404 Frame Flex

[Austin]

Previous owner of my 404 extended the cab back to the rear tire and added a roll cage front to back. I plan to redo the cab & cage and want to take that added rigidity out. Separate the two. I know they are meant to flex behind the cab, but is the whole bed only mounted to the 4 points under wood holding the blocks in this pic? Nothing else?

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

They flex everywhere, not just behind the cab, and not just in one location.

I believe the bed on mine is mounted in 6 locations. Three points on one side are rigid and the three points on the opposite side use swing frames exactly like leaf spring hangers.

The cab (non-doka) is mounted on three points. Two under the seats and a single point under the grill. This allows the frame to twist all it wants without stressing the cab.

For something longer like a doka cab I think you could locate the cab (and cage) to frame tie points in a diamond configuration (see potato-CAD drawing, view is from above). I don't think this configuration would hinder the frame flex, and I don't think it would stress or flex the cab/cage.

I can take pics of anything you need, mine is completely stock in those things.

 

[Austin]

Three points on one side are rigid and the three points on the opposite side use swing frames exactly like leaf spring hangers.

I can take pics of anything you need, mine is completely stock in those things.

If you could post pics of those that'd be cool. No rush, still in the brainstorming stage

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

If you could post pics of those that'd be cool. No rush, still in the brainstorming stage

Left side is three swingy-things, looks like they can rotate forward/backward and maybe flex(bend) sideways.

Right side is the steel-on-steel rigid mount.

I'm assuming the bed was also designed to twist (probably a lot).

 

[Austin]

That’s not it all what I was expecting to see. I have a hard time picturing how that’s very beneficial. If the one side has three fixed Attachment points, that’s going to keep it from twisting, and it seems like the other side would keep it from going up and down. I can’t really picture how that thing is supposed to move

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

That’s not it all what I was expecting to see. I have a hard time picturing how that’s very beneficial. If the one side has three fixed Attachment points, that’s going to keep it from twisting, and it seems like the other side would keep it from going up and down. I can’t really picture how that thing is supposed to move

Yeah, me neither.

I get the 3 point for the cab (or the 4 point in my drawing). Gotta admit those mercedes guys were sharp cookies.

 

[arse_sidewards]

The only way three fore/aft swinging "spring shackles" could let the frame rail move is fore/aft.

I'm betting those strips of flat stock are doing the lions share of the flexing.

Shit solution? Sure. But when you're told the vehicle needs to have a service life of X years rolling around base and Y months in theater you can get away with that kind of stuff and if you don't some other guy will do it and underbid you for the contract.

 

[dman33733]

I have zero of value to offer, but Jay at Couch Off Road in Colorado knows pretty much everything about Mogs and has always been super helpful/explanatory any time I've talked to him.

 

[1Sinner]

I know on the 5 tons and dueces I've had, they used coil springs in opposition on top and on bottoms of the mounts. You could easily do the same thing, would give you way more flex and movement, and do it cheaply (time and money). If you wanted to get fancier, you could add a pivot point on the second plane of those spring shackle mount things in the pics above that muckinslusher added.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

I'd like to know how these bodies are mounted.

 

[Austin]

Exactly. I was wondering how a doka cab is mounted as well, surely that larger cab isnt mounted on only three points

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Exactly. I was wondering how a doka cab is mounted as well, surely that larger cab isnt mounted on only three points

Those pics are from a thread over on benzw0rld called "404 firetruck van"

Last response was someone wanting to know how they're mounted, so I guess we'll wait and see.

Austin---does yours still have the original brake booster and master cylinder? I haven't dug into mine yet, but think it may have a leak. Not sure if EI is gonna get more rebuild kits or not. Right now I've got mine running, but backfiring through the carb when revved up.

 

[Austin]

Those pics are from a thread over on benzw0rld called "404 firetruck van"

Last response was someone wanting to know how they're mounted, so I guess we'll wait and see.

Austin---does yours still have the original brake booster and master cylinder? I haven't dug into mine yet, but think it may have a leak. Not sure if EI is gonna get more rebuild kits or not. Right now I've got mine running, but backfiring through the carb when revved up.

The more I look at it the more I like that black one. Just needs a red stripe down the side with a matching wing on the back cranking a german polka band's version of the A-Team's theme song

Pretty sure it's the original booster and MC, no issues with it so far {knocks on wood}

 

[Syncroon]

Hello, this is a late reply but i used to own some 404's and a wrecked LF8 (firetruck)body. Pics are +15 years old.....

It had a swivel at the back. to points at chassis and pin in the middel.
to the front there is an kind of mounting in the middle unknown what is supported/was fixed on. Just some slot that slides over something?
Picture of the connection between cab and rear body.
In the midle of chassis where two adjustable bars between body and chassis, left and right.
Picture underside cab
Frontmount cab fixed on both side chassis.

last two pics those rods mounted on a LF8 in the Gaggenau unimog museum.

pics wrecked body

best regards, Ronald

 

[Syncroon]

some more pics wrecked body + LF8 Gaggenau