Lmackattack

we just had a cam in a 3406E go bad. $5250 to R and R. All cat brand parts

I cant wait to hear this story...Ill call you tomorrow!

Follow Terrys advice on rules. in the series you will have to follow strict rules unlike the local fairgrounds E9 with a 12 speed on camelback or air ride. 4.17 or higher(slower mph) rears. Try and win the lotto so you can afford to build the pump and get a pulling clutch. If your just in it for fun any 6 cyl 285-300-350 will work by turning the stock pump up all the way and keeping 20 psi in the rear tires. Have fun..

I have seen alot of guys use the torqe multiplier on the trunion U bolts to get them tight. run the truck for a few days and then check them again. I agree that the urathane lasts longer. I think you can get them for the trunion and pads that are between the main spring at each axel end. you should notice that the rears track better in hard turns and dont dog track going down the road. IMO Ride comfort is not noticed after new bushings and pads are installed...

Displacement is likely the issue. I rember the engine brake on the maxidynes. you had 3rd gear and that was pretty much it for your engine braking, if it could hold it back.... LOL. No replacement for displacent. I run my 3406 to 2000RPM on the engine brake and sometimes to 2100.Its a big diffrence in stoping power from 1800-2100. I never let it go past 2100 tho but do know other drivers that let them spin to 2200.. Trent

On the 3406E Cat / 18 speed trans I drive, Grossing 72K, I can decend most hills in 14th-15th gear(6th or 7th hole in hi range) and maintain about 40-45 MPH without out the need to use the brake pedal. if I do hit the pedal its just to get it one gear lower and then never touch it again. I know Macks engine brakes always seamed weak to me? Trent

put the card board in front of the rad so that it does not damage the fan blades. rev the engine to around 1400 and listen for the change in fan noise.fan should kick in around 180-200 deg or when ever it thinks its hot. Mine will come on when cold,shut off and then come back on around 180.. the noise should be vary noticable when the fan locks in. like driveing 55MPH with the windows up or down....

Interiors are hard to find. I had to get a used set and have it slightly repaired and upgraded. I even tried a vin from a last year production Rd model and had no luck? save what you have and have it copied, it may be the best way to have it done. Trent

ok will have to check the build sheet when I get back home. I thoght the 12 leafs were done after around the mid 70s? learn something new every day. Thanks for the help guys!! stay tuned

Thanks guys.. hmmm..it is a 3 leaf currently on the truck . and looks stock? will my build sheet show the front spring arangment? truck was built in 1977 so I think the 11 and 12 leafs were outdated by then?

RS786LST32474 3 leaf Front spring can anyone run my vin and tell me what front springs I have? or what they transfer to? Looking to have a shop make me new front parabolic springs for me, have to start with OEM numbers. Thanks Trent

looks like ryco rear suspension and off breed diffs. Over all it looks nice but with some odd options. Dash is plane jane even for a stock R model... Interior level is above stock but has tan panel incerts with the black paint. kinda odd?

Steve I was thinking the same thing at first. when Rob was telling me "wait theres more to find" I was thinking no way it could be bad besides the rear... well he was correct but I do think I cought it in time and its not as bad as it could have been if I waited 5 more years to do this job....To be honest the cab had little rust that could be seen from the out side. I only went after the rust bubbles as I wanted to make sure it did not progress below the gutter rails. Like you said...I figured that I could remove the old skin and add a new one and that was it. Then When I removed the skin, it was in better shape than all the other sheet metal under it???. The gutter was even in fair shape considering its age. The rear cab wall/corners and the front corners showed the worst of it. All these locations cant be sceen from inside or out side the cab with the roof skin on. The roof skin only had come apart at the 90 deg flange that sits in the rear rain gutter. everywhere els the skin was fine. I took Robs advice and bought some rust prevention paint and will be buying this rust fire stuff he speaks of and doing all the cab nook and crannies that I can find. even if I have to drill a hole to get the applacater wand into a tight spot. I think its worth it to coat the seams weather rust is there or not. I know that there is more rust somewhere and buying time is cheeper than just letting it progress. just my .02 Trent

IF YOU CALL AND I DONT ANSWER I WILL CALL YOU RIGHT BACK. IM AT WORK UNTILL 5PM TRENT

Rob is this the Rust free/rust fire your talking about? I cant seam to find "Rust Fire" doing a google search? http://www.theruststore.com/Boeshield-Rust-Free-Spray-P2C1.aspx I may order the 3M applacator gun, 360 deg applacator hose, 3M rubber under coat to help reduce any vibrations. then spray the rust free over it all to really seal it in. What do you think about that? Trent

look for the start solinoid on the fire wall. Should be just below the drivers side windshield. jump the 2 larger terminals with a wrench. if the engine cranks that solinoid is bad or the wireing to it is bad. :Note: dont stand in a puddle of water when doing this :End note:

" a little rust left hand cab corner" not going to fall for that one again!

