Mercedes-Benz Actros 4157 SLT (Titan)

Adapting an existing model

One of my favorite vehicles is the Actros SLT, also the Titan. I always would like to see four axle units with a tower at the back of the driver's cab and I really like the SLT's tower. It was quite obvious I would build one; I already had an Actros 3353 6x4 of the famous Mammoet fleet and they also bought two SLT units in 2003. So put a saw in the chassis and put a second steered axle underneath it.

It might sound very easy but maybe it isn't. In practice you always have to cope some kind of difficulties. The 6x4 unit was the base of this model. At first I removed the storage cases, the fuel tank and batteries and secondly I separated the front part and back part of the chassis. The SLT is slightly longer but to give it more stiffness I had to use other beams for the boogie. Also the old 16 studs long beams of the 6x4 were broken. The chassis was extended with odd studs and filling this with a single 1x1 brick is not a good idea because you immediately create a weak point. However extending the chassis was quite a simple task just like extending the drive train.
I think the SLT has one of the best looking towers. When Mammoet removed a TBM in my neighbourhood which was used to excavate a train tunnel for a high speed train I took quite some pictures of the SLT. However that was back in 2004 and I started creating the model at the end of 2006. In a meanwhile Mammoet changed and added some things to both units. In the tower houses a large fuel tank, the battery and almost all air tanks. The tractor is supplied with a WSK and has an oil cooler. There are storage spaces on both sides of the chassis.
At the front it has a heavy bumper with a register coupling. To get this in the right space I had to look underneath the real thing. Fortunately I found lots of info on Swerlastinfo. Both SLT's are not registered anymore in The Netherlands. They're probably operated at a subsidiary abroad which happens more often at Mammoet.

Pictures of adapting the tractor

Finally I built the ballast bin. At this moment I don't have pictures of it because some of the decals are missing. Of course the model has to be like the real thing. Moreover I also don't have a modular trailer and put the new unit in front of the Nooteboom stepframe trailer with De Angelis dolly. The concrete beam is changed as well to give the model a new look. Just like the previous one the new SLT is three metres in length.

Pictures of the whole model

Other details (all dimension for the tractor)

Length:	60 cm
Width:	19.2 cm
Height:	27.5 cm
Wheelbase:	30.6 cm
Construction:	two months
Date:	November 2006 - January 2007

back