Geoff Weeks

Look "plain-jane" steel wheels on the front. Yeah, the North East was spokes for the most part.

Too bad they ruined it by putting hub pilot on the steer.

Watch the video, he has the exact fitting that you do.

Here is a YouTube for mandrel type fittings, His I think are brass ends, but same as yours. Mandrel type fittings You can use a fitting in place of a mandrel, I prefer to put the fitting in the vise and rotate the hose end, less chance of distorting the end you are working on. Many reusable fittings made today are "mandrelless" type with a second hex below the fitting hex to use to unscrew the fitting from inside the hose. They both go together the same way, but the mandrel type require something to hold the center from turning when installing/or un installing.

Yes, the fittings are, I can tell by the type of end, they are not crimped on. Pull the hose, tighten on to a fitting, to hold the inner portion, unscrew the hose end from the part attached to the fitting ( this will be normal right hand thread). then unscrew the hose from the metal end (this will be left hand thread). If you still have trouble understanding what I am saying, and I agree it is hard to convey in words, I can see if I can find some fittings like yours and take a picture with them apart to show what I mean. Non reuseable will be crimped on where the hose jacket goes into the fitting. I suspect your air system problems stem from excessive compressor cycling, and/or a defective drier. With a good drier and air system, temps well below zero are not a problem.

Looking at your air drier, it looks like all the hoses are using re-usable fittings. You could buy 25' or so of the different sizes to keep at the shop and a few mating fittings (to take the re-useable ends off the hose). That and a cut off wheel for a saw or die grinder and you an make up new hoses when stores are closed. Wheel seals, brake shoes are good to have on hand. Things like brakes, king-pins, tie rod ends etc can be monitored and planned for when they wear out. What would you do if a brake treadle valve failed? A rear axle? Do you keep a spare alternator on hand? if not what is your plan if one goes bad on a Friday night? I am not picking on you, I am explaining what things you need to have a plan for when operating a single truck with no down time. A truck with a manual transmission can be roll started if it has air to release the brakes, but an auto, you might want a starter on hand.

Well it does seam to confirm that the suction line is the problem. It isn't a long time cure to a hose that is coming apart. I don't understand how you had the time to rig this up but don't have the time to replace the hose? I have been in your shoes running a single truck and trying to keep it running and my customers happy. Am I to take it, by your statement that this was "the last hose" to be replaced, that you have addressed the other air lines? I doubt it is the "last hose" as there are so many on a truck. Did changing out the air hoses solve your drier problem? I started stockpiling hose and fittings at my shop. I also got a parts truck that I could rob parts off of, either to use or to send off as cores for rebuild while my money make was still running. I am thinking things like a P/S box that required to be re machined for a seal to hold. If you are going to run a single truck, you HAVE to be proactive with maintenance. The guy that picks up garbage, showed up in a different truck one day, I asked if he bought a new one, he said no, it was a rental while his was in the shop. I didn't know you could rent them, but I guess around here you can. Another possibility is if you know a "competitor" who will not "stab you in the back" that could cover a pick-up for you while you do a repair. I know, this takes a lot of trust, but there are people who will help out as long as you will when they need it. Running an old truck as a single operator is difficult, Often it can mean being one big breakdown from loosing it all. that is why it is so important not to have multiple small breakdowns that could be prevented. Most customers will understand that everything breaks at some point. As long as it isn't common, they will live with a temp interruption in service. I carried brake diaphragms, various hoses, filters, throttle return springs, etc so most minor failures could be repaired right where and when they happened. Many small business fail when they failed to plan on a breakdown. A parts truck can be a true windfall of parts if you have room to store one.

No matter how you look at it, a planned down time will be less then a forced down time, and a whole lot cheaper too. Measure the hose before the truck goes out, while the truck is out have a shop make one. Most likely will be -10 hose and fittings, but check 1st. A bit more money then buying bulk hose and reusing the reuseable fittings, but still a whole lot cheaper then being pull in on the hook.

Needed to get a wheel seal replaced on the road. Tech couldn't figure out how to start my truck even with a big button printed with "Engine Start" on it. Old gray hair shop foreman, take a quick look reaches in presses the start.

My K's both have 7" H-4 conversions (Hella). 55-60 watt 6 volt bulbs.

Just a warning, mine went from just a little problem to not being able to pull a load in less than a day. One of the 2 times in my whole time owning trucks, that mine was on "the hook". The other was when the fuel pump "self destructed" Running just fine one moment, and dead the next. Got to go, can mean not making it plus a tow bill. Better to delay a partial day to address the problem, then loose 2 days when it shuts down and has to be towed in. Just a little hard won experience. Not only do you have the repair bill but you have the tow bill as well.

I had my truck have somewhat similar problem. It was the suction line from the tank to the pump. On hard pull it would draw in enough air to cause a problem, lighter work, it would tolerate the little air just fine. A new hose and the problem was fixed. Just something that is easy enough to try, and given the state of the other hoses on the truck, I would say is a good bet. Stratoflex etc hoses don't last forever.

TBH, I would not be concerned about the engine, They should be able to handle full load continuously. As long as radiator and charge cooling is in good shape, that isn't the weak point. 350hp with 120k is doable but slow. It is the frame and rest of the driveline that concerns me.

Although I unloaded at -30F in Montana, the coldest I have worked was on US Steel coke battery in Gary, In. It was -20 or so, and the burning coal (coke) gets pushed in rail cars then quenched with water. One sec blasted with heat, the next steam turning to frost. The wind blows right off the lake. Set down a tool and it freezes to whatever you set it on. I made the repair and got out of there ASAP. Cloths got frozen,hard to move. The heat never lingered long enough to help, and the cold stuck around.

Because, they know we just gave away any moral high ground, we didn't loose it, we gave it away. They are thrilled.