Probably a bit of a long shot but if you don't ask.....


Having spent years trying to make up my mind which vehicle to use as the basis for a multi-year, "at least round Africa and Asia but then who knows" trip, I've decided to go for a modern vehicle after all (I know - electronics) and after visiting Bad Kissingen this year came across the Oberaigner 6x6 conversion.

I have an HGV license so was going to go for an old Merc 1222 AF or similar but have decided that for a very long term journey, driving comfort, noise levels, engine efficiency etc are worth paying more for, though I understand the downsides of modern electronics. So, decision made, it will be a modern 4x4 or 6x6 and I'm going in with my eyes open.
www.oberaigner.com if you don't know the vehicle.

I like the idea of having a 4.8m x 2.2m cabin but not having to haul it round on a 9 tonne vehicle. Using the Oberaigner means it should come in at under 5 tonnes on a 7 tonne GVW chassis, which I consider ideal. It's also 250mm to 400mm shorter, another advantage.

I've raced, rallied and rolled a few 4x4s for 20 years in Dubai so am not looking for an extreme desert adventure truck - I've already got that out of my system - but my only concern with the Oberaigner is ground clearance. Max clearance is given as 257mm on the tallest, identical wheels all round tyre option. I'm an experienced dune / sand track / corrugated gatch track driver but not so much on mud or "African terrain" - whatever that may throw at me (though 2 weeks spent in the Masai Mara last summer gave me some idea what to expect at least on dry roads.)


I figure there will be plenty of people here with an opinion / knowledge as to whether 257mm is going to be a limiting factor or just as good as a Land Cruiser or Defender in the ruts and mud.


Thoughts and comments welcome before I drop a great deal of money on a supplier quite soon - the plan is to start the journey post summer 2015, from Dubai.


Thanks, and have a great, healthy, safe, 2015.

have you considered that if this is a euro5, or even worse euro6 engine you will have fuel issues due to the sulphur content?

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Hi Moggy - yep, but I may be able to lay my hands on an earlier, unused Sprinter which is I believe Euro 3. Alternatively I'm looking at using a petrol engine 2011 chassis, also barely used (little more than delivery mileage).which I can currently buy at half price - because it's petrol. But I figure what I spend extra on the fuel I can make up for in ease of use and anyway, I'll have paid for the first year's difference with what I save on the chassis.


Question is, in either case, am I asking for trouble using a vehicle weighing 5 tonnes with only just over 8" ground clearance. Maybe I'm still just trying to find excuses not to 'take the jump' but I'd welcome any input from those with far more experience than me.

I can't really help with the advice you're looking for but that's a pretty neat truck, I hope you make a build thread for whatever you buy as I'd like to see what you do with it.

Interesting vehicle, it looks like the 6x6 Sprinter has a much wider track, do you know the width? that's the only other disadvantage I can see combined with the ground clearance,, if its getting closer to an HGV track then you will find it very difficult to straddle deep ruts on a Western Trans Africa and with that amount of ground clearance it could be an issue - but this is only one area of Africa, people have got far less capable vehicles through. Id definitely be looking at diff locks on both rear axles, the ramp angle looks fairly good.

What are you planning for sleeping, will you have a back body on the vehicle? with the double cab there wont be a huge amount of room for a good sized sleeping compartment.

Ive often thought that a well prepped Sprinter diesel 4x4 on tall tyres would be the best compromise overland vehicle - decent living room for 2, fairly capable and quite fuel efficient, good luck!

Long term Im not sure if the petrol would be a good idea, I guess it would get you past all of the emissions Euro 3/5 can of worms for remote travel and if you are going to keep the vehicle for a long time not so bad, but the resale value will be very low in Europe with a petrol engine - most people wont touch it.

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Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Hi Grif


5 diff locks available - across all three axles, one 'centre' diff plus one between the two rear axles - that should help keep me going! Check out the www.krugxp.com site for pretty much what I'd be specifying - a full live in cabin on the single cab LWB chassis. James I'll be having the back coach built by others - I don't have the time or temperament to build the whole of the cabin to the sort of quality I know it'll need to survive. Maintain it - yes, build it - I fear I'd never finish it!


Good point about the track width. I've been looking just now and can't find a figure but I suspect you are right that it may be close to HGV width. Hmm, food for thought. Ramp angle is good - 30 degrees or more depending on how I spec the back. Wading depth is 600mm as standard.


I'll be keeping it many years I hope and will be registering it in / setting out from Dubai. I guess if I bring it back here, where NOBODY drives diesel cars it'll be easier to sell. The diesel is 500ppm sulphur here and destroys modern engines, anyway why would you bother when a V8 petrol costs the same to run as a diesel.


All good points - keep 'em coming (I haven't been completely put off yet!)

deffo the way to go

Fit good underbody clearance and I reckon you'll be fine. According to my 1980s book on crossing the sahara one of the finest vehicles for doing it in was a VW combi, and they don't have great ground clearance.

