Mercedes-Benz

www.mercedes-benz.com September 2010

2 | 2010

Unimog
The magazine for multi-functional applications.

Safe workplace
Safety first The Unimog is well known as a multi-functional workhorse. But it also proves an exemplary model in terms of safety.

At the mine: Energy sector | On rails: Dual mode | On the land: Agrologistics

2 EDITORIAL

UNIMOG 2 2010

Dear friends of Unimog,

appearances and statistics can be deceptive. We regularly hear news of falling accident rates, yet the figures mostly relate to cars and trucks. The situation with regard to farm tractors is sadly quite different. According to Germanys Office of Statistics, the number of fatalities in accidents involving such vehicles rose by a dramatic 64 percent year-on-year in 2009. Consequently, it is incumbent upon operators to address road safety as a top priority: for their own good, for the sake of their employees, and to protect other road users. The safety of our vehicles and their occupants has always been a top priority for Mercedes-Benz. That is why we work to the now much more stringent standards applicable to commercial vehicles, deploying all the expertise and know-how of Mercedes-Benz in doing so. It is in keeping with those considerations, too, that the Mercedes-Benz Unimog is fitted as standard with extensive and innovative safety features. Safety and robustness are assured by the special running gear, permanent all-wheel drive, ABS brake system, compressed air brakes and portal axles, just for a start. And the safety features continue into the cab. It is not without reason that the Unimog has passed a variety of different safety and crash tests with ease. And another safety benefit which should not be forgotten is the extraordinarily good all-round view from the panoramic cab. A number of upcoming events including the IFAT, IAA Commercial Vehicles and InnoTrans shows promise great things for this Autumn. Mercedes-Benz will once again be presenting its specialist vehicle solutions whenever and wherever the movers and shakers in the industry get together. The present mood is bright, and there is a great sense of anticipation. As one instance, the organiser of the 63rd IAA Commercial Vehicles show, German Automotive Industry Association VDA, is talking about the countrys economy enjoying a strong impetus which it believes will benefit its upcoming international show. The event of the year will doubtless be well attended once again, following on from the approximately 300,000 visitors from 110 countries who came two years ago to view close-up the new products and innovations on show from the over 2,000 exhibitors. The Autumn season of trade fairs marks one more step towards a very special year for the Unimog in 2011: its 60th birthday. So there will no doubt be much more to report about the exciting world of the Unimog in the near future! I very much hope you will enjoy reading this latest issue of Unimog Magazine.

Open-cast mining
Yaris Prsn Mercedes-Benz Wrth Plant Manager and Director of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks Division

14 Extreme workhorses

UNIMOG 2 2010 CONTENTS 3

News
04 All the latest from the Special Trucks division

Cover story
06 09 Safety first Choosing a Unimog means keeping on the safe side. A misleading gut feeling Interview with Jrgen Freigang.

Agrologistics
10 A striking success in agrologistics The Wolf familys Unimog U 500 is not just an attention-grabber it is also a hard worker, which is rarely stood still.

Fire-fighting
13 A highly manoeuvrable fire-fighter The volunteer fire service in Wuppertal recently took delivery of a Unimog U 20 tank tender. And its a red hot hit.

06

Open-cast mining
14 16 Extreme workhorses The Hambach open-cast mine near Cologne is a place of superlatives. And Unimogs have been working there from the very beginning. The Unimog is vital Interview with Jrg Rbsteck.

Transport
18 Sunday driving ban? Not for the Unimog Eugen Betz uses his U 500 to transport construction machinery, among other purposes. And he profits from it in lots of ways.

Dual-mode operation
20 Green Logistics on road and rail For DB Schenker Rail the Unimog is proving an environmentally friendly alternative to marshalling locomotives.

10

Engineering
24 Flexible, manoeuvrable, agile thanks to all-wheel steering Three practical examples demonstrating the great benefits of all-wheel steering.

Service
28 Being a king Mercedes-Benz customers can trust in the companys reliable quality. All the time, everywhere.

Uniscope
30 31 Unimog exotic models collection/Unimog 2010 the star guest Shopping at the click of a mouse/World Tour, part I/Diary 20
Publishers data Publisher: Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, Sales Marketing, D-76742 Wrth Responsible at publisher: Benjamin Syring, Special-Purpose Vehicles Product Division Editorial committee: Benjamin Syring, Marion Frank, Dieter Sellnau Authors: Martin Heying (13, 30 bottom), Richard Kienberger (4 bottom, 5 l.), Susanne Lw (4 top, 5 r., 9, 10 ff., 30 top, 31), Thomas Maier (20 ff.), Ralf Maile (18 f.), Saskia Meier (24 ff., 28 f.), Tanja Strau (6 ff., 14 ff.) Photos: Aebi Schmidt (26 bottom), bro monaco (1, 3 no. 1+2, 6-8, 9 l., 10-12, 20 f., 22 r.), Daimler AG (Miscellaneous), Michael Ehritt (24, 26 top left/top right), Jrgen Freigang (9 r.), Martin Heying (3 no. 3, 13, 22 l., 23, 30 bottom), Richard Kienberger (4 bottom, 5 l.), Susanne Lw (31 top right), Ralf Maile (18 f.), Mercedes-Benz Schweiz AG (3 no. 4, 27 top left/top right), Morlock Photography (2 r., 4 top, 14-17), Carl-Heinz Vogler (30 top) Production: Verlag Heinrich Vogel, Springer Fachmedien Mnchen GmbH, Corporate Publishing, Aschauer Strae 30, D-81549 Munich, Tel.: +49 (0)89 203043-1122; Art direction/graphics: Dierk Naumann; Editorial staff: Susanne Lw, Thomas Maier (Editor-in-chief); Project management: Susanne Lw, Matthias Pioro Printed by: F&W Mediencenter GmbH, Holzhauser Feld 2, D-83361 Kienberg Translation: beo Gesellschaft fr Sprachen & Technologie mbH, Freischtzstrae 9, D-81927 Munich Unimog Magazine is published twice a year, in English, German, French and Spanish. All rights reserved. Reproduction and electronic processing are only permitted with written authorisation from the publishers. No liability can be accepted for any unsolicited articles and images sent to us. Printed on paper bleached without chlorine Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany

24

4 NEWS

UNIMOG 2 2010

Meals on two axles

At Stockholm Airport, caterer Gate Gourmet delivers its meals to the aircraft using the Econic. For good reasons.
International caterer Gate Gourmet supplies leading airlines such as SAS and Delta with between 8,000 and 12,000 meals a day at Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. To ensure just-in-time delivery of the portioned, packed and trolley-stacked meals, plus drinks, duty-free goods and accessories to the aircraft on the nearby apron, Gate Gourmet relies on the Econic. The 10 low-floor units which have been serving the airport in this way since 2008 easily fit beneath all low passage-ways around the terminals. As a further benefit, the inward-opening front passenger door and the panorama window provide the necessary all-round visibility for the drivers when manoeuvring directly beneath the aircraft. The Mallaghan lift trucks mounted on the base units are capable of lifting a load capacity of 4,000 kilograms up to 5.70 metres. The refrigerated containers are manoeuvred directly to the aircraft doors for loading and unloading at the press of a button. Another comfort feature for drivers is the low entry and exit facility, thanks to the low-level cab floor. All in all, the Econic is a key factor in helping to ensure that air travellers flying from Arlanda will not be hungry when they arrive at their destination. r

Luggage loading and unloading, refuelling, cleaning, catering with so much going on, its important to keep a clear view. The panorama window of the Econic is a big help.

Undemanding yet tough

In exploring for new oil fields in Jordan, all-wheel vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are handling the tough jobs.
They are undemanding, robust and can be deployed (almost) anywhere just like the camels which are traditionally kept as beasts of burden around the region. All-wheel vehicles from Mercedes-Benz were the first choice when oil company Josco, a Jordanian-registered subsidiary of Shell, set about putting together a vehicle fleet to assist in exploring and exploiting new fields. What is special about this arrangement is that it represents the first time ever that Shell has run such a fleet under its own management, having previously relied on subcontractors. To handle the extreme conditions encountered in the Jordanian desert a range of different models are deployed, in a wide variety of configurations primarily from the Zetros and Actros series. While the Zetros trucks are deployed to supply the various camps with equipment and material, the mobile drilling rigs are mounted on four-axled Actros trucks. The Unimog, which is scheduled to join the beigeliveried Josco desert fleet shortly, will provide specialist equipment to assist in handling of the pipes being sunk into the bore holes. r

Actros, Zetros (see photo) and Unimog units are working under extreme conditions exploiting new oil fields in the Jordanian desert.

