Project EastBound and Down...

[lurchseesu]

Originally Posted by Bustin Loose

Don't post bullshit like I'm some kind of dumbass straight out of trucking school. If you are working for a shady company like you described especially if they don't adjust your brakes properly then you're the retard for failing on the reason for your pretrip and driving out of the yard in the first place. If you NEED jakes to slow down when you are already on the ramp then you are going too fast. I've heavy hauled before and NEVER NEEDED jakes to slow down on the ramp. That's just plain bullshit and you know it.

Sorry, tired and sore but if anyone leaves a yard with equipment in that condition they need to drive off a cliff for being stupid and threatening the lives of those they drive around.

I don't think I've ever needed a jake to stop but it certainly helps. And I've never O/O'd and had to front the bill for anything, but if I ever did, I'd imagine I'd want to make the brakes last as long as possible. Using nothing but the brakes is going to wear them down much faster.

And in the real world of dump trucking, you know that shady shit like that goes on all the time. Whenever I was driving something really shitty, my pre-trip report usually just surmised that everything was bad and needed work. Now they'd usually not do anything about it, and when they did it meant not getting paid because you had nothing to drive. Or just losing a job because they retired the truck. For that reason, you usually grit your teeth and deal with it. Bus full of nuns be damned, that's life in that kind of industry.

On the other hand, every semi I've driven was quite a bit better. That's a whole other world when it comes to them actually keeping up with trucks. And they've usually just got better braking power, period. Even a dump truck that's pretty fresh and well maintained doesn't really stop as good as a semi. Like I said, I've never flat out needed a jake to stop, but it sure does help sometimes.

[RoosterBooster]

Originally Posted by lurchseesu

...I'd imagine I'd want to make the brakes last as long as possible...

i always had the impression thats why many O/Op order the manual trailer brake lever on the steering column ...
so that they can wear down the (leased/rented/... ) trailer brakes instead of the Tractor

[mike_belben]

i still have the trolley/spike brake on my column but no gladhands. when i pull the lever somethin hisses so the valving must still be there. ive got everything to gain by replumbing for an air trailer and have some gladhand cutoffs but no idea where it all hooks up. not that it matters right now.

i'll have to look up some air schematics eventually, since one of the air tanks has to move for the dual exhaust.

the short list for now:
new ignition and door locks
new air cans and brake shoes
pressure test radiator
pull interior and fix minor handle, lock rod and window regulator issues
determine which leftover gauges from its OTR days arent needed. bunch.
strip off all the sidehung crapola.
go through driveshaft joints, bushings, kingpins and so forth

one sucky thing is its got manual steering. theres 3 pipe plugs but i think they are fill, level and drain, not pressure ports. i can steer the truck but its a hand over hand affair on a massive steering wheel. like the lid off a 55 gallon drum.

btw, anyone tempted to put a roadranger or other unsync'd tranny in your daily driver, try one out first. all those gears and neato air hiss noises are worthless when you just slipped the stick out of one gear and cant find the next. the clutch is next to worthless, whether in or out, its still gonna grind if your timing isnt spot on every shift. go power up someones lathe, flip the power off and try to shift the transmission while the chuck is still spinning. thats what a roadranger feels like. definitely doable, but not for everyone.

[gavan]

Originally Posted by mike_belben

btw, anyone tempted to put a roadranger or other unsync'd tranny in your daily driver, try one out first. all those gears and neato air hiss noises are worthless when you just slipped the stick out of one gear and cant find the next. the clutch is next to worthless, whether in or out, its still gonna grind if your timing isnt spot on every shift. go power up someones lathe, flip the power off and try to shift the transmission while the chuck is still spinning. thats what a roadranger feels like. definitely doable, but not for everyone.

It takes some getting used to, thats for sure... but I am already disappointed with the nv4500 and zf6 in my other vehicles now

[angryblack]

Originally Posted by mike_belben

^ no harm done, thanks for catching it.

AB. i was in a wedding in elizabeth, the only marshmallow in the hot chocolate. my bridesmaid had inked tits, gold fronts and a bulletwound. outside the titty bar in rahway had to be the most expensive free parking ive ever seen. like 3 crackhead shakedowns to park on the curb!

Mutha fucka that made me laugh so hard i had to run to the bathroom..

Whats sad is that its true.

[mike_belben]

'damnnn dawg.. dassa pritty cawhhhh you got deahh.. be damnn shame some nigga come fuggit up while yall inside da titty bawhh. fydollaz i'll watchit fuya."

thats crackhead for 'gimme 5 bucks or i'll fuck your shit up'

so.. its official. if you need a stack part that isnt in here, it dont exist. im spent.
http://www.dynaflexproducts.com/PDF_...UNI08V2_V5.pdf

[spreader]

Originally Posted by lurchseesu

I love those turn-outs on that KW "hook". Had some stubby turn-outs on a Pete, but I pulled a tanker. Truck sat kinda low too. I even like the 'mule ears' if they aren't over done. Like on 8" stacks.
Yeah, manual steering sucks in town. But for the open road it ain't bad. Yours wouldn't be so bad if you had 'center point' steering. It's almost like power steering. But, PS is great if you have a blow out on steer axle. BTDT.
If no one has answered the Q about cable operated drain plugs-they are all the same. Industry standard you know. 1/4" pipe. Or, you can install automatic drains. Or both. And a manual drain to leave open all night in freezing ass snowy winter weather.

