Do you happen to own a mountain hut on Everest? If so, this particular van might be just the ticket. Well, just kidding, of course no car can reach the 8,848-meter-high summit. But this particular MAN TGE will be very capable.
“It’s incredible how you slide on the snow,” says Martin Zeller, branch manager of MAN Truck Bus in Innsbruck, about his experience converting the TGE to a track drive. The MAN service company he manages transforms an ordinary road hauler into an off-road marvel.
“TrackSystems – the developer and manufacturer of Caterpillar conversion kits – is also based in Tyrol, and together we want to demonstrate that this unusual combination works with the MAN TGE,” says Zeller. The initiative for the
conversion came from two truck sellers in Tyrol, Austria: Thomas Kofler and Fabian Bonora. What emerged surprised everyone who saw the car. A big smile is inevitable.
For example, ski lift operators in mountainous areas can use all-terrain transport vehicles. Since it is a TGE station wagon, with a total of 8 seats plus the driver's seat, the van can carry both people and cargo. With Caterpillar TGE, it's possible to deliver remote alpine pastures during the winter or transport guests in comfort to a snow-covered alpine hotel.
This conversion can be applied to the entire vehicle range, for example, it can also be equipped with a flatbed or a crew cab with a flatbed.
What’s amazing: converting to a crawler drive only takes up to an hour. Assembly or disassembly is like changing a wheel, no need to go to a special workshop. Establish the connection to the axle with an adapter plate secured with original wheel bolts.
If necessary, a simple conversion also allows the transporter to be used all year round: with track drive in winter and tires in summer. The additional weight compared to conventional equipment with tires is approximately 300 kg. The width of the TGE increases to 2.40 m.
Other unusual off-road vehicles :
Ladaniva: History, legends and curiosities
Torsus Terrastorm: the ultimate off-road bus for up to 20 people
Caterpillar Drive The speed is 25 to 50 km/h, and typically in gears 1 to 3 of the 8-speed automatic transmission recommended for this application. Thanks to a Seikel chassis that has been raised by about 3 centimeters, the tracked transporter from Innsbruck also has enough ground clearance to perform tasks in extreme terrains.
track drives are braked via standard disc brakes, no adjustments are required here. However, the modified Caterpillar TGE is not allowed to be driven on the road, so the tires need to be retracted.
Reprinted by: Roland Hildebrandt
