Tinman22

Well good I got something right today. It's all downhill from here.

This has flat hangers and factory a/c. I made some 1"spacers out of some 1/2 wall tierod tubing, seems to look right...enough.

Maybe not carriage bolts. The bumper holes arent square....Hmmm.

I don't have any bolts or spacers. what was there before ? I don't know. It hasn't had a bumper in at least 22 years. Father in law died 9 years ago so i cant ask him. What bolts are they? I'm guessing two 1/2" and four 9/16 carriage bolts?

Thanks for the info and pics. now I need to find those spacers.

Does anybody know if the front bumper on an 85' r688st with a/c have a notch cutout for the condenser or is the bumper spaced out 1"? In the 22 years i've known this truck its never had a bumper. I found a good painted one at lkq in toledo for $80 and bought it but it hits the condenser. Any ideas?

to sketchy for me.

It might have some time on it but thats about it. Like I said earlier it was only used to move two asphalt trailers around the county from township to township usually half to empty. If it were still on that job I would leave it too. I had a set of wheels come off the front axle of the lowboy one summer after leaving the tire shop. they rolled up county 13 crossed state 20 one hit a barn the other olmost hit the old woman mowing her grass. After collecting my wheels It took the tire shop an houre and a half to get out to me. He asked where the lug nuts were I said how the hell should I know. An hour later he was back with lug nuts. and a non matching wheel to replace the one that was not usable anymore. A month later I got a bill from the tire shop for the road service call including the round trip for lug nuts,the lug nuts AND the rusty non matching steel wheel. Never did pay that bill. Old woman sent us some lug nuts that had taken the wheel for the ride and fell out in her yard with a note saying she didn't know what kind of nuts they were but she didn't like the kind of fruit that fell from the trees and we could have them back. $1350.00 for a " I'm not gonna kill the old woman on the mower guarantee" sounds cheap to me now.

Its been in the family for years. my wife thinks it happened in the late 90's and her dad had it done in a pinch and just never fixed it right. The truck was only used around the county to move asphalt trailers and rarley ever saw 55mph or a full load. I've got it going in on monday for a new spindle at axle surgeons. Really glad that I decided on new brakes and seals otherwise I wouldn't have known it was there. Really can't believe its lasted this long.

It was completly cut off and a piece welded back on. Some say run it. I personally don't trust it and with my luck it will definitely break right on the I-69 michigan scale and send the wheel set rolling into the scale house. So either a housing or a new spindle is the choice. Here at BEA transpotation failure is not an option, It comes as standard equipment.

Not what you would want to find when doing brakes. I have never seen a butt welded half spindle repair.

Got the radiator and cac back in. started on brakes and s cams. one wheel done three to go. it was fine right up to the second drum.

This has actually been a pleasure to work on. virtually every question I have had has been answered by searching this sight. Most parts are either a call to mack or napa. If I thought for a second I could get away with going around working on other peoples trucks and not starve I would. I finally found some shots of it in its "been sitting in a stone parking lot for the better part of 37 years". Funny how the sun bakes off paint and eats rubber.

Believe it or not I got all 17 stubs out. 16 in the supports and one in the upper tank. No stripped holes and no helicoils. I picked up gasket material today so tomorrow is radiator day. Today was the start on wheel seals,s-cams and bushings. The originals were plastic and knowing my father-in-law never greased. new ones are metal. I dropped off the wheels at Rimm kleen here in town to get the wheels done today and picked up 40 new inner wheel nuts 20L/20R for aluminum wheels. New shoes for the drives will be here in the morning. Also picked up paint today 2qts. 1985 mack dark green,1 qt. black and a gallon of primer. Still no door panels,headliner or rear panel. But getting closer.

now if i can just drill out these 16 broken bolts in the radiator frame........

well.....

stud 24.5's in good shape are getting harder and harder to find so im happy with them. im betting the new springs will be the end of it weather it stops bouncing or not.

I think the non nyloc set has either been changed or possibly different year or model maybe. I'm sure mine are original. Ive got all of the service records since 11/85. vomac said the old number was superceded to what he had just ordered. i'll see on monday when they get here. I can say working on this truck has been downright enjoyable compared to the others even the freighliner. everything is easy to get to. unnecessary engineering is almost nowhere. Even parts have been easy to get (except interior). I even found 8 24.5 stud piloted aluminum wheels today for $600..woohoo.

already ordered a new alternator. water pump was new last year i think. I live between 3 mack dealers 2 said the cooler was discontinued. Vomac in ft.wayne got it for $510.00 plus tax. in 1 day. without fail they have matched or beaten everyone's price and have never failed to get a part. The hood springs i thought we're a no go for sure.

mack still has them . $22.00 each. new springs and washers and my oil cooler came in. mack reman with gaskets and o-rings for the same price as most cores.

I think thats the right answer. I thought they were just made that way but maybe they are just worn out. I found severel pics of them online and they all look more consistently wound (left)then mine (right)wich look almost collapsed. I wonder if they are available and how much they are?

I'm sure some movement is normal but it seems a bit extreme. My 9 year old daughter can lift up on the heim joint and completely compress the spring. when i drove it home i hit the bridge joint going over the mighty mighty tiffin and thought the bolts had fallen out. There is about 1 1/2" of adjustment left but the springs don't really get firmer as they compress. The hood isn't cracked like most of the others i've seen. maybe tighten them up to loose some bounce but leave some flex.

I think im going to try some big block chrysler valve springs welded together and cut down to fit. maybe get half the bounce out of it but still have some give.

'here the be.