Mercedes Monster Ladder Fire Truck in Action.

[Swift]

I dug out these 2008 shots I took of this very expensive looking appliance in action at the Rocks on Windmill St.

[tbc1983]

Nice Mercedes Benz Super Class (SK in Europe (SK=Super Klasse)). It happears to have a narrow cab and the stock-standard planetary hubs (I've seen bigger Merc hubs). Chassis designation would be something like 323x, e.g., 3234, 3235, 3238, etc.

Cheers!

[User7526]

Just a couple of minor bits and pieces here, it's a 'Benz 2435 with an OM442A engine and I hate to say it but you won't see any "Benzes with bigger hubs that those ones. Those hubs are actually the same size as what you'll find on a 0405 to be honest. Six of them were put into service and they extend out to a maximum reach of 37 metres.

It's just the mechanic in me coming out!
Peta.

[boronia]

The first of these came to Sydney in 1987, as it was the only aerial appliance on the market that could get in behind the monorail tracks for firefighting and rescue. It also came in handy for getting people OUT of the monorail if it broke down. TNT were required to pay for it as part of the construction approval. It was originally on a Kenworth L710 chassis, but later remounted onto one of these Mercs (and is now in The Museum of Fire collection).

When the 2435 was replaced by the Actros, the cab was too high for the boom, so they switched to Scania chassis. The most recent delivery has a 44 metre boom.

[tbc1983]

Just a couple of minor bits and pieces here, it's a 'Benz 2435 with an OM442A engine

Thanks for the correction, Peta.

and I hate to say it but you won't see any "Benzes with bigger hubs that those ones. Those hubs are actually the same size as what you'll find on a 0405 to be honest. Peta.

In Western Australia, there have been the odd Benz trucks with bigger hubs; they're not all over the place, but they're there. I've only seen them equipped on the odd construction truck and triple road-train outfit.

This is th best I could find; from espedge on flickr.

Mercedes Benz 2244
Shell - Perth Truck Show 1988

The rear hubs a bigger than those found on regular Merc trucks and buses.

Link to bigger size for more clarity: http://www.flickr.com/photos/espedge/68 ... otostream/

Another one:


http://www.bindertrucks.com/mercedes-benz-sk-2538/

The bigger hubs are not the same stock standard hubs from Mercedes. The best way to describe how they look would be a hub from the V-Series/O305, sprouting from another hub of a bigger diameter.

Cheers!

[Simes]

I wonder if the ones on the Merc 2435 (like those on an O405) are the standard type, the others, someone's ticked an option box, might be ZF hubs?

The first of these came to Sydney in 1987, as it was the only aerial appliance on the market that could get in behind the monorail tracks for firefighting and rescue. It also came in handy for getting people OUT of the monorail if it broke down. TNT were required to pay for it as part of the construction approval. It was originally on a Kenworth L710 chassis, but later remounted onto one of these Mercs (and is now in The Museum of Fire collection).

When the 2435 was replaced by the Actros, the cab was too high for the boom, so they switched to Scania chassis. The most recent delivery has a 44 metre boom.

This Merc tragic would enjoy a ride along or be in the vicinity when it was to pass those hubs must be a treat to the ears!

[tbc1983]

I wonder if the ones on the Merc 2435 (like those on an O405) are the standard type, the others, someone's ticked an option box, might be ZF hubs?

Not sure, but here's a perfect example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33975516@N ... otostream/

Everytime I try to find any Euro spec Mercs that had these, were of Swiss spec, e.g.: http://www.bindertrucks.com/mercedes-benz-3335-8x4/

Maybe MB Australia had these hubs as an option???


Cheers!

[User7526]

The internals of those hubs are the same size but the differences externally are because of the variations in rims apart from the end caps. You'll notice that the fire engine has 10 studs but the flicker photos have spider hubs, that why it seems so different even though mechanically/physically the insides are the same.

Peta.

[On Air]

The internals of those hubs are the same size but the differences externally are because of the variations in rims apart from the end caps. You'll notice that the fire engine has 10 studs but the flicker photos have spider hubs, that why it seems so different even though mechanically/physically the insides are the same.

Peta.

We had this discussion here ages ago so I did some research of my own. Peta is absolutely correct, I went to the Merc site plus got to look at some tech manuals. All Merc Planetary Hubs are the same dimensions internally, but from my own observation there seems to be at least 4 variations on the external castings, cover plates and wheel attachment details. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm told one of, if not the reason hub internals sing and whine has a lot to do with diff centre wear. Apparently the low and small diffs don't take kindly to hard cornering and over time the gear mesh alters causing the strait cut gears in the axle ends to mesh louder. The 0305 Mercs, 0405NH, MAN SL202 all do it yet for some reason the 0405 Mk5s were never renowned for it.I've seen the following trucks built with Planetary hubs: DAF, Fiat, Mack, MAN, Volvo and Magirus-Deutz.
As an aside, I once replaced the timing chain in my 1984 Moto Guzzi SP1000 motorcycle with a strait cut timing gear set- the noise at speed was delicious

[tbc1983]

The internals of those hubs are the same size but the differences externally are because of the variations in rims apart from the end caps. You'll notice that the fire engine has 10 studs but the flicker photos have spider hubs, that why it seems so different even though mechanically/physically the insides are the same.

Peta.

Thanks Peta for that clarification, much appreciated!

The 1st time I saw hubs like that was back in the '90s and I couldn't believe how big they appeared (from the outside) and wrongfully assumed it was an indication of the planetary gear set size.


Cheers!