b61fred

i thought this truck already been sold? any one know for sure? Fred

No Rain? It just won't be the same. LOL I will be there although no truck. Fred

Hi, I have switched my b 61 over from 10.00-20s to 11.00 22.5 tubeless. I got the rims at a salvage yard in Terre Haute Ind. for 35 buck a piece, and I got the the recaps for the rear from overnite transoprtation for $125 bucks no core. I will get the info for both places if you want. The tires look very nice, I even asked to get all matching cores so to look nice and no mis matched brands. The tires have no shipping and have designated drop off points around your area. Plus you will have radial tires(nice addition with the camelback susspension) If you need those rims maybe I can pick them up for you, I will be in Madisonville ky. in two weeks. Fred

This is going off of the subject some, but I have been told that Brown-lipe aux. trans take 50w engine oil, due to the needle bearings in the trans. I know that the Mack built trans are made together but I have seen a few Macks with the Aux trans (brownie). I want to make the b73 into a duplex with a brownie trans. I have seen one factory built b73 with 3 sticks before. I have also noticed that if I put the main box in 4the gear and the aux in neutral when I let the engine warm up that it is easier to shift. I guess it warms up the whole transmission that way. Fred

Hey Rob, Looks like a good canidate for restoration. the truck looks very solid, not a rust ball like mine. I have all of the parts you was wanting for the truck. I will try and round everyting up and get over there, Maybe I can take that stuff to you when I go over to Mikes place. fred

Hi, Here is the rest of the story.... My truck has been cut in two and another truck welded onto it, It originaly had a page and page suspension with mack rears 5.03 ratio. Here are some pictures of whats in it now, I have recently figured out how to shrink pictures to put them into posts. Fred more axle pictures more axle pictures

Tom, Thats a very rare b model, I think 9 were made, Its on a dodge running gear. I have only seen one at Paducha Kentucky show. I hope you can get it. it should be a neat firetruck. Fred

you guys should start trading instead of selling, I have personaly taded with Packer and rob and got alot more in return than any money could buy... Fred

packer, Have you got your driving test yet? I passed all the writen tests and now tring to get some seat time myself. The state of Indiana has a test site not too far from here. 100 bucks for the test and 50 for the truck. I thought about putting the goose neck on the b and seeing if they would let me test with it. Air brakes on the truck but the trailer has electric brakes. I guess I could find out fred

On the last one they did they added an extra gear shift, but it didnt do anyting that I know of.

Hi, When I get it tore down I will let you know, I will be a while though, I have several front burner projects myself. Fred

hi, I think the b 42 would have a 401 flathead gas engine. Fred

hi, I have a 673 that I am going to tear down and use for parts. It ran ok untill it stuck so i would say the cam is just fine. Are you in a hurry? Fred

hi, I would suspect that scence it turned over the few times that it did that the engine is not stuck at the cylinders. I would check to see if one of the valves are stuck down and piston is hitting it. or the starter is stuck in the flywheel. I would pull a valve cover and check the valves, just for safety. I have had more valves sticking in the guides more now than ever. I have had to Farmalls do the same thing. I think its the cheap quality fuels that we have now turn to varnish faster. Fred

Hi, I think that if your gooseneck trailer is an dual tandem ( 24,000 gvw) you would be ok. If you are tring it with a tandem trailer (14,000) you might have problems. I don't think the trailer tires can handle it. When I hauled my b 73 from Utah to Indiana The biggest problem I had was tires, I didn't have heavy enough tires on the trailer and had some bias ply on one axle and radials on the other, It pretty much disolved the bias ply tires running with the radials, I don't know why for sure. Those load range on trailer and light truck tires mean quite a bit. I also found that when I pulled into the weigh stations that as long as I didn't have a DOT number on my pickup, It is my truck, trailer, and my junk on the trailer I was told not to stop at the weigh station. I don't know how that is in the new england area but I made it all the way home, didn't stop at the scale houses never got pulled over. Fred

