B42Art

I picked up this front axle at a farm sale and I was wondering if anyone knows if its a Mack axle? They have no markings except for C581 on both hubs. They are 59" wide from center of rim to center of rim. The rim diameter is 29-1/2". The wood spokes are 1-3/4" square at the hub. From center to center on the spring mounts of the axle it is 28-3/4". Its a narrow width axle but a tall wheel, looking in my Mack books, the number of spokes and the number of bolts matches an AC, an AB or even a Manhattan. I was leaning towards a Manhattan only because of the width of the axle. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Art

A bad condenser will also make a gas engine backfire like mad. Give that a try, Art

Chuck,

Try www.patwalshrestorations.com he has fuel tank insulator seal (for use on brackets) for $6.75 per foot and fuel tank strap webbing (woven OEM style) for $6.95 per foot. These are for a B model. The pricing may be off, my price list is a couple of years old. Hope this helps, Art

Hi George,

Anytime I have been that air bound or change fuel lines, I disconect the line at the injector and pressurize the tank with compressed air to force the fuel through and clear the air from the lines. I usually use a blow gun with a rag wrapped around to keep the air from escaping. You don't need alot of air just a few good shots and fuel should flow. Have someone watch the line and when no more air comes through reconnect the line to the injector. If it still won't start you will have to bleed each injector. Hope this helps, Art

Jim,

According to the Connecticut DMV, Only vehicles with a GVWR of 18,000# or less is not requred to undergo a vehicle inspection. I don't think even a B-20 will fall under that category. Two years ago when I registered my B-42 as an antique. I was required to get temporary commercial plates and get my 26,000# GVW antique dump truck inspected at the Wethersfield DMV. This is the only DMV in CT that does inspections on commercial vehicles (even though its registered Antique, it is still considered a commercial vehicle in the eyes of the CT DMV and is required to undergo a commercial safety inspection.

Everyone else that I have talked to never had to do this. Thats because most DMV clerks that do your paperwork for registration think that all vehicles over 25 years of age do not require an inspection. Just my luck, The supervisor is the one that waited on me. The CT DMV inspector (who also fancies a sidearm like a real cop) that did my inspection confirmed all of this. He said the inspection is exactly the same as it is for your commercial annual inspection the only difference is I can carry NOTHING in the bed, not even a dog. Then he said or just don't get caught.

Dustin, My advice to you is Do Not go to the Danbury office as this is where I went. I have heard that the Bridgeport DMV is easy pickins. Thats where I will go when I get another Mack. Hope this helps, Art

Jim, Sorry to butt heads with you but our DMV does suck and I needed to share!

I have a 1963 PPG / Ditzler paint chart and for Mack it lists for years 1952-1959 Light Red 400 #70211.

For years 1959-1963 Light Red 400 #71046. Hope this helps. Art P.S. Click on picture to enlarge text.

I've picked up both the parts and service manuals for my B42 at different times on EBAY. Both came pretty reasonable. Check Ebay Motors under Mack as they do come up from time to time. Ebay can be good for parts also. For new parts try Watt's Mack, he's got some nice stuff . If you need alot of used parts check around at salvage yards or look into getting a parts truck. Hope this helps, Art

Freightrain, I have a Duplex TRD722 in my B42 and I had a bad speedo cable and tranny gear. I went to Mack with the tranny number and they had the cable and the tranny gear in stock. The gear retailed for $31.00. Give them a try. Hope this helps, Art

I've got that one. Its a pretty good book, has the history of mack from the beginning up to the late sixties. lots of info and color pictures. $9.98 is a real good deal it list for $24.95 on the back of the book. Art

Hey Marcel,

I had tube type radials on my B42 dump and changed them over to tubeless radials with one piece open rims. One thing I wanted to add is you get a much better ride with a tubeless radial than with tube type tire, especially when your empty. Have a good night...Art

I have a B42 single axle dump with a 285 Mack diesel in it and when I got it I also wanted to put power steering in it. When they put the diesel engine in it they kept the original charging system and did not update it with an alternator. Good for me! I contacted Dennis from OLDMACKS.com about the power steering kit that he was selling but $2,000 was to steep for me. So time for option B. Around here (Connecticut) there are alot of old B models around, some alive and some dead. I found a tandem B61 Dump in Branford that was in very bad shape but had hydraulic assist power steering in it. I tracked the guy down and he let me take anything I wanted of the truck for $100. Took the generator and hydraulic pump assembly (pump mounts to the back of the generator), drag link, the hydraulic cylinder and the bracket which attaches the cylinder to the cross steering tube. Plus numerous other parts, good deal huh.

