Freightrain

Ok, as a follow up to my original post about how the truck would shake itself apart about 55mph or so. Last fall I replaced the tie rod ends and that seemed to be an improvement. They were in bad shape. Still didn't fix the real problem. Step forward to July 4th weekend and I tore into the rear arm bushings. I spent a few days trying to get them out of the truck. I got the rear cross arm off easily enough since I had that off last winter and fix it. I ran into issues getting the front pivot bolt out on the passenger side. Had Drivers side out. Passenger side was stuck solid. Even with my new 3/4 impact and lots of heat it wasn't coming out. I then went to work on the bushings under the housing. That was another disaster in the making. I got the bolt out, but getting the steel bushings out of the ends was NOT happening. Heat and chiseling was not working. Had a few people give me hints but to no avail. I then went back to work on the front bolt. With some work I finally got the bolt out. The bushing was completely toast, the inner sleeve was in pieces. The bolt was worn down in the middle from the bushing beating on it for the last ? years. I got the front to drop down out of the brackets, I torched the old bushings out and using silvo glide I was able to reinstall the new bushings using he existing bolts and some large washers. Worked really well and with little effort. Didn't need the fancy Neway bushing installer thingmabob. I then just lubed everything up and put it back together. I have the bushings for under the axle, but not going to worry about them. After a test drive I realized it was definitely better then before. I have used it on two road trips and it surely rides better with minimal "bounce" that it used to have. It was never really bad with the trailer, but noticable. Tonight I got out there and rechecked my toe in. I worked on it back when I did the tie rod ends. It was close, but I knew it wasn't "right". Trying to do a backyard alignment on wobble wheels is tough. I spun each wheel and found the middle of the wobble(only 1/16" or so, but enough). I then checked across the inside tire tread line. Surely it was about 1/8" toe OUT. Not good. I readjusted the tie rod til I got about 1/16"-1/8" toe IN. I then took it for a quick trip up the road. Got up to 55mph and it really is much, much better. The steering wheel doesn't get that shimmy feel to it anymore. Just barely if you let go of it, but it doesn't jerk your hand back/forth if you hold on to it. I'm sure I could get a real alignment done on the whole chassis now. Something to look into later. I've got a road trip this weekend, 120 miles away, so that should be a good test to see how it does with the trailer.

Mike, nope samo samo ol Bostrom seats. Got mine recovered years ago with some breathable fabric instead of that stink'n hot vinyl. Jim, actually it is all painted up now. I put the rubber hose back over the main box lever. The aux shifter is all painted satin black and looks smooooth. Guess I need to get a good shot of it completed? It's doing well pulling trailer. It will pull 65 mph easily at about 1800 rpm and run with traffic. I did try the double OD once with the trailer. It was a level run and then downhill and it ran up to 75+ mph as I just had to prove my point to this idiot in a 4wheeler that screwed me on the uphill grade. Given time, I will get around ya........LOL!!!!! I rebuilt the front bushings in the rear arms over July 4th holiday. That helped.

Hey....what's wrong with THREE sticks??? LOL!!!

Once I popped a stud in my 673 the other summer, I heard all my trucking buddies tell of they times they always had spare studs for whatever they were driving at the time just for fixes like that.

Glad it all went uneventful for the most part. Yup, loading on top of that crest really puts ramps at a steep angle. Sometimes you just gotta fight it. Friend had a '77 Gold Edition bird, had it completely redone. Very nice car. He stuck a early 400 in it(had to fudge the motormounts), honeycomb wheels, etc. Always will like those cars.

I've seen upgraded versions with rear dump(like a walking floor) that are used for paving big roads.

I R a trukdrvre: For $250 you to can become a truck driver. As long as you stay on big roads, only have to pull a single 28ft pup, drive an automatic and never have to back up?? Of course, if all the trainers look like this??? Well, duh.......sign me up LOL!!

The problem with the newer vehicles.............is they keep "modifying" them til whatever they are working on don't last more then a week. Then they go on to the next part. My sister used to work for Team Mustang(FOMOCO) in Detroit. They'd be given a part and told that they had to make it 5lbs lighter and $10 cheaper to make. They'd do that every year til that part is so over engineered it never survives because it's weak(butchered to nothing). Typical, very typical.

Here is a shot of Stans other Superliner(E9 powered) and his E9 CL: I got to drive the superliner around the parking lot last fall in Cleveland. Just waiting to get my chance to take it for a long ride.

