THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

My Pinz was delivered this morning. After driving it some, I brought it into my shop at my bus company. Looked through it really well and found little if any rust. A few little places, but hardly any. Carbs bolted on nice and tight. The rig is running a little rich, but I have new jets on the way. Welcome to the insanity, right?

I do have a few questions. I know that the green lever is to engage the front wheels in 6X6. The next two levers over are yellow and I know they lock the differentials, but which one does what diffs? I have a manual on the way (the one that came with it is in Swiss) but would like to know before I get to playing with things and screw them up. Around the dash to the right from the headlight switch there is a rubber plunger looking thingy. What is it for? Also, next to the fuel gauge a little to the left and down is a silver metal knob that will turn left. Gauge lights? Next to the fuel gauge to the right is a hole with a stopper in it that was obviously for a gauge. Tac, oil pressure or engine temp?

The rig spent two days on the back of a flat bed and was even in a blizzard at one point. It was 30 degrees when it showed up and started like a champ! Not sure how to tell if you got a good one, but the engine runs really strong and had it cruising at 64 mph. It shifts real nice between low and high range and when I pulled the green lever down it went into 6x6 without even a bump, grind or anything. It was seemless. It shifts real nice, except finding reverse was a little tough at first. Brakes were actually better than I was expecting. Tires have about 50%, but I will be replacing them soon with BF Goodrich Mud TA's. Not going to like paying that bill.

So, lack of rust, good engine that pulls strong, good transmission and drivetrain, 18,000 verified miles. Think it is a good one? Thanks everyone for helping me out with my new Pinz.

The middle lever engages both rear diff lockers & the lever to the far right engages the front diff locker. The rubber plungy thing is for the windshield squirters. You may have to press it several times to get the washer fluid going. The silver knob is your tripometer reset and the extra hole is where most people put their tach. I installed my air compressor switch in the hole cover. Enjoy:)
Scott

First off, congratulations on your new toy. You're gonna love it. They are a blast but I'm finding that mine is alot of work. Seems like there is always something to do. Mine is going through a leak phase. In the past three weeks I've replaced the valve cover gaskets, the oil pan gasket, one of the front scraper ring seals, and I just rebuilt the fuel pump tonight. To answer your questions, the yellow lever on the left locks the rear diff., the one on the right locks the front. (at least thats the way it is on my 710) The rubber plunger is the windshield washer pump. The silver knob is the trip reset.
Where did you get your pinz from? Just a little suggestion: Change all of your fluids, or at least check them. I went through mine when I got it in September and the fluid in the wheel drives and differentials was pretty bad. The left front wheeldrive didn't have much fluid. Its a pretty cheap insurance policy. Easy to do and not too expensive. Other than that, hope you enjoy it.
Just wondering what size tires you decided on? I think I paid about $850 for five at Discount Tire Co. which you may not have out west.
Hope this helps.
Spence

Looks like I type too slow, Scott beat me to the reply. Oh well

Congrats!!! Now I'll start getting calls from people wondering what I was doing out when I am supposed to on sick leave!!

The center lever is your rear lockers. The 2 lights should indicate each axle is locked. The far right lever is your front axle locker.

Rubber thingy is actually your windshield washer fluid pump. Just a squeeze bulb really. Kind of silly but it works. I did pull all the tubing out, and the pathetic little bottle right above accelerator. THere is a little brass screen in the bottle end that was all plugged up on mine. Works fine, just a little dorky.

Little knurled knob by speedo is your tripometer reset. Just twist it and the numbers should all liine up then go to zero.

Extra guage hole was for an hour meter. For some reason they put those in the K's. Maybe because they sat so much with the engine running for radio purposes. I've been trying to decide the most useful guage to add in there, but that's waaaay down the list.

It's amazing how seamlessly they go into 6x6. Mine seems to take a while to come back out though. I might need a new return spring or something. Reverse is a pain to find. Previous owner showed me a trick. Put it into first gear, shove straight down on gear shift, then (holding it down) push up into reverse. Mine almost feels like it goes a bit to the right like it's should be going into second. Doesn't take long to get the feel.

Sounds like you got a beaut there, Clark!

Can't wait to see it. I'm starting to feel a bit better and not so drugged up. I'll try giving you a call sometime so you can bring her over for show and tell.

Congrats!!!!!

Thanks for the info. I am planning next week to really go through it and change all the fluids, including brake, hydraulics, differential, etc.. I could not find a single seep or leak anywhere. I drove it about 50 miles today. Everything works and even the heat is not that bad.

Still thinking about the tires. Not sure if I want a little bigger with the 255's or the 235's. I will be towing a pop-up camper and the bigger rubber might be a bit much at 7000-9000 ft.

I was warned it was loud, but did not think it was that loud. I guess 13 years of driving busses has dulled the senses a little. Didn't seem much louder than my old CJ-7 at highway speeds. It was windy and occasionally the top would slam against the top supports making a loud pop, but nothing I couldn't handle.

I got the Pinzguaer from www.buypinzguaer.com. It was from a guy named Bob Rainek. He did not seem to know very much about them, but the ones he had were in great shape. The papers say 18000 km, or about 14000 miles I think. This one was taken care of.

The only problems were the passenger mirror. It would "catch" in the grooves in the housing but was fully foward. I took it apart and grinded a new set of grooves and it is fine now. Mirrors are too small for me, so I will replace them with bigger ones. The shock cord was broken in a couple of inconspicous places. Ordered 10 ft of shock cord and some clamps from Cold War Remarketing, along with hub steps, manuals, trailer converter, pertronix ignition, and a few other odds and ends.