UNIMOG 2 2010 NEWS 5

Unimog on show at the ski stadium

Browse the Mercedes-Benz calendar

Against an impressive backdrop, local dealer Autohaus Hornung together with Unimog distributor Henne-Unimog GmbH hosted a demonstration of public works and fire-fighting vehicles.

A ski stadium is more normally associated with the Winter time and the cold, yet on this Summers day it is not just tourists who have come flocking to the Olympic Ski Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In conjunction with the worlds largest Unimog distributor, HenneUnimog GmbH, local Mercedes-Benz dealer Autohaus Hornung GmbH is hosting a major show, with large numbers of public works vehicles demonstrating their capabilities at the traditional wintersports venue. As the first spectators begin to arrive at the historic stadium, which was completely rebuilt in 2007, ski-jumpers are conducting their Summer training in the background. The Mercedes-Benz dealer regularly offers its customers an overview of the product portfolio and first sight of the latest releases by hosting special presentations. This time

the focus was on public works and fire-fighting vehicles. Gerhard Lutz, Managing Director of Autohaus Hornung GmbH, sets out his corporate strategy: In our catchment area there are very few freight forwarders. In fact, only one of our major customers operates a long-distance transport fleet. Consequently, we need to concentrate our commercial vehicle sales efforts on other market segments. In pursuing its strategy, the dealership has put on a show about everything that Mercedes-Benz has to offer in the public works vehicles segment. A major feature of the show is a range of Unimog models from Henne-Unimog GmbH, based in Kirchheim-Heimstetten. The various equipment manufacturers have made their matching builton units available. The show features a U 500 tipper tractor unit as is widely used in farming, as well as maintenance vehicles, Winter gritters and snow-clearers and a cherry-picker. Two lovingly restored vintage models one from the 1950s and a snow plough with a 54 hp engine and separate 180 hp plough drive on its load space arouse a strong sense of nostalgia among the older visitors especially. A new model among the fire service vehicles featured is based on the U 20, and is a product for which the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Garmisch sees bright prospects. One of the reasons for that optimism is that the Unimog fire-fighting vehicle carries equipment which normally requires a much larger base unit. The manoeuvrability and off-road capability of the U 20 are key attractions in view of the applications for which our fire services need to use it, Lutz asserts. In terms of visitors, the dealership manager has focused on a closely targeted group: You cant expect to have thousands of people attending such an event. For us it is much more important to have professionals and decision-makers here, and to provide them with the expert information and assistance they expect. r

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is turning 60. That achievement calls for a very special gift for customers something which is just as multi-functional as the universal motor machine itself: a ring-bound calendar that can be read like a book or used as a traditional wall calendar. Titled Lebensrume (living spaces), it portrays the many fields of application of the Unimog, including photos of historic models and the latest examples. The calendar will soon be available from www.shop.mercedesbenz.com/unimog (size: 31 x 43 cm, price: 24.90 Euro).

Get in gear fast

Special offer weeks at your Unimog service partner. Come along and have a look, and save yourself money. From September 15th to December 31, 2010 you can get clutches for various Unimog models at a special offer price. And all in accustomed Mercedes-Benz original parts quality. Talk to your Unimog service partner. They will be glad to help you.

A real globetrotter!

With the new Bocklet body, the U 4000 is capable of completing any expedition. Special features such as the heavy-duty running gear, the Tirecontrol tyre pressure control system and the vehicles high diesel capacity (290 litres + two 20-litre reserve canisters) make it possible. In the cut-away shape live-in cab (standing height: 1.95, length: 4.35, interior width: 2.20 metres) sanitary facilities and a corner galley provide the necessary comforts.

6 COVER STORY

UNIMOG 2 2010

Safety first
The Unimog is the right choice when it comes to ensuring safety. Its unique design protects vehicle occupants and other road users thanks to optimum all-round visibility, efficient braking and lots of other safety features.
CLIMB ABOARD, DRIVE OFF and arrive safely. Whether the U 20, U 300 to U 500 or U 4000 to U 5000, with a Unimog you can be sure of always being on the safe side and also enhancing general levels of safety on the road. That is certainly not something to be taken for granted. Every year there are numerous serious collisions between utility vehicles and other road users. Often they are caused by human error, and as such will never be completely eliminated. The dangers are not restricted merely to other road users however: According to Germanys Office of Statistics, the risk of farm tractor drivers being fatally injured in an accident is on the increase. There was a 64 percent year-on-year rise in such fatalities in 2009. The Unimog offers a wide range of driver safety features which no tractor can match. All-round protection for driver and passengers The cab of the Unimog is a safe, ergonomic workplace for the driver and other occupants. Occupant protection is enhanced by the seat construction in conformance to EU Directives 74/408/EEC and 76/115/EEC (relating to seat and seat belt anchorage testing). The integrated head restraints and three-point automatic seat belts provide effective protection in the event of a rear-end impact especially. And the Unimog also sets standards in terms of low vibration, falling within the vibration limits stipulated in section 5 of the German Occupational Health and Safety regulations in mowing and Winter works. In tests carried out by the Institute for Occupational Health and Safety of the Association of German Statutory Accident Insurers, the Unimog demonstrated that the vibration impact on the driver during mowing and in offroad driving was below the trigger threshold laid down in noise and vibration protection regulations. Thanks to its fully sprung running gear, cab suspension and air-sprung comfort seating, the Unimog promises stress-free working conditions which alleviate the risk of tiring. A clear view in all directions The Unimog also scores highly thanks to the good all-round visibility it provides. The panoramic cab ensures a clear view of the road and of the

Direct field of view in compliance with section 35b of the German road vehicle licensing regulations (StVZO) 1) The systems used to control the vehicles must be easy and safe to operate. 2) The vehicle driver must be guaranteed an adequate field of view under all operating and weather conditions.

vehicles built-on units at all times. The low-slung windscreen provides a 12 metre visibility radius even with the mowing, gritting and snow clearing units dismounted. Including the heated and electrically adjustable large-area rear-view mirror, the vehicle features a total of five mirrors on

On the safety training course near Salzburg the sales staff themselves had the chance to get behind the wheel.

UNIMOG 2 2010 COVER STORY 7

Thanks to ABS the driver is able to maintain control of the Unimog under full braking.
Robert Ramsauer, product manager special-purpose vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Austria

the driver and passenger sides to assure good rear visibility. This greatly reduces the risk posed by blind-spots and resultant hazard situations such as on pedestrian crossings. The seating position also helps: Because the driver is seated closely behind the front axle and so in the front end of the vehicle, he can judge traffic situations, such as at crossings, earlier than would be the case if the position were set farther back, explains Robert Ramsauer, product manager special-purpose vehicles with Mercedes-Benz Austria.

equipment the legally permissible 3.5 metre distance from the middle of the steering wheel to the front of the equipment is not exceeded. As a result, no special permit is required. The driver and the vehicle owner can relax, because with the Unimog they are complying with all legal requirements regarding operation with mounted equipment and have critical situations more effectively under control. Safe braking to avoid danger If a Unimog encounters a potentially hazardous situation, the driver is able to rely on the vehicles high levels of braking safety, guaranteed by its dual-circuit service brake system with four disk brakes directly on the wheels. The four-channel ABS additionally keeps the Unimog controllable in the event of danger. Even under full braking, thanks to ABS the driver is able to maintain control of the Unimog and avoid hitting any obstacles. Without ABS, the driver would have to decide whether to brake or steer, Ramsauer points out. Braking is further aided by the two-stage engine brake, delivering over 100 kW of braking power. The automatic load-sensitive brake (ALB) controls the distribution of braking force between the front and rear axles, while the ABS socket assures safe trailer operation.

According to section 23(1) of the German road traffic regulations (StVO), the vehicle driver is responsible for ensuring that his or her view and hearing are not impaired by the other occupants, animals, load, equipment or machinery, or the condition of the vehicle.

