Bedford TM & GVW de-rating
 

Hi,

Any thoughts about the Bedford TM and whether it's a bag of nails or OK?, I'm also interested as to whether it's possible to get the GVW rating down to 7.5T in the UK.

I was looking at 4x4 sprinter / 4x4 Iveco cab but they are expensive, but they meet the wife's criteria of being pretty and not white.

I've come across a TM 4x4 troop box carrier (not sure how much yet £), not quite what I was after in terms of config, but 95% there. If it comes in an 50% the cost of an Iveco / Merc with the added benefit of some ground clearance (OK Iveco is not too much on an issue on that one) then it's in wit a shout..... unless it costs a fortune to run.

I don't want to do the HGV / LGV test, so de-rating is an issue, if the TM also does the MPG of a Russian truck (which I've also looked at) then that is also an issue - though a £20k saving on a posh van, can buy a shed load of fuel.

Comments would be appreciated.

RTS

I dont think the TMs were ever produced for such a lightweight market, they were middleweight 16tonne upto 42tonne in rigid and articulated configurations.

I dont think the 4tonne (payload) 4x4 variant was ever produced as Bedford did not win the Army contract in the 1980s.

If you are looking at an ex army 4x4 TM then I think the tare weight will defeat you at about 8-9tonnes.

Thanks for the reply...

What came to mind was that is if the actual base vehicle GVW is 17000Kg, and the Max payload is 8000Kg, would that make the base weight of the vehicle 9000kg?

Still doesn't get around the HGV issue, but (for example) where I live, there's a ban of street parking of anything over 7500kg overnight.

But does a 'core' TM weight 9 tonnes??...

Regards,

RTS

I'd say that the base vehicle without any body fitted would be in the 8 tonne range - bear in mind it was for a 4x4 army truck so tare weight was not a big issue. I think you may have to look at the lower weight TKs or Leyland Dafs that replaced them if you want to stick with an ex army vehicle that can be driven on a car licence. There are some nice Unimogs about!!

I had a book with UK truck specs but as always cant find it when I want it, I'll keep looking.

Bedford TM
 

The Bedford TM's are to heavy to de-rate to 7.49t, been there and looked at it. You can shed some weight by removing the very heavy army spec load bed but this still leaves you with a very small payload and would not make it worth while.

I've been looking at a Leyland DAF 4x4 from Witham, these can be derated to 7.49t and are a lot more civilised to drive than a Bedford MK. They have on with a factory spec winch which would make a good option for overland travel.

If you're interested in 4x4 trucks then L Jackson (where I think you've seen the TM) have a Iveco 4x4 ruck already de-rated to 7.4t but I think they were looking for £15K for it. Have a look at their website.

Many thanks for the replies...

Jacksons was where I'd seen the boxed up TM. I know another chap on here had gone down the DAF route for the weight issue reasons, so I'll have another look in that direction (and the Jacksons website again)

In terms of Unimogs, when you say there are nice one's about... I must be putting garbage into my search engine, 'cause I can't find any!!.

Also as an aside..... should I be left with a chassis vehicle... where can you go to get the box made in the UK??.. I've also struggled on that aspect.

Regards,

RTS

Atkinson Vos Ltd Mercedes Unimogs

The UK Unimog owner's meeting place.

mobile.de - Deutschlands größter Fahrzeugmarkt. Suchen, kaufen oder verkaufen Sie Neu- und Gebrauchtwagen (German equivilent to Autotrader. You can select english by clicking on the appropriate flag, you can search under motorhomes for converted mogs and under trucks for standard mogs. On the motorhome page, Unimog is not in the drop down list but if you leave the drop down box empty and type unimog in the field next to it, it usually brings up about 20+ unimog motorhomes of varying ages / types).

Cheers Tobias

why an obsolete mark?
 

If you want to stay under 7.5 tonnes, have a look at the MAN 8.130 and the 8.150 (preferable – more horses) which are perfectly capable for overlanding. CS had one for a while, he didn’t keep it but it wasn’t because it was crap off road.
There are plenty of them on Mobile.de, not always in the under 7.5t section
Found the link: Overlanders Handbook ~ VW MAN 8136 FAE

happy planning
Luke

A friend of mine bolted the 'troop-carrier' seats into the back, minus one section and had it registered as a 15 seat minibus. It was therefore legal to drive on a car licence and taxed as a car. I believe you can also register one as a camper if it has a fixed camper body in the same way. It was very easy to drive, just like an over-large Land Rover.
Robin

just to be clear - you cannot drive a 7.5 tonne vehicle on a post 97 license without further testing - of course us old gits can

There are no weight exemptions because its a campervan (do not confuse the mot exemptions which allow it to be tested as a class 4)

If you have a look at theoverlander.net then chris's old 8.136 is up for sale again , but as a fully kitted camper now

remember also if you are using ex military vehicles , they may require an export license to take them anywhere out of the uk now

Philipp aus dem Hanfbachtal - Militärfahrzeuge, Armeefahrzeuge, Wohnmobile, Expeditionsfahrzeuge
has a range of mercs and others

there is also alot of nice unimog ambulances on mobile.de and loads of other man and merc ex army vehicles. You can also find places that do military boxes for teh flatbeds.

I don't know how hard this is in the UK. But I obtained a CDL (commercial drivers' licence) in Alaska by doing the following:
Spending 1.5 hrs with a CDL instructor going through the pre-drive "walkaround" re the truck's mechanicals.
Obtaining the CDL rules book from the motor vehicle dept and reading it overnight.
Take the written test for Class B (rigid trucks) and air brakes and obtain CDL learner's permit.
Take the CDL driving test, it cost $25.
Now I have a Class B (rigid trucks, any GVW) licence!
If you are intelligent and literate and know your truck, it is not necessary to go to school for 6 weeks although some countries may require it.
PS Medical is also required - added 1/26/10

Charlie

its a little more complex in the uk...............

and rightly so

FOR uk
You need medical
then theory/hazard test [pretty much same as car/bike but with lorry technical questions]
you can get a 2 day quick course for instruction
then you sit the test

this is also known as rigid/lgv/class 2 or class C license and allows you to drive nearly all fixed rigs.

think its 21 age limit

the next one is the trailer/semi one known as cat C+E which for articulated

so its not too far off in term of training in most western countries

RicTS my box and one of the camper boxes that Atkinson Vos currently have for sale were made by Willinghams of Hull. Stephen Stuarts also, link below.
Before I bought this one I'd rung them asking about building a box once I'd found a chassis, they said they hadn't done one for a while (18 months ago) and a ballpark is £10k!

The UK Unimog owner's meeting place.

It sounds the same except the instruction course is not absolutely necessary. I do medicals on CDL applicants since I am an MD. Some of the applicants are not "rocket scientists" and the place where I took the test has a course for them for up to 6 weeks! This includes "Class A" which means tractor-trailers and is both classroom and practical.
They told me I was absolutely the 1st person in Alaska to take the test with an "RV". Only this one place in Anchorage (largest city in the state) does the test.
Again, if you can read fast and retain it, and have a good memory, and most important know your truck inside and out, it isn't difficult.
Due to reciprocity treaties, I am now "good" all over the world, at least in countries that have signed the treaty. My licence does have a limitation of "automatic transmission" because the vehicle has an autoshifting manual. Which is fine because I got it exclusively for the use of the same vehicle. My licence is "Class B", which in NA means rigid trucks, any weight, including air brakes.

Charlie

Think your class B is same as our class C then, It allows you to drive any weight as long as its fixed. I think theres further test for hazardous cargoes over here too.
The testing isnt too strict in teh Uk because if you look at the rigs used by courrier companies and mail order stores/home delivery companies they are always covered in damage from hitting things. The test course up here was the same route I did my motorcycle CBT training, the truck drivers learned on the industrial estate before having to do a little bit of town driving, dual carriageway and a reverse test plus emergency stop.

I saw the rigs on jacksons they have mogs and bedford ex mod with troop carrier boxes which may make a good camper base although they have huge windows all round. They look the same kind of construction as the nefaz boxes used on kamaz and ural mining trucks. They also had some other boxes for sale, the mobile bakery one with slide out side was huge.
They also do big MAN 8x8 with a box on the back and they had MAN KAts as well chassis only. Theres a guy in the states thats has a camper built from an ex US army one in Alaska somewhere. ITs on olive-drab.com

I think the boxes are actually made by jacksons themselves as it says they can do the work. Withams Mod sales also have things like command boxes ect pop up in both their autions and tenders now and again.

I do wonder what jacksons are charging for their vehicles, Is there any reason no one wants to use the merc 4x4 1017 trucks, as I have seen a few german camper conversions on those.