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Hymer super light chassis SLC.


monique.hubrechtsgm

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This video-clip shows the SLC chassis fitted to a Mercedes Sprinter front-end.

 

 

and, although there are fleeting glimpses of the outer parts of the rear suspension, it is not obvious how the ‘independence’ of each rear wheel is achieved.

 

I can’t find any on-line photos of the underside of an SLC chassis that clearly show the rear-axle arrangement and how the stub-axles are connected to the main axle ‘cross tube’ and how the main axle is connected to the chassis.

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Derek, it is a alko torsion bar axle chassis. Whit a interface to fiat and the new sprinter. But a slightly higher double floor. There weight claim is not clear compared to the classic low frame. They have a new lighter axle block. Not having their famous bolts. It looks like a alko high frame chassis, axle goes under the ladders. Their low point of gravity is never compared to fiat camping car chassis which sits at the same level on paper. If this axle still needs grease they are to blamed for it. Since the merge they close and buy. Including the plant in the north of the uk, and one in france closing.
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Some pictures of the SLC chassis, with the 1st relating to the Fiat Ducato Hymer B-Series and the 2nd and 3rd to the Mercedes Sprinter version.

 

The concept seems to be based on a ‘bathtub’ principle, with the water tanks and habitation technical equipment and services being placed on the chassis’s undertray and a flat floor being attached to the chassis’s top. Hopefully, if anything major goes wrong, access to the stuff buried between floor and undertray will be accessible without disassembling the motothome. It should also be easier to carry propulsion batteries in this type of chassis if ever Hymer decides to resurrect the hybrid system they toyed with in 2011.

 

Prety much inevitable that, as the SLC chassis was developed by AL-KO, a ‘traditional’ torsion-bar axle would be used, though the changed position of the damper-units suggest that there will be more vertical wheel movement and an improved ride quality. Presumably the AL-Ko air-suspension options that are available with the non-SLC chassis will be offered for the SLC variant.

1510259984_SLCFiat.jpg.b8afc6925c88f2714fdd4f65f04ecd12.jpg

SLC-Sprinter.jpg.4eb624086f6069bc5e91ab56518f5e41.jpg

452318207_SLCSprinterrearsuspension.png.f55e214afb686f7190f6563adefe8c07.png

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Nit picking, I suppose, but as the Sprinter is RWD via a solid "cart" rear axle, the claim that this chassis offers independent rear suspension must be suspect, mustn't it. The springing may be more sophisticated than the Merc original, but it isn't independent. To achieve that it would need to be completely re-engineered with a fixed differential mount, and independent drive shafts (splined or otherwise) to each wheel (however located). I don't see the evidence of that degree of change, or have I missed it?
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The SLC chassis is only offered on FWD Sprinter ‘chassis-less’ cab or cowl units, or on FWD Ducato chassis-less cab or cowl units.

 

10 years ago there was an AL-KO chassis for RWD Sprinters (and having a single or twin rear-axle configuration). That was indeed complex and expensive. Photos here

 

https://www.truck-news.de/99-2/299/

 

http://www.camping-car-deluxe.com/actualites/al-ko-et-mercedes-de-nouveau-ensemble/

 

http://www.lemondeducampingcar.fr/actualite/infos/chassis-mercedes-al-ko.html

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