Freightrain

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.

Mike, ya sure got that right!! I did a lil "thank you" when I took it for a drive and all was well. I got the air ride back and 3/4 painted. Will have to get pics Saturday and get them posted.

Ya, now Barry can watch out for a noisy ol B model to roll into his parking lot next Friday LOL!! Hope to leave after lunch sometime and get out that way mid/late afternoon.

Better never then late...................uh, I mean late then never... LOL!! Belated Happy B day!!! I can almost remember being 30. I think that was back before I hurt all over LMAO!!!!!

More GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was able to retorque the new stud and I took it for a run with the trailer. No more noise, runs cool, oil pressure is fine. Guess I dodged the bullet this time. I think, when I pull it apart this fall to do the rear end swap I'm going to pull the heads off and replace head gaskets and all the studs for a margin of safety and maintenance. The head gaskets have been seeping pretty bad for a few years now and the side of the block is oil covered. I guess 50 yrs is long enough?? LOL!!

Make sure the wheel bearing is tight, if checking by wiggling the wheel. Or have someone actually watch the spindle to confirm it's the pin.

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, sorta. I was able to weld a nut onto the old stud and unscrew it. Ah...............relief. I was able to screw new stud in but am missing the hardened washer so I have to wait til tomorrow and get some. Time will tell if it fixes it. Just glad I got it this far with just a little wrenching. I'll hook the trailer to it and drag'r up the road to see if it still whistles to me(keep fingers crossed).

Ya, couldn't get back in there with calipers to measure yet, but I'm assuming the parts I have would have covered the 711 motor also(having the big studs on the corners). Only have a nut for the smaller stud, but think that's the one I need anyway. Need to come up with hardened washer now(if it uses them?). I'll be tinkering with it this afternoon. Need to get plumbing outta the way to get back there easier. Might even get the hood off too.

Well, did some digg'n in my parts bin and came up with TWO new head studs(one big and one small). Now, if I can get the broken stud out, we'll see how it does. Got my fingers crossed.

Luckily the stud is still sticking ABOVE the head, so I might still be able to get it out. Checked: no water in oil, still on full mark. I started it this morning to put it back in garage and it idled smooth quiet and nothing squirting out. I think if I can get the stud out, I can salvage it without tearing it down. I did keep it from chirping while coming home unless I absolutely had too, then I'd downshift and let it slow down on a grade. I really don't want to put a ton of money in this motor, as I want to find a 300 or such to replace it anyway. Putting lots of money in headwork isn't going to make it worth any more when I go to get rid of it. I've only got a few more races and if I can take it easy and get it to last til Oct I can tear it down then. I'll be putting the air ride on anyway(I pick it up tomorrow from blasters).

Talking with my friend, he just told me the same scenario. He used to run to Chicago and if he lost a bolt on his Cummins, he tried to either switch it out in the parking lot. If not, drive it home and deal with it. He kept extra bolts in the toolbox. He also had T bars welded to pull his heads. I'm kinda torn to weather I want to just find a bolt and stick in it(if I can get to broke part and get it out) or pull the head anyway and replace the gasket and put new bolts in it. I wouldn't mind doing both head gaskets and all bolts just to save from having to do the other head some time in the near future? It is 50 yrs old now....LOL!! It's been down right dependable and I want to keep it that way.

Well, after 8 yrs of running her to death, looks like I hurt something. Had strange noise leaving Columbus tonight coming home from weekend at the races. Ran okay(temp and oil pressure). Had strange noise under hard pull, kinda like a metal squeaking(Not rod bearings). I made it home without fail(strange how it never leaves me stranded), but was burp'n antifreeze out the back when I parked in the driveway. Appears to be missing a nut on the drivers rear head stud. Not sure where it went, when it came off? I stopped half way home as friend wanted to pickup a sandwich. I poked under hood, but nothing seems awry, yet. Everything was dry. An hour later, at home it showed it's ugly head. What's it like pull the heads, nothing worse then I'm used to, just bigger? Should I have them checked for cracks. I know they need guides, but don't want to throw a bunch of money at a 50 yrs old engine. It ran great to this point. Just surface it and bolt it back together? Installing new engine isn't in the cards. Just looking for insight.

Well, my trip schedule may change. Might be coming out Friday afternoon and staying the night so that I don't have to get up at 4am. Doing so will give me time to swing by and say Howdy. We'll see how it goes.

I looked very hard at the axle and saw nothing after the "FA". My big thing is the bolt pattern holding the backing plate and will my steering arm bolt to it. Maybe I'll stop by again soon and take some sand paper and brake clean to inspect it better. It's cut off laying on the ground where I got the rear axle. He kept it just in case it might work for me to get budds on the front.

Happy B-day Paul!!!! Hope it's a good one.

When dealing with enclosed car trailers(like my Haulmark), they mandate 3 axles anything over 32ft. That way they don't have weight issues and tire failures. They offer 7K axles(for the big stacker trailers), but most commons are 3-5K axles(like mine). I get 6 yrs out of tires and never had serious scrub issues but I watch where I go and how I turn. I usually just loose tires due to age, not neglect. The single tire also gives more floor space with a box, unlike a large utility trailer that is tall enough to allow duals under the deck. BTW, my trailer is only 10K on the axles(rated 15K), so I think that is why I don't have the issues that some have. If I was loading very heavy, like others do, then I might have more problems.

Well, if Barry is going to be there, I might try to make a quick stop. Gunno have to get up at 4am anyway, as I'm planning 2 1/2-3hr drive and want to get there at a respectable time. Coming the long way....turnpike, as it's a longer travel time it's an easier drive then back roading it on Rt 30. Barry, did you get my email a few weeks back? I sent it through BMT but hadn't heard back. I have a question about an R model axle and how comparable it is to my B model. We're thinking as long as king pins are the same, we can swap spindles. Only problem is it's a cross steer axle and not sure how my pitman arm will work. If I can make it work, I'm converting to Budds when I put the air ride on the back. Only information on axle was 3915 P5 FA nothing after the FA like I thought it would. Make any sense?

Scary stuff!! Glad to hear you got it taken care of quickly. You are the first I've heard of directly that had a run in with one. Only heard tales before.

That's what they call it now Rob? LOL!!!!

Just think of all the exercise you'll get doing that? I can hear the pounds falling off here in Ohio. You can be the Biggest Loser and she'll be the Biggest Winner LMAO!!!

I have a race at Pittsburgh Raceway Park on Sept 18th and didn't realize til this afternoon that it's just down the road from Watts Mack. Unfortunately gates open at 8am and it will be a LONGGGG day so I won't be able to stop by and say Hey! Likely be going by before you guys even open so can't say you'll hear my horn?

I'll go look at see what I got laying in the garage. I know there is one complete one, maybe two? Don't know the origin, just got them with the truck. I don't have a stock bumper on mine, so have no use for them.

Where are you at? Pretty sure I have one or two guards laying around.

I used my local Mack dealer back when I had good connections in the afternoon shift parts counter. Luckily I've yet to need much lately. Most of the race car stuff I get at Summit racing(just up the road) and make it myself. Buy some bulk hose/ends and do your own?

Here ya go, Tiger bumper sticker......... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Give-Tiger-Break-Obama-screwing-country-decal-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem439fc20db6QQitemZ290443103670QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories