Rob

Here is mine the night I got home with it. Had to grab these off the net cause I lost the computer with about a hundred photos of this truck before tearing into it. Rob

Well today I decided to wake the A40 up from it's winter nap and take her out for a drive. Had to jump start but fired right up and ran around town for a bit. Lot's of rubbernecking going on and a lot of friendly waves as usual. I really like this truck and it's still my favorite. Upon returning to the shop and the nice clean stall I had departed from, I decided this just could not be. Tired of moving the RL797 each time I need to get to the spray room with a vehicle, and being the truck I'm concentrating on finishing first, it now resides in the stall which has good access on all sides. I then gathered up all the parts from the B67 which is torn apart, palletized and containerized everything that needs to go to the blaster, set my spare shop compressor on the scissor lift table and moved everything out into the storage building which was cleaned up a little last week. I'm now gaining room in the shop which is packed too full. While I had the RL797 out in the driveway idling I noticed a growing pool of oil under the front end. This truck has never leaked anything on the shop floor for the years I've had it. Opening the hood I discover the auxilary shaft sheave, (pulley) seal has gone bad and is the source of the leak. I plan to yank the engine and trans out of the truck later this summer and will take care of it then. I hate oil leaks. For now a bit of oil dry will do. Got in the mood to go for a swing around the fields in ole "Yella Dog" too. So with the B61 attached to the drop deck, and with some light oil tanks sitting on the deck, off we go. This truck really does run well but is brutal on my back when off road. Could only get about 20 mph and stay in the seat so went easy. Deciding this was not enough accomplishment before noon, I jumped onto the skid steer and headed out back to drag my air ride cutoff into the side parking area of the shop. This will be stripped of the front drive axle, (which is junk) and the unneeded holes welded up, then grafted to the front 1/2 of my other B61. I got lots of plans for this summer as I'm not on the road constantly with my job any longer. After seeing Larry's progress with the sleeper and extension, I may do the same thing with a smaller bunk with rounded corners from a KW or something older. I may even build something of my own. To many options to comprehend right now. Being right at noon, Nikki brought me out some lunch so we ate together. Don't really get to do that often any longer. Had a nice conversation too. As we were finishing up a trucking outfit showed up to pick up a large military winch I had sold some time ago to a fellow in Canada. We talked about fuel prices and in Alberta they are paying about $5.80 per gallon, (american) of #2 diesel. Taxes are amazing there apparently. I then came home and caught some much needed "beauty sleep" on the couch. All this interest in the RL755 series of trucks has got my interest going again. It is the one most buried in the shop and the rusted cab is just setting on the frame. Think I'll go ahead and zip the bolts out and lift the hulk off with the gantry crane, then finish stripping it out. I have the new donor cab in my car wash bay on the cart so may try to get some paint work done on it this next couple of weeks too. I could set the donor cab on the chassis and gain some much needed room and kinda kill two birds with one stone so to speak. It is however much easier to build up a cab at floor level rather than climb up a chassis to install parts. I really want to finish the RL797 roof replacement but have too many projects backed up against each other now. Ohh well, just another entertaining Saturday. Rob

That would really turn some heads repainted. Rob

From launching the BMT site from "My favorite" in IE, Firefox, or another that I can't remember the name, it used to take about five seconds to load. It now takes in excess of 30 seconds and sometimes near a minute to fully load before I can manipulate through the pages. Rob

I know there are a lot of members that have had problems logging in with some of the upgrades within the past several weeks. Although I've not experienced anything like this the one of the last upgrades that linked the facebook site has really choked my computer down a lot. It now takes over twice to load up the BMT home page as it used to. This is consistent with three computers that I use. Wondering if the same has taken place with others? Rob

The oil temperature guage in mine is installed as the engine has a hydraulic retarder, (Brakesaver). Although mine was not connected during my drive home, I reconnected it up and pulled the trolley valve to actuate it and proptly put a little over a gallon of engine oil on the floor quickly. Very easy to figger out why it was disconnected. The oil cooler on these engines when equipt with the retarder is very large. I understand the engine oil