As you say, you won't be doing balls out off roading so I reckon you'll be fine. You've got plenty of experience and that combined with a bit of mechanical sympathy goes a lot further than an idiot with 2 feet under his portal axles!

I love the potential of that 6x6 for an expedition motorhome, but I would worry about spares availability for the drivetrain and suspension, and it's complexity.

Have you looked at the Iveco 4x4, thats a nice looking bit of kit

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Mercedes is one of that brands, who is able to remove the Euro5/Euro6 Stuff for world travelers...

I recently wrote about: 4x4tripping: Moderne Euro5 Diesel-Fahrzeuge auf Weltreisen

There also some links to travelers where mercedes did remove the euro5 stuff as the travelers had their first breakdown in egypt.

Back to the 3 axles: The 3 Axles would allow a plenty of more load and will be a beast for sand and other offroad purpose.

Repairing and spares can be an issue, but this days you have this issues if you use modern cars. No real showstopper, but can cause headache.

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Hope to see the truck when you set off from Dubai!

Surfy that's GREAT information, thank you - the Google translate was a little 'loose' in places but I definitely got the idea. I have a friend who is into overlanding and who works for Mercedes Middle East (I've been busy planning ALL the elements of this trip ;-) ) so I will have a chat with him about what is, and is not possible to 'fix' either here or in Germany / Austria before the truck is shipped from Europe. That's REALLY helpful, thank you.


Certainly James, but it's at least 6 months away, maybe more depending on work and family issues, but my 2015 resolution is to stop talking about it and head out!


Moggy: I definitely hear what you're saying, and no vehicle will ever be 'perfect' but Oberaigner is a factory approved supplier who already makes OEM axles for Mercedes. The designs are fully factory approved, meaning there's a Mercedes part number for every item and I can order them from anywhere. Yes it's more complex, but I'll carry a few critical spares, and have had several meetings with the Oberaigner team while they were in Dubai recently and believe they are the right people for the job. I've been mulling this over for too many years and need to choose something!


I considered IVECO, know it's not a bad choice, but the load capacity and Mercedes support swung me toward the Ob. And a part of me, which is probably completely mad, quite likes the idea of being one of the first to try a not so well known vehicle and proving it can be done! I plan on being 'gone' for years so need something big enough to live in, not just ride in. Until I saw the Ob. I was going to use a big Merc., but the Ob. just appeals to me. If I quit in tears 6 months on, at least I can say I tried :-)

Yep, agreed, if you are staying out of Europe then why worry about the price of fuel

I just prefer diesel engines, you get better torque at lower revs, range and engine braking IMO

Which petrol engine do they use for this conversion? probably a 3 litre straight 6 I guess ? its going to need some grunt.

I like it, Its a shame you cant fit taller tyres (XZL's) all round on it, if you have to go with BFG's Id get mud terrains, the treads are quite a bit tougher than the BFG A/T's and are surprisingly good on sand - in slick mud the A/T's are horrible.


How much do you think this build will cost all in ?

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

I'd prefer diesel myself (do Eberspacher make a petrol powered cabin heater anyway?) but was thinking about petrol because of the Euro 5/6 problems (and the cheap chassis offer!) BUT Surfy has kindly enlightened me!


I was told that the available 2011 chassis has a "190hp engine" but the M272, 3.5 litre V6 engine seems to be the only petrol option from 2006, I think, and that is 250hp. However that's the same as 190kW, so that may be where the confusion comes from. The petrol produces 340ftlb of torque, but the 3 litre diesel V6 OM642 produces 180hp, and a lovely 400ftlb of torque. MUCH more useful. (I'm not an engine anorak - Wikipedia knows the figures, not me!)


Yep, tyres is on my 'list of things to worry about' but not at the top right now, if I'm honest. If I start down the E. Africa trail, in the N Hemisphere summer (August on - ish), do I opt for mud tyres, sand tyres (with 5 diff locks, no burning desire to explore any MORE deserts and 20 years practice I don't believe I need specialist sand tyres in E Africa to be fair. I may well be wrong....) Then it's the old '80+% of my time on tarmac so do I opt for comfort on the road and less traction off road' quandary. 6 wheel drive and 400ftlb will get you a long way off road..... I hope. Definitely still more work to do on the tyre decision front. To be continued...:confused1:


Ah, the cost. You HAD to ask Good thing my wife, who is refusing to join me on the trail, doesn't know about HUBB and won't be reading my posts. At least EUR 140K, probably considerably more. I know, it's one of the many reasons for my wavering over the decision. 22 years in the Gulf has been good to me, but left me hungry for more travel, and I'm tired of Dubai now - it's time to leave the rat race.


