thomastractorsvc

My 85 has round headlights.  Old picture but you can see the lights.

Can someone list what needs to be done for the future when VMACIs are no longer serviced and considered obsolete.

So the VMAC I is early version OBD?  

I found a bunch of China knock offs that support heavy duty trucks OBD II but the notes say they are for 1996 and newer.  

Has anyone used another scanner than the hard to find and expensive Kent Moore/Pro-Link readers?

I found a scan tool $150, data cord $146, VMAC disk/insert $350 but no power cord yet and that is used with no returns.

Sent a PM

Thanks That is what I needed to know.  Now the hunt is on. 

1 hour ago, theakerstwo said:

The rust may clean up but the brgs will not make it and if you run it and let the brgs go down the the gears will be toast.

I didn't think about the bearings if they are pitted or not.  I was just thinking about the gear sets

I have never done this but thought of doing it before but found another gear box cheap.

if you didn't want to take it out I would try and dissolve the rust.  Fill it up with evaporate rust and dissolve it.  Then after everything was dissolved rinse with a pressure washer and then soak in diesel/kerosene.  Then flush a few times.

Like I said I have never done it and if you don't have the tools or money to have someone else do it right now like Glenn said, I think for around a $100 you could try it.

If you do post the results. 

https://www.evaporust.com/evapo-rust-rust-remover

Thanks I appreciate the pictures.

It looks like someone moved the rollers to the top.  I got a house full of kids today so I will look today and see if I cant figure out where they go and move them.  

We had a tornado come through on Monday night and have one of my sons friend over staying since his house was damaged and school is out.  

Any idea what the scanner looks like as I never seen one.  I saw an interface cartridge on ebay but not sure what the scanner looks like and connector. 

my 2 cents-Are the lights in a grommet or solid mount to the bed?  If solid mount probably the banging if in a grommet I would say it was something else as the grommet would protect it from the jarring and shock.

Are you sure it is not the transmission switch I have to hold mine in a certain position to get it to work.  Have some one jiggle the shifter while in reverse and hold it tight up to the corners and check it. Obviously with key on and engine off, I crawled up through the passenger side and used a test light.  Took mine off and tested it and found it was good when reinstalled had my boy work the stick in reverse.  Now I just hold it tight in gear when I want the lights and buzzer to come on.

My hood has the dual cut out for external air breathers from factory although these were changed to a smaller version.

Question where to the side rollers go and what do they look like?  Mine are mounted at the top and all the other ones I have seen are mounted lower near the hood guide pins.  If you look at the pictures you can see that the rollers are missing and the pin has broken the hood and sticking out.  The center rollers are intact and in good shape.  Want to get the hood fixed but need help on the roller situation so it doesn't break again.

I'm sure those specs can be converted are you wanting to go hub or stud pilot?  Pull one of the hubs and start hitting up the salvage yards or see mack 

I pmed with another member and he mentioned Kent Moore serial link adapter with a laptop and the VMAC software.  I googled it up and came up with a bunch of different stuff and no idea what I was looking at.

What is the best software and interface and what does the scan tool look like.  I just want something I can pull and reset codes if I get one. 

For use with my 1992 E7 400 VMAC I

Swishy you should have told you wife to move her car

I wonder if there maybe some frame issues around that winch.  I was reading in an up fitter bulletin that to prevent frame damage that frame reinforcement must be at least twice as long as it is high mounted.

from the pictures it's just a single frame with the winch mounted on channel.

Is that 613 double framed? Send me the pics of the superliner 

Congratulations now let the good times roll!

15 hours ago, MACKS said:

Can you add a steerable lift axle in front of the tandems and use a 14-15 foot body with 60" sides,my truck only has a 14.5 body with 5' sides and I can Easley put 24 tons of asphalt,I added a 20,00 steerable lift in front of 58 rears,it was tight but it fit. But I'm in down state ny,with my grandfathered permit I only need 16' of wheel base  with the right axle and tire ratings  I can gross 79,000!

I thought about it but with the two different weight zones it would only be feasible for use in the Comercial Zone as it wouldn't really increase capacity outside that zone as the bridge wouldn't increase and the added weight  of the additional axle would cancel any gains.

I just really need to find a good dump trailer.

17 hours ago, superdog405 said:

I'll buy the '92 and solve your problems. lol

Make your offer before March 7 that's when insurance premiums are due.

Thanks looks like a good site

yes and no they have a commercial zone that goes by tire/axle up to 22400 each if tires are rated for it, outside of the zone it is by bridge formula.  My tandem can carry 15 tons outside the zone at around 52500lbs (Bridge Formula),  in the zone I can go up to 67200lbs with the same truck.  Although I am tagged at 54K so I never run over my plates in the zone, its an 85 do not want to break it.  Most triaxles here are 15 to 16 ft beds can go up to and not exceed 80K in the zone but uses bridge formula outside the zone so most only carry 16 to 17 tons legally with pushers.  

Using a tag would increase the length for bridge and should be able to get a few more tons.  

A strong arm on the rear is good for another 10K so if I could get half that I would be happy. 

3 hours ago, TeamsterGrrrl said:

A lot of the companies that make tags recommend against using them on dump trucks because of the extremely heavy loads on the rearmost axle when dumping. There is also the issue of frame strength- Was your Mack's frame designed to carry as much weight as you're proposing?

Its a double frame on 44K camel back and if I decide to do it I will only be adding less than 3 feet over all for a 16ft bed.  Right now I could squeeze a 15 ft on but would be tight up at the cab.  I not sure yet what to do was just brain storming and trying to see what everyone has seen.  If i could find a decent dump trailer I would do that but I am not going to spend 20K on one and then rebuild it.  As dump truck season picks up I will have to make a decision.

2 hours ago, theakerstwo said:

I work with many dump trucks with lift axle behind rear drives but here is something to think about.If your hauling mostly asphalt i would not do that.Reason is when you back into a laydown machine with the over hang behind the drives it is hard to stay in the laydown machine with your apron when laying asphalt around a slight corner.With some of the big laydown machines its not that big of a problem.If you haul only rock then go for it. The good thing about mounting a drop behind drives is your drive wheel alignment is not changed.But the Ackermann geometry on the steer axle is. And yes the frame extension has to be done right with good frame rail to be able to carry the load at the end of the frame.

I don't do asphalt just rock and dirt and I was hoping to save some money at the body builder if I went with the tag on the rear.  To have it stretched, axles moved and lift installed its around 7K without a bed.  It would be $4500 to just add the frame and tag to the rear.     

2 hours ago, kscarbel2 said:

When you called Watts Mack for a pair of new headlamp panels, what did they say?

Get a second mortgage.  I appreciate that they sponsor this site but some of the pricing then shipping negates buying from them things that you can get else where or used.  If they (Watts Mack) were more competitive on some stuff I would have no problem calling and spending a couple bucks more to get it from them.  Do they have a captured audience sure they do on certain NOS/NLA or repop parts and everyone knows you have to spend the extra cash to get it.  Most don't have an unlimited budget and cant dump a grand on a B61 windshield gasket, 2 mufflers and a window squeegee set and 8 well nuts.  

Example http://www.wattstruckcenter.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_80&product_id=218

$200 muffler plus shipping 

or http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/donaldson-m085171/muffler-4-in-4--out-p-w26-m085171

$83 plus shipping

or pick up local from Napa for $134

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/TWRM085171