Geoff Weeks

You'll loose some road speed going down a tire size, 12r 22.5 is the equalivant of an 11 x20.

remind us again, are going for a pull or push clutch? I remember we went through that when we last talked about it. The hole for the push clutch below the shaft is different than the one for a pull clutch below the shaft, that much I do remember. Your trans is much newer than anything I am familiar with. I also remember from somewhere (could be wrong) that the tube was for pulling hard up a steep grade, the oil would go to the back and starve the bearings. Not something I think you'll encounter

funny, I brought it up on Meritor's site and it show current production?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/395726843402 Meritor shows it as an active part. Should be orderable though NAPA or any other parts house that deals with heavy truck brake parts. do you need the "hook" that goes in the shoe also? https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MER1218C107

Does this look anything like it? 6 1/8" long by 3/4" diameter.

Since no one has of yet replied, I will say this: Just about any trans you choose can be fitted, I don't think there will be any that are a direct bolt in, change nothing fit. So it is up to you how much work you are willing to put in for the swap.

To clarify a bit. The old Stemco's had a wear ring. The newer unitized seal does not. So likely the wear ring has been discontinued because the original seal design was also. CR makes a "seal saver" ring when the original spindle area has been damaged. This is different (thinner) then the old Stemco "wedding band" and is a last resort for repairing damaged spindles. Get a modern unitized seal and be done with it.

Allows for bigger tire footprint for heavier loads. Many states require so much square inch of tire contact for a given load. To get 20K on a steer you need more than weight capacity on the tire in some jurisdiction, you need enough contact area as well. You can buy a tire that is not much wider than a common 11r 22.5 that can handle 10K/tire, but many places will not allow that much on such a narrow tire.

Sums me up to a "T"!

It has been over 40 years since I was "inside" one, so I admit I don't know (remember) the insides of the housing. I'll defer to those that do! Only a thought, and I guess a bad one!

Real old Jakes had a foot switch to apply, I suppose you could. I would want a throttle and clutch switch, don't want it to come on if the throttle is above idle/no fuel position, and clutch keeps you from stalling out the engine when you step on the clutch for any reason. I have had both switches go bad on the road and bypassed them until I got replacements. Yes it will work, but I wouldn't design the system without them.

I don't know either, just a thought (may be a bad one) but I would think the housing would be more resilient than the plate, afterall the housing has to hold it under full load, the plate does not.

The ID of the tool is the most important, the legs just have to hold the tool in position so the plate is 90 deg to the housing base and at the right height to hold the bearing retainers in position Single reduction sets like the Eaton and Rockwell have large webs on the case 1/2 of the bearing retainer, so they don't flex outward when setting pre-load. Once in the housing, all are restrained by the housing so the don't spread under load. Be it Mack, Eaton or Rockwell. Mack, due to its double reduction and spur gear design, has a smaller case and less room to reinforce the bearing retainer area when it is out of the housing. It has been many years since I had a Mack drop in, out of the housing, so I could be off base. BUT if you have an old housing that is no good, I wonder if you could cut away the bowl enough to use an old housing for the tool? Just leave enough to work with of the old housing, set the drop-out in and set the pre-load and bearing retainer bolt torque then drop in the trucks housing.

I'd measure the inside of a housing to get the ID of the tool. OD is not important. From what I see, having never done one, its job is to hold the bearing retainers in the position they will be in, when in the axle housing, while adjusting the bearing pre-load. The legs hold the plate at the correct height on the bearing retainer, nothing more. With all "special tools" when prints aren't available, the thing to do is understand what the tool is doing, in this case, holding the bearing retainer in the position it will be in when installed in the housing. Because the bearing sticks down from the case, it will tend to spread if not externally supported when bearing pre-load is applied, the tool does this by being the same ID as the axle housing. Measure the housing where the "shoes" of the bearing retainer will ride, in an X pattern, have the plate machined to that exact dimension, then cut reliefs for the gear to clear. Leg height should hold the plate at the "shoe" of the bearing retainer. With prices north of $3000 for the tool, A good machine shop should be able to make one for less money. If you have a axle housing, and can bring it and a drop in to them and explain what you need, They should be able to make an accurate tool for the job. I have a guy by me that would likely do it for a few hundred, but would need the housing and drop in to know what he is being asked to make. Drawing would be best but I doubt you'll get your hands on the OEM drawings.

I found with flatbed any way, how well it rode depended on how well you loaded the trailer, far more than what suspension the truck had. I did my share in a SWB Fleetstar on walking beam. Also had a SWB cabover on 4 spring. Load over the axles and not "belly loaded" and the truck will ride fine. Fleetstar only had a T bar seat, empty and a good frost heave will send you, but loaded well it rode fine. If your playing in the dirt, it doesn't matter what suspension, you are off road, and you are going to feel it.