Today I like to show you my latest MOC: The Mercedes Zetros 1833 Expedition Truck 4×4. It's my second LEGO Technic Zetros in an approximate scale of 1:13.5. The construction time was actually only three weeks. Then the truck was finished by and large. The extensions and improvements took another 11 months.

For the impatient among you, here's the video first:

This MOC was originally designed for lightweight construction, best off-road capabilities and adequate speed. Therefore I completely redesigned the chassis and the axles. And because it has to work in forest, desert, arctic and jungle, I designed the chassis and drive as simple as possible. Each wheel of the 4×4 truck is driven by an XL engine. Via a 90° deflection via knob wheels, the drive goes to planetary gear. Thus the highest possible torque is available at the wheel. The steering is done by a servo motor. Two SBrick are used to control the truck. In addition, a Power Functions infrared receiver is installed. The Zetros draws its energy from two large PF battery boxes.

The lightweight construction was not quite successful. The Zetros weighs 5.7 kg including batteries. Therefore I had to reinforce the springs several times. Now the long red springs are in front ( a bit softer ). In the back there are four yellow, hard springs as well as two spring-loaded shock absorbers. The shock absorbers were necessary because the body quickly built up during off-road driving. So the truck is very stable and easy to drive.

About the functions: At the front of the Zetros there is a cable winch with pulley and hook. The winch is operated via one of the SBricks. In the rear of the fully equipped superstructure there is a garage for an ATV. I control its winch via the PF IR. The ATV is quasi a “MOC in the MOC” and of course fully functional. It has a fake V2 engine and rear axle suspension.

For a long time I worked on the retractable awning. This stretches itself. The motor, which is hidden in one of the built-in cabinets, only rolls in and out the fabric. The awning is also controlled via the PF IR.

A real highlight is the lighting of the truck. Functioning front and rear lights go without saying. The indicators also work on the left and right as well as on the “warning lights”. There is a floodlight bar on the roof. And because it is equipped with an odd number of single LEDs, there was one left. Well, now the truck even has cabin lighting.

For interior design. There is a passage between the driver’s cab and the superstructure, as in the original, which is covered at the top and sides with a flexible rubber bead. In the living area there is a loft bed (above the ATV garage), a small bathroom with a suggested toilet, a suggested kitchen block (which hides the winch for the ATV), a closet (which hides the mechanics for the awning), a table and two storage compartments (one is empty, the other contains the awning shaft). On the roof of the driver’s cabin is a luggage rack with two expedition boxes (what’s inside, I reveal in the Behind-the-MOC video) and three canisters of water and diesel (what else).

I hope I haven’t forgotten anything. More photos of the finished Mercedes Zetros 1833 and the Work in Progress of the Zetros can be found on my Flickr channel.

Edited October 23, 20186 yr by jrx
Typo

Awesone MOC! I love it. It is really powerful!!

Very cool man!! Love it!!

Coolest truck! Moc in moc is perfect! 

Very nice expedition truck, but I have one question - if it is 1:13.5 scale that would mean that Zetros has tires with some 1450mm overall diameter and under official documents, on page nr. 12 tire used is 14R20 (with 1250mm in diameter), so IMHO Unimog tires would be more suitable 

Thank you all for your nice words.

@I_Igor I used the Unimog tires on my other Zetros. This time I looked around and found some Zetros with bigger and wider tires. I think, they use tires that are not mentioned in the offical documents. Here are some pictures:

 

As you can see, both have also the wider front fenders.

Edited October 24, 20186 yr by jrx
Added picture

Great MOC. I like all the details you've included in this model. And the fact there are lots of them.

In the video I've noticed the clicking sound coming when the model is driven. Where does it come from?

Speaking of awning - how does it operate? As I see it is expanded by liftarms and retracted by rolling out the awning. But my understanding these two features have to be synchronised somehow? Or I must be missing something.