Unimog vehicles with built-on units also retain outstanding visibility. All units approved for mounting on a Unimog are within the legal limits in terms of forward visibility. They are matched to the Unimog so as to ensure all legal requirements regarding visibility are met. In concrete terms, for example, this means that when operating front-mounted

8 COVER STORY

UNIMOG 2 2010

July 1, 2010). In such cases, and others in which abrupt braking is required, ABS prevents the vehicle from breaking away in various road conditions. Optional anti-skid or snow chains can be fitted in Winter to enhance traction and track control. Safety training: The Unimog shows what it can do Full braking on a wet road, cornering on a slippery surface and evading obstacles 20 members of staff from the Unimog Austria sales organisation had the opportunity to experience for themselves the outstanding safety features and top-class handling of the Unimog over the course of a two-day event. Its the best way to get to know all the benefits and key features of the product you are selling. There is nothing more persuasive than getting behind the wheel yourself and managing to keep your vehicle on track under full braking on a mirror-like icy surface, Ramsauer asserts. The driving technical centre of the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (AMTC) in Marchtrenk in Upper Austria provided the perfect setting for the safety training course, with its computercontrolled water obstacles, inclines and slide surfaces. After all, the whole point of the event was for the Unimog to show what it can do. And it did just that. The result was clear: the Unimog is well ahead of the rest when it comes to safety. r

The Unimog remains on track even on wet and icy roads thanks to ABS.

Changes of season pose a particular hazard to road users. Fog hinders visibility and vision, and Autumn leaves make roads slippery. So it is good that the rear lighting on the Unimog makes it so clearly visible to the traffic behind: with four tail lights, two indicators, two rear headlights, two reflectors, a fog tail light and two brake lights. In addition, two side-marker lamps as well as outline and periphery marker lamps ensure that the Unimog is clearly seen in every situation. The front headlights feature a range control system. Wild animals on German roads caused 2,412 accidents entailing personal injury last year (Destatis,

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UNIMOG 2 2010 COVER STORY 9

A misleading gut feeling

Jrgen Freigang, an expert on transportation of hazardous goods and load securing, knows what is important when safety is at stake.

Jrgen Freigang: A vehicles owner is fundamentally responsible for its operation.

In a comparison between a tractor and a Unimog, the universal motor machine comes out impressively on top.

Unimog Magazine: You recently gave a presentation to a customer event at Minufa, the Unimog distributor in Herborn in the state of Hesse. What was the purpose of the event? Jrgen Freigang: It was intended to compare two different systems: a tractor and a Unimog. Minufa clearly demonstrated that the Unimog is safer to handle in some situations even for the unpractised driver. When braking with ABS, for example, the Unimog remains well on track, even on a road surface with varying grip on the left and right sides of the vehicle and when driving at 50 km/h, whereas the tractor breaks away at just 30 km/h on such a surface, because it has no ABS. The test also compared load securing. It demonstrated that a tonne weight on a vehicle moves around under full braking at 20 km/h just the same as a light load. Many of the people attending the event expected that the crate holding the tonne weight would barely move on the load space. Yet when they saw that both crates were catapulted forward against the front bulkhead

even at such a low speed at the same rate the heavy object merely with much greater impact energy than the empty one there was widespread astonishment. Their gut feeling had told them the outcome would be very different! Unimog Magazine: The issue of safety is also always linked to the question of responsibility who is liable in the event of an accident? Jrgen Freigang: Many people are not sufficiently aware of their responsibility in this respect. According to StVZO regulations sections 30 and 31, a vehicles owner is fundamentally responsible for its operation. He/she must ensure that a vehicle is only ever used when it is safe. That includes, in particular, ensuring compliance with traffic safety regulations as well as rules governing safety when operating equipment and carrying passengers, etc. And the units builton to a carrier vehicle such as a Unimog must also be joined together so as to technically ensure safe operation on the road.

Unimog Magazine: What role do vehicle, body and built-on unit manufacturers play in that? Jrgen Freigang: Vehicle manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, and the associated body manufacturers, maintain close mutual links and coordinate their products to an optimum degree. The issues of product safety and where appropriate product liability are key considerations for both parties, just as they are for the company which fits the built-on units and then supplies the complete system. With regard to load securing for example: StVO section 22, paragraph 1 stipulates that, on taking evasive action under full braking, the load must not slide, roll, tip, make noise or fall down meaning that lashing points or other load securing aids and systems are essential. That is to say, body manufacturers should work out in advance and advise the vehicle manufacturer of the locations at which lashing points or other facilities need to be fitted, and how they need to be dimensioned. In concrete terms, this means: How many deca-Newtons (= daN; see also, for example, the blue lashing point identifiers on flat-bed truck) need to be held in what direction? The standard stipulations for trucks over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight rating are as follows: 80 percent of the force due to weight must be secured against sliding forward, and 50 percent respectively against sliding to the rear and side. Put simply: Of a tonne load weight, as much as 800 kilograms is forced towards the cab under full braking; of 10 tonnes, 8 is forced forward, etc. Once the load has started sliding, enormous impacts can occur representing many times the force due to weight of the load! In the case of a gritter vehicle or the like, this can result in a few tonnes impact in a very short space of time r

10 AGROLOGISTICS UNIMOG 2

2010

A striking success in agrologistics

The Wolf family has been running a farm near Ulm for the last 18 years. Since 2006 the farm has been employing a Unimog U 500 in pretty much continuous operation primarily to transport animals, whey and grain. The vehicle has notched up an impressive 220,000 kilometres to date!

UNIMOG 2 2010 AGROLOGISTICS 11

THE RAIN WAS BADLY NEEDED. Not a drop fell for weeks. The abnormally high July temperatures placed a strain on the people, the crops and the animals alike. 17 millilitres per square metre, is how relieved farmer Gerhard Wolf quantifies the rain when it eventually came. But, as he comments: It was nowhere near enough. Whatever the weather, the day had begun early on the Wolf family farm, which is home to Gerhard and his wife Sigrid, their three sons as well as Sigrids parents. It was 3.30 a.m. when son Martin started up the engine of the green Unimog U 500, with its 7,500 litre mounted tanker and 18,500 litre trailer, to drive the 60 kilometres to Oberschnegg in order to fetch whey as feed for the farms 1,500 fattening pigs. Apart from keeping the pigs and 60 dairy cows, the Wolfs farm a total of some 100 hectares in Brslingen and on a second farm 50 kilometres away which they leased in 2004. But even normally, the U 500 is rarely stood still. Well, we didnt buy it for fun, or because its nice to look at, Gerhard Wolf comments. Quite the contrary: Three times a week the U 500 fetches whey; twice a week it runs overnight taking pigs to the slaughterhouse; and once a month the Wolfs use it to collect piglets and feed respectively. To handle the different kinds of transport, Wolf is able to quickly exchange the Unimogs tanker body for a flat-bed tipper. Accordingly, after a total of 5,100 hours in operation since first being registered the vehicles clock already shows an impressive 220,000 kilometres. That kind of duty makes it essential to have reliable service backup for the entire fleet, which also includes a MB-trac 900, a MB-trac 1600 and a Unimog 2400. The Baden-Wrttemberg born farmer is full of praise for the service provided by Mayer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH: The U 500 has to be ready to run round the clock, seven days a week. In view of that, it is important for us to be able to rely on the well trained staff of our service partner, and to be sure of getting help quickly when we need it. Even if we occasionally need to replace a worn part on a weekend, they help us out. The versatile functionality of the U 500 was a key factor in the decision to purchase it: Quite simply, we need a vehicle with which we can do everything, Gerhard Wolf states. At the time it was a choice between a truck and a Unimog, to replace a Unimog U 1700. We chose the U 500,

Gerhard, Sigrid and Martin Wolf (from left) are happy with their U 500, which they use mainly for transportation purposes.

12 AGROLOGISTICS UNIMOG 2

2010

Tanker body, flat-bed tipper, tractor rig: The versatility of the U 500 was a key factor in the Wolfs decision to buy it.

Martin Wolf loading up a short break for the Unimog. But in Brslingen it is rarely stood still.

among other reasons, because it is not subject to road tolls and because of its 15 tonne load capacity. Son Martin cites economy and reliability as the main reasons for the acquisition. Particularly under the cost pressures faced by farmers at present, Martin Wolfs appraisal highlights an aspect which must not be underestimated: Its fuel consumption is much better than that of earlier models 32 litres per 100 kilometres on average, which is around five litres less. Economical and reliable in continuous use He likes sitting behind the wheel of the Unimog: Its a terrific vehicle, particularly with regard to all-round visibility, and also ride comfort. As the Wolfs were undertaking more and more transports including on the motorway the safety aspect was another key factor. Sigrid and Martin Wolf recall: In earlier times it was dangerous on the motorway, towing the big cattle trailer and carrying the pigs. You were constantly afraid that the big trucks would run into the back of you. With the U 500 its easy to keep up with the truck traffic. The U 500 frequently gets the Wolfs noticed. It is a striking design. Something a bit different, says Gerhard Wolf with a grin.

