We find the MAN HX60 to be a very competent 4×4 truck. To be honest, better than we thought it would be. Just point the nose, engage lockers when needed, make sure you keep momentum (and the correct gear) and it will pull through almost anything.
Even now, while the current setup of Monster is not ideal. Our HX weighs almost 10 tonnes of which 6 tonnes on the front axle, so only 4 tonnes on the back axle. That is far from ideal, we would rather have it the other way around, to have more pressure on the back axle.
Furthermore it is just too light for the leaf springs at the moment. Technically the HX can weigh 19 tonnes, with 10 tonnes the springs are very harsh and do not dampen the ride very well.
We believe that adding our Motorcraft unit will even enhance the off road capabilities of Monster, although she will be called Mountain Yacht by then. We hope that we will reach a ‘ready to travel’ weight of around 14-15 tonnes. And a weight distribution of about 45% on the front axle and 55% on the back.
We think that should be ideal, and although 5 tonnes heavier than now, we think she will handle both on- and off road even better. We had the same with our Freerider, a Sprinter 4×4. Before the build it was a bouncing piece of steel. Right now, at around 3,5 tonnes it drives much better.