1951 Mack LJ

I would be more interested in keeping it if it was set up with a Mack engine/trans and axles. I want to someday have an all Mack Superliner Dump truck. Today after work I changed out the alternator with an extra I had.because it was not charging. New alt. belts. Fixed one air leak. Load tested all four batteries and cleaned the connections. Tomorrow I figure I will change the motor oil/filters and chase down any other small air leaks I can find.

More pictures. Besides the drivers front corner of the hood, the front bumper and the passenger door where the mirror must have hit something and bent the door a little.... The truck looks alright. Some minor rust in the bottom of the doors and a few spots in the cab that could use some attention but not all too bad. The engine is very dry and the only spot I have found that has any oil leak is the seal on the back of the first drive axle but it is not too bad. I am thinking I will list it for $3,200.

I am not sure yet because I would like to make a little for my time. I am not sure how much additional cash I will have in it before someone comes over to drive it home. I found a few air leaks I am going to fix and the fluids need to be changed. Lets say it will be going for under $4500 but how far below that price will be depending on how much I spend fixing it up.

Didn't sound like the guy new about exporting the truck but he didn't sound against cutting it up for scrap if it didn't find a new home. It can hang out here with the rest of my old trucks until it finds a new owner. It made the 60 mile trip very nice.

I was browsing for parts on CL and end up driving home a 1980 Superliner. Model RWS747LST It currently has a Cummins 350 Big Cam and a 10 speed. It could use the fluids changed and the tires are getting a bit old. The rear brakes and drums are very new. Has a new pintle hitch assembly. Has a few air leaks I will be fixing but the truck runs and drives good for the age. It will likely be looking for a new home in the future so if anyone out here around Washington is interested send me a message. I am not interested in parting it out.

I know how so many of you all like pictures. I was moving the snow plow around towards my garage so I can fabricate an A-arm bracket for lifting it.

I am wondering what the options were for driver side round fuel tanks for my 1980 R685. It currently has one about 60+ gallons with a good dent in the side. I would like to change it out for some thing smaller and aluminum if possible. I like to keep it full when the truck is not in use but don't want the extra weight. The truck weighs 18,700 empty and around here a two axle truck can only gross 32,000. I was surprised the first time I ran it across the scale and it was 19,100 I cut the steel homemade side boards off and went back to wood 2x12s. That saved about 400 pounds. Next is to cut the extra thick liner out of the bed and remove the 2" of dirt out from between the bed and liner.

So is the brake lights on when parked just a Mack thing? None of my other brand trucks were like this. As far as the box I am thinking about painting it grey.

Thanks for all the compliments. I do plan on working this truck. Actually have the first job for it this weekend. I figured out that the brake lights work correctly once the park brake is released. I have never seen a truck do this. I am starting to think maybe someone had wired it up to have the brake lights on every time they set the brakes with the truck running for extra safety. It was a snow plow truck originally.

I spent a few days after work pressure washing and de-greasing the whole truck so I could really inspect it and start working it over. Changed the engine oil and filters, diesel filters, hydraulic oil and filter, main return line for the hydraulics, transmission gear oil, buffed and waxed the hood and cab, pulled the floor mat out and pressure washed 33 years of dirt off it, flushed the coolant system and changed filter, replaced park brake valve on dash, vacuumed out a mouse nest in the dash, and sprayed out almost a gallon of industrial paint on the frame/battery boxes/fuel tank. Next thing is the pinion seal and fluid change and figuring out why the brake lights come on as soon as I turn on the ignition key. Odd that my 13 year old camera makes the color of the truck look lighter blue then it looks in person.

Just found this on craigslist. http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/4010027801.html

Yeah in all it is a good truck. It made the 170 mile trip home on 5 retread and cracked old tires. The pinion seal started leaking on the way over a 4500 foot tall pass in the mountains. The hydro lines for the plow were leaking at the quick disconnects also. But she never got very hot and even the radiator louvers work.

Well I end up cutting out of work early Tuesday to go look at the 1980 Mack and after driving almost 4 hours I really didn't want to go home empty handed. Turned out to be an OK truck but needs some work. It came with the plow also. Finally pulled into my driveway at 12:30 at night and got a couple hours of sleep before work that morning.

Found another one a little closer to home and it is a 1980 R685D. What does the D stand for? It is set up with a plow. Same deal with the owner not knowing much about the truck but at least I will not be driving all day just to check it out. Where on the forum here is the number and letter designations of the different models at?

I will look at the pictures again. I have a feeling it is mostly original. Was there much that could have been done to turn up the motor? He says it is very strong and he mostly runs full size trucks instead of this 5 yard dump. It would be nice if the owner knew more about his truck. The tag on the truck that showed the original torque and HP was worn off.

Thanks Vinny.

I am going to look at a truck this weekend and wanted to know a few things before I go drive 5 hours each way. From what the owner says it is a 1977 RS685LT. What were the engine options in that model that year? He says it has an engine brake. And a 5 speed trans. He didn't have any idea what the axle ratings were or what the HP and Torque of the engine. He says he thinks it is 300 HP. From the pictures it looks in fair condition for 340,000 miles. I didn't know what the model RS685LT represented.

Well if it makes you feel any better.... I use to work for a local paving company. It had the only asphalt plant in town and sold the hot mix for around $80/ton. Some scabs were up here from the bigger cities doing the door-to-door scam of the extra mix left over and we will sell it to you at cost scam. Well they bought five loads of 16 tons each and drove around town trying there scam and after most the day driving around it finally got too cold to lay down so they brought it back and had to pay to dump it on our recycle pile. They lost over $7000 that day and their fuel and time.

OK. Thanks for the info guys. I don't see this old truck needing to go faster then 60 if even that. I am waiting on getting the radiator back. Of the two cores I had neither were worth fixing so I am forking out $950 for a new one.

I am working on my other truck which is a 1958 Pete. The main box is a Spicer 8051 and the Aux box is a Spicer 8341C. When I was looking up the ratios for both of these the main had a 0.67 od and the aux has a 0.84 od. So don't you just multiply the two numbers together to get the combined ratio which comes out to 0.56 I have still to look for the axle ratio but thought 0.56 double over seemed like a lot. What is your thoughts?

Run an add on Craigslist for "Diesel $1 gallon.... comes with free dirt."

Why not just put an air valve on the dash somewhere for the low range?

History repeats itself. Hitler killed over 10,000,000. How many do you think our president will gas and burn?

It has been crazy over here the last few weeks also. Luckily I have been buying up lots of extra ammo the last few years.

I bought my 1951 LJSW last year for $1,000. But the cab is really rusted out in the back and sides and well everywhere. But I like the challenge of rust repair.