Many people simply cannot imagine Unimog and agricultural transports being mentioned in the same breath. Martin can only smile. He knows better. That afternoon he will be off again, fetching whey. Around one the following morning father Gerhard will be off driving pigs to the slaughterhouse in Schwbisch Hall. Another plus point for the Unimog is its robustness: The roads are sometimes quite bad, especially in Winter. And I am on a tight schedule: I have to be at the slaughterhouse between half past two and half past three, whatever the weather. In fact, there have been times in the past when I got through with the Unimog but none of the other trucks did. In such situations, Wolf is much helped by the all-wheel drive and the short wheelbase of the Unimog. Those benefits enable him to drive safely in difficult road conditions, and to manoeuvre easily around roads narrowed by snowfall. Unimog driving as relaxation The night trips are usually handled by Gerhard Wolf himself. Its a kind of relaxation for him, says Sigrid Wolf with a laugh. Well, it certainly doesnt bother me, the farmer himself comments. Martin Wolf sums it up: He has the three-pointed star in his heart. r

The Wolfs also use their U 500 to collect grain from the fields.

UNIMOG 2 2010 FIRE-FIGHTING 13

A highly manoeuvrable fire-fighter

The volunteer fire service in Wuppertal this Spring began using a Unimog U 20 tank tender.

LAST YEAR, the local volunteer fire service in the Lagerfeld district of Wuppertal was faced with having to replace an ageing allwheel drive fire-fighting tank tender. The old one had always been a faithful servant, but it had some weaknesses too. In tight spaces and on steeply inclined terrain, especially, it quickly came up against its limits. This was problematic particularly in view of the fact that the Wuppertal municipal area is over 29 percent forest and fields, much of it extending over quite hilly terrain. That was reason enough for the fire service to focus on the ability to handle tough terrain when choosing their new vehicle. They soon found the ideal candidate: a Unimog U 20 configured as a TLF 10/20 firefighting tank tender with a Schlingmann body. Its short 2700 millimetre wheelbase provided the Wuppertal fire-fighters with the manoeuvrability they were looking for. And, of course, the superior off-road capability of the Unimog was a further benefit. The

mounted body incorporates everything necessary for first-phase fire-fighting operations: a 2,400 litre tank, a pump with a throughput rate of 2,000 litres a minute, a front splash guard as a self-protection feature and for damping-down wide-area fires, and a water

cannon mountable on the roof all operable with the vehicle in motion. Rapid response in an emergency For fire chief Karl Grnewald the little Unimog has already proved its worth: Last Monday we had a 500 square metre forest fire on a difficult-to-access slope. With our old tender we would not have got to it. Thanks to the U 20 TLF 10/20, the firefighters did not have to lay their hoses laboriously across the surrounding scrub and then slowly follow the fires path. The Unimog U 20 reached the fire quickly, and the ground jets and roof-mounted cannon soon had it all under control. Christian Reeker, head of the Engineering and Logistics department and responsible for procurement, is just as certain that the Unimog U 20 will prove a hit: At the moment our TLF forest tender is the only one of its kind in Germany. But the idea is so good that more are bound to follow. r

Christian Reeker (left), head of the Engineering and Logistics department, and fire chief Karl Grnewald are already convinced of the U 20s merits.

14 Service UNIMOG 2 2010 OPEN-CAST MINING UNIMOG 2

2010

Extreme workhorses
Extreme conditions at the Hambach open-cast mine demand maximum performance from personnel and machinery alike. The off-road capability and broad-ranging flexibility of the Unimog make it a highly respected partner.

ROUND THE CLOCK, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the staff and vehicle fleet at the Hambach open-cast mine are on continuous duty. Its immense size alone, but especially the extreme ground conditions and the varying applications in which they need to be deployed at the mine, demand maximum performance from personnel and machinery alike. That is why operator RWE Power has for years relied on the Unimog in a range of variants according to the application: from the U 400 up to the U 5000, all models are represented. Most of them, however, are the ultra-rugged off-road specialists of the Unimog U 4000 and U 5000 series. The Unimog can cope with the most demanding of routes along muddy tracks and over rugged terrain, climbing huge inclines, and working their way down some extremely steep slopes, too. The broad range of applications of the Unimog on the site reflect the enormous dimensions of the open-cast mine located right on the outskirts of Cologne: As far as the eye can see, there are miles of terraced cuttings extending hundreds of metres down into the ground. But the main feature of the Hambach mine is the millions of tonnes of sand, clay and gravel. These so-called covering layers conceal the valuable lignite, or brown coal. The site looks like some fantastical moonscape, with gigantic excavators seemingly grazing across the unending barren plains of this artificial landscape like some species of colossal monster. In all weather and on any ground And among them, some 50 yellowish-gold coloured Unimog wend their way around the approximately 85 square kilometre site in all weathers with what seems almost stoic calmness. Thanks to their all-wheel drive, differential lock and heavy-duty thick-treaded tyres, they are able to handle even extremely slippery terrain in rain, snow and icy conditions. If you want to drive around extreme terrain such as this, a Unimog is essential. Its off-road capability is simply unbeatable, comments Jrg Rbsteck, a member of the RWE Power Vehicle Service staff. Another key factor for the company, which is provided with service backup by RKF-Bleses, is that vehicles can be tailored to specific operations. The Unimog offers us lots of different body mounting options. That means we can use one vehicle model for a wide variety of purposes, Rbsteck goes on. As a universal master of all tasks, the Unimog handles virtually every transport job at the mine: Fitted with a double cab, it is used to transport work crews; as a flat-bed truck, it carries materials and tools; and configured as a tanker it distributes water and

Imposing dimensions: Alongside the gigantic excavators at the Hambach mine the Unimog looks quite tiny.

UNIMOG 2 2010 OPEN-CAST MINING 15

fuel. The Unimog with diesel tanks mounted on them have to be particularly reliable, running round the clock, supplying diesel to construction machinery such as bulldozers. If the Unimog broke down, a lot of machines and vehicles would be forced to stop work. There are also Unimog on-site mounted with Palfinger cranes and flat-bed load spaces, used primarily for repair and maintenance work, and there are also units fitted with box bodies, used for servicing of large-scale machinery. They are our workhorses. Without them practically nothing would get done here, asserts Rbsteck with a grin. The all-rounders from Mercedes-Benz also serve as fire-fighting and emergency vehicles, as well as providing Winter ice and snow clearing services. Because those vehicles, more than any other, have to get to their destination rapidly, however tough the conditions may be. In view of the difficult terrain on which the vehicles operate, RWE Power places great value in their safety features. Pendulum strike and roof load tests to the ECE R29 standard passed by the Unimogs all-steel cab were powerful arguments in favour of the vehicles, alongside their reliable brake systems and seat-integrated safety belts. We have to be able to rely on our vehicles. It is a reassuring feeling for us to send out our drivers in a Unimog, says Herbert Tller, RWE Powers head of Vehicle and Transport Service. The Unimog is simply an exemplary model when it comes to safety. The Unimog not only sets standards in terms of safety, but also with regard to low vibration. That was a key

All-wheel drive and differential locks help the Unimog achieve outstanding off-road capability an absolutely vital aspect of fire-fighting operations!