Photography is my passion, and I write for local car and lifestyle magazines for a hobby, so hope to earn some money selling photos, some pieces for magazines in the Middle East, and maybe some local stuff as I travel. But that really is 'nice if I earn some but don't bank on it' money. The overland thing ticks every hobby box I have - driving, travel, photography, writing and gadgets, so it's been niggling away at me for years. 2015 is the year of 'get on with it'


I've also been doing some property development in the UK with the specific goal of paying for the truck. The first of project is on schedule and by the end of January I'll HOPEFULLY be in a position to sell it and reinvest, in project 2. But the profit on P1 will pay for most of the truck, at least, that's the plan. We'll see.. Which is why I'm firming up ideas because I'll be ordering soon. In fact today I was driving home, thinking about these posts, wishing I was back in the Masai Mara and thought "Sod it, I'm buying the Oberaigner". So well done to you all - I think I just got tipped over the edge....God help me

While it looks like a pretty cool vehicle... And not that I want to spoil the fun, but I can't shake off the idea that for that sort of money you could get something with very similar capabillities and enough change for a couple of years on the road... .
I wouldn't worry about the tyres. 285/75 is plenty for pretty much all routes that are also taken by pick-ups and bush taxis.

Hi Robbert

Whilst I could definitely buy another vehicle and run it for a couple of years for sort of that money, like everyone I have my own set of criteria which are important to me and so I need something which meets my specific needs.

• I definitely want a live in cabin. I look at images of over-loaded LC and LRs etc. with far too much weight on the roof, obscured windows, over stressed suspension, carrying god only knows how much weight in excess of the GVW, and I think “Nah, that’s not for me”. I can afford a bit of comfort, so I’m going to have it. This vehicle could be my home for at least 2 but probably 3 or 4 years, and I’d like, amongst other things, a decent shower, a permanent double bed, hidden secure storage for a lot of camera gear, and an extra large table to work from (writing / photo and video editing). Trying to do the latter in a tent, on the road, is totally unproductive. I’ve tried it, I don’t like it. Sand / mud / wind / tent floors and camera / memory cards / computer gear are a bad combination even in the short term, but long term – nightmare!
• Another very important consideration – for me – is the on road driving experience – specifically comfort. In 2008 I broke my back in a cross country rallying accident. It was bad enough that it ended my racing days, and I spent several months in a brace after a big operation to ‘fix’ two vertebrae. I was lucky, and blessed by having a bloody awesome surgeon do a brilliant job, and I was able to walk out of the hospital just a week after the accident. But as a result, even long ‘plane journeys (over 4 or 5 hours say) become very uncomfortable for me, so I’ll be fitting air suspension seats to whatever I buy, and would prefer something with a more forgiving suspension than a 30 year old ex fire truck! Corrugated track crossings of 30 mins+ in a well prepped 4x4 have been known to give me neck and back problems for days afterwards…. My travels will be over before they’ve started if every time I climb up into the cab, I start dreading the next few hours of driving.
• If we assume I’m going for a live in cabin, for years I’ve been looking at older Merc or MAN 4x4 trucks as the basis. First a Unimog, but I’ve read too many stories of people saying “awesome off road vehicle but overkill for RTW journeys”. And slow. And noisy. I’ve got a mate with one here, and nearly bought it, but I kept having second thoughts. So I looked at something a little less rugged but commonly used - something like a 1017AF and later, after I thought about the power / weight demands, a 1222AF. I was pretty much committed to taking that path, and looking for ready built overlanders, BUT. Always I kept thinking “why use a chassis that weighs 5 or 6 tonnes to haul a sub 2 tonne cabin?” Then when you look at the height of these trucks, the relative difficulty of using them in smaller towns, the fuel consumption and again, the cab noise and ‘back comfort’ levels, I kept delaying the decision.
• So I went to Bad Kissingen 2014, to do a lot of comparison shopping. And saw the Oberaigner with a Krug cabin fitted: 3 to 4 tonnes lighter than a big truck yet with the same rear cabin size, so significantly less fuel consumption, easier to tow out of a stuck, fewer concerns about ‘rickety bridge crossings’, not quite as tall – so better clearance under trees and low wires - a modern, quieter cabin with plenty of driver comfort, Mercedes global support, a commercial presence in Dubai already (important for various reasons), etc. etc.
• Besides which, I spent hours on their stand, they put up with my hundreds of questions and my crawling under their vehicles in good humour, I was impressed with the engineering (Mercedes don’t hand out 3rd party OEM approvals easily) and they’ve called me up twice since to meet in Dubai. I like suppliers who pay professional personal attention to their customers. It gives me confidence.
• So it meets all my criteria, can be tailored to suit my specific needs (fully opening panel windows both sides for wildlife photography, considerably more than ‘standard’ solar panels and electrical fit out for all my tech gear needs), and besides, it looks bloody awesome (which actually helps me to sell travel stories to media, because it’s ‘unusual’)
  

As I said before, no vehicle will ever be perfect – but this is as close as I suspect I’ll ever find to what I consider ideal. If I keep waiting for ‘perfect’ I’ll still be in Dubai in 5 years time!

If a Sprinter base is a given, it may be worth having a read around Mantras.

I saw quite a few Sprinter based vehicles in civilian use in Iceland this summer with various bodies on the back. Some had huge ground clearance.

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