Hi, the b61 is 13,720 pounds, so it I got out that would be 13,450 Fred

I will scale my b61 3 axle tomorrow and give you a report. Fred

I forget sometimes that we are "historical transportion meusem archivist". I had to move my treasures around the other day. I figure if I move them and have them change position in the back lot that they won't look like "junk". The other day I was at work and I was talking to a guy that I was working on his 6.0 and got to talking about Macks( some how I have a talent for changing to the subject) anyway's he starts go on about this guy thats got a bunch of those old things in his back yard and he would stop at talk to the guy for me.... guess who showed up at my place on Saturday........ Fred

Packer, When you come out to visit this spring to Indiana, I have an orange superduty that Is just wanting to pull that dodge by its tail... That is if you want to ride your new goat all the way across the country.. He Haw.. just kidding, So you got your new truck, great for you now you have incresed your junk hauling in capabilities. Now you need a big ole gooseneck to go with it. Fred

Hi, I like the powerstroke 7.3, It's tough as nails. You had better keep a camshaft position sensor in the glove box, they can go out anytime they feel like it. As for the 6.0.. Its kinda like the 711 mack.. If you get a good one It will run with the best, get a bad one and they are in the shop all the time. Some of the things I have found to be common problems with the 6.0, Injectors.. If you plan on getting your fuel from the barrel out in the back lot that you fuel your semis with you will have problems, also those big fuel tanks that go in the bed, I have lots of problems with injectors, EGR valve and cooler, they get coked up often. head gaskets, they will blow out with heavy load and performance mods. turbochargers and intercoolers, the VGT turbo has fins that pitch the exhaust towards the turbine that makes the turbo more responsive on the low end and the acts like a bigger turbo on the top end( kinda like the tip turbine) but the fins stick and then the boost goes into the 40-50 psi range and blows the intercooler apart, or the truck wont have enough power to get out of it own way. I work as a diesel tech at a Ford dealer, I think if you want a 6.0 atleast get one built after oct, 2004. they work out lots of bugs by then. also have the computer updated every so often, It will run so much better if you do. I think ford is updating the computer programs about every two weeks now. I pulled my b73 mack and a camelback cutoff from a b61 from Utah and Wyoming ( packers place) to southern Indiana and she did very well. Fred

Hi, I don't think it would work, Mack trucks are built for people that drive truck for a living, they have drove trucks for years and had diesel engine in these trucks for decades. Now look at your average Ford superduty owner ( I own one) You use your truck for short runs, no trailer most of the time. I love my ford, and my b model. I also work in the service department of a ford dealer. You would not believe the squeak and rattle repairs that you have to track down, all the non-exsitant problems, emision reqirements of the new little diesels. A person that drives a semi truck would not think too much of a loud brake squeak at a normal stop. Or a slight viberation at 35 to 38 MPH for instance. Most people that are buying the new light trucks this is there first diesel engine. Why do I have to plug it in when its cold? I am glad that the excursion is now canceled, Lots of those are being drove by people that will not do any mantaince at all. Where as your average large truck is well mantained by a fleet or even better a owener operator, If the truck dont run it cost the owner money. Although It would be one heck of a truck if they did!! Fred

Packer, If you like I think the floor of that trailer is somewhere on I 80 about Iowa city area... I think they would like for you to pick it up.. HA Fred

Thats right! It took longer to get that starter off than pulling the rest of the engine. and thats no joke. Fred

superdog, thats what I have heard for the b61 style trucks, I thought the b 73 with the different steering column might be different. looks like there is plenty of room for a power steering box with the cummins engine and the longer hood. alot more room than the b 61. Do you have a good source for a steering box like what I need? I know your self sufficent in the parts department but I have seen some guys wanting 500-600 bucks for a steering box, That would double the value of my truck. Ha Thanks Fred

Hi, I am working on the basic plan for the b73 project. I have decided to get a cut off of a newer truck and install air ride rear susension. I moved the truck into the shop the other day and found that it is very hard to steer. I got it close to where I wanted to park it in the barn and BANG! The steering wheel spun free. So I looked under the truck and found nothing broke. I get back in the truck and turn the wheel the other way. POP! andthe wheels started to turn, but they went the other way??? steering wheel turns right and the wheels turn left?? I have found that my steering box is now junk. I was thinking of a power steering box off of a different truck. what would work? Fred