FLU419 SEE HMMH HME Owners group

[Bikers33]

 

[The FLU farm]

For the next try it would be valuable to know what the current FLU419 owners consider acceptable as far a miles on the odometer is concerned?

Who has the one with the most miles that is still running strong and did not need major repairs?

My first SEE is showing the most miles, a bit shy of 6,000. Never did understand who would drive it that far, or why. It runs just fine, though.
The HMMH had less than 100on the odo when I got it. Also runs fine, and it feels a bit tighter than the SEE. Of course, it's far less top heavy.
By far the nicest sounding engine is the one in the parts SEE. When it runs, that is. Some 479 hours on that one, the odometer appears to be stuck on 4,3XX.

Bottom line, personally I would prefer a FLU that has had parts and pieces replaced and/or rebuilt and appears to be in decent shape. If the odometer shows 37,487 miles, so be it.
If the paint is terrible, that's fine too, as long as it doesn't affect the performance of the machine - which I don't understand how it could (sorry, General Hood).
Of course, I would look at the mechanicals a bit differently if frequently driving one on the road was part of the equation. To me, as long as they dig, lift, move stuff, or do whatever I end up asking them to do, I'm happy.

 

[The FLU farm]

Wow, link please, if you can find it? That's news to me, and something I've been doing all winter with my SEE.
I'm serious about going hydroboost on my FLUs. The air system, in general, is a massive single-point-of-failure for the truck as a whole. Bye-bye brakes, half your gears, 4WD/difflock... if my air goes out, and I could pick just one system to still have functional, I'd have to say brakes!

I'm pretty sure that was in the manual. I'll have to look again.

I can do without assisted brakes, or brakes in general, for the very most part. The 4WD engagement I'd like to change over to a lever.
And now you made me think about giving the diff locks their own air system. A small electric compressor, a little tank, and a regulator, should be all it takes. In the process I'd make the front and rear diffs operate independently.

 

[The FLU farm]

The reason those fridges have blown up so many folks' RVs and boats has nothing to do with the propane, as it also happens under AC or DC operation...

Are you saying that something like this could happen?

 

[Another Ahab]

That's a problem.

 

[The FLU farm]

Well, it did wake me up. And a whole bunch of other people camped nearby.
Luckily the people were fine - the bedroom door (in the rear) blew open and on top of them, shielding them from much of the blast.
But do notice that the tequila bottle was unharmed.

 

[Another Ahab]

Well, it did wake me up. And a whole bunch of other people camped nearby.
Luckily the people were fine - the bedroom door (in the rear) blew open and on top of them, shielding them from much of the blast.
But do notice that the tequila bottle was unharmed.

Sure, sure; the tequila bottle was unharmed but those that drink from it aren't always so lucky.

 

[General Hood]

I think my SEE here at the house has the Texarkana FLU jinx. One of my bee hives swarmed and guess where they set up camp . Under the hood where the rats used to reside. I'll post some photos tomorrow

 

[The FLU farm]

Use a long lens!

 

[The FLU farm]

Yesterday's activity (which saved me money as it kept me from spending time watching the auction) was to buy totes.

The two larger ones (330 gallons) will be used for FLU feed. In the long run they may even save not only my back, but also money. Here it's cheaper to have the diesel delivered than to buy red at the station.
Awaiting the more legit 200 gallon tank (which will have a 12 Volt pump) that will be replenished from the totes.

Following the completion of setting up of said tank, a retirement party will be held for about a dozen gas cans.

 

[General Hood]

Yesterday's activity (which saved me money as it kept me from spending time watching the auction) was to buy totes.View attachment 673378

The two larger ones (330 gallons) will be used for FLU feed. In the long run they may even save not only my back, but also money. Here it's cheaper to have the diesel delivered than to buy red at the station.
Awaiting the more legit 200 gallon tank (which will have a 12 Volt pump) that will be replenished from the totes.

Following the completion of setting up of said tank, a retirement party will be held for about a dozen gas cans.

I believe I saw some 1993 placards on one of the popular auction sites that would dress up your totes for " go juice " storage

 

[Another Ahab]

I think my SEE here at the house has the Texarkana FLU jinx. One of my bee hives swarmed and guess where they set up camp . Under the hood where the rats used to reside. I'll post some photos tomorrow

Them little bees are taking it on the knees here in the U.S. lately. The good news is that the hive was that healthy for another queen and the swarm. That sounds good, General Hood!

Do you have a funky label for the honey you jar?

 

[Another Ahab]

Use a long lens!

 

[Migginsbros]

I think my SEE here at the house has the Texarkana FLU jinx. One of my bee hives swarmed and guess where they set up camp . Under the hood where the rats used to reside. I'll post some photos tomorrow

Your not alone with this problem.

