Geoff Weeks

I will agree that most shops are R&R. There are also plenty of us that do our own work or when special tooling or processes are required have that done to our spec's. I have always considered myself a mechanic not a technician. For the last 25 years or so my K-7 has been running around with a stainless water pump shaft and industrial pump seal. Shaft was made, seal was purchased. I'll re-seal and rebush my Sheppard Steering boxes but the high pressure seal rides on and wears the input shaft, and after a while needs to machined down and a hard sleeve pressed on for a new wear surface. Those get sent out. I have a lathe but not one that can handle the high cutting pressures and tools needed for that kind of work. Things are being made in this country, no one would make a video of it. How long did it take to make a head gasket? I know when I made one out of crush copper it took a long time, lots of hrs to lay out and cut. If I can buy one and have it overnighted, It is still cheaper than my labor and time to make one. What I object to is getting all dewy eyed over repairs and processes that produce end results that aren't up to the task, then lament that it is not being done here! We are a richer country and have better options, that is why it is not done here. When my truck needed a waterpump, I purchased one and was back on the road in hours, I also "ate" the core and rebuild the old one, which I kept. I ran Delco 25 and 26 SI alternators that were modified (by me) to run external as well as internal regulators. Internal set to float voltage and the external handled the IUoU charging profile. I also carried a spare for rare failures. None of this is in reach of the third world, and no one would be impressed of a video of it. Stuff is being made here but we are selective, and while I can admire the tenacity of someone who tries to mend a snapped axle shaft or crankshaft, I also know that it is a weak repair that will fail soon.

Said it right here!

Paul, I think you missed the many times where I said I admire their skills and tenacity, However I was pointing out that the reason we don't do things that way in the developed world is we have better options. Yes, it is they are making the best of a bad situation, but that doesn't make it the best option if you have other choices. JC was implying that we couldn't do that here, I was saying we wouldn't do that here, and the reasons why. It is hard to watch someone make a repair that you know is doomed to fail again and again. Yes, it may be the best that they can afford, and therefore their best attempt, but it doesn't make it up to the task, just as close as they can get. In the video of the over turned truck, if you look closely are the rear suspension casting, you can see old repairs and evidence of cracks that were present for some time before it failed (again). It is frustrating to see repeated failures because you know that is a huge set-back for the owner and/or operator. The implication that we are "pansy's" for not making those types of repairs here is a false one. The man hours alone would push the cost of what they do, impractical, then add the fact that it is a poorer repair, no we will not do things like that here, we are fortunate enough to have better options. in the third world, trucks are often grossly overloaded, making failures almost a certainty, then to know the repair is weaker than the original item that failed.

I was asking about the trans swap. We haven't heard if it is done or how well it is working out.

So, how did this work out?

Big difference between today and 80 years ago. Loads, torque and HP have skyrocketed over what was done 80 years ago. To be able to handle that, metallurgy and mfg processes have changed. Today there are far fewer "twisted' axle shafts, to the point I would say none. Plenty of snapped axle shafts, the axle has become much harder to take the power and loading of today, without gaining in size. loads have increased, torque has increased but size has not. Fine splines carry more torque than the old course spline shafts ever could. Repairs that were "dodgey" at best 80 years ago, with softer metals and components just can't stand up to today's load requirements. Most know on some level that a forging is stronger than a cast or built up piece, A gear set hobbed in the annealed state then hardened, will be stronger that a gear build up with weld on a hardened part then ground. The problem in these 3rd world "repairs" is the original parts were over-loaded to the point of failure, then repaired with weaker processes and put right back in the situation where the original hardened part failed. I can admire the tenacity of them trying, but can't say it is worth the effort, nor condemn those with more options for choosing a better repair. Mfg has moved on from the point that soft steel can be used to handle todays requirements. If you had to build something out of low carbon steel to handle today's loads it would be so big and heavy it could not carry today's loads.

or the price of one!

Used to be quite popular to grind in place. However you are limited to minor damage as most engines didn't have U/S bearing smaller than .060"

A patch until it can be repaired correctly is different than a repair that does not have a replacement in its future. You did what was needed, and the town paid twice, because the options were limited. Someone who welds a crankshaft that has snapped or an axle isn't planning on replacing as soon as a new one can be sourced. The labor is prohibitive. You admit your repair is not a permanent solution to the problem, that is all I'm getting at with these 3rd world repairs, they are investing huge amounts of labor time into something that is not a permanent solution to the issue. By doing so, they run the very real risk of taking something that is repairable and making it un repairable. That is the reason it is not done here, patch yes, but not on critical parts that will cause more damage if they fail. In the video's we never see what comes next, how long the repair lasted (if at all), or what the total costs worked out to be.

And how many breakdowns and the labor to repair the same part over and over can you afford? I know about working on stuff where the parts are not available, or months out. But I would cannibalize another to keep one going, over some of the things seen on those videos. As I said, you never see how long those "repairs" last. I kept the double decker buses running in Chicago, parts? they were obsolete in England, and not many around, then air freight to the US. Most things could be made, but I would never weld a broken axle, There are repairs that are sound, and those you do, but there are those that can't be made to the standards required for the job. Make my own headgasket, yeah, I've done that. build up a waterrail and re machine, yeah I've done that. But weld a broken axle or crankshaft, Yeah, I'm smarter than to do that! We always had one or two waiting on something that could be used as parts for another until the missing parts can be sourced. Emergency repairs to "get you out of the hole" will come back to bite you if you don't address the problem. I changed out an exhaust valve spring in the field, only to not be allowed to address the real problem once the work day was done. It needed the head to come off, and the guides replaced (they were so bad exhaust gases passed up the guide into the rocker box). Always time for emergency repair, never time to do it right. head of valve snapped off took out the bore, piston and head.

