Guys as you know I don't contribute to this web site these days, but that's not to say I don't visit it from time to time to see what is being posted.
That stated, this thread on the "Bulls" has urged me to post a comment.
We have worked extensively up the point of pulling from service a few of the units but ostensibly looked after unit #2 for more than 8 years. As David has mentioned they were heavy weight contenders to start with and that was a prinicipal "Achiles heal" problem for the succession of demo drivers who had to drive these units to venues in the upper Mid West (in the case of Unit #2).
Yes the Motec FIE system was a bane made worse by being operated at varying altitudes. I gave John (Lightening Pinz) during one year past in the mist of time, the project to "sort the fueling system". It turned out to be not so easy and I suppose in retrospect we did get some partial success to improve the combustion processs to getting it into E conformity for Colorado . At least we reduced the propensity to over fuel the cylinders causing bore wash and piston destruction!
I remember we had to insist that full synthetic oil was to be used to protect the vitals since even a quart of "dyno oil dilution" would often result in bore damage/piston seizure when operated at 12.5:1.
Going back to the weight issue it was clear to us that the stress placed upon the drive line was a major concern when the trucks were driven to their demo sites.Exterior prop destruction was commonplace and the floor showed the marks where the prop had let go on numerous occasions sometimes smashing the o/d tranny case to bits.
To their credit the axles stood up well to this level of usage we only rebuilt them once and using US/UK mil spec linings the brakes lasted above and beyond expectations. BUT then they should because RedBull USA took to trailering their rigs to the venues sites using Chev PU's and twin axled trailers.
Again David mentioned custom wiring mods, he was right the overhead console was a nightmare to fix once the rain water had found its way in.
Nonetheless these units made for good shop revenue when they were around but it was clear that about two years ago the management in Chicago had started to focus in on their operating costs. Operating budgets had been severely curtailed by the middle of 2008. To me it was clear that these units were a loss leader for sales and marketing department of the "Bull" for years.
In fact many years earlier I did do a a fairly comprehensive costings report for the local marketing dept in Denver with the object of sourcing and using vehicle more cost conducive to the budget but still retaining the cache of the Pinzgauer. This was rejected at senior level since it was quoted that the President of Redbull was Austrian and that he had issed an edict that it was to be a Pinzgauer or nothing!. I think in hindsight that eventually even he and his directorship had to see the the operating budget as a burden to cash flow as product revenue dropped and squeezed margins during 2008.
I won't mention abortive diesel conversions taken place by other shops nor some of the other questionable repairs we saw on some of the visiting rigs, but one thing was certain, the unit in spite of extensive modification stood up well to operating abuse and some whacky engine alterations during its lifetime.
A testament to the product pedigree
Dennis
www.lindenengineering.com