Geoff Weeks

Same here, from the days before CDL, Never took a driving test in a semi, believe it or not. Grandfathered into CDL, Started in smaller trucks and wreckers and just kept moving bigger, Skills needed transfer up, but if you stop learning you are going backwards. I always learned something when I was on the road, decades after being deemed competent to drive by the states standards.

I can't speak a word of French, but never faced any backlash when trucking in Quebec. The language isn't the issue, the actions are the issue, and that goes back to the company. It is easy to point out language it is noticeable, but isn't the problem, I met a "Dumb" (couldn't speak) truckdriver in Canada, he worked for a heavy-haul outfit. He was highly regarded by the customer for his attention to detail. What is the issue is trucking "companies" that flout the regulations and aren't held to account. A quality company will not heir an unqualified driver, those that are willing to cut corners on equipment will also do so on employees.

The fault may be mine also. I thought we were talking engines, and I see tires was the topic.

I always hear it was Methanol that was used, and that was the reason for 160 deg 'stats, to try to keep from boiling the alcohol out of the mix. Calcium Chloride would eat the block, I would think, esp when heat is added to the mix. Calcium and or magnesium chloride are used a ballast in tires, but can be hard on the rims.

I don't put much faith in GWP reporting, but not failing a blood test says the DUI Charges were not valid. None of that has any bearing on the fact that he killed people only that the DUI charge is not valid. There were reports of a Colorado LEO that was charging people with DUI's that were fake to up his number (and ruining the lives of those charged and not convicted) There is no room in this country for these "fly by night" trucking operations. As one who operated my own I know what it takes to do the job right, and these sleezey operations should never even get a DOT number. The DOT is supposed to cross-check new applicants for previous numbers, and an address that pops up again and again in new filings should be a red flag, along with similar names. They should at least flag for further investigation, but doesn't seam that happens, and now with all the jobs cut I suspect it will not improve that fact. How many innocent lives lost, is worth the cuts?

Likely REO 440 powered. (Not the same as a Mopar)

IHC sold all their old inventory to "Parts depot" and sometimes it is amazing what is still available NOS. Want a new rear hub for a 1940's rear axle, yep we've got one (just be prepared to pay through the nose). Does Mack doing anything similar?

My guess it is all done by computer, they look at the sales figures and base solely of number of units moved over a set time period. One would hope some note of how critical the part is would play a factor but I doubt it.

Looks like it had all three of those.😃

Check, if it is held on with set screws there will be 2 about 180 deg apart. They can be hard to find after many years of rust and dirt. My "39" box truck has the two set screws (and still has the pitman arm on!) and the box will likely be scrapped with it on! No one wants a "39" box!

Drag link looks from the pictures, that it is made up of "tie rod end joints" and an adjustment tube. I found it simpler to just measure and order the ends for my Marmon drag link that is like that. Trying to order anything for a Marmon almost always gets you nowhere. You have to do the homework yourself but most things are always available.

I found RHD buses easier to negotiate city traffic when I drove them in Chicago, but more "clumsy" to drive on the highway when there were multiple lanes of traffic going faster than the city buses could. We only had one running "road coach" Bristol VRL that could keep up with traffic, but had two more for parts. That was over 35 years ago now, and I wonder where they all went when the company collapsed.

I think his box has been updated and is now a three digit box (392?)

twoset screws I think is the earlest design, I know it is on my two digit Sheppard box from the 60's.

92-Series-Sheppard-Power-Steering-Service-Manual.pdf page 25 and 26 covers the methods.

Sheppard used three different pitman arm retaining methods, you have to know which of the three you are dealing with. Oldest had no nut and two set screws angled out from the box side of the arm. the next style has a hex nut (allen head) and a star washer/retaining tab behind the nut. The last style has a big hex nut that is split half way through and has a small bolt to "squeeze" the nut so it can't back off

Yes, and full length brass bushing on the inside of the gears and steel bushing for it to ride on the main shaft. That is the difference in construction with single counter shaft trans vs. multi counter shaft transmission design.

Single counter-shaft transmission are not built the same way, and this is not a "theory". Single countershaft have no opposing force so the main shaft carries the side thrust. The gears on those run bushing in the gears that ride on the main shaft

Joey, that sounds just like Spicer and Fuller, The spacers and lock rings just keep the gear located fore and aft, the countershaft gears keep the gear centered but not riding on the main shaft.

Not if you look at the 1st picture I posted from the manual, that gear is going over the splines at quite and angle. Also there is no listing for the clearance of the gears on the shaft. The only listed clearance is for fore and aft float which is .005-.012 adjusted with spacer thickness. If Glenn Akers was still with us he could settle this quickly. The main is held by a bearing at one end and bushing in the input shaft pocket. the gears are held located by the countershaft gears they mate with. They don't ride on the main shaft when the trans is assembled.

Better picture of the main shaft, showing splines and grooves for spacers and lock ring to locate the gear fore and aft. this is from a different manual that better shows the shaft.

Not the main shaft itself, but the gears that are on it are floating, the countershaft keeps them centered over the shaft. Being "pretty sure" doesn't cut it. That is why I posted a picture from the Fuller Roadranger manual. I have no idea on a Mack triple counter shaft trans, how they do it, Jo-Jo could chime in on that. The main shaft except the nose (where there is a bushing between it and the input shaft, is splined the whole length with grooves tangentially for snap rings to hold the fore and aft position of the gears, The clearance between the gears and main shaft are maintained by the gears on the two countershafts. If the counter shaft or its key gets a twist, the gear on the main shaft gets out of line and it can be difficult or impossible to get into that gear. It is one of the 1st things to check on overhaul. A bushing riding on a splined shaft would have an extremely short life.

I count 4 air filled tires!

The main shaft is supported front and rear on bearings, the GEARS loaded on the main shaft aren't bushed to the shaft, and are floating, When a dog clutch is moved into the inner spline on the gear and the outer spline on the main shaft then it is locked on the main and power is transmitted. There is no smooth bushing between the main shaft gears and the main shaft on a Eaton or Spicer. There are no places for a bushing on the main shaft nor the gears, they are held in position by the timing of the countershafts, There are snap ring to keep the gear from moving fore and aft on the shaft but no bushing or bearing because they do not bear on the shaft. When that ratio is selected the dog clutch engages with the internal spline on the gear and the clutch is splined to the main shaft. When not selected the gear floats off the shaft being held in position by the counter rotation of the countershaft gears. show me the bushing in this picture! correction, there is one bushing in the input shaft that "supports" the main shaft, but that shouldn't be seeing any load to speak of, unlike a single counter shaft trans, that normally use a bearing in that location of some kind, but still no bushing or bearing between the main shaft and its gears.

Also, close ration main boxes with wide ratio range boxes make the difference in gear sizes on the shaft less dramatic, wide ratio main boxes there is a larger difference in gear sizes from lowest to highest. Spicer box is a wide ratio main with closer ratio range and splitter. The more torque and side load a gear will see the larger it has to be, keeping ratio between mated gears close the smaller they need to be, splitting the torque between 2 or more countershafts also allows for some reduction is size of gears (width), for a given overall capacity of the transmission. Multi countershaft transmissions are a mathmatical nightmare to design so all gears required can mesh and operate at one shaft spacing between main and countershaft and still keep the mainshaft gear centered at all times. That only happens when the two countershaft gear sets are timed to each other and the main.