Unimog 406 Exo cage

[AKnate]

Working on design for an exo cage for my Unimog/Case MB4/94

Mostly to protect the cab from branches, body parts are $$$ and not the easiest to find.

Unimog frames are part of the suspension, so can't exactly build off the frame, I don't think?

I've asked around and haven't gotten good answers. Seems most folks with these that are online drop 5-6 figures for something turn key and go "expeditioning" on shit an RV would easily handle.

I'll post some pics in a bit, have to figure how to get them off an old computer with no internet.

 

[chaplinfj60]

sounds cool sub 'd

 

[backchat]

i think they touched on this in Austin 's Mog thread

Unimog 404.111 build

I’ve always wanted a Unimog and was looking for something a little more unique than my JK to have wrapped to help advertise the site. Found this guy just outside Vegas and it was just what I was looking for. Major shout out to Pyleit for going and checking it out before I bought it and to...

irate4x4.com

 

[Sceep]

You CAN build off the frame, you just have to keep the cab and bed areas separate.

 

[AKnate]

Trying to search through 20 gazillion pics. Finally found 1.

 

[RusM]

Trying to search through 20 gazillion pics. Finally found 1.

Looks more like Bellevue than Alaska.

 

[m016324]

puffdragon on the old board built one. I think you can search for his build thread. Like Sceep said just need to be separate between the two sections that flex differenctly.

 

[AKnate]

Looks more like Bellevue than Alaska.

Dunno. It's the house I sold this past summer. Took it cause my dog was being a Retardacon and climbed up there and got "stuck".

I have a few of him on the hood or roof of trucks. Or perched like a bird on the west coast mirrors my C30 had. (Tough ass mirrors!)

He climbed a wood stack following the cat one night and got stuck up in the porch rafters.

 

[subybaja]

my dog was being a Retardacon

 

[Austin]

i think they touched on this in Austin 's Mog thread

Trying to search through 20 gazillion pics. Finally found 1.

Still something I constantly debate.

404 frames are very flexy, which is why people say don't weld to them because it will eventually fail. Yours is significantly stiffer so I don't think you have that issue.

What I have to keep telling myself, even thought I don't want to listen to it, is that I'll never really have enough weight in the bed in a off-road situation where I can utilize the frame flex anyway .... so I shouldn't worry about it... but want to lol.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Mount it to the body, if you do it right, it will be plenty strong, even for flops and rolls.

 

[AKnate]

Mount it to the body, if you do it right, it will be plenty strong, even for flops and rolls.

I was thinking of incorporating the Case "roll" bar which is bolted to the frame.

Maybe worth using bushings in places to allow movement, dunno.

 

[AKnate]

Still something I constantly debate.

404 frames are very flexy, which is why people say don't weld to them because it will eventually fail. Yours is significantly stiffer so I don't think you have that issue.

What I have to keep telling myself, even thought I don't want to listen to it, is that I'll never really have enough weight in the bed in a off-road situation where I can utilize the frame flex anyway .... so I shouldn't worry about it... but want to lol.

I have an aluminum box that is going on the back.
Planning to use it as a place to sleep and store gear.

It was something work had I got for a decent price.. was used years ago for some seismic monitoring. They'd sling it with helicopter and work out of it I guess. Had some work benches and place to sit, but it's only like 5ft tall. Door, windows, insulated.

Weighs maybe 1000lbs, if that. Way lighter than the snowblower powerplant that lived there before.

 

[AKnate]

Here's a Case. The roll bar behind the cab is factory.

 

[AKnate]

Some more. Sorry they suck, I took pics of the computer screen.

 

[Sceep]

You are overthinking this. You have plenty of examples. build whatever you want from the factory mounts forward, attached to the frame(IMO). thats all that matters and saves you in a roll.
Mount your camper to the bed and go wheel.

 

[AKnate]

You are overthinking this. You have plenty of examples. build whatever you want from the factory mounts forward, attached to the frame(IMO). thats all that matters and saves you in a roll.
Mount your camper to the bed and go wheel.

The cab only mounts at 3 points for frame flex. The bed is similar i think.

Concern is rigid exo connected to frame will end up destructing itself or the frame.
I imagine it's like a semi truck, much of the suspension flex is from the frame.

 

[Sceep]

heres my dad not spilling his and Puffdragons beer in his 404. Taken by me.

He's not active on any forums anymore but i can message you his contact info if you want to pick his brain. he's knows some mog things. ;)

 

[Austin]

You are overthinking this. You have plenty of examples. build whatever you want from the factory mounts forward, attached to the frame(IMO). thats all that matters and saves you in a roll.
Mount your camper to the bed and go wheel.

To Sceep's point, the 404 frame has rigid crossmembers about 6" in front of the block and roughly 12-18" behind the block. They're not going to let the frame flex there. Same for the rear of the frame, rigid cross members. The only "flexible" (more like twistable) one is in the middle at the rear of the transmission. I can't image the frame really flexing anyplace else without tearing itself apart

 

[AKnate]

Mount your camper to the bed and go wheel.

I'll be lucky to have it driving in a few years, but this is a step toward it.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

On the 404 the cab is mounted at two points on frame behind cab, and one single point in front of cab in the middle.

This lets the frame do whatever the fuck it wants under the cab, and the cab does not flex at all.

Mount your exo cage only at two points on the frame rails. Any other attachment points can be mounted centered between the frame rails.

 

[AKnate]

On the 404 the cab is mounted at two points on frame behind cab, and one single point in front of cab in the middle.

This lets the frame do whatever the fuck it wants under the cab, and the cab does not flex at all.

Mount your exo cage only at two points on the frame rails. Any other attachment points can be mounted centered between the frame rails.

406 is same way. The bed i think has 3 points as well, but can't remember for sure.

 

[AKnate]

3 mounts for the bed. Not my pics, but came across them.
Hydraulic tank sits in the middle near where the forks are, the rest is empty.

Probably will end up cutting the backhoe mounts off. Have no plans in needing them.

So seems like not mounting anything to the cab or bed that's connected to the frame.