Hmmwv vs Mog - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

DicedDeuceMan · 03-07-2010, 09:20

Curious, anyone ride in a HMMWV, then hop in a Mog? Which rides nicer?

davidkroberts · 03-07-2010, 09:28

I have used and/or owned both extensively....... the Mog is much better hands down without a dought. I had a Unimog 404 which i believe was one of the best engineered vehicles( not just military) that ive ever owned. While a bit underpowered it always did everything i asked of it.

There was many a time in Iraq and Afganistan where i would have killed to have my Unimog that was sitting at the house instead of the Humvee i was in

The ride quality in a Unimog 404 is almost exactly the same as my older version chevy civilian trucks.

Stalwart · 03-07-2010, 15:12

Both have strengths and weaknesses, depends what you want to use it for. If you want ride quality, why not get an SVT Raptor.

emr · 03-07-2010, 15:39

stalwart has the best answer...BUT Boy u really could start a hornets nest over this..LOL....

...One vehicle is under powered and over engineered, the other is under powered and built to be simple. those are the 2 truest truths out there for these 2 vehicles. I do not care who believes different sorry thats true.there is one Mog model that has a decent power plant, and the new 6.5 Hummvees are smokin, i have had the pleasure of driving a few just out of the rebuild program, they have park and every thing, I feel both vehicles could have been so much better, but then again, they are what they are, since u are asking My opinion is the Humvee is just the best, roomy awseome ground clearence, easy to get in and out, and an American Icon, that does it for me...Randy

saddamsnightmare · 03-07-2010, 16:20

March 7th, 2010.

Diced Deuce Man:

I can only say what I have observed around here on the HMMWV/ H-1's (civillian) that they are very noisy as to frame creaks on rough terrain and they don't seem to ride all that well for the size of the vehicle. My own two vehicles are a 1963 Swiss S404.114 CArgo Unimog abd a 1971 M35A2 Wo/W, and I must agree with David K Roberts above as regards the Unimog, as I would not part with her due to her reliabilty and agility, but there is that question of power (80HP on the S404) and speed (40-42 MPH cruise), but she will do things that neither a HMMWV or a H-1 will do, and she almost never gets stuck or high centered.
I wouldn't part with the deuce either, but she doesn't have the positive locking differentials the Unimog has, and she can get in trouble with her fuel tank, but if you respect her, she hauls almost anything and will run faster on the road then a stock S404.114 will. The HMMWV/H-1's are faster then either of the above two trucks, but I, for one am, am not impressed with the drivetrain or the mechanical design and limitations. The Army could have done better with U1300L Unimogs far and away for the money. H-1 or HMMWV's will hang up in places the Unimog can traverse with ease, and with Utra High speed axles (seen more often on the U1300 series) they can run 70 MPH all day long. The Unimog IS overengineered, I suspect there will be more operable U1300L's and even S404.114's fifty years from now then there will be HMMWV's and H-1's. The Unimog is a basis for an MRAP design, the HMMWV? Just check all that flat underbody out and see where the blast will grab on to, plus a Unimog can probably handle uparmoring better just due to the overengineered suspension.

Just my .02 worth,

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

N.B. Unfortunately though, the S404.114 does not come with power steering, air conditioning or any other frills beyond a cab heater, and the cab is pretty crowded with the engine box and shifter set up that is stock, but then I have never seen an HMMWV as having any huge amount of space in the cab either due to the engine and transmission covers. So, I guess it goes to how deep are your pockets when the time comes to buy, restore or repair these critters? I do suggest test driving a U1300L with the aforementioned ultra high speed axles before condemning the breed outright. Had I been Uncle's purchasing officer way back, the HMMWV probably wouldn't have been the truck of choice, especially when an old USMC M422A1 I had was getting more miles between breakdowns then the prototypes for the HMMWV.

unimoger · 03-08-2010, 11:50

I have seen a 404 with an engine from a MB 1984 300SD w/turbo at Calicomogfest 2008. The vehicle looked and sounded sweet! With that power plant there would not be any more power issues.

maddawg308 · 03-08-2010, 12:14

I have been in both, and I will say that on road the HMMWV is better, athough a bit noisy. The Unimog is much better offroad though, no comparison.

Almost like comparing a Silverado with a tractor. Each is better at what it does. But off-road the Mog is hands-down better, with better gearing and sure-footedness on the trails.

saddamsnightmare · 03-08-2010, 12:56

March 08th, 2010.

Just weighing in. Maddawg308 has it quite right, the Unimog WAS designed originally as a multipurpose farm tractor, hence the German name for it of "Universal Motor Gerat", which gave it the anacronym of "Unimog". I still will say that the U1300L's/S404's and later derivatives will outperform a HMMWV off road, particularly where climbing and agility is required, and the later U1300L's, mostly fire truck and ambulance based, will keep up on the road to 70 MPH. The HMMWV may be faster on the road, but then it's off the road where they were intended to work for the civillian and military owners. You CAN stick a Unimog, however, and when you do, it's usually pretty bad, as they go where nothing else with wheels will venture!

Better have a BIG winch!!!!!

If I had the money to spare, I would locate a good West German Army U1300L in good shape and count myself a very lucky man. They almost have the hauling capacity of the deuce, without the third axle maintenance and tire wear issues (particularly on pavement) and they are far more agile the either the M35 or the HMMWV, and most U1300L's probably have power steering, which is an asset. I'm amazed that MikePoP hasn't chimed in, as he has S404 and U1300L driving experience on and off road. As to long lived natures, there were about 68,000 S404's built between the late 1950's and 1981, I'll bet a lot of them are still going, and with a Unimog you rebuild it once and you're good for about 30 years use....

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

DicedDeuceMan · 03-08-2010, 18:13

Thanks for the imput, I had my 92 up for sale awhile ago, lots of tire kickers, nobody went to the bank. Just recently I had a gent joke around about swapping his mog for my HMMWV.
I don't think his has the high speed axels, and from what I read , and what was posted, power is weak at best.

I did some research and found 1 gent with a 350 chevy in his mog, some others put better power plants in their trucks.

Stewart does have the right response. But atlass. Like everybody here, I cant' own a normal truck... it cant' have a good heater, It can have working AC. It has to leak water on me once in a while.