Freightrain Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Friday was a good day. I hooked up to my buddy's utility trailer and made a trip to pick up my parts.Got home and used the bobcat to roll it back off and put it off to the side of the garage for future work.I want to do some clean up work, ie: sandblasting, to make it ready for some POR 15. Will need new bags, shocks and other assorted hard parts. The panhard bar looks a bit worn so likely replace it. The torque rod looks good still.The fellow is looking into finding budd hubs for the front of my B. I gave him all my bearing specs and spindle information I got years ago when I did the king pins. If he can find something, even if I have to do some custom machine work I'll leave the budds on the back. If the front falls through then I'll be picking up spokes for the rear. I also have to swap carriers as it's geared fast(3.70) and he has a set of 4.30's waiting.I did find out one thing this afternoon after poking around. I WILL be able to slip the new frame OVER my existing frame. Using more accurate tape I found the inner dimension is the same as my outer. Yahoo!! I'll have about 70" of overlap as I'll be able to butt my frame up to the front suspenion crossmember. This makes me very happy. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Larry, Glad to hear of your good luck find. Don't forget me. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanscottbuilders Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Larry,I haven't been keeping up on BMT with the latest...What is that set-up - a Freightliner air ride?It's really nice to be able to run the new frame up under the cab and make the splice out of sight. Good find!It would only take a "teensy little" more power to make the 3.70's work!!And you'd never be late to the races again.Paul VS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted June 2, 2010 Author Share Posted June 2, 2010 Paul, I'd LOVE to have enough power to use the 3.70's. My buddy keeps telling me to leave them in and try it. I know it's a waste of time with only 180 hp/500 lb/ft torque. He told me how his Shiny 290 would pull it fine with 80K lbs. Ya, well that's got a bit more power then me! Besides being wayyy too fast in Reverse too.I'll stick with the 4.30 for now and be able to pull 70 mph downhill, or at least cruise 65mph not on the governor all day.It's a '92 Ford chassis, Neway air ride, original single axle tractor converted to dump. The joint will still be a foot or so behind the cab, but under the bunk when I get it. It will be a slip over/bolt on. No welding needed(which is nice).Don't worry Mike...........your first on the list for the old stuff! Heck, you can even have my new springs and slip it under your truck. With a bit of weight on the back it'll ride like a dream!Last week I got the frame stripped down to bare bones:Spent some time this evening and got the wedges out of the axles(geesh, who came up with THAT idea?). Lots of heat, PB blaster and sledgehammer. The axles had never been out, buy the looks of the faces(that had never been beat on yet) They look well used NOW! Ready to pull the pig and swap it out. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 have fun with that Larry. Think Ill let you test the waters with a old newway set up going under a B model. I have a neway tandem cut off that Im getting from a friend. As soon as he has time to cut it out of a junked tractor I will freshen it up and install it. For now I will just watch you and avoid any of your mistakes LOL!!!!! thanks trent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted June 2, 2010 Author Share Posted June 2, 2010 Well, we're going to work hard at NOT screwing anything up along the way!! It's going to be an all summer deal, getting all my ducks in a row before dealving into it.Are you going to just bolt yours on or slip it over like mine? I wanted to lengthen mine so I have to slip it. If I was just replacing, I'd bolt it on.The only noticable things that needs replaced is the torque arm, as it's pretty ugly looking. The panhard looks okay. Other then that I'm going to just run it, with new cams, cans, bags, shocks. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 chop cut and weld on to the current frame. I will put some inner frame rail channels across the welds and bolt them in between cross members on both sides of the weld. Im thinking I will stretch it to about 200" WB and this way if I want to add a sleeper down the road I will have some frame rail to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 Mine will be about 200"(current 150 + 48~"), which will give me plenty for the 42" bunk I have for it. Personally I'd rather have 200" tandem with a 36" bunk but this 42" is FREE so kinda hard to pass it up.Anyone have a 36" bunk they just have to get rid of? Cheap!!!!!! Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Paul, I'd LOVE to have enough power to use the 3.70's. My buddy keeps telling me to leave them in and try it. I know it's a waste of time with only 180 hp/500 lb/ft torque. He told me how his Shiny 290 would pull it fine with 80K lbs. Ya, well that's got a bit more power then me! Besides being wayyy too fast in Reverse too.I'll stick with the 4.30 for now and be able to pull 70 mph downhill, or at least cruise 65mph not on the governor all day.It's a '92 Ford chassis, Neway air ride, original single axle tractor converted to dump. The joint will still be a foot or so behind the cab, but under the bunk when I get it. It will be a slip over/bolt on. No welding needed(which is nice).Don't worry Mike...........your first on the list for the old stuff! Heck, you can even have my new springs and slip it under your truck. With a bit of weight on the back it'll ride like a dream!Last week I got the frame stripped down to bare bones:Spent some time this evening and got the wedges out of the axles(geesh, who came up with THAT idea?). Lots of heat, PB blaster and sledgehammer. The axles had never been out, buy the looks of the faces(that had never been beat on yet) They look well used NOW! Ready to pull the pig and swap it out.That air ride cutoff I picked up in Wooster has 3.70 gears so I'll let you know how the 170hp Thermodyne does in my 57 B61 with a double over triplex on tall 22" rubber. I figger my "downhill with a tailwind" speed with be blinding!! Uphill, well, the jury is out on that one......Rob Quote Plodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 Double OD and 3.70's!!!! Oh man........I can see the VERY FIRST ticket ever in a B model for exceeding the posted speed limit LMAO!!!!(well, downhill anyway).If I only bobtailed I would consider the gears, but with the limited power I still want some grunt to pull my trailer. If I recall, Superdog has some serious top end in his wrecker but with that 290 Cummins I think he has the power to pull it. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted June 11, 2010 Author Share Posted June 11, 2010 Update:got the 3.70's pulled and swapped for 4.10 ratio. Brought it home last night. Unfortunately I have to return the bobcat(doh) so I'll have to wait to get the gears put back in. Working on finding a place to sandblast the cut off so I can paint it up purdy.My supplier also has a nice pair of 8"?x 32"? air tanks(very nice late model takeoffs) for $45ea. They come with brackets welded to the back with mounting studs so no straps to rust out. Will get them today/monday and make up brackets to mount them. I can't use the original tank in the rear as the air ride eliminates all the room back there. I'll be hanging them up on the side like typical trucks.Would love to find a pair of old F/L alum round tanks to hang back there and get rid of my square tanks. Will be working on that quest. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted September 12, 2010 Author Share Posted September 12, 2010 New update:Got the cut off back from shot blast last Tuesday. Looks BRAND NEW, not a touch of grease or rust anywhere.I got the POR 15 out and got 3/4 of it covered. Need to get under and touch up the spots I couldn't reach without laying in fresh paint. Ya, shoulda started on the bottom but didn't feel like it!!!(note hitch welded to nose. worked well using it to pull around town)Got a parts list going and will start to collect things to put it back together so I can slip it on the truck come the end of October. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Looking good so far, Larry. I am anxiously watching your progress as this would be a welcome upgrade for my F-model. I like the idea of the slip fit rails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer52 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Got to meet Larry today at a local car show and also see his B61. Nice truck! It will be even nicer with this air ride on the back. Keep us posted on your progress. Quote Ken PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted September 13, 2010 Author Share Posted September 13, 2010 Glad to meet you Ken! Thanks for stopping by.Not that I'm hoping for the end of the racing season, but I'm really anxious to see how this is going to go together. Can't wait to try it out! Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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