Mean Green

B 42 axle if some one needs one was pulled in the fall from my truck would trade for a good steel fuel tank with mounting brackets 

I was in the same boat you are in I have a b42 converted to diesel I used an air ride cut off from an international it’s now tandem air ride instead of single with springs . It had 6.17 gears when I got it had original gas rear in it then changed to 4.61 gears that let me go a about 55 with a tall tires don’t know the gearing of the tandems but it has way more road speed now as for the front axle I used a complete axle out of a school bus so I have modern hub pilot wheels and brakes the engine is just a 673 that I added a turbo to I gave it extra fuel and that was it and it don’t seem to run hot on the pryo I feel your truck would be lots of work to fit all the sheet metal on the newer frame but it’s doable the steering box in front of the axle would not work because the b model front clip ends at the front spring mounts Maby you could move it back to have power steering as for the axle widths the newer frame slipped right over my frame and I just bolted it but my frame rails are not as tall as a modern truck I lost most of my pictures of when I did the work but they should all be on here congrats on the cool project

Thank you Paul I found it on an old freightliner but I think it originally came off a gmc

My b 42 had 6.17 gears in it the owner before me put a 673 diesel in it 45 was top speed I found a different rear I think it was 4.56 somewhere around there 55 top speed then I switched out for a modern air ride I’m not sure of the gears in it but it will easily do 65 not even pushing it and all everything is more modern and available 

That’s my plans vlad just keeping an eye on it

I ended up taking a piece of tubing heating it red hot and beat the drag link end into it making a cone then cleaned it up and pressed it into the stearing arm with some bearing mount on it once tightened it should work out good

I have all ready been burning the pellet stove at home nights have been cold days have been nice though

I look at it is how much money do you want to spend my axle has bad tie rod ends and I can’t find new ones so I sourced a whole different axle out of a school bus the center pin holes were close and I’ll have to get new u bolts to fit properly in the holes. Width of the outsides of the tires was a concern for me as a b model is kinda narrow . Going newer gets you more modern parts that are usually cheaper and easily sourced 

Thanks Bob I try to do what I can on a budget I guess the truck is never finished I am glad I’m doing it though the front tires that were on it looked ok till I too them off they were totally dry rotted on the inside 

this is where I hit the road block I have the rebuildable drag link the end that went in the original axle is too small I need the same size ball but a bigger tapered shank to fit the bigger axle the paper has the measurements I think that will work . Where can you find thes ? My idea is to cut up a tie rod end and take this part out of it if I can find the correct size any other ideas ?

here is where the tire ended up in the fender I’m using Alcoa 11r22.5s in the front and 24.5 in the rear of the truck

here it is with the new axle in I did use the 3 in spacer that came with the axle to give some more fender clearance

he’s the original axle wheels are just lifted off the ground

After a bunch of hunting I found an axle I felt that would fit the b model got it for 250 bucks so it wasant that bad came out of a Thomas cab over bus the center bolt holes were only 1/2 narrower so a come along pulled the springs together into place the u bolt holes were close too biggest thing was trying to wife out where the wheels would sit in the fenders being the axle had no wheels on it but other than that it’s going fairly well I’ll post some pics

I’ll be starting a new topic here I have a B42 and I’m swapping out the front axle to one with hub pilot hubs I’ll try and post what I did and what I’m running into I’ll post it it in drive line and suspension 

Congratulations Bob hope there is good health and some great times working on the Mack!

OD I kinda like the look of your truck with the bumper off almost like they go too much going on with the grille and fender guards Maby just a black bumper and a small guard like a b model has for the rad  just my 2 cents . keep up the good work truck is looking great !

Ford did make a good looking truck back in the day dad had a fleet of ltl 9000 ford triaxles started out with 2 1978 ltl 9000 long hoods he bought used they were 1 serial number apart then we ended up with 10 of the 1988 and up body styles  1 Pete and a freightliner otr tractor