Lmackattack

the 5 speeds were very common if it has a yoke on it then see if it matches the yoke on the rear diff. You might just be able to have a shop have a tube cut with a slip joint and new yoke ends installed. or they may even have a longer shaft than you need and they could cut one end down and reweld a yoke on it? basicly a used shaft with new yokes. im sure many have done what you have said but like me I just brought them the shaft and had it repaired as needed. the biggest cost was the center support bearing and all new yokes and joints. any good shop could fab up a shop for less than mine cost. all they will really need to know is the style trans /diff yoke and length. it might be better just to take the yokes in to show them or see if a stamped number is on the yokes? Trent

Well try and put GPS on my truck and see how far it gets ya.

Matt the issue is that most trucks are in some way or another coustom built to the specs of the owner and what options he needs. this means that there are many diffrences in length between the trans and rear end(s). What transmission do you have? If its a common mack trans we can give you an idea to the length that the output yoke extends from rear of the trans housing. then you can measure to the rear drive axel yoke and that gives you an idea of the needed driveshaft length. For refrence I have a 206" WB I bought a new driveshaft with a new tube and center joint for around $450. this was at a drive line shop. Some of the Fire truck guys should give you a better idea of how the pump mounts to the trans as I have never delt with getting under a fire truck (yet!) Trent

I use Shell Rotella or Bulldog brand. Change it every year as I rarely get 10,000 miles out of her each year. i figure that just the bugs dust and and moisture over a year is good reason to change it. Besides fresh oil in the old girl looks like sludge after 2000 miles anyways Trent

Before I put Commercial plates back on my Mack I used Gulfway out of FL, cheap and I could even pull a trailer if I wanted too. Google them and they can give you the scoop Trent

I think rob hit the nail on the head. Sliding Cabover sales and a premium price for an MH did not help sales. UPS sure did have alot of single axel day cab versions. they looked kinda funny bob tailing around Chicago. I always thought they would fall on their face if the driver hit the brakes to hard LOL. there was a guy up in WI that had a fleet of sleeper cab cruiseliners and some MHs I dont know if he still has them running around? Most of the ones I saw (besides UPS)were alwasy Owner operators from PA of all states..

well the mack maxidynes are a good little engine. It wont run up a hill with a 500 Cat but from an ease of maintance and low end power they are great. the 237 feels a little sluggish in 5th gear with a good load the 300s will pull better up top and hold 5th longet on a grade. The 285 is a good engine as well. Mine can keep up with the 300s all day long and I can put many behind me Just my observation with them.

yea I saw he said econodyne. thats one thing that I never asked anyone before.. if a 237,285,300 are all maxidynes with 5 or 6 speeds where does the econodyne come into play? I have driven some 300 econodynes w 6 speeds and they feel like maxidynes to me? I must have missed something as I thought econodynes needed more than 6 gears? Still not knocking that little 237 here is what they can do when turned up a "little" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNigPBpwvQU...re=channel_page

how was it junked in CA in 98 but has Jack gray stickers on it. I thought Jack gray was a midwest trucking company ?? trent

a 237 maxidyne and a 300 maxidyne... you will feel a power diffrence. at least I do. nothing bad about the little 237 but the 300 with air to air will pull better. I would think 3rd gear around 1400 would be your speed for the bigger hills with a 237 . My 285 can pull 3rd gear and hold full rpm most of the time up a hill if I have a run at it. if you need a low hole gear just replace the 5 speed with a 6 speed or even better the 12 speed over drive!! just make sure the 6 speed is a direct model and not the 2060 model

I think they call those a RM some of the heavyest built R model macks popular in mines and logging fields V8 engines and heavy heavy rears!

the new engines are a design that is indeded to be used in both VOLVO and Mack trucks. Knowing how volvo operates they basicly take a block and stamp it with a volvo or mack emblem. some internal parts and the ECU will be a little diffrent just to "fool" us but the cats out of the bag. trent

Chuck I have seen a guy do this at a dump LOL this guy was pulling a 24' 1/4 frame end dump. He had the box in the air and trying to get some stuck clay out of the box. I cam in just after it happened but the story was that After his 2-3 trys in forward with no results he put her in reverse. back he went,slammed on the brakes, the rear rear trailer tandem dug in, the forward tandem folded back up with the 1/4 frame and he managed to set the tailgate on the ground. We call it a "rocket man" one problem now was that he had no weight on his drives to get it back down! If I recall it picked up the rear of the tractor? Trent

After they raised the tolls back in 2004 I simply stopped paying them. a slap of mud on both front and rear plates and Im "free" They can raise them all they want now. I payed them kindly for years when it was reasonable now its my turn to collect. I will have too admit that the open road tolling that came shortly after 2004 has cut my travel times some Just a fyi ... they did raise the tolls for cars slightly a few years back. Catch me if you can! Trent

Welcome to the site well value is 100% in the eye of the beholder. Old trucks dont seam to bring as much as an old car but they can bring in a pretty penny. I have seen old trucks sell for $30,000 one day and $5,000 the next? All depends on who is bidding I guess? You can have it apraised like an old car and that will give you an ideal of what it worth. but as said before it all will depend on the people looking and what they think. Might also ask over at The American Truck Historical Society http://www.aths.org/ and ask there as well. Alot of us here are members there as well. Trent

I think Convoy was released in 1978? they also cobbled up the movie trucks along the course of the movie. Regardless it was around this time (1978) that the dog mirrors became standard. I think this was around the same time that the round fuel tanks became standard as well? My Dad had a 78' R685St and I recall him saying it was the first year that the R model came with round fuel tankes and bulldog Mirrors as standard oprions?. Im sure we will get a guru here soon and give us the 100% right answer?!!! Trent

I think the bubble back is correct for your year. If I recall around 79-81s is when the Dog mirrors appeared? Trent

Hey great pics and at least you got the right truck hauling the old boat! it looks as if the bed was chained down also you may have been fine up the rest of the hill!

let us know if mack has any panels left. last year I was told NLA for all the R model interior parts?

Yea the firsr old B was Yellow an Ex Reliable wrecking out of winfield IL the other B was a green ex celli trucking The RS was baby blue an ex owner op

I have a mag with a write up in it how to service the old shocks/ I will see If i can find it.I think it had contact numbers to source old parts? Trent

an old Jack Gray truck. A friend was working for them about 8 years ago? nice find Rob!!

Great vid. We started pulling in the street semi class about 2 years ago. Check out some of the vids on you tube under my board name.

Brad I have one for you but it may need work/ it was out of an 89 R model? Its at the yard and its yours if you want to mess with it. it needs an output shaft and misc parts. its still in one pice but... call me for details. Trent

be carfull with leaking batterys. I just had one blow up on me last week from just a very week spark. Luckly I had gloves and sunglasses on. Always herd about them exploding but never had one do it on me. If its leaking they may be overcharging and or have a bad ground somewhere? If they still have the date on them check for the warrenty. just be carefull and dont stand over it when working on a bad one.