16 OPEN-CAST MINING

UNIMOG 2 2010

The wide-ranging body and equipment mounting options exactly meet the needs of RWE Power: Here a Unimog configured as a tanker is supplying essential fuel.

selection criterion for RWE. Because only vehicles capable of minimising vibration will protect and preserve the health of their drivers. As part of its strong commitment to occupational health and safety, RWE Power conducts vibration measurements on all vehicles. These are applied to determine how long a driver can operate a vehicle without interruption before it poses a health risk. The operating time of the Unimog is six hours per shift. That is a very good length of time given the conditions under which we operate, Rbsteck states. Thanks to its helical-spring deformable chassis, rigid cab mounting and air-sprung comfort cab seat, the Unimog provides a workplace which not only falls well within stipulated vibration limits but also retains a very high degree of comfort and quiet even in extreme conditions. Just how extraordinary the Unimogs operations at the Hambach mine are is also illustrated by the fact that Mercedes-Benz conducts vehicle testing at the site. It provides us with an ideal test setting, because the brown coal, water and mud create really extreme conditions, explains Unimog product manager Jan Debler. Those extreme conditions can be used to simulate scenarios which would otherwise take years to recreate. They enable Mercedes-Benz to test the Unimog in a kind of time-lapse environment. We place great value in being

The Unimog is vital

Jrg Rbsteck, from the RWE Power Vehicle Service staff, talking about vehicle outfitting options developed specially for open-cast mining and how the Unimog handles extreme situations.
early Unimog still in operation: a U 900, built in 1978. It is the oldest in our field. We are still using it to transport material. Unimog Magazine: What makes the Unimog so attractive for open-cast mining specifically? Jrg Rbsteck: We were convinced above all by its versatility. The Unimog is tops wherever you need to get a vehicle across the toughest of terrain whether with a diesel tanker or a crane mounted on it. A particular challenge is that the ground conditions on-site are continually changing. Yet the Unimog never lets us down. Unimog Magazine: How do the vehicles cope with the extreme conditions? Jrg Rbsteck: Very well. Our Unimog are fitted with special features which additionally protect them against dust and mud. We developed the brake encapsulation installed in all our vehicles together with Mercedes-Benz for example. It isolates the brakes behind a steel covering, so protecting them against dirtying. The brakes are much more durable as a result. The heavy-duty tractor tread on the tyres prevents dirt from getting trapped in them and additionally provides optimum traction on rugged terrain. Unimog Magazine: How long do the Unimog run for? Jrg Rbsteck: It depends on what job they are doing. On average, we run Unimog for between 7 and 13 years. During that time, they cover between 180,000 and 300,000 kilometres. That is a lot especially given the extreme conditions on-site. 200,000 kilometres at an open-cast mine is almost comparable to twice or even three times the mileage on the road. r

Jrg Rbsteck is thoroughly impressed by the Unimog.

Unimog Magazine: Mr. Rbsteck, your company has been relying on the Unimog for a long time Jrg Rbsteck: Yes, indeed. The Unimog has been working at the Hambach mine since its very beginnings. We even still have a really

UNIMOG 2 2010 OPEN-CAST MINING 17

able to conduct practical trials in real-life operation at a customer location and incorporate the results into the ongoing technical development of our vehicles, says Debler. That works also thanks to partners such as RWE Power AG. r

r Hambach mine
Operations at the Hambach open-cast mine close to the village of the same name began in September 1978. It was six years before the first brown coal was extracted from a depth of 160 metres. The 700 million cubic metres of sand, clay and gravel above it the so-called spoil had to be moved first. Today the Hambach mine, with its workforce of some 1,500 people, mines some 40 million tonnes of brown coal a year from depths of down to 370 metres, excavating some 250 million cubic metres of spoil in the process. The brown coal from the mine is used to generate electricity at the nearby power stations operated by RWE, which make up around 25 percent of Germanys total energy mix.

Some of the 50 Unimogs are fitted with a Palfinger crane. They are used primarily to carry out repair work.

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18 TRANSPORT UNIMOG 2

2010

Sunday driving ban? Not for the Unimog

Eugen Betz from St. Johann near Reutlingen has been a self-employed transport operator serving the construction trade since 1975, and he is a convinced Unimog fan. He also uses his U 500 for Winter gritting and snow clearing.
MY U 500 IS simply the ideal vehicle for me and not just as a tractor rig, Eugen Betz comments enthusiastically. I need it all year round. I supply machinery and building materials on the low-loader to construction sites around the district. During flat periods when that work is not available I can do transport jobs using different trailers without having to modify the vehicle itself. And in Winter, when there is no construction work going on, I can earn good money gritting and snow clearing. That is why his U 500 additionally has a ballhead trailer hitch and on-spot tyre chains. The U 500 is his fourth Unimog in 30 years. In the early days he also drove trucks that were somewhat more powerful: But after comparing the advantages and disadvantages, I stuck with the Unimog, he recalls. He uses the 10 metre long low-loader to transport construction machinery to sites around the Schwbische Alb hill areas. The manoeuvrability and compact design of the U 500, with its short wheelbase of just 3350 millimetres, make the vehicle easy to handle: I can easily get to sites in town centres, negotiating tight bends, narrow, winding streets and tricky one-way systems where a truck would often not be able to get, Betz reports with a grin. Another important aspect for him is that the Unimog is registered as an agricultural tractor rig, which means he does not have to pay road tolls when travelling unladen. And he is not subject to the Sunday driving ban on motorways. The state-of-the-art

With his 10 metre long low-loader Eugen Betz transports construction machinery quickly and reliably to sites around the Schwbische Alb area.

UNIMOG 2 2010 TRANSPORT 19

I can easily get to sites in town centres, negotiating tight bends and narrow, winding streets.
Eugen Betz, self-employed transport operator serving the construction trade

BlueTec engine OM 906 LA, developing 210 kW of power output and conforming to the Euro 5 emissions standard, is another key factor for Betz: It gives me plenty of power and speed; the automatic transmission means I can concentrate fully on driving; and by meeting the high emissions standard I am allowed into any designated pollution control zone where other trucks are not. As a result, my consignments are guaranteed to be delivered punctually every time. The all-round visibility offered by the Unimogs cab provides Betz with a clear overview at all times and that is especially important for his Winter work on the roads. Only the U 500 allows me to control the snow plough so tightly and accurately. He is assigned to keep clear some 180 kilometres of roads around Wrtingen and St. Johann in the Winter, which means he is out and about from four in the morning, with a snow plough mounted on the front and a grit silo on the flat-bed load space. My gritting and snow clearing contract with the local authority also means I pay no road tax

between November and March, he goes on. A lot of other operating costs are much lower than for a truck too. The insurance classification for the U 500 is also useful. As a light industrial tractor rig, it runs with a black licence plate at the same rate of premium as an agricultural tractor. And there are more benefits, as he outlines: Incidentally, the U 500 also needs just four tyres of all the same size. To handle the identical transport capacity with a truck, I would need a doubletyred three-axle rig, which would mean buying 10 in total. All-round talent: working all year round The flat-bed load space is particularly valuable to Betz. It is not only excellent for mounting the gritter, but is also useful in Summer for carrying ballast, occasionally also a fuel tank to refuel construction machinery on-site, but most of all for transporting gravel and excavated spoil. This fills a gap which is often left between different types of construction machinery and trucks. The low-loader is then

parked up, and a three-axle trailer is hitched in its place. The trailer has air suspension of course, because a trailer with leaf springs would be continuously bouncing, as Betz asserts. And he adds: Thanks to the Unimogs tight chassis setup, the trailer keeps nicely in line with the towing vehicle, and does not wobble around. For his tandem-axle trailer he needs the additional hitch to DIN 74051 with the 40 mm bolt. With that I can easily tow a 30 tonne load and still keep to the 40 tonne gross vehicle weight limit without having to get a special permit, which I would need for a truck towing such a load. He has extra space on the flat-bed load space too, providing even greater flexibility. Only the all-round capabilities of the Unimog allow me to keep busy all year round with a single vehicle. Thanks to it, I have virtually no flat periods in between. He is also full of praise for the Unimog distributor Schmalz + Sohn in Oberndorf: I will certainly be staying faithful to both: to the Unimog and to my local service centre. r

The U 500 is a boon to Eugen Betz because of its registration as a tractor rig. As a result, he has no road tolls to pay, and is not subject to overtaking bans and driving restrictions which affect trucks.

Eugen Betz and Unimog a good partnership. Betz will definitely be sticking with his all-purpose workhorse in future.

20 DUAL-MODE OPERATION UNIMOG 2 2010

Green Logistics on road and rail

Rail freight operator DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG, a subsidiary of German national rail company Deutsche Bahn, has for approaching two years now been running a pilot project at three of its locations deploying the Mercedes-Benz Unimog as a railway marshalling vehicle. The results it has delivered have been outstanding in terms of economy and eco-friendliness.