Before you get all dewy eyed over these third world repairs, stop and think a moment. I am not saying they aren't skilled at the labor they do, but for the repair to be viable, there is far more than that. I have seen many of these videos, no where do you see the total man hours of labor. Neither do you see the man hour of labor to get the problem broken down to the repair point. Now we get into metallurgy where axle or crankshafts are repaired by boring and welding in a plug, then over welding and machining back down to original dimensions. There is no way that shaft has the same strength and ductility of the original, the one that just failed, how long do you think a weaker part with a section that is weaker than the original will last? Yeah, I have taken a bend out of a hyd rod, but you know as well as I it is a temporary repair at best. Not taking anything from their mold-making abilities, but casting an engine part is more than just making a good mold. You need high quality iron alloy to make the cast. What does a good mold make get paid in the US? then add up the hours involved and that off the shelf with warranty starts to look cheap. Between exchange rates and labor costs it leaves the 3 rd world little choice, but that doesn't make it a good one. How many of you are willing to stand behind and warranty a re-welded axle shaft? A re-cast cyl head of unknown metallurgy? It isn't because we are all "pansy's" in the developed world, it is because we have better options. Pull those craftsman out of there back ally shop and set them up here, and you wouldn't be able to afford them. Yes, it is impressive what they can make out of nothing, but that doesn't make it suited to the job, It may look exactly like the part, but it will not be of the same caliber. How many of you have bought a cheap "Harbor freight" vise only to have the casting break the 1st time you hit or crank down on it? Yeah, it "looks the part" but can't do the job!

In my mind, there is no good argument for anything bigger than the K Cummins and that is a hard sell to justify. V 12 and V16 92 series or V8 Cat are just money pits. The K Cummins carries a huge fuel economy penalty, rarely seeing over 3.5 MPG from the guys I knew that had them. If your hauling light enough to get more, you don't need them, and working hard they drank fuel. Lowest I got with my Big Cam 4 was 3.75 working very hard.

I just don't like making stereo type judgments on large groups of people esp when based on just one thing. I, like most, I would guess, wouldn't have to look too far to find immigrants in their family tree. I know I don't. I have no love for those that commit these heinous acts, but they are evil, themselves, not other groups they may be part of. If he was a bowler, I wouldn't hate all who bowl.

Ideally, you'd want to be able to apply the rear trailer brakes alone, but that is not possible. I've towed some steerables where you had 120' or more of air line between the tractor and the trailer brakes, and the delay in both applying and releasing was enough to get you into trouble if you didn't account for it.

Ah, no, US born citizen, military veteran, seams to have been "home grown" radicalized. Don't blame this on someone from outside the US.

On air aircraft and my generator, the plugs are 180 deg across the combustion chamber, so the "fire" is started at two points far from eachother. It does up the power considerably as noted when you kill one side. I think most of the power on the Mack is from higher speed, tho. It doesn't look like the plugs are across the head from eachother

Yeah, I think I remember that. The "C" and "D" look like they came about to deal with length laws and loop-holes that were exploited for Truck Trailer combo's over semi trailer combos. In the US where OAL laws have almost disappeared, the need for these weird combos are gone as well. Now it is trailer length not bumper to bumper that counts in most places.

I can see why I never saw one of those. Kinda like a Jiff-lock but much more difficult to work with. With a single powered axle, I bet they were fun to steer in less than ideal conditions.

Thinking about it, a C train is best suited for Bedbug operation, light so the ridged connection isn't as much a problem, can be loaded off a dock or through the rear on the front trailer when broken apart, (something more difficult on a "B") and less side to side waggling that could cause cargo damage on a bedbugger load. The lead trailer has to drag the converter dolly around corners, like a spread axle flat bed, so the lighter the axle loading the better they will corner. B's need a sliding sub-frame to be rear loaded, so are more popular with flat beds where they are more often loaded off the side or by overhead crane. My guess is there just isn't enough advantage over straight truck and full trailer for them to be worth the trouble. I see plenty of bedbugger straight trucks and trailers along with the 48' and 53' semi trailers

A train has a single pintle hitch on the front of the convertor and a 5th over the axle of the convertor B train has an extended frame on the front trailer and a 5th wheel on the back of the front trailer C train has the converter attached to the front trailer with 2 connections side by side, and a 5th over the axle. A and C trains don't put much if any weight on the front trailer. B train rear trailers weight is partially carried by the front trailer A train has two pivot points (hence "set of joints") B and C have one pivot point. Clear is mud!

There were some that had a "high mount" oil cooler, but now that you mention it, I think those were horizontal, not vertical. You nailed it I believe. I never had a Cummins that old.

Yes, it almost looks like someone got drunk and hooked the converter on backwards!

I have only seen one in the US and it was a single axle converter C train! Has anyone else ever seen one in the US? IIRC is was a Bedbugger rig (Hence the single axle converter). It was years ago and I never saw one since then. Plenty of A and B's.

Well, you see officer, I can tow 6 trailers at 120 mph and they'll take up the same space that 2 do at 55 mph!

With those pic's (where did they come from?) the front axle doesn't have dual boxes so I would guess under 16K now, and yeah it would be nose heavy. My cabover was 12,600 on the steer bobtail. Lot more weight and distance to the rear axles on that one!