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Adding Air Ride/stretching Frame


Freightrain

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Stan Walls sent me a shifter for the aux tranny. Had to fab up a mount for it, still need to detail things a bit.

SDC10934.jpg

A lil close to the passenger left leg, but I'll be moving the shaft some:

SDC10937.jpg

Plenty of room for shafts to come back:

SDC10938.jpg

A shot to the rear:

SDC10940.jpg

Also got some interior work going on. Have a local upholstry shop doing some sewing on stuff so I can finish up the bunk. Hopefully see that stuff this week.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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  • 1 month later...

Saw Larry's truck today at the local car show. He did an excellent job extending the frame and installing the air ride and sleeper. The cab/sleeper pass-thru looks great. He should be very proud of his work! Lookin' good!!! :twothumbsup: You can work on my truck anytime. :rolleyes:

Ken

PRR Country and Charter member of the "Mack Pack"

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  • 2 months later...

Well, I made more headway this weekend.

Made up new rods.............

SDC11008.jpg

Then I got the shifter machined and mounted. I cut the top off, then machined the shortened rod with a flat spot and threaded holes to be able to bolt a handle on...

SDC11011.jpg

Then I got the rods bolted in....

SDC11014.jpg

Then I cut the floor panel for the shifter....

SDC11009.jpg

I got it all together this morning and took it for a short run. The new shifter was being a bit stiff, but I think that was from the transmission not being shifted in quite some time. As time went, it did loosen up and become easier to shift. I'm only using a piece of 3/4" conduit for a handle right now.

Don't hold your breathe for a three handed shifting video LOL!!! It's going to take some time to get used to this get up.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Im working on making the handle presently. Kinda hard to make room for THREE sticks and NOT have them get wrapped around each other LOL! Plus make room for the g/f to get by into the bunk. Geesh.......Im getting there. Then the fun of trying to learn to drive it. The aux doesnt shift as precisely as the main boxes as I have found out.

Maybe next spring Ill make a video???

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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Larry and others….

I love how this is going. I have a question thats bothered me for a while and seeing the efforts here reminds me of it.

I look at the frame rails and see that there used to be a hitch welded to the rails at one time. I was under the impression that frame rails were made of spring steel and therefore should not have any welds or bolt holes made in them. Clearly many people weld to a frame. What am I missing? Perhaps I'm just mis-informed. I have no doubt that the frame lengthening is a good solid job, I'm just confused.

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You know I've been thinking about something. With the added Brownie box and the ultra deep reduction.With that kind of torque multiplication, If you get in a bind I hope you don't break something. I know you don't pull any kind of weight but just curious of that will work out.

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Pantera, as for welding, yes it's usually not recommended but in most instances is doable. The newer 'high tensile" steel used in the newer trucks has warnings all over it. If you weld to them, it tends to get brittle, thus allowing cracks to form if it gets twisted. There again it depends on who welds it and how it's done(proper weld rod and preheating).

I was lucky enough to bolt my together so I don't have any of those possible issues. Mine is also more of a toy and won't see 80K lbs again in it's lifetime.

slpwlker, I don't plan on using the aux for much other then slow moving when I'm backing up. I was surprised that it doesn't give me as much reduction as I was thinking, but any is better then none. It moves a bit too fast(in direct) for my taste and I don't like riding the clutch while manuveuring. There again it's a very lightweight box so I don't want to push it hard either. With my old 673 I'm not too concerned but when/if the time comes I put more power in it I will be more careful.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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Oh, I don't think the 673 is giving up soon, but I want more power(arh, arh, arh). I'd love to find a nice 250hp version(endt673c), as they were built for triplex use. Wouldn't complain if someone gave me a 237, but don't want a lug motor.

Buddy tells me to find a 300 for it................sure, why not?? I think the 250 will move it along very nice and not beat up the driveline.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, we now have THREE handles to choose from..........

SDC11023.jpg

Had to build it with a big kink to allow passenger room to make it to the bunk. The shifter is right in front of the seat and if I had a straight handle you couldn't get around it.

Took it for a spin, everything works well. Need to pull it out and put some paint on the handle. Need to recover my main stick as I cut the rubber hose off to be able to heat/bend it straighter. It had a kink in it and really didn't need it and wanted to make more room for third stick.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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