Looking for advice and wisdom

[mariner1]

Howdy all,
I am the proud owner of a U1300L with OM366A and Fast Axles. My truck is equipped with a "Zeppelin" shelter for camping. It has been totally rebuilt and upgraded.

My goal is to start taking the truck further and further afield on longer trips. However, the truck in its current configuration can only reach 64mph. I do not mind this personally but driving on the highway for extended periods of time can get be dangerous as the truck is basically a rolling traffic jam. Getting passed by the impatient 18 Wheelers is especially risky. I have come up with two potential solutions and I would appreciate your insights, as well as any other ideas you have.

Option #1 is to equip the truck with new tires, an overdrive, and upgrade the HP to 160ish. This should bump the max speed up to 70mph. It is not a huge increase but it will make a big difference. My best estimate is that the necessary work and materials will probably be $15,000 to $20,000.

Option #2 is to buy a trailer big enough to load the unimog onto and pull behind my pickup. Then I could haul across the highway to the general area of the adventure and unload it. My pickup can safely pull the weight, it would be under CDL, and not an over sized load. I spec'ed out a trailer that would meet my needs for $9,800.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

 

[Neil]

Keep it as it is. You soon get used to Slow, infact I wouldn't change a thing with our truck now. The desire for speed soon melts away and is replaced by getting to see your surroundings better.

The journey is a major part of travelling, don't rush it.

Neil

 

[Joe917]

Of the two choices I would say trailer. Pushing a Mog to 70 mph is not the best idea, it is stressing everything to the limit, if you can get tires rated to 70.
I think you over estimate the danger of the speed differential. The speed difference actually makes it easier for vehicles to pass you. You can also adjust your driving to make things easier.

 

[Joe917]

I also see you are from Texas, probably the worst place in all the Americas for a slow rig., especially around the oil fields. Lots of high speed single lane,but usually straight and easy to pass, also wide paved shoulders. Once you travel further away speed will be a non issue.

 

[CragMog]

I have a U1300L and, in Australia, need to cover big distances. I’ve recently upgraded the portals with the Atkinson Vos fast gears and the bigger bearings. My shocks are the Hellgeth Koni’s and I run XZL 365/80 which are rated to 70mph. When travelling on the blacktop I keep my tyres at 65psi or better. It will do 70 or faster, but isn’t great to drive at those speeds. I mostly run at 60mph and sometimes 65. I’m not convinced that emergency steering, a blowout or emergency braking from 70 is a happy experience. They are tractors.

You will need 180hp which is easily done on your 366A. These very square cabs don’t slice the air particularly well so fuel economy does suffer as you push her. Our truck speed limits are 65 so it makes it quite easy to stay ahead of the big rigs. That said, I almost always find a spot to let them by. 50 ton right up my tail doesn’t make for a comfortable drive.

In this last week I got to use the 5% reason we have a MOG. Climbed up over a very soft sand dune. She started to dig in half way up the dune. Had to air down from 30 to 20psi, put her in 2nd and let the XZL’s do their magic.

My solution to the long distances is to leave the MOG closer to where I want to go and play. I then fly in, play for a week and fly out.