like you had a blast! Probably a lot more fun than me just digging holes all afternoon!

Peakbagger, it appears that if you have the coin, Atkinson Vos can get almost anything...

 

[peakbagger]

Mercedes Benz allegedly had to guarantee the military 50 years parts availability when they bid on the SEE contract. No where did it say how much the parts were going to cost. Many of the common parts seem to be available in Europe but due to low demand the US branches of the firms don't list the part number. I would love to find a Wabco expert so I could get some brake parts. I expect Atkinson Vos just knows who to call in Europe to find thing on the shelves.

One of my "discoveries" while crawling under the SEE last evening was that both front Tie Rod boots were just about missing. The joints move smooth and still have grease in them but wont stay that way too long without boots. I entered the part number on google and up they came from a US supplier. I have pair on order. I would much rather replace a couple of boots that try to source the entire tie rod. One tie rod end is replaceable but the other appears not to be.

I have gotten lucky a couple of times just googling part numbers, Mercedes has a odd but very effective part numbering system that they have used for a long time. I have had very poor luck searching for NSNs as there are bunch of robot sites that pop up and are actually just resellers.

 

[Another Ahab]

All this is good to know. I was up at my property the other day, popped my '70 BMW 2800CS open and found plenty of field-mouse damage -- made me think of rat-infested Unimogs!

It might be a German thing. Like maybe all the ancestor rodents were originally from the Mother Country, and they're fond of things German. Do you think?

 

[Bikers33]

It might be a German thing. Like maybe all the ancestor rodents were originally from the Mother Country, and they're fond of things German. Do you think?


View attachment 645827

NO I DON'T!!!..... Are you suggesting that the people from the country that I was born in are RATS??

 

[Another Ahab]

NO I DON'T!!!..... Are you suggesting that the people from the country that I was born in are RATS??

No, no; not at all. Not in the least!

It must be a problem of translation:

- I am saying perhaps all the RODENTS in North America eating the German car parts have German ancestors, see?

Maybe they are all sentimental for a taste of the Old Country!

 

[Bikers33]

No, no; not at all. Not in the least!

It must be a problem of translation:

- I am saying perhaps all the RODENTS in North America eating the German car parts have German ancestors, see?

Maybe they are all sentimental for a taste of the Old Country!

That's okay brother, I understand.

 

[Another Ahab]

Ja;verstanden. Das ist gut.

 

[The FLU farm]

The issue with SEE muffler is that its a weird configuration. Most mufflers have inlets and outlets on either end of the muffler. On SEE the header dumps into side of the muffler (the steep side of the oval) and then exits out the top side of the muffler (the flat side of the oval with a 45 degree elbow.

Nothing a shorter muffler and two 90s couldn't fix, right?
I've seen side-inlet mufflers, so maybe relocating the outlet on one could do the trick.

 

[peakbagger]

I think putting in 2 long radius elbows would eat up the spot where a muffler would have been.

 

[88FLU419]

I thought mine needed shocks too. As someone said, tire pressure makes a huge difference. I tried them at the pressure on the tire sidewall, I think it was 50 or 55 and handling was better. Then I changed my tires to 365/80r20 xzl, which is a much heavier tire. The scary bouncing and wandering is gone! It went from being scary at 30 to comfortable at 45. The stock tires are rated for 4000lbs each which makes them almost overloaded. The xzl's are around 7800lbs each if I remember correctly.

 

[Skidpad]

88FLU, did you notice the difference primarily on road or off? My big complaint is the bobbing and weaving it does when I'm just driving across the hill where there are some bumps and uneven ground. I'm not even going fast AT ALL. Also, do the 365/80R20s fit onto the stock rims and do they fit with the fenders still affixed? I'm not opposed to removing some bodywork if it will really solve the boat-like feel to driving around. I've been talking to Atkinson-Vos about getting their HD springs but they will cost as much a new set of tires...

 

[The FLU farm]

88FLU, did you notice the difference primarily on road or off? My big complaint is the bobbing and weaving it does when I'm just driving across the hill where there are some bumps and uneven ground. I'm not even going fast AT ALL. Also, do the 365/80R20s fit onto the stock rims and do they fit with the fenders still affixed? I'm not opposed to removing some bodywork if it will really solve the boat-like feel to driving around. I've been talking to Atkinson-Vos about getting their HD springs but they will cost as much a new set of tires...

Skid, there's an Interco tire (Super Swamper) that fits the stock wheels (the measuring rim width is 11 inches, so it's a perfect match) with enough load rating for a SEE. Also, it's a bias tire, which eliminates much of the tire squishiness.
I got the wider Pit Bull tires instead since I need lower contact pressure. But those want a 13 to 14-inch wide wheel.
If yours rides like mine, it's fine on pavement but wallows like a drunk when in the dirt, from 0.5 mph and up. Airing up is not an option for me, since that would increase the already high contact pressure.

And speaking of shocks, today I bought four lightly used ones. The front pair even has the lock-out feature.
Can't wait for them to get here so I can try them out. If I can get their host started.

 

[profo]

Mercedes Benz allegedly had to guarantee the military 50 years parts availability when they bid on the SEE contract. No where did it say how much the parts were going to cost. Many of the common parts seem to be available in Europe but due to low demand the US branches of the firms don't list the part number. I would love to find a Wabco expert so I could get some brake parts. I expect Atkinson Vos just knows who to call in Europe to find thing on the shelves.

One of my "discoveries" while crawling under the SEE last evening was that both front Tie Rod boots were just about missing. The joints move smooth and still have grease in them but wont stay that way too long without boots. I entered the part number on google and up they came from a US supplier. I have pair on order. I would much rather replace a couple of boots that try to source the entire tie rod. One tie rod end is replaceable but the other appears not to be.

I have gotten lucky a couple of times just googling part numbers, Mercedes has a odd but very effective part numbering system that they have used for a long time. I have had very poor luck searching for NSNs as there are bunch of robot sites that pop up and are actually just resellers.

Peakbager can give out where you bought the boots mine needs um bad!

thanks marty

 

[profo]

I to put the michelins xzl on mine but I used the 365/85/20 s and it drives 500 percent better I drive 45 mph easily on the road and have basically bogged it down to axle in mud and not got stuck I have three 365/80/20s which I will put on. Once it get the fourth , with the 85's they will rub the front fender in a turn and you can adjust the steering stop bolt to stop it if needed.

 

[peakbagger]

Peakbager can give out where you bought the boots mine needs um bad!

thanks marty

They haven't been delivered yet, once I make sure they are the right ones I will publish the source. No sense two of us buying the wrong part

 

[profo]

They haven't been delivered yet, once I make sure they are the right ones I will publish the source. No sense two of us buying the wrong part

thanks, marty

 

[The FLU farm]

Some progress to report, finally.

Got to use the crane to unload a 6' snowblower.

Finished the battery hold down (painted, but not waxed) and test drove the SEE. Not sure what difference the batteries could've made, but it absolutely purred.
That worries me, since vehicles often run really well before they break.
Either way, now I have to figure out why it overcharges (upwards of 30 Volts) after start-up, unless I fiddle with the disconnect switch.

And today, finally, the 7' snowblower arrived, allowing me more quality HMMH time.

Oh, and yesterday I bought a SEE in parts (not a parts SEE, but in parts), from Australia.