Mean Green

Merry Christmas everyone !

I was in the same boat you are in I have a b42 converted to diesel I used an air ride cut off from an international it’s now tandem air ride instead of single with springs . It had 6.17 gears when I got it had original gas rear in it then changed to 4.61 gears that let me go a about 55 with a tall tires don’t know the gearing of the tandems but it has way more road speed now as for the front axle I used a complete axle out of a school bus so I have modern hub pilot wheels and brakes the engine is just a 673 that I added a turbo to I gave it extra fuel and that was it and it don’t seem to run hot on the pryo I feel your truck would be lots of work to fit all the sheet metal on the newer frame but it’s doable the steering box in front of the axle would not work because the b model front clip ends at the front spring mounts Maby you could move it back to have power steering as for the axle widths the newer frame slipped right over my frame and I just bolted it but my frame rails are not as tall as a modern truck I lost most of my pictures of when I did the work but they should all be on here congrats on the cool project

Thank you Paul I found it on an old freightliner but I think it originally came off a gmc

here it is finished up

My b 42 had 6.17 gears in it the owner before me put a 673 diesel in it 45 was top speed I found a different rear I think it was 4.56 somewhere around there 55 top speed then I switched out for a modern air ride I’m not sure of the gears in it but it will easily do 65 not even pushing it and all everything is more modern and available

That’s my plans vlad just keeping an eye on it

I ended up taking a piece of tubing heating it red hot and beat the drag link end into it making a cone then cleaned it up and pressed it into the stearing arm with some bearing mount on it once tightened it should work out good

I have all ready been burning the pellet stove at home nights have been cold days have been nice though

I look at it is how much money do you want to spend my axle has bad tie rod ends and I can’t find new ones so I sourced a whole different axle out of a school bus the center pin holes were close and I’ll have to get new u bolts to fit properly in the holes. Width of the outsides of the tires was a concern for me as a b model is kinda narrow . Going newer gets you more modern parts that are usually cheaper and easily sourced

Thanks Bob I try to do what I can on a budget I guess the truck is never finished I am glad I’m doing it though the front tires that were on it looked ok till I too them off they were totally dry rotted on the inside

this is where I hit the road block I have the rebuildable drag link the end that went in the original axle is too small I need the same size ball but a bigger tapered shank to fit the bigger axle the paper has the measurements I think that will work . Where can you find thes ? My idea is to cut up a tie rod end and take this part out of it if I can find the correct size any other ideas ?

here is where the tire ended up in the fender I’m using Alcoa 11r22.5s in the front and 24.5 in the rear of the truck

here it is with the new axle in I did use the 3 in spacer that came with the axle to give some more fender clearance

he’s the original axle wheels are just lifted off the ground