Joe Cummings

Looks like it's going to be a nice truck Barry. As far as I am concerned single axle is the way to go with a wrecker, they balance much better. Hey what's up with the Autocar helping to make the lift Joe

I think I got the hang of this picture thing. I like them green inside but I think I could get used to this red. Yeah Bill give me a 29,000 rear axle under a wrecker any day. And keep the tailgate as close to the rear spring hangers an you can. Oh and don't forget the jake brake. But you got to admit this is one fine looking truck. Joe

Booms and body are a little far back for my taste but she sure is pretty. Joe Lets try this picture thing again

I always hated them, but then again I'm 6'2" 280 pounds. If I was thinner I might be ok with them. Joe

To put the trunion in a Mack the right way you should use BODY BOUND BOLTS. You drill the holes with a drill bit and then ream them to fit the shank of the bolt. I've put them in the wrong way with regular grade 8 bolts and they lived but it really wasn't right. "HUCK BOLTS" probably do the best job, but the tool to pull them tight and crimp them is expensive and they really aren't original on an old Mack Joe

Did you try tighten all the bolts including the two that are inside the cover on the top right side? You will probably have to cut/bend some box wrenches to fit on them. Joe

A friend of mine had a couple of those supercharged Cummins around. I know I saw one at his place in December in an old air compressor. He would probably want to sell it if he hasn't junked it yet. If you have any 69 Z28 Camaro parts to wave under his nose I'll bet he could find you a good one. Joe

Doug, Up here in the north they wouldn't even let us register a truck with 38s and a 12 at 55,000. I know they will handle it but it is tough to raise gvw on a truck up here, they want to see the sticker on the door jam lots of times. And up here you don't get any 10% over. They pick on trucks pretty bad around here. Almost makes me want to move down south. Joe

Didn't Mack used to offer a CNG powered engine for refuse truck applications? I was just on the website and didn't see anything about it. I know there were a few experimental ones around here. Have any of you guys played with CNG or propane? I understand there are some significant tax breaks involved. Joe

I go the other way with the puff limiter. I set them up so I can throw a switch and they hold the rack almost all the way back. Makes them pass with flying colors.

I take it you are replacing the tappet cover gaskets. They are kind of a common leak on 6 cyl macks. If you only remove and replace the pump by unbolting it at the 3 bolt flange you won't disturb the timing. That engine probably has the injection pump drive coupling with the 2 tangs and it should have a pin in it so you can't get it 180 degrees out. The only way you can disturb the timing is by taking off the little round cover that is located on the engine's front timing cover and losening the 4 bolts that are in slotted holes. Joe

Nice Pete Paccar, what's in it for power? I'ts funny but I guess I'm getting old when 70 is an old truck. But it's older than my LF when I started running it. MiKe I got to say I love that B83 I have always loved macks. I used them for years in the salvage and scrap metal business. Nothing stands up to that kind of work like a Mack. I would rather drive a Maxidyne powered 5 or 6 speed 20 year old truck than a new one. As long as I can turn the fuel up a bit I run right along side the newest stuff. But it is getting tough around here with all the smoke checks and stuff. You have to cheat and make up some controls for the puff limiter but you can never get drivers that understand how to use them when they get stopped. Joe

Did you disturb the timing adjustment under that little round cover that is on the top right of the timing cover? If you just took the pump off and are putting the same pump back on you really don't have to time it if the timing is right to begin with. If you want to time it you can "flow time" it but I have to know if you have a Robert Bosch or an American Bosch injection pump. It helps if you can read the tag on the pump because the timing spec is there. Joe

I was thinking today that I haven't seen an L or a B working around here for Quite a long time. I ran a 48 LF and a 53 IHC R210 in wrecker service untill the late 80's but even I gave it up. Parts were hard to get for the LF and The R210 with it's 450 Red Diamond was really slow. Joe

How come I see so many tractors converted into 10 wheelers and roll-offs for sale south of the Mason-Dixon line? Is there something about the weight laws down there that I don't know about? I'm from Philly Pa and here and in Nj pretty much everything is on 44s and 18s & 20s with double frames. Is there some advantage to having 38s and 12s down there? I would guess the tare weights would be a couple of thousand lighter. Joe

Are you saying I'm an old guy?