rewdoxiepup

My 1998 Western Star gets greased every Sunday,have never had a bushing or pin problem. Whats the axle rating and working load on these fronts, might be overloaded?. Also, i once came across a front spring pin wear problem that related back to the type of grease we were using, we went from a dark graphite type grease {Sheaffer's}to a red high temp type{Kendall} and never had the pins wear that bad again. Good Luck, E.S.D.

Check to see if the small line your looking at is a "Radiator Refill" line, I have seen alot of older fire trucks with this option. It was used to refill the cooling system without shutting down the truck during a pumping operation when a engine over heat occured. there should be a valve on your pump panel marked for this purpose if it's got one. Good Luck, E.S.D.

As HK Trucking said, Just one look at the newer Autocars and one does not have to be a brain surgeon to see how bad Volvo destroyed a proud and tough line of American trucks. I used to drive a 1969 A-car 10 wheel dump in construction when i was younger and learning the trade. It was ugly,old,noisey, uncomfortable but it was a bullet proof truck for heavy construction. If I was into the large scale construction biz thats all i would have is old A-cars and Macks. The little Cummins 250 with a 5x4 trans was awesome. If just some of the brianinaks at Volvo would realize that America needs a tough truck for construction and vocational applications and screw emissions and cheap foreign components I personally would pay the extra price tag than put up with years of break downs and huge repair bills and frustration of plastic junk trucks. Well, Enough of my ranting. Just my two cents. E.S.D.

Now Thad, I'll be driving a brand new 2006 Mack Granite tandem this winter with double wings and a live bottom stainless steel dump body and i think the Granite is one good looking truck compared to the ugly Sterlings and IH's i see. Im very pleased to announce that the State of New York Dept. of Transportation is now back to puchasing Macks after a long break since at least the early 1980's. God i hated those Fords and IH's we have been plowing with!. Somebody in Albany finaly got smart and figured out that Mack builds the toughest vocational truck for ice and snow removal for the northeast. And as far as Brad's statement about the IH 9.0 litre diesel I must disagree. when i worked for a local school system here the 9.0 was by far the best school bus engine we had, it always started in any weather and had lots more pull and torque than the DT-360 inline 6 that replaced the 9.0 V-8, then we got into those piece of crap T-444E engines that were nothing but glorified Powerstroke pick-up engines, nothing but computer and sensor problems. IH engines got so bad that the powers to be now purchase only Cummins and Cats in the current fleet of 28 buses. And I would like to add so not to piss anybody off, This is just my observations and opinion after 8 years of working with IH school buses.

Deo,your so correct about the money tree, i know that feeling well, I just hate to see guys get into a heap of trouble because they were misinformed or just because they got plates they think there legal. Ive been involved with heavy towing for over 25 years and i have personally towed and impounded alot of guys hauling with the wrong paperwork or wrong plates or messed up tax permits. Not to metion just plain unsafe trucks for one reason or another. it's a shame to see the looks on there faces when they find out how much a police heavy tow call costs. I work very closely with the D.O.T. and they have no choice many times but to have the unit towed when its not legal. We can thank bogus lawsuits and the civil courts for that. The DOT is just doing there job. But hey enough of that. Good luck with your project and remember to have fun when you get out and go down the road, take er easy E.S.D.

Hello, You might wanna check the flywheel for proper thickness, It sounds like a problem I once had with a Cat/Fuller set up in a Pete 379, The truck owner had the flywheel cut at a NAPA machine shop and they cut it too thin making clutch adjustment impossible. We wound up buying a new flywheel from Cat. Just something to check!. Good Luck. E.S.D.

Hey Guys, Just a thought from my wife who is a N.Y.S. Dept. of Motor Vehicle clerk, Just becuse you got plates doesnt mean that it's legal, Camper or Historical or Classic type plates are NOT for hire or to carry weight in a commercial capacity. if the Police or D.O.T. catch you they might have a problem with the trailer if it's loaded or being used to haul material of any type, or being used for a business type operation. and yes you are still subject to D.O.T. roadside inspections as a "Heavy Vechicle" at any time it's on a highway.

Thad, i hope you dont take offense to my remark about N.Y. State but the reason i say that is when you have to register your truck you find out the fees involved and if you never paid the registration and inspection and overweight fees ,fedreal tax and state road tax and lets not forget fuel taxes at the pump,only to find out that Western Star says my truck can haul 96.000 lbs. safely and N.Y. State says "Oh No,You can only haul 73.200lbs. safely with a factory tri axle and a 18' box you will understand my anger. sorry agian if i was out of line. E.S.D.

I totaly agree with Maxidyne, around here tri-axle dumps are getting 65.00 to 75.00 per hour for a well over hundred thousand dollar investment on a new rig and a owner-operator with a small excavator with a crap haul truck and trailer is making 85.00 to 125.00 per hour, You do the math, a very rich heavy towing operator told me years ago when i was considering buying a OTR rig that the only money in trucks is towing them and repairing them and selling them. lol and now that i have owned new ones and old ones i have found out he was right. lol, but thats just the economy here, i live in the communist republic of N.Y.State. It might be better where you live. Like someone else said to you,"Don't Burn Any Bridges", Be smart about your money,A low intrest Cert. of Deposit at a bank can make more money than a truck, good luck ESD

Yesterday we had a high of 101 degrees and i did not work in the woods at all, not cutting any wood or doing any excavating till this crap passes. i hate heat,wish it was snowing year round. lol

Here's my two cents, Here in upstate N.Y. i just got my 67 Mack for $400.00 with a rust free cab and good running main driveline components. My set back is that the double frame rails are shot from the cab back. Up here if you have a Mack R-model cab without rust you have a needle in a haystack. So like the other guys all said, It all boils down to how much it's worth to you personally, I do all my own body and paint and mechanical and im shooting to put roughly $5000.00 to 10.000 into the project before im ready for to show my old dog off. If you really love old trucks and picture yourself driving to a truck show it's a easy decision to make as long as you have spousal support. lmao Good Luck, Empire State Dog

Hey Rich, Don't worry about the CDL to get a old dog home, That's nothing smooth talking and b.s. won't cure. The important part is to adopt that wayward old dog and give it a good home. lol P.S. {dont tell my wife about my illeagal truck activaties.} E.S.D.

Rich, Here's the answer for your question for New York State from my wife who is a Dept. of Motor Vechicle clerk. Reguardless of the type plates you want , If it's registered under 26.000 lbs. a C.D.L. is not required.If however it has Air Brakes or Tank or is a Tow Truck a C.D.L. with the proper endosements is required to operate the vechicle on any roadway. She told me to tell you to call your local D.M.V. office for Pa. to double check. Hope my answer helps. E.S.D.

Well after much wire brushing and examining and a call to Watt's Mack i now know i got 7.00 to 1.0 gear ratio in my Mack which would be fine if this was going to be a Mack dozer or track loader. lol if anybody has any ideas on raising my top speed with out a rear gear change over let me know, Now i know why the old guy that used to drive this always complained about the top speed. Does anybody out there have 4.75 to 5.50 gears for this, Its got the CRD92/CRD93 rears. are they hard to swap, never done mack rears before. Any ideas? E.S.D.

Hey Barry, Sorry i started this post, If i knew i was opening a full take of propane and lighting a match, I never would have metioned the b-models i found. LOL