BOTH ON THE road and on the railways, DB Schenker is a leading international logistics company. As part of the landmark Green Logistics Networks project, the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary is interlinking its various modes of transport not only with a view to maximising commercial benefit but also, especially, according to ecological considerations, in order to provide its customers with a carbon-optimised transport chain. Within that remit, DB Schenker Rail, Europes largest rail freight operator, is also currently running a pilot project at three locations in Germany involving the use of a Unimog U 400 as an

environmentally friendly railway marshalling vehicle. The company has been operating the Unimog for almost two years now in what is one of the largest and most efficient marshalling yards in Germany, at its Cargo Centre in the major rail hub city of Nuremberg. The two other dual-mode Unimog are being run under the control of DB Schenker Rails Hanover Cargo Centre. In contrast to the Nuremberg operation, in Hanover the company is running the vehicles as a service provider directly on behalf of its customers, on their own sidings at Sappi GmbH in Alfeld and at Panopa GmbH in Wolfsburg-Vorsfelde.

Environmentally friendly thanks to BlueTec technology We were looking to adopt a new approach to marshalling, and we initially commissioned a degree thesis to investigate in detail alternative concepts for marshalling vehicles, explains Werner Matz, manager of the Nuremberg Cargo Centre of DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG. The outcome of the study revealed the dual-mode Unimog to be the most suitable system for our needs. Following on from those findings, in 2008 we procured a Unimog U 400 with rail operation systems from Zwiehoff/Zagro as a replacement for

UNIMOG 2 2010 DUAL-MODE OPERATION 21

r TECHNICAL FEATURES AT A GLANCE

State-of-the-art, environmentally friendly Euro 5 diesel technology Permanent all-wheel drive and differential locks for maximum pulling power Torque converter clutch for smooth drive-off when pulling heavy loads Full traction thanks to high friction coefficient between rubber tyre and rail High-swinging rail guidance system for safe tracking Rail car brake system for 800 tonnes/52 axles User-friendly remote control to safety class AK6 EBA approval, licensed to operate on DB network infrastructure

r DB SCHENKER RAIL

The dual-mode Unimog has worked very well for us to date, comments Werner Matz.

an ageing marshalling locomotive, Werner Matz continues. The core task of the dualmode Unimog in Nuremberg is to transport freight cars into the maintenance shed. The serviced and repaired cars are then pulled out of the shed again by the Unimog into the marshalling yard where they are ready to be put back into operation. Claus Barth, group leader at DB Schenker Rail in Nuremberg, comments: We are particularly impressed by the low consumption levels of the Unimog. Between 5 and 6 litres of diesel per hour in operation is a major savings potential compared to a locomotive. And not just that: The

locomotives engine is not usually switched off for brief periods of inactivity, whereas the Unimog can be. Werner Matz comments: That is exactly the right kind of solution for a company such as ours, which takes the issue of Green Logistics very seriously and is looking to drive forward developments in the field. In fact, it is also something which transport companies using our services increasingly expect of us. And the Unimog offers another major advantage over a locomotive: Since we have been using the Unimog instead of a marshalling locomotive, we have had much better working conditions

With sales of some 3.7 billion Euros, 25,000 employees and 3,300 rail heads served in Germany alone, DB Schenker Rail is Europes leading rail freight operator. Its range of services, working together with a number of European subsidiaries to provide cross-border transport services all from one source, incorporates complete trains, single-car transports and combination consignments. The focus of its rail freight operations is on bulk transports for the iron and steel, chemicals, oil, building materials and waste management industries.

22 DUAL-MODE OPERATION

UNIMOG 2 2010

The Unimogs fuel consumption is astonishingly low, at 5.5 litres of diesel per operating hour on average.
Werner Matz, manager of the Nuremberg Cargo Centre of DB Schenker Rail Deutschland AG

in the maintenance shed. The Unimog, with its state-of-the-art BlueTec technology, goes virtually unnoticed both in terms of emissions and in terms of noise. Economical: low fuel consumption The Unimogs low emissions, based on its environmentally friendly engine technology, were also a key factor in the decision to deploy the vehicle at the Wolfsburg-Vorsfelde site. Ralf Peters, responsible for marshalling planning at the Hanover Cargo Centre, explains: The marshalling vehicle frequently has to go into the shed. Our customer Panopa was no longer willing to accept the diesel locomotive we had previously been using for the job inside the shed because the soot emissions, in particular, were harmful to staff. By using the Unimog we have now regained our customers full acceptance an absolutely vital factor for us as a service provider of course. Panopa operates an interim storage facility for steel coils in Vorsfelde near Wolfsburg. Ralf Peters reports: DB Schenker Rail supplies steel on behalf of Panopa to the VW

press plant in Fallersleben on a just-in-time basis for the plants three-shift operations. The Unimog handles all the marshalling work on the Panopa site unlinking the incoming trains and transferring cars to the appropriate loading and unloading points. It also assembles trains and makes available car groups for outgoing goods shipments. Ralf Peters is likewise very happy with the performance of his Unimog: Marshalling at this location is a particular challenge, as we pull around 500 tonnes on average, and at peak times occasionally even 800 tonnes. Moreover, the rail yard at Panopa features a considerable curve radius as well as a small incline, which poses more difficulties for the marshalling vehicle. But the Unimog is able to deal perfectly with those challenges too! Wienhold Averbeck, deputy head of financial controlling at the Hanover Cargo Centre and responsible for the dual-mode Unimog project, is more impressed by the economy of the vehicle: We have to date run the dualmode Unimog for almost 4,000 hours, and it has consumed just 5.5 litres of diesel per

hour on average. That represents an enormous saving compared to the diesel locomotive we had previously been using, and is in itself sufficient to make our use of the Unimog worthwhile. Operator comfort highly appreciated DB Schenker Rail is also deploying a dualmode Unimog in its role as a service provider to Sappi GmbH in Alfeld, and has already succeeded in convincing the customer of its merits. Detlef Spyra, Sappi procurement manager and head of rail operations, explains: To ensure our production operations run smoothly and efficiently, it is important for us that DB Schenker Rail is able to transport all the required rail cars punctuality and reliably to where they are needed. The transports primarily involve raw materials for the manufacture of high-grade special papers. Detlef Spyra goes on: Previously DB Schenker Rail did the job using a four-axle locomotive. The dual-mode Unimog has been operating at our plant for about 18 months now, and we are very happy with

Finally cleaner air: Compared to locomotives, the emissions of a Unimog in the maintenance shed are barely noticeable. That represents a considerable improvement in working conditions for staff.

The Unimog is dismounted quickly and easily from the rails and can be driven on the road around the plant to its next work location.

UNIMOG 2 2010 DUAL-MODE OPERATION 23

The U 400 offers very high performance capability: it is able to move as much as 800 tonnes along the rails with ease.

the new setup. Egbert Henkel, marshalling vehicle driver at the Alfeld facility, greatly appreciates the comfort the Unimog offers. After having undergone a short period of induction in use of the dual-mode Unimog, I am now a big fan of it. The ability to dismount the vehicle from the rails, drive it to another location around the plant and then mount it back on the rails there means I am
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much more flexible than when using a railbound vehicle. Maximum availability is assured The service backup offered for the Unimog system is also a hit: The nearby MercedesBenz customer service centre is able to carry out most maintenance work on-site, so maximum availability of the vehicle is

assured, affirms Lothar Pallant, who was one of the first operators to drive the Unimog in Alfeld.Based on its positive experience with the dual-mode Unimog, the Hanover Cargo Centre is already planning ahead. Wienhold Averbeck reveals the thinking: We are already looking into a number of other potential applications for the Unimog as a marshalling vehicle. r

24 ENGINEERING

UNIMOG 2 2010

Flexible, manoeuvrable, agile thanks to all-wheel steering

Handling any bend with all-wheel steering: auxiliary rear axle steering makes the Unimog even more adaptable and manoeuvrable. Three practical examples.

