doubleclutchinweasel

Somewhere around there. Never can remember the exact cutoff date.

Un-freakin-believably nice!

Like I told somebody on another thread, remember there are overdrive versions of those Maxitorque transmissions. And, the 6-speed version adds a lower gear to boot. And, you get 5 reverses. Plus, you end up with 2 sticks, like God intended in a Mack! Check out a TRXL-1070. Or, you could go the masochistic route and put in a 13-speed Triplex or 18-speed Quadruplex. Those are both "double-overdrive" boxes. And, the lo-lo or lo-split reverses are plenty low.

Looks like green Gates heavy-duty belts hanging on there.

It might be a fairly easy swap to change the 5-speed Maxitorque for an old 6-speed Extended Range Maxitorque. That gives you 1 extra low gear. And, as a bonus, you get 5 reverses. These can be found in both a direct and overdrive version (look for the "0" at the end of the model number to get the OD...TRXL-107 vs. TRXL-1070).

If I lost an inch, I'd be in trouble...

I've seen worn tie rod ends cause a side-to-side shake. But, you would hope the alignment guy would have checked that. Most common though is wheel or tire...especially if it "didn't use to do it".

Early RDs had a similar cowl shape, but later RDs had a different shape, like the stork said.

Funny!

We used to joke about the non-turbo 673s in the B-61s we had. Seems they would run about as fast downhill as they would uphill. Not very.

Maybe "B" for "brake" (Dynatard)??? Anyway, it has been a topic for discussion before.

I have been making commercially available, industrial V-belt pulleys (among other things!) for a living for the last 39 years! So, this one hits close to home. "Matched" belts are cut from the same belt of raw material. So, the individual belts are as close to identical as possible. Each raw belt will be slightly different. So, 2 belts of the same number cut from different raw material could be different. Matched sets are ESSENTIAL in an application like this. There are standard V-belt groove dimensions defined by the MPTA (Mechanical Power Transmission Association). I can probably sanitize a drawing and share some of the information, if anybody needs it. Just need to know the belt type (A, B, 5V, etc.) and the outside diameter (OD) of the pulley. The groove angle changes as the pulley gets larger or smaller. To measure the effective Pitch Diameter (or PD) of the belt, we simply measure over a pair of dowel pins. The pin diameter changes depending on the groove type. Lots of manufacturers of pulleys (we actually call them "sheaves") use a form tool to generate the V-form of the pulley groove. But, I have found that this gives bad angles, chatter in the grooves, bad flank finish, and deformation of the web between the grooves...which can throw off the PD of one or more of the grooves. So, for the last 35 years or so, I have been profiling the grooves with a 35-degree insert. This gives far better groove integrity than can be achieved with a form tool. Let me know if I can help with anything on this.

I have posted a couple of different Quad shifting patterns on here before. That box can intimidate some people, but it really is not that complicated. Whether using the clutch or not, getting the RPM right between shifts is key. Once you learn how big the drops are between gears, you can hear it easier than you can watch the tach. DON'T RUSH IT! DON'T FORCE IT! WAIT FOR IT! I don't want to sound insulting, so please don't take this next part that way. But, remember to let the RPM FALL when upshifting and RISE when downshifting. I was trying to teach a guy about double-clutching and "floating" gears, and he kept trying to RAISE the RPM between upshifts. I don't remember if you had the 18 or 20 speed. But, in either case, there's not much need to shift the compound until you have the main in 4th gear. At least if empty of lightly loaded. Oh, and the LO-LO isn't really much use on the road. Use LO-SPLIT to start off. Shifting the main with the compound in LO-LO can be a little tricky, since the road speed is kinda low. Try this (for the 18-speed version). LO-SPLIT 1st LO-SPLIT 2nd LO-SPLIT 3rd LO-SPLIT 4th DIRECT 4th HI-SPLIT 4th HI-SPLIT 5th If it is the 20-speed version, try using LO-SPLIT all the way into 5th, then DIRECT and HI-SPLIT 5th. Oh, and another mistake I have seen a lot of folks make is letting the RPM drop TOO much during upshifts. If you try to engage the next gear too soon, it will grind. But, in that case, the grinding will get slower and slower until the gear drops in. If you wait TOO long to try to engage the next gear, it will grind...but the grinding will get worse (faster) the longer you wait. In that case, release the clutch and bump the RPM back up a tick and try again. You'll get it. It just takes a little practice. And, once you master the Quad, you'll be able to claim something that not a lot of us can!

Old belts can definitely cause "flutter". So can off-center, bent or unevenly-worn pulleys (sheaves).

Looks like the 15-speed "Direct in 5th" Triplex. Love your truck, man.

"V", correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the primary and secondary needles connected to 2 different tanks? If so, that might make it easier to isolate the system with the leak.

I completely understand! Maybe nobody else would have known it was there, but it would have driven me crazy too!

I think they are super cool. Used to be a guy on here with one. Like the man said, "PICTURES"! We like pictures.

It amazes me the information guys like Jojo and vmac3 have stashed away in their heads. I always learn something new when I get on here. Freakin' encyclopedias!

You know, the front of that thing still reminds me of an Econoline van on steroids.

Not sure if the later models shared any of these part numbers. Cab Breakdown.pdf

I see one around here every now and then. Never can seem to get a picture. May have to chase it down next time I see it!

You know, I don't think I ever saw one of those in person before. Says here they only made 215 W71's from 1953-1958. I'd say that makes it pretty rare.

The Watts guys might be a good place to start. https://www.wattstruckcenter.com/store/

You said a mouthful! Double-clutching a gasser takes a little more practice than a diesel. I suspect it has to do with the rate at which the revs rise and fall. Passes by the sweet spot a little quicker.