I own a 2004 F-350, but I love this damn Pinz so much, I think it will be my daily driver and the truck is going to collect some dust.

One last question (until tommorrow ), the rear axle tire seems to have both wheels at an off camber, much like the VW dune buggy's of years past. In other words, they are tilted in. Not so much on the other 2 axles. I take it this is normal?

Thanks again for all the help and if anyone has any advice for a newbie, please let me know. Any help is much appreciated.

Congrats on the Pinz and yes, welcome to the insanity! I've had some of the most frustration and absolutely the most fun since I got mine in November. Frustrations are pretty much gone and the fun continues.....

Foam plumbing pipe insulation fitted around the support tubes for the top stops the flapping and popping and also helps keep the canvas from wearing.

Have fun!

Paul

One last question (until tommorrow ), the rear axle tire seems to have both wheels at an off camber, much like the VW dune buggy's of years past. In other words, they are tilted in. Not so much on the other 2 axles. I take it this is normal?

Put a couple thousands pounds back there and they won't be.

I get asked that all the time, "Should those (rear wheels) be tilted out like that?" "Does that thing float?"

I want to look at my passenger side mirror too. It seems like the "detent" puts it right where I'm looking directly through the a-pillar to see it. I took the "acorn" nut off at the bottom and tried to turn the assembly, but 30 years of paint layers didn't want it to turn. Just another little thing on "the list".

I drove the Pinz everwhere I could. Even when I have the "company car" with free gas. It's just so darn fun to drive.

Foam plumbing pipe insulation fitted around the support tubes for the top stops the flapping and popping and also helps keep the canvas from wearing.

Now THAT'S a darn good idea.

If you use the pipe foam check the metal tubes on top first.

My rear tubes had lots of rust on them from the chaffing against the canvas. I pulled them, sanded them, added some Rust Bullet coating, dried that, then added the appropriate color in a metal coat enamel. Once those were dry I took used bicycle inner tube, 700c X 28 size and slipped it over the metal brace tube. I also treated it with a rubber preservative. So now it is rubber against hypalon canvas! The foam tube is nice over that to take the "flapping" noise away, especially up front in the cab!
Congrats on the new rig! If you had a hobby it has now been supplanted by another. If you are married your wife will know you are in the garage at any point in time. You will have lots of frustrations but the successful projects will just open you up for more. Ah yes, welcome to the addiction...

Great ideas. The mirror was easy. Just grind a new set of notches in the top of the spindle. Take some vice grips or channel locks and turn the solid part where the mirror shaft goes in until it exposes the threads. Take a small grinder and make two notches on top about 40 degrees over from the original ones. Took 5 minutes and works great.

I will be getting some foam pipe today and just use some cable ties to attach it for now. Thanks for the idea.

I did have a hobby, it is called a Donzi Classic 16. I think it will look great behind the Pinzgauer. Unique rig and a unique boat. Here is what one looks like and although this is an ad, mine is the exact same, 1997 with a 350 Mag, 315 hp-

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/1/8/1610018.htm

Did alot of upgrades on the Donzi, new intake, vortec heads, 264 Comp Cam, Edelbrock 650 CFM carb. I am pretty much finished for now, unless someone wants to donate a Mercruiser 496 Mag to the cause (just kidding, probably wouldn't fit, or would it? )

Need a new project, but I think the Pinz will look pretty cool towing the Donzi. For the Pinz, most of what I am going to do will be cosmetic, not mechanical. Other than an ignition upgrade, checking all the fluids and routine maintenence/ repairs, going to leave it alone, although I am following the tuning of the fuel injection thread with interest.

Congrats on your new 'love' it will probably be the other woman in your life now.
I cut the noise in the cab way down by using some insulation, the type used on water heaters (the silver bubble wrap), spray glued some black sunbrella fabric to the bottom side that shows in the cab and fitted it under the cab top. No flapping and really cuts down on the heat gain from the dark cab top.

Cheers,
Morris

The reason the rear wheels tip inward so much is probably because the front springs are weak, leting the front drop (which raises the rear). Not a problem, but when I finally got new coils everything looks better.

Drive on a flat spot for 20 feet (to let the suspension relax) then measure the clearance of the three diffs. My front dif was almost two inches lower with the old springs.

Jim M.
712W and 710M

jacksonpinz wrote:
One last question (until tommorrow ), the rear axle tire seems to have both wheels at an off camber, much like the VW dune buggy's of years past. In other words, they are tilted in. Not so much on the other 2 axles. I take it this is normal?

Thanks again for all the help and if anyone has any advice for a newbie, please let me know. Any help is much appreciated.

Are they tilting in? In other words, is the top of the wheel pointing in or out? The normal stance for the Pinz is with the top of the wheels pointing outward. My understanding of the reason for that is for two reasons. The first is to absorb heavy loads, so that the wheels would be almost straight and level when the Pinz was weighted down. The second reason is so that when the truck was driving in ruts, the tires would get a better bite on the road.

If they are tipping in at the top, then Jim M. is likely correct. Just my $.02

Of course I could be wrong.

krick3tt wrote:Congrats on your new 'love' it will probably be the other woman in your life now.
I cut the noise in the cab way down by using some insulation, the type used on water heaters (the silver bubble wrap), spray glued some black sunbrella fabric to the bottom side that shows in the cab and fitted it under the cab top. No flapping and really cuts down on the heat gain from the dark cab top.

Cheers,
Morris

Earplugs work wonders for $.50 on a long trip. Course I'm not spoiled like Morris with a stereo.