59 METRES ABOVE NORMAL ZERO. 10 oclock in the morning in a forest clearing 40 kilometres south of Potsdam. A heavy machine is parked on the cycle path. A prototype: the U 400 with all-wheel steering and a 3600 millimetre wheelbase. Mounted on its right-hand side is a special unit designed for root barrier cutting the WSF 800. The machine is on operations for gardening and landscaping company Feind based in Lbben. The aim of the work is to protect the asphalt, which has already been pushed up by roots at many points, against further destruction. The WSF 800 was developed by Feind in conjunction with construction machinery company AS Baugerte. Accessing the location through rough terrain and working on the narrow cycle paths with no side surfacing demands the right tools. And in that respect company proprietor Reinhardt Feind swears by the Unimog and has been doing so for the last 20 years. We have been relying on Unimog since the company was founded back in 1990. We have the full range in our fleet, from the U 2100 to the U 500, he goes on. It is a relationship of trust which remains on a firm foundation to this day. Or on 24 wheels, to be precise. Because the R. Feind gardening and landscaping business operates six Unimog as part of its basic portfolio. The sixcylinder, 231 hp engine of the U 400 with all-wheel steering emits a reassuring brumming noise as its rotating cutter neatly chops away the roots. In the same pass it lays down a root-barrier membrane and then back-fills and seals the trench it has made. The company boss is particularly proud of this U 400. Its steerable rear axle is what made it possible to do todays job in the first place. This is the first instance of a U 400 with this special equipment configuration on cutting operations, he reports. Round the bend with the cutter The particularly tricky part about using this vehicle was cutting round bends, the head of the root barrier department at Feind, Norman Fruth, recalls. The cutter disk mounted on the right-hand side of the vehicle parallel to the direction of travel at a height of 50 centimetres above the ground must be guided smoothly round bends. That is the only way to

UNIMOG 2 2010 ENGINEERING 25

On narrow, winding cycle paths the all-wheel steering of the U 400 operated by gardening and landscaping company R. Feind is very practical for root-barrier cutting.

26 ENGINEERING

UNIMOG 2 2010

Maximum manoeuvrability all-wheel steering makes it possible. This optimum starting position is a key criterion in favour of the U 400 for Reinhardt Feind.

The root cutter cuts a five centimetre wide trench next to the cycle path in which the RootBarrier membrane is laid. It is the ideal method of stopping roots.

ensure a high-quality job. The solution found was a steerable rear axle. When the driver turns the front wheels to the left on a left-hand bend, the rear wheels move even further to the right. On tight left-hand bends, all four wheels are steered to the left, causing the Unimog to drive in a circle a very tight circle. Because, despite the long wheelbase, the allwheel steering reduces the vehicles turning circle to just 13.2 metres. Steering with a flexible rear axle is possible up to a maximum speed of 30 km/h; the system then switches automatically to straight-ahead running with only the front axle controlling the steering. Consequently, neither the vehicles maximum speed nor its safety is affected. The hydrostatic drive system was also very important for us, company boss Feind adds. It alone enables high levels of power transmission while maintaining consistent and precise vehicle movement, because the rate of working can be infinitely varied at a constant engine speed. Its also ideal for cutting verges. As if in agreement, the low-emission Euro 5 standard engine of the U 400 growls away, working on metre by metre through the roots in the ground. Snow clearing on the St. Gotthard pass Change of scene: 2,091 metres above sea level. In a 2.5 metre snow drift on a road up on the St. Gotthard pass. Routine clearing of one of the key linking routes across the Alps is a full-time job for specialist machinery in the Spring months. So it is the ideal place to demonstrate highefficiency snow clearing. And that was the reason why Aebi Schmidt, a manufacturer of specialist machinery and vehicles for snow clearing, de-icing and cleaning of road surfaces chose to invite its customers to a very special event. The object of the demonstration was to enable customers to see for themselves the methods, equipment and machinery used, in live operation. Up on the pass itself, the big snow-clearers were then deployed. One of them was the Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400, fitted with the Schmidt FS 105 snow cutter. The nine-tonne vehicle cuts its way through metre-high snow walls with ease. This vehicle combination is capable of handling up to 900 tonnes per hour. In parallel, the Schmidt gritter unit mounted on the U 400 spreads grit from its 2.5 cubic metre silo. Low-slung side windows and the large rear window on all Unimog models ensure drivers have an optimum view of the snow masses. Even at temperatures down to 30 degrees below zero, the

Low-slung side windows and large rear windows ensure a clear all-round overview even when faced by heavy snow drifts. Heated air driers additionally help keep the driver warm.

UNIMOG 2 2010 ENGINEERING 27

In the Summer, the U 400 is deployed to clean the narrow lanes around the harbour promenade in Lausanne. In the Winter it shifts the snow.

Water tank, equipment container, washer bar, sweeper unit all in one assembly mounted on a U 400, keeping Lausanne clean.

climate inside the Unimog remains pleasant, thanks to a heated air drier, an engine block preheater and a power-boosted alternator all factoryfitted. The all-wheel steering is particularly appreciated in this terrain too in contrast to the root-barrier cutting operations, here in crab steering mode. In this mode, all four wheels are turned by the same angle in the same direction. As a result, the Unimog moves neither forwards nor in a curve, but in effect diagonally straight-ahead. This is beneficial on lateral slopes in compensating for the downward gravity force. It also greatly enhances manoeuvrability on the narrow St. Gotthard pass roads, and most especially in the tight snow channels with their steep side walls. All-wheel steering for narrow lanes All good things come in threes: 495 metres above normal zero. Driver Antoine Philipe steers his U 400 on street cleaning duties along the promenade of Lake Geneva. It is an impressive demonstration, extending into the narrow streets and lanes of the old city of Lausanne. This, too, is only possible thanks to the all-wheel steering. It enables Philipe to work in the tightest of urban spaces without resorting to timeconsuming reversing and manoeuvring. The 238 hp six-cylinder diesel engine, conforming to the latest Euro 5 standard, delivers all the power needed for the job. Mounted on the U 400 is a Trilety SK 370 sweeper. The assembly comprises a 1,000 litre water tank, a 4.7 cubic metre equipment container, a washer bar, the sweeper unit itself and the sweeper roller. The washer bar is mounted on the front mounting panel and is fed by a high-pressure unit. Despite this mounting, the panoramic cab design provides Philipe with a clear view of the frontal units at all times. On being asked about his U 400, Philipe shows real enthusiasm: It is so flexible. I can even turn it into a Winter gritting and snow clearing vehicle, with all the necessary equipment, by making just a few changes. And the U 400 offers a safe workplace in Winter too. Fitted with a Zaugg snow cutter and an automatic gritter, the U 400, with its all-wheel steering, gets its driver reliably to wherever he needs to be, including along the switchbacks to high up on the pass at Chalet--Gobet, an altitude of 873 metres. The hydrostatic drive system is a boon to this workhorse too whether in the snow or not. Antoine Philipe is able to accelerate sensitively and smoothly up

to speeds of around 25 km/h. The engine and power take-off shaft speeds are constant. For the last year the two have been running in combined operation. The Swiss operative clearly remembers the early times: In order to make optimum use of the city of Lausannes available resources, a vehicle for Winter gritting and snow clearing operations and for street cleaning as well as a three-sided tipper with a rear-mounted crane had to be procured. So we had a choice: a Unimog or two other vehicles. The decision in favour of the flexible Unimog with all-wheel steering was an easy one to make. r

r ALL-WHEEL STEERING IN DETAIL

Technical details: The maximum steering angle is 14 degrees The total weight is increased by about 180 kilograms Rear axle steering is possible up to a maximum of 30 km/h ; above 30 km/h the system switches automatically to straight-ahead axle running Benefits in summary: Reduced turning circle for the U 400 (short wheelbase: 11 to 12 metres; long wheelbase: 13 to 14 metres) Improved manoeuvrability in dealing with obstacles Highly manoeuvrable on narrow roads Stability on lateral slopes thanks to crab steering

28 SERVICE

UNIMOG 2 2010

Being a king
The customer is king its an old yet nonetheless true saying. But few businesses really apply the principle. Unimog Service proves that service is also always a question of attitude and commitment to ones own products.