My Mack pictues: I came up on this leaving Peterson Heat Treating on Mogadore Rd. I didn't realize who it was til I got up next to him. Yup, Stan Leman. He owns the E9 Super I posted a few years ago. He also owns a CL E9 too.

Good, clean sheetmetal............a bodymans DREAM!!!!! Congrats on getting it home.

I've read where if you run duals too close together they will interact and have problems. All that fancy electronic mumbo-jumbo. How's your coax? If that is cut up or kinked it will get a high standing wave and cut your power output. Do you have a SWR meter? Standing Wave Ratio. It's the amount getting out compared to reflected back in. Closer to zero, the better. Where's Rob. He builds radar towers, he outta know this crap.

Daggone you got that thing in ALL its pieces!!!!! Wanna trade when you're done?? LOL!!!

Sweeeeet!!!

Rob, I went through this mess with my set up. The pictures in the books don't always represent the actual part. My suspension has the flat mount bags, but the pictures in the book only show the tapered mounts for my part number. ????? There should be a tag under one of the bag mounts on the crossbeam. It will even have a serial number.

I've got a few ideas for tomorrow, that include a new rosebud tip for my torches. I think that will get the lower adapter bushings out. The front bolt, I think it might be stuck on the alignment cams of the front bracket. I'm going to throw some heat(with no torch head) and see if that doesn't loosen it up. I don't think I'll get a big enough cutting wheel in there to cut the bolt. I might just have to burn it out from the ends? We'll see tomorrow. I've already welded up the bag mount pins over the winter. They were toast and I already put new rear bushings on it. Came apart really easy this time. The cotter pin that holds the threaded stud was already pretty gone(couldn't even see it), so it's all welded solid now. The threaded stud is in decent shape and works okay now. With the use it will get the rest of its life I'm not concerned. If need be, I'll cut the end of the arm off and rebuild it myself(come the need). I got a welder and I'm not afraid to use it!! What it looked like originally.

Ok, got some time so I started tearing into my suspension. So far I found that the right front mount is GONE and thus likely the reason for all the shaking at highway speed. Something like 3/8"-1/2" of slop. I can't seem to get the bolt out of right front mount? Got nut off, using my new 3/4" IR impact, I can't seem to get the bolt to turn/come out. Been soaking in PB Blaster but not budging. The other 3 bolts slid right out without issue. Next, I can't seem to get the adapter bushings out of the lower mounts. I've heat/beat/chisel and they won't come out, which won't allow the arm to drop off the axle. Bushing on each side of arm, got to get both out to get arm out. Spent some time today without no avail. Don't have rosebud tip for torch, so can't heat that mount up enough, might get new head for torch tomorrow. Anyone have some insight?? I haven't pulled the hubs off the axle yet, as I'm trying to work around them presently. Might have to go all the way, but trying to eliminate that hassle right now.

I've got the new socket to fit the front pivot bolts(42mm), so I'm ready to disassemble mine to replace bushings. I'm hoping it takes care of the "hopping" situation at highway speed. I'd have to go look at mine to remember which bags mine has? Seems like it's the "left" style, but can't recall off hand. Since I put new leveling valves on, they NEVER, ever loose air even after weeks in the garage. Me likely!

Looks great!

^^^^ after they put up a nice building to hold the horses. Then the building is yours!!!! Eh, I'm a fart smellar................um, ah, smart fellar. My kids were jumping up and down and yelling: "blow off the end of the gun like cowboys do" I was expecting to see a picture of Elmer Fudd with the end of his shotgun all banana peeled from Bugs stickin his finger in it.

Check the other post. Apparently he's knee deep and been too busy. He is fine.

Thanks for the update David. She was going to be my next google search, though I didn't know her married name(doh).

I was hoping you mighta seen him Kid? Did he ever pick up the Mack? I tried all the numbers I have for him> Cell goes to voice mail, work is disconnected.

I send him a text yesterday and haven't heard back. Strange. Cell phone went to voice mail this morning. The shop number I have is disconnected. I tried the listed number and it's disconnected. Something isn't right. I did some Google searching and didn't find anything in the newspapers with his name.

Oh man, guess I missed something? Welcome to the real world, women will never be understood and you'll never do anything "right" again once you get involved with them. ahhh, but the farmers daughter.............well, you get the picture............