newbie questions

[pinzwheeling]

Common issues that I've seen:
1. Exhaust leaks. Almost half of the trucks I see have some sort of exhaust leak. Many of them are from the header to pipe junction, and others are rusted through mufflers or heat exchangers. No big deal to fix, usually less than a few hundred dollars.

2. Odometers / speedometers. Accept that some work all the way, some work part way, and some don't work at all.

3. Axle boots: Normal wear item, easy to replace with half boots.

4. Carburator link ends. Just carry some spares. They're about $2 apiece.

Other than that, Pinzgauers are very reliable. Just keep on the maintenance and you'll enjoy them for a very long time to come.

[diesaroo]

Ok thanks for the responses!

I guess I'm looking to use this as a 90% road vehicle with occasional offroad excursions. Sort of a toy and occasional family/people/stuff hauler.

I'm guessing that with enough dynamatting, I can make the noise level tolerable, and fit better seats w/belts to make it safer.

I suppose the first thing I want to know is what is the maintenance that you have to keep up with?

I gather that on the 712M (the one I am interested in) it has like 11 gearboxes with fluid that needs to be changed regularly, manual transmission fluid & filter?, engine oil & filter, brakes adjusted, engine valves adjusted, carbs serviced.

How often do these things need to be done assuming little offroading and how many quarts of fluid do you need to do these things?

That's kinda what I was after...

[diesaroo]

I think I will just buy a manual from EI and all my questions will be answered.

[texas pinzgauer]

I had posed those same sorts of questions previously.

What is required and how often with a Pinz? The answer is...it depends. It depends on what you're doing with it. If there's lots of serious off roading in dusty / dirty / muddy conditions, your service requirements are more extensive and more frequent. There are known specs as far as type of oil and gear lube that are called for and the service manuals that you can buy at EI, Thilo's, SAV etc will have all of that.

Bottom line, if you take care of it when it's required, it shouldn't be too burdensome and there's nothing too exotic or costly along the way that should turn you off of a Pinz.

Hope this helps a little.

[diesaroo]

texas pinz--thanks for your replies and honesty.

I would think the swiss/austrian military who decomissioned the vehicles would have service schedules. Steyr should know!

I don't know what disturbs me more that apparently no one on the forum knows or they just refuse to share and/or direct us to the proper sources...

[GenevaPinz]

Diesaroo,

The way I understand how a forum works, blaming the members who haven't yet dropped everything they are doing to provide you with the required information, 2 days after posting your question, is not such a great idea.

Now, if you go to the Pinzgauer yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pinzgauer), files section, and open the .pdf document named "Manual 710 & 712 part 2", on pages 92 and 93 there is a maintenance schedule... I hope it helps.

Jan

[texas pinzgauer]

I was near the computer and was available to help. I wouldn't read too much into it for better or worse.

This is generally an extremely helpful group and your questions have been asked by everyone at some point or another in their Pinzgauer owning careers.

[undysworld]

Hi Eric,

I've had my 712M now for over 7 years. Other than our redneck DOT/DMV keeping me from driving my truck last year, I've used it regularly for a wide range of uses. I average about 1k mi./yr.

I do not have the exII upgrade, so my truck travels at about 50 mph. Never having had a truck with the upgrade, I can't compare the two. However, I'm happy at that speed. I just plan ahead and leave enough time. (I also own 5 other vehicles, inluding one that easily does 150 mph, so if I need speed...)

I have had a variety of breakdowns (none have left me stranded), like shock bolts break, axle boots rip, hole punched into oil pan, front steering idler loose, and maintenance such as brake adjustments, valve adjustments, gearbox level checking. I've done all the work with advice from other owners. I've found the repairs to be incredibly intuitive and straightforward. It is an excellent truck to work on.

I broke 2 shock bolts (common on 712s w/ tapped shock bolt) until I through-drilled and installed bolts w/ nuts. No more problems.

I've replaced 2 axle boots in 7 yrs.

I landed on a rock and punched in my oil pan plug. We fixed it on the trail and drove home!

I reshimmed the steering once.

I check the brakes when they seem to have a long pedal (3 times/7 yr.)

I've adjusted the valves 3 times in 7 yrs.

I check fluid levels (on all 11 gearboxes) every year, and watch for leaks always. I've drained and refilled them 2 times in 7 years. They were all refilled when I purchased it.