TO BE A KING. To be cared for in every respect. To express wishes, and have them fulfilled. That level of customer expectation in terms of what service providers should deliver is certainly not an outdated maxim as is clearly shown by what Unimog Service is able to offer: top standards of quality and environmental awareness, demonstrated to customers on a daily basis. When drivers bring their Unimog to the service centre, they are looking for one thing above all else: rapid assistance, with sound advice. Trust is a key element in this business, and it is founded on a combination of reliable service backup and expert technical knowhow. And trust has to be earned. A service provider is put to the test time and again, every day, and has to deliver performance, flexibility and a strong sense of personal care and attention. Tailored service packages Selective service packages are part of the standard offer when buying a new Unimog. Customers can choose from the following levels of service agreement, each bundling a range of services in a tailored package: Service Extend. This provides an extended warranty for the drive train. Agreement terms can be up to 36 months, or 4,500 operating hours, from date of first registration. The only exclusions are maintenance and wearing parts. The drive train cover is available for the U 20 and for the 100 and 1000 series. Service Extend Plus. This service agreement protects the vehicle comprehensively, from the drive train and chassis to the frame, as well as the fuel, exhaust and steering systems. It also includes the electronics. The warranty period is 36 months / 4,500 operating hours or 24 months / 3,000 operating hours from date of first registration. Again maintenance and wearing parts are excluded. Service Extend Plus can also be taken out with Service Mobility Protection. Service Complete. The top option for comprehensive additional protection of the Unimog is the Service Complete agreement. It covers all workshop work, from coordination of appointments through to invoice checking. It also incorporates vehicle management, as well as

Help, as soon as it is needed, and in full: With the Service Complete package, any Unimog can be provided with the optimum backup at all times at a calculable fixed price.

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the personalised Unimog Service Card. The benefit is that the vehicle is always ready according to schedule, and costs are calculable based on fixed instalments. Service Leasing Complete. With this package, Mercedes-Benz offers a full-service package covering maintenance, repair, warranty and also vehicle leasing, all from one source. Routine care and maintenance: a must The Unimog is usually operated on continuous duty. In Summer. In Winter. Off road. On road. A breakdown can very quickly turn into a cost. This makes routine care and maintenance all the more important, both in ensuring optimum protection of the vehicle and in saving its operators money. If you have any questions please contact your local authorised Unimog dealer. r
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UNIMOG 2 2010

Unimog exotic model collection

Unimog Extreme Exotic. It is under those three classifications that Carl-Heinz Vogler has for many years been collecting pictures of highly unusual and special Unimog vehicles. He is now presenting a selection from his collection in an exhibition at the Unimog Museum.
THE UNIMOG is a special kind of vehicle in any case, but there are some variants of it which are even more unusual and special. That fact is richly evidenced by the Unimog Exoten (Unimog Exotic Models) exhibition at the Unimog Museum Gaggenau. Through until October 31st, Carl-Heinz Vogler, editor of the Unimog Heftl specialist magazine, will be showing 105 large-format photos from his extensive personal collection of images. The pictures are accompanied by short texts on each of the extraordinary vehicles portrayed. Carl-Heinz Voglers impressive collection today comprises some 8,000 photographs of Unimog of all types, including 300 images of exotic model variants. For the last 17 years I have been receiving around 30 to 70 photos of Unimog a month for the magazine and the personal favourite among trend is rising. For the the exotic specimens is a extreme modifications and Unimog-S (U 404) from vehicles which could not Upper Bavaria with a be otherwise classified I wood-burning carburetor, invented the Exotic modwhich burns a sack of els category. I regard it as dried wood per 100 kilocomprising an ascending metres (see photo). scale of unusual or exotic Anyone wanting still characteristics Unimog A very special model: this U 404 runs on more Unimog exotica after Extreme Exotic Dis- a wood-burning carburetor. visiting the exhibition aster which variously define the very special nature of the modified should stop by the Unimog Museums shop, vehicles. His collection has grown steadily which is offering a 2011 desk calendar featurover the years thanks to contributions from ing photos from the exhibition. And Carl-Heinz club members, friends, former Mercedes-Benz Vogler has not yet had nearly enough either. employees, authors of books on the Unimog, He is currently planning a book about exotic holidaymakers, archives, and of course also his Unimog models, incorporating some 200 illusr own pictures taken at Unimog meets. Voglers trations.

Unimog 2010 the star guest

At the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Unimog Veterans Club, the focus of attention was on the first Unimog built under the auspices of Mercedes-Benz.
WHEN THE Unimog Veterans Club (UVC) holds its Summer meet, fans of the characterful allrounder converge from all over Germany. This year the 900 members of the club gathered in Sassenberg-Fchtorf. The anniversary proved a big hit, as every year, with over 350 Unimog of all ages and sizes coming together. The 2010 was the star feature, but attention was also focused on an original Boehringer from 1949. Equally impressive elements of the show were the rare mountings brought along by the oldie fans some lovingly restored along with their carrier vehicles, some mounted in their original condition on a battered old Mog. HansPeter Hartke, Chairman of the UVC, explains: There are now two separate trends among Unimog collectors: some lovingly restore their vehicles part by part, while others render them driveable as they are, so as to preserve a piece of living history. And so it was that, at the 2010 UVC Summer meet on the Hof Hrstkamp estate, shiny new-looking restorations stood alongside battered old wrecks. The extensive parts market is also very popular. We try to keep the hobby affordable by promoting the
Vintage models on parade. The focus of attention: the 2010.

buying and selling of parts, Hartke comments. Many of the parts get passed around within the club before they get put on the free market. It is also useful that Unimogs Classic line produces and makes available technical components such as brakes for the old models. r

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Shopping at the click of a mouse

No heavy carrying, no queuing at checkouts Unimog fans can shop here comfortably and conveniently ...

Regional Group Central Baden-OrtenauAlsace: Historic films about the U 421 16 September 2010 Unimog Museum, Gaggenau (D) Regional Group Northern Black Forest: Off-road driving day 29 September 2010 Waldachtal-Tumlingen (D) Unimog and MBtrac parts market 2 October 2010 Kuppenheim near Baden-Baden (D) FOREST 5 to 8 October 2010 Nitra (SK) AgroTech Russia 8 to 11 October 2010 Moscow (RUS) Stuttgart regional Unimog meet 17 October 2010 Hotel Grtner, Holzgerlingen (D)

THE UNIMOG SHOP provides Unimog fans with a comfortable and convenient way of following their hobby online. Visit www.mercedes-benz.de/unimog and

select Unimog Welt to access the Unimog Shop. The shop offers everything to make the Unimog fans heart beat faster: scale models, accessories and textile products. Whether it be a wooly hat, a 1:43 scale model Unimog U 500 Black Edition or a flashlight just a few clicks will place the chosen article from the world of the Unimog in your basket. It really is the fun way to shop! r

World Tour, part I

RITON GRAB has a big plan. As part of it, the Swiss adventurer has had a Unimog U 4000 (with a 3850 mm wheelbase) converted into a mobile home. The expedition Unimog, featuring all genuine leather trim in the cab and a Rotzler forward-pulling hydraulic winch on the vehicles rear (with 5 tonnes pulling force and a Kevlar cable), offers lots of comforts for even the most extreme of tours. The interior features a seating group with a folding table on a pedestal in the front end area, a double bed with a slatted frame and comfort mattress (160 x 300 cm) as well as a shower and toilet cubicle with doors separating it from the interior. It also features a washing machine, an infrared surveillance camera (with searchlight), a tyre pressure control system, a roof flap and a fording unit. Grabs first trip in his Unimog will take him to Argentina. It remains open to question whether he will

Historic Unimog models U 2010 meet (rides, model differentiation tutorials ...) 24 October 2010 Unimog Museum, Gaggenau (D) Unimog Exoten (Unimog Exotic Models) exhibition To 31 October 2010 Unimog Museum Gaggenau (D) BAU 2011 17 to 22 January 2011 Munich (D) enertec 25 to 27 January 2011 Leipzig (D) REISEN HAMBURG 9 to 13 February 2011 Hamburg (D) ITB Berlin 9 to 13 March 2011 Berlin (D) NUFAM commercial vehicles show 14 to 17 April 2011 Karlsruhe

Riton Grab, shortly before his first trip in his Unimog 4000. His destination: Argentina.

have time on such an exciting trip to enjoy all the delights of the on-board entertainment facilities. They include a satellite TV receiver, DVD and video player, and an audio system with Bose speakers. We wish him a great trip and we will be reporting again on his progress! r

A Daimler Brand

The Unimog. One for all.

Greater economic efficiency through all-year-round use.
The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is a versatile assistant 365 days a year, whether mowing, snow clearing, gritting, snow cutting, cleaning or transporting, in summer or Winter. With up to four attachment and mounting points and quick-change system, implements can be exchanged quickly and simply. And at the same time, the Unimog is exceedingly cost-effective to run. Find out more about the Unimog from your retailer or website www.mercedes-benz.com/unimog