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Specialist Off-Road Vehicle Feature - July 1999

Mercedes Unimog U411

This diminuitive machine was manufactured by Mercedes Benz from 1949 to 1971. It was designed for universal application, and for this purpose offered four wheel drive with cross axle differential locks, this was quite revolutionary for 1949. The front and rear wheels are of uniform size, and the whole weight of the vehicle is utilised for tractive force, the suspension system being coil springs all round. The Unimog can be fitted with a three way tipping auxiliary platform and equipment such as plant-spraying units can be carried by the Unimog. The vehicle is equipped with a driver's cab with two seats (both adjustable for rake) and removable all-weather hood, wipers, sun visor and mirrors as standard equipment. It's worth comparing the technology of this Unimog to a normal 1950's/60's two wheel drive tractor. The Unimog is fitted with a rear pto and three point agricultural linkage.

On the road the U411 Unimog can travel at up to 30mph and can move at 330yards an hour for performing low speed special tasks. The gearbox is fully synchronised and has six forward and two reverse gears. There is an additional intermediate gearbox option to give creeping speeds for specialist applications. Engine power can be utilised for a wide variety of tasks, with power take off at the front and rear of the vehicle. Equipment and machines for every task were developed for the U411 and it was only replaced by larger more powerful machines as the changes in Agricultural and Forestry dictated in the mid 1960's

The machine pictured here is a 1971 U411 long-wheel-base version with full length rear hood.

Specification

For other UNIMOG articles please refer to our CONTENTS page for archived material.

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