I recharge my batteries about 2 times/yr.

I'm not aware of any maintenance "schedule" which is printed in the manuals or anything, such as one might find in a new car manual.

You will need the owners, repair, and parts manuals.

I've used my truck hard. I didn't buy it to look pretty. I chose a good solid truck when I purchased, but it's 30+ years old.

I too would urge you to show patience with both the truck and the forum. The trucks move slowly, and sometimes so do the members. You're asking questions about a truck that most folks have never seen, so your resources are fairly limited. I happen to own a few "odd duck" vehicles, and these owner groups are probably your most valuable assets. These guys probably know as much about Pinzes as anyone, especially fellows like LaGuardia or Williams.

Of those folks, some of them are in it as a business - and they make no money from answering our questions (THANK YOU GUYS!!). The rest of us have regular jobs, and answering questions is an after-hours pastime.

Good luck on your search for a truck.

Paul Underwood

[diesaroo]

Sorry chaps for the flaming, I've been stuck at home for the past week with the flu and I guess I got a little impatient.

No hard feelings?!

BTW thanks for the responses!

[diesaroo]

I followed genevapinz's link and found a maintenance schedule for the pinz. (thanks geneva pinz)

I was pretty much floored...valve adjustments, cylinder head retorquing, gear oil changes every 6k. Engine oil every 3k (ok I expected that). And if you offroad, these intervals are supposed to be cut in half. Surely these intervals are excessive. Or so I thought. I checked the unimog just for comparison and they seemed on par.

I wonder if I could poll everyone for their maintenance intervals?

Does anyone follow the factory intervals?

TIA

P.S. I'll be patient this time--no dirty words...promise

[GenevaPinz]

The maintenance intervals are tight indeed.

I personally haven't driven my Pinz enough to reach the first service deadline yet... but I think these were established with the military users in mind with limitless manpower available to do the servicing ("that will keep them busy"), and more than enough spare parts on hand ("if we don't use all that engine oil by the end of the month, we won't receive as much next time", quotes from the Swiss military ), so the economic aspects were not considered.

On top of this I assume that there are ample safety margins in this schedule, so that the vehicles can go trouble-free for 5'000 miles or so without being serviced, even if the tank divisions of the Warsaw Pact start their invasion the week just before the 6'000 miles maintenance deadline...

Additionally, I understand from the schedule that the "cut intervals in half when going offroad" thing is limited to the air filter intervals. Which means that the oil change intervals don't increase even if you do your 6'000 miles mostly in low-gear.

Jan

[GenevaPinz]

The maintenance intervals are tight indeed.

I personally haven't driven my Pinz enough to reach the first service deadline yet... but I think these were established with the military users in mind with limitless manpower available to do the servicing ("that will keep them busy"), and more than enough spare parts on hand ("if we don't use all that engine oil by the end of the month, we won't receive as much next time", quotes from the Swiss military ), so the economic aspects were not considered.

On top of this I assume that there are ample safety margins in this schedule, so that the vehicles can go trouble-free for 5'000 miles or so without being serviced, even if the tank divisions of the Warsaw Pact start their invasion the week just before the 6'000 miles maintenance deadline...

Additionally, I understand from the schedule that the "cut intervals in half when going offroad" thing is limited to the air filter intervals. Which means that the oil change intervals don't increase even if you do your 6'000 miles mostly in low-gear.

Jan

[pinzwheeling]

Does anyone follow the factory intervals?

No.

The maintenance isn't that excessive for the truck. Gear oil changes, while messy, aren't too bad. The worst one for me is brake adjustments.

[diesaroo]

If driven infrequently, following the factory schedule probably wouldn't be too bad.

To me it's not as much a question of doing it as I change gear oil in my cars presently, but whether the intervals are based upon engineering principles or swiss military policies as genevapinz alluded to.

I guess one way to find out would be to run an oil anaylsis on the gear oil and establish an interval that way.

Just out of curiosity what makes adjusting the brakes such a bear?

[Profpinz]

Just out of curiosity what makes adjusting the brakes such a bear

Because you have to jack up the vehicle to remove the wheel, before you can get to the hole in the brake drum, through which you adjust the brakes.
.... and no, don't suggest drilling a hole in the wheel rim! ...the answer is, you'll end end up with severe stress cracking.