I did not take a good pic of the gutter where the spot welds are. So far I did the whole drivers side yesterday and did part of the front corners tonight. I drilled the welds out then did some grinding and used vice grips to pull the roof flange out of the gutter. then went back and grinded a little more in the hi spots. Once the welds are drilled out I will start smoothing out the gutter rail and address the metal with rust holes in them. I pulled the windshields tonight and the metal was solid but saw a few places that show it may be starting to spread the seam? wondering if I just drill a small hole above that aera to spray that rust fire or Por15 over the questionable aera? How does the rear gutter stick to the cab? looks as if it has some tabs that weld to the rear skin? any secrets with it? Trent

here is the damage....

Clariben made them for B models and I think LT models. (as well as other MFG) the old Celli Trucking Mack Dealer (near Ohare airport) had a trailer with 10 of them all used. All got junked about 6 years ago when they were claaning up the yard before it was sold and knocked down.... I know of a guy out in CA that has 1 or 2 in misc conditions. Cant recall if he has them on a B or L cab? PM me if intrested and can put you in touch with him....

Roof is off. I death wheeled it off so that I can stand inside the cab and rotobroach thru the gutter welds. No rust in the front corners so thats good news. there was one spot on the passenger side above the vent window that has rust thru to the rain rail. looks like a fairly easy repair tho. the rear part of the gutter rail is shot. Its started to seaparate from the upper cab wall as soon as the roof came off. In this location the 2nd layer of sheet metal behind the roof skin is also shot as it has 3 large holes in it. However I think I can repair all of this when the gutter is off as its looks like it stops where the roof, gutter, and cab wall all meet? I also pulled the rear window and the only sign of rust was at the very bottom of the window around one of the holes that was drilled for the old sleeper boot. so as it sits the cab interior is gutted, passenger seat removed, Im going to pull the stacks off tomorrow, remove both doors and reseal the door channel , pull the windshields to address any seams that need . Address all seals and weld joints before I paint the cab. the only other issues I see right now is with the cab mount stacks....A few of the inner brackets that the stack clamps bolt to have rusted and the nuts are spinning. you cant see them as they are hidden behind the rear door jam. I need cut them the cab and reweld nuts to them. guess what my weekend looks like....

the seam sealer is still like gum so its hard to get it all off. I used a screw driver to get alot of it off the surface but its still stuck on the sides of the gutter and in between the steel. I think these were made by blair? will have to check the package. Bought them from a reputable paint store. Trent

Hi Rob I just got back and have 1/2 the roof off the cab. the roto broaches dont cut as nice as I thought they would. They dig into the glue and then try to take off in a diffrent direction. I may try a diffrent brand as you suggested.. Anyways the whole back half of the roof was held on by paint. rear corners seame ok at the radius. front half of the sides and whole front are solid.... from the out side. I was able to cut into the drivers side and its is almost done so I am almost half way there getting it off. I figure by Sat after noon I will have the roof off and making repairs to the rails. So far I can see that the rear cab wall gutter has some issues as rust is above and below it. I may need to remove the back section to clean behind it and re seal it. Kinda glad I got into this now and not replace the cab in 5 years when it was two far gone.

thanks rob... I just went out and got a 3/8 rotobroach kit with 3 double sided replacement cutters. the auto body shop had some por 15 so I will likely use that to paint the surface that I can see and then find some rust fire spray yo coat the semas that I cant see. all I have to say is Wow... a week ago I was just going to put in sound dead meterial. now the roof is coming off!!! having a guy come out to sand blast the frame, new stainless side box and 1/2 fenders on order as well. Busy few weeks ahead of me here!!!! thanks for all this help Rob!!!

Rob.....I Got the roof skin on order, will be here tomorrow. got one for $399 from a local dealer. What size roto broach should I get? I assume I will need 2 or 3 to do all 150 spot welds? Should I get a new rain gutter as well even if mine looks to be good? how hard is it to replace the gutter with the roof off? Por 15 or rustfire are they the same? I have only heard about Por 15