[Harold Phipps]

I always put the disconnect in the + side.
Not sure why but I can come up with some story why I do it that way.
At one time, NHRA specified the battery disconnect go in the + cable.
That's all I got for now.

[RoosterBooster]

Originally Posted by Harold Phipps

I always put the disconnect in the + side.
Not sure why but I can come up with some story why I do it that way.
At one time, NHRA specified the battery disconnect go in the + cable.
That's all I got for now.

x2 on that ^^^
... i guess thats the same reason why i do the + side

[mike_belben]

Originally Posted by spreader

If no one has answered the Q about cable operated drain plugs-they are all the same. Industry standard you know. 1/4" pipe. Or, you can install automatic drains. Or both. And a manual drain to leave open all night in freezing ass snowy winter weather.

when i mentioned fill, level and drain plugs, i was talking about the steering box, which i assume is full of gear oil.

i havent got under my air tanks at all but i havent noticed a dryer, which i would like to have. ive accumulated a box full of various industrial compressor dryers, any reason why i cant run one of those between the air pump and primary tank? im aware truckers pump alcohol through their systems to take out winter moisture.. does this require any fancy devices/valves or just fill an "oiler" with alcohol?

school me please.

[mike_belben]

ive meant to keep an approximate running tally of cost in this thread.

SPENT
$ 1,500.00 for truck
500.00 to donald for tow, i had to arm wrestle him to take it.
375.00 in new batteries
150.00 for used rear tires and rims to roll it
$ 75.00 wheel lug hardware

___________
$ 2,600.00

RECOUPED
$ 70 for scrap batteries

[FbOmRxD]

You sure you really want to start that?

Half the reason I get by building everything is I keep myself in the dark about how much I spend

How far is the truck from you house? Easy to get to and work on?

[Crank]

This is a really neat build. Are you going to have to get any of your cdl's to drive this thing if it's for personal use?

[mike_belben]

Originally Posted by FbOmRxD

You sure you really want to start that?

yes, to illustrate you can have a real truck for a fraction of a 1ton if you remove your head from your ass. i paid 7k for my dually and id guess another 3k in it over time so thats the target to beat and have something better.

its about 35 minutes away and i can pull right up next to it. farm is 20 acres.

Originally Posted by Crank

Are you going to have to get any of your cdl's to drive this thing if it's for personal use?

no, im committed to motorhome plates, the living quarters is required and commercial use excluded, so once i move, its just a liesure tool.. a 'hobby truck'

RV laws by state
http://www.readybrake.com/state_laws.html#al


federal commercial specs with state info
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/publ...egs_final_rpt/

neither mass nor tennessee require air endorsement for RV regardless of GVW. i thought 80k gross was the fed limit but id be way under. mass allows 60' long combined x 8.5 wide. tennessee allows 65' combined length.

this truck was plated as a motorhome already, i just have some title stuff to track down but im getting warmer. im thinking 12k front, 20k rear =32k gvw. still have to measure OAL.

[Harold Phipps]

Your gvw is right on!
Man are you doing well in the cost side!

[mike_belben]

Originally Posted by Harold Phipps

Your gvw is right on!
Man are you doing well in the cost side!

i generally live by the rule that you buy when the deals are there. that means sitting on cash, scrounging for cash or using credit.

a $1500 deal truck plus $500 interest is still cheaper than a meh $6000 pricetag and using money youve saved up. many, many deals are once in a lifetime. when your once in a lifetime price pops up, put down what youre doing and go get the damn thing. downside is when the economy is sour, you accumulate waaay too much awesome stuff. too many deals.

anyway

1973 Kenworth W900A by klintan77, on Flickr

3D model

[spreader]

Mike
You ever surf 'EastCoastLargeCars' or 'WestCoastLargeCars' Used to be a free site, but now you pay to see it ALL. You can still peruse some of the site without being a member. Some really righteous rigs to bring out the wood in you.

[mike_belben]

thanks, ill have to check it out

[akaphilly]

sweet new project mike. cant wait to see the progress

[mike_belben]

thanks phil. probably not gonna be much of that, this is the phase where i learn the ropes, take in ideas, nail down my plan and collect parts. my jeep and dodge are both scheduled for surgeries in the meantime, now that all parts are finally on hand for their respective ailments. ive been too busy messing with someones musical slider on gooseneck woes lately.

generic airbrake schematic


i found my tiny little charge tank but havent noticed a dryer yet, not that the search has been exhaustive. my service tank needs to get relocated for exhaust clearance and ill add a dessicant dryer at that time if needed.

i was reading the bendix air brake handbook this morning, had some good info about where to place the charge tank. too close to compressor and hot moisture and oil vapor gets through your dryer. too far, or with plumbing that allows pools to collect condensation and you'll ice up between your compressor and dryer/charge tank. ill have to take a close look at that when moving all my stuff around.

also came across something elsewhere that i need to investigate further. i guess there may be a device that acts as a form of proportioning valve for the brake capacity whether hooked to a trailer vs empty. IE, the brakes required to stop doubles would lock up the tires when bobtailing. apparently if the red gladhand is connected or not determines this full or partial brake capacity on the tractor. apparently when an OTR truck is retired from long haul and gets a dump body and tag/pusher axle, they more or less fool the red gladhand so that the truck always has full brakes. i dunno, but i'll be looking into it when i get a chance.

[RoosterBooster]

yes, if you turn a tractor into a straight truck you have to change that proportioning valve ...
my bro did the work removing/converting it at our Pete after we dropped one axle and added more weight towards the rear (so i dont really know how its done) ...
but brake feel & performance was a lot better after the change.

iirc he had some Bendix printouts at hand when he worked on it ... so i guess there has to be a "how to" pdf somewhere at the Bendix website

[PAToyota]

Originally Posted by Harold Phipps

I always put the disconnect in the + side.

To me, it is sort of an offshoot of disconnecting the negative cable first. If you touch anything else while disconnecting the negative side it isn't going to spark. Then, with the negative side disconnected, nothing is going to spark if you hit anything else while disconnecting the positive side.

With the negative side disconnected, if you accidentally touch something to the negative terminal it will just be grounded - as normal. With the positive side disconnected, if you accidentally touch something to the positive terminal it will likely short out to something.

[BassnTruck]

Originally Posted by mike_belben

thats what this box of solenoid valves is for. today i did some work on the rear bag plumbing and got both sides working off the level valve. the OD of the nylon tubing is around 1/4" and fill/dump is pitifully slow. like "is it rising, i cant tell" slow. @120 PSI system pressure it took 3 minutes for the truck to rise 1.5 inches or so. thats gonna go, ive got a brain, and dont need the levelling valve to think for me. with 4 wheel air ride and most bags having an easy 6" travel or more, i figure full manual control from generous lines and valves can rapidly raise or lower me to suit the terrain. the bottom of my tank did scrape on the way up the trailer, breakover on a 20' wheelbase kinda sucks!





id say so. i drove it around with my daughter today on donalds farm. i floated every gear you could reasonably do in the 10mph or so range that was ok for his yard. L > 1 > 2 but 3rd and 4th it would just grind because the idle speed was higher than the driveshaft speed. the truck will idle at 700 or so sitting still but it was hanging up around 1100 or more when between gears without falling off. i thought donald said something about 'high idle' but ill have to ask. i figured out how to float the downshift from 3/2/1. i dont have a key yet, so now power to the dash or jakes, i dunno how you handle a downshift with the jakes on.

i did flip into high range once just to see, handle is definitely plumbed right and the splitter is on the low side. boo i dont think its geared low enough to be an 8ll but i expected 3 reverse speeds from any of the 15 speed trannies and im only finding 2. this "deep reduction" has yet to be found. what should i be looking for? you guys wanna see my knob?



dont know about axle ratio yet, but i think its highway geared cuz i couldnt take off in 5th at all, and barely in 4th with a bare framerail, singled out truck.







i meant just removing leaves and adding bags ontop the current main arch.



thats probably the only way i can keep straight stacks, no matress can be turned sideways between them and still be under 102. its just a matter of how much can i tolerate hanging in front of the windshield vs how much can i tolerate the bunk poking into the living space. ive got an idea about a hinge in the middle of the bed platform and tucking it up against the ceiling with chains when not in use. we'll see. have some ideas but nothing in stone yet.


todays progress was plugging the leaking air tank, fixing the rear bag that wasnt getting air from a defective levelling valve. there were two, now only one. also wired in my 3rd battery, finished by jumpers and plumbed it all to the master shutoff switch so the batteries dont drain.







my cables are just arc welder leads with 1/2" copper pipe that i pressed, drilled, smashed and soldered onto the wire, then taped silly. im loving the 3/8 coarse thread battery posts and will not buy overpriced auto batteries again. these were $90 each. group 31 FTW.

I had a 3 battery set up just like that in my bus. It sucked. I have a 2/10 amp charger on the bus on a timer at 2 amps that kicks on to keep the topped off. They will discharge each other in short order if it sits for long periods with no charger. My story goes the plug got unplugged some how for the charger. Went out to start is and found 3 toasted newer batteries. Dumped the triple set up for a giant single of about the same size and stopped the scavenging effect of the 3 units. Just a FYI

[mike_belben]

seems everybody runs a big stack of batteries on HDTs. did u have a master shutoff switch? are u sure there wasnt a radio memory or clock drawing them down?

[Mikes79bronco]

We have trucks that sit all summer long, We just run them for an hour or so at least once a week and drive them maybe every other week. Never have an issue with batteries. If your not going to run the truck often through a battery maintainer on it, but that's my advice for anything with a battery.

Looks like an awesome project really looking forward to seeing this one done. This is basically what i want to do at some point.