 

[The FLU farm]

I believe I saw some 1993 placards on one of the popular auction sites that would dress up your totes for " go juice " storage

Nah, if people think it's pomegranate juice, I'm fine with that.

 

[peakbagger]

On a completely different note - I had a chance to talk to a retired factory Unimog mechanic today about a U1300 and it drifted over to SEEs, he worked for freightliner when the first 16 prototypes were shipped over for the army to "evaluate". Apparently the evaluation was to try to destroy them and apparently they were successful in taking 14 out of service. He was involved with developing service techniques for the SEE's and on occasion would travel to train the recon shops how to rebuild the transmissions.

He commented that one thing that is weak on SEE transmissions are the synchros. The BLM apparently used that transmission in equipment they actively used and he would end up making a yearly visit to replace synchros. He observed that a SEE is not something to speed shift, take your time shifting. I believe the same cautions are in the operating manuals but good to hear what the results are if you don't.

 

[The FLU farm]

Apparently the evaluation was to try to destroy them and apparently they were successful in taking 14 out of service.

Does that mean they were almost as good at it as GP is?!?

 

[peakbagger]

I expect the goal was to trash the prototypes and beef up the production models.

GP is a whole other story, much as we like out rigs (warts and all) its all just iron to them.

 

[The FLU farm]

Yeah, I must admit that destroying stuff can be great fun. But even that must get old after a while, I'd think.

 

[BigBison]

Luckily the people were fine - the bedroom door (in the rear) blew open and on top of them, shielding them from much of the blast.But do notice that the tequila bottle was unharmed.

My first thought looking at the pics, was "Hope nobody was inside!" I always assumed things like that were propane explosions, but if the fridge explodes, most likely a hydrogen explosion as it turns out. Lotsa ways to burn down or blow up a MH. Obviously I'm into alternative fuel/power (also high-tech surface coatings), and what with all the work I'm doing on my Dodge, I've also considered used veggie oil, CNG, LPG, some tractors these days have biogas digesters, etc. for my fleet...

http://gmcws.org/blog/?p=3340

...but I keep coming back to HHO. Searching for fridge-explosion examples in the GMCMH world, I discovered there are dozens of these rigs out there running HHO. Two things of note in that slide presentation, are the need for an electronic ignition (most GMCMH's got rid of their OEM points/condensers ages ago, mine included, nice MSG box), and the need to slow down to maintain vacuum.

Not a problem for me, my rig came with Doug Thorley 304-stainless headers + 3" exhaust and pre-dates catalytic converters. All it needs is some exhaust wrap, catch-can, and a slash-cut tube -- speaking from experience, "my" way of setting this up doesn't do much at idle other than evacuate blow-by to keep it out of the oil. But the reality is exactly the opposite of most motors -- my vacuum *increases* as my motors work harder, although I've not tried it on a diesel quite yet (non-airbrake diesels are either hydro-boosted or have an electric vacuum pump hooked up to the brake booster, our FLUs are just different from all that, though).

My future Honda Prelude build will have various coatings inside the motor, including ceramic-coated piston crowns. Once carbonated, this loses its effectiveness, which is no concern in a regularly-rebuilt race motor. For the street, I like water/methanol injection (even without the coatings). As a chemist, I refuse to carry a bottle of methanol on board, so I just run distilled water for the purpose of keeping the motor steam-cleaned on the inside. The blow-by steam either condenses in my catch-can (not my oil) or blows out my tailpipe.

My options to supplement gas/diesel on my vehicles, all involve pressure-bottled explosives (nitrous, CNG, LPG) or are even more expensive H2 fuel cells than the batteries on my FLUs. Or toxic methanol. Or HHO, where you need a little Potassium Hydroxide, and some isopropyl alcohol if it gets cold enough to warrant it as anti-freeze. Oh, and about 14 spare amps for the water-hydrolysis cell gassing off Hydrogen and Oxygen into your intake mani. Not a problem with the ambulance-alternator upgrade on my Dodges, the burly alternator on my 455 Olds, or the even-burlier alternators on my FLUs.

Due to the positive experiences of other GMCMH owners who've gone HHO, I'll be deploying this technology "fleet-wide." Once my well's pumping water, no big thing setting up a solar still right there, to give me basically an unlimited supply of distilled water. I'll also be getting around to water -methanol injection, slash-cut tubes & catch cans, including on the FLUs. Because if your vacuum is increasing under load, you don't have the tradeoff of less load vs. more fuel consumption (well, not as far as the HHO is concerned). Not much explosion risk to carrying distilled water around, no reservoir of explosive/toxic substance to worry about, if you have access to cheap water & sunshine it's basically free refills.