Mercedes Benz U 421
1 model in this series
Mercedes-Benz U 421: the Unimog U 40 was a four-cylinder implement carrier built from 1966 to 1971 with a 1,988 cm³ engine, 40 hp (29.5 kW) at 3,000 rpm and a weight of 2,450 kg
From the 1950s the Unimog stood for Mercedes-Benz's off-road universal implement carrier, giving smaller farms and municipal services a single machine for towing, attachments and hydraulic work. The U 40 in the U 421 series was one of the lighter versions of this family from 1966 to 1971.
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The four-cylinder engine displaces 1,988 cm³ and produces 40 hp, or 29.5 kW, at 3,000 rpm, is water-cooled, and gives a top speed of 54 km/h. On a 2,250 mm wheelbase the U 40 weighs 2,450 kg, measuring 4,005 mm in length, 1,865 mm in width and 2,180 mm in height, more compact than the larger Unimog series of its time.
With its lower engine output and lighter build, the U 40 was aimed at smaller operations that still wanted to benefit from portal axles, power take-offs and mounting space front and rear, without carrying the purchase and running costs of a heavier series. On the U 40 too, the power take-off and hydraulics run to the standard values usual in farm machinery, so that commercially available attachments can be fitted.
When buying a used example, check the condition of the portal axle gearboxes, rust on the ladder frame, the tightness of the hydraulic couplings, and the condition of the clutch and gearbox in a machine that is now over 50 years old. Spare parts are found mainly through the Unimog enthusiast scene.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells U 40, Mercedes-Benz
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Tractor in 3D section
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