Thx @zux. The clicking sounds are made by the knob wheels on the one side and on the other side by the universal joints in the front axle. As the Zetros is very heavy the joints are touching the mounting. You can see it in the following picture.

The awning was one of the big challenges and is in the final result dead simple: both sides consist of two parts which are synced by two 8 teeth gears. So the arms are unfolding and folding isochronous. Both parts at each side are under tension I get from a rubber band. So the arms are unfolding by itself. Finally the awning cotton is attached to a shaft and pulls the complete assembly in or let it fold out. You can watch it in the following (quick and dirty) video:

 

Edited October 24, 20186 yr by jrx
Replaced source for video

Most of all I like that quad

@jrx they are wider but they have some 1250mm overall diameter... similar tires are on Agri Arocs 2042...

Edited October 25, 20186 yr by I_Igor

Awesome truck!

@Jurss Most? That's funny and some sort of cool. I like the small thing too (but the truck itself much more )

@I_Igor I guess you're right. Let's say it this way: My driver got a special approval for the tires from German testing organization TUEV  

@desert752 Thx!

11 minutes ago, jrx said:

@Jurss

@I_Igor I guess you're right. Let's say it this way: My driver got a special approval for the tires from German testing organization TUEV  

@desert752

Unfortunately I could not find a Mitas tire brochure to help you...I have downloaded it because I wanted to make Arocs 2042 agri 

https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/picture.xhtml?oid=7521213&filename=

(I think it is the same tire...)

Regards

 

 

Thx for the link @I_Igor That truck looks really cool. And the tires are looking near enough to my truck. 

5 minutes ago, jrx said:

Thx for the link @I_Igor That truck looks really cool. And the tires are looking near enough to my truck. 

You're welcome 

@jrx - the most regular question I suppose  - are you going to make any kind of instructions?

We well appreciate it for sure!

@jrx, @I_Igor the tires in question are agricultural tires, in most cases made by Trelleborg. They produce all sorts of tires for all sorts of industries.

33 minutes ago, pagicence said:

@jrx, @I_Igor the tires in question are agricultural tires, in most cases made by Trelleborg. They produce all sorts of tires for all sorts of industries.

Some agriculture tires are made by Trelleborg - that is true, but this one has another pattern, here you can see if you pay attention to Mercedes Arocs Agri AS 2042 4 x 4

Hi @Aleh, I'll plan instructions for cabin and front. They'll be ready when I'll release my third Zetros, that I plan at the moment. I don't think that I'll make instructions for the whole truck as they need so much time to make. The instructions for the camping furniture I released already on my website and via rebrickable. As the quad is loved by some people I'll make instructions for it too.

@pagicence Thx for the link. You and @I_Igor thx for the discussion and input!

Thanks for the answer! But cabin and the chassis is the most interesting parts, imho 

@Aleh Cabin is granted. But chassis? This one or the one from the other Zetros ... I‘ll see, what’s possible ;)

6 hours ago, jrx said:

@Aleh Cabin is granted. But chassis? This one or the one from the other Zetros ... I‘ll see, what’s possible ;)

Simply most complex elements of the MOC.

@jrx you will be always welcome. It is no problem ti share information that I have since After I finish my Unimog U423 (waiting for few parts), I'll have two systems tractors started as projects a,d there is also Unimog U4023 and Zetros 1833 in plan...all in scale 1:15 (if something really big does not happen )

On 10/26/2018 at 8:23 AM, Aleh said:

Simply most complex elements of the MOC

Sure 

@I_Igor looking forward you MOCs! Sounds good what you're describing. And another Zetros coming is great news  But what you mean with …

On 10/26/2018 at 10:05 AM, I_Igor said:

if something really big does not happen

 

@jrx the only really big thing could be that LEGO releases tractor tires in size 81.6, 94.8 or even bigger like 120mm...but I have feeling that 107mm are one of a kind... My U423 needs only cab with tilting bed and with working left door. My current version you can see here

Current version has better steering that is gear and rack type. The only thing what I'm improving is to make it lighter...

Regards