With a little adjustment to the drag link and a longer ubolt to attach the cylinder to the axle I was in business. The generator charged fine just had to adjust the regulator. Truck steers like a dream and no broken fingers when the wheel returns . So my advice is keep your eyes out for "goodies in peoples backyards" as my wife says I do when I ride in the car with her. A lot of the tandem axle B models came with hydraulic assist power steering so thats your best bet. Good luck...Art

Check with your local Mack Dealer, they sell the bumper guides and the small bulldogs that go on top. The bulldogs cost $35.00 each and the guide poles cost $35.00 each also. The part number for the bulldogs is 282SX11, and the part number for the guide poles is MH36. Hope this helps. Art

http://www.muggyweld.com/potmetal.html

Rob, check out this web site. They sell the aluminum scratch rod you are talking about only better. Their rod melts at half the melting point as the standard repair rod. 350 degrees as opposed to 700 degrees. We all know what happens to pot metal when you put a torch to it . Eastwood also sells the regular aluminum scratch rod but I only see it in the catalog not online. Hope this helps. Art

i'll try and attach a picture of mine with the excavator behind it. saw a B-81 on the road today in no. branford conn. rt.80 widening job.

Scott I know exactly where you are talking about, I was by there the other day. Its a red B81 in a yard on rt.80 not far from Dunkin Donuts. In Connecticut there is a lot of B models still on the road working. There is also a lot that aren't working any more which makes for plenty of parts trucks to pick off of. Take it easy, Art

The third picture has a stubby nosed Mack, what model is that? I saw one before and herd they are rare.

Thats a C model Mack, built from 1963 to 1965. It is pretty rare, they only made 1,589 of them. They used B model fenders and L model cabs. Short nose too, only three feet long like a B-67 but more room in the cab! Take it easy... Art

Thomas, There is a guy on Ebay who sells under the name PAPSNME. He sells NOS KD lamp marker lights #517 which are just like oem equipment. He usually list a set once a month. I bought five from him earlier this year for $150.00. They were dated 1968. He lists them as new old stock with a metal finish.

When I got mine they were NOS but the original chrome finish was not. They had been re-plated with zinc plating (very dull, looks like silver spray paint). I had to get them re-chromed at $50 each. That now makes the set $400 ouch!!! So I guess what I'm saying is if you find a set on Ebay make sure its not from this seller. Art

Wow!!! I thought a Duplex was hard enough, forget about a Quad box. Nicely done! I think I'll stick to my ten speed. LOL

Art

Trent,

There is a rebuild kit for Trico Forberth air wiper motor on EBAY. Item #4597141314. Its $24.99 with three days left and no bids. It looks like its only gaskets and seals. Good Luck, Art

On ebay item #4592236577 Kingofsalvage is selling chrome hood strips. It ends in twenty minutes so act fast. If you don't get it in time don't worry, he has alot of them. I bought a set from him back in April and they were real nice. I belive they were stainless even though he says they are chrome.

Take it easy... Art

Hey guys, I have a dilema. I have a 1953 B42 in very good shape (refurbished not restored). The front windshield was clouded and leaked at both bottom corners and the center post. So I figured I would solve the problem, change the windshield, rubber and the lock strip. I got the glass, rubber and lock strip from Watt's Mack (very nice I might add).

I pulled the old windshield out only to find green paint. Truck is red and has been painted at least twice since new. So it was original. The cab area underneath the rubber was in excellent condition no rot holes, so I sanded, primed and painted that area.

The new windshield was put in professionally, seemed to difficult to do myself. Only to see how easy it was with the right tools. Everything fit perfect, nice and tight. Guess what? It leaks! The center post doesn't leak anymore but both lower corners leak just as bad as before. Its not coming in were the glass meets the rubber, its coming in were the rubber meets the cab and the grove in the rubber is seated perfect into the steel on the cab.

Is this a normal defect in the B model design or is there something I can do to stop the leak. Thanks for your help, Art

Hi George,

I'm assuming you have Stewart Warner gauges, The best place I found to get Stewart Warner is at www.stewartwarner.net. The fuel sending unit they sell works for either positive or negative ground.

Fleet Pride also sells Stewart Warner, There a little more expensive though. There's one in Richland, Mississippi. I don't know if thats near you or not.

Hope this helps, Art

I have a 1953 B42 which has a 285 Mack turbo in it from the 80's and I just put in a hydraulic assist power steering kit off a junk B61. Steers like a Caddilac!! Thing is, the power steering pump runs off the back of the generator. So if they converted your generator to an alternator that won't work.

Air assisted power steering may be another option for you if you have an alternator. OLDMACKS.COM sells both air and hydraulic kits for $1,500 to $2,000. If you can get on off a junk you will be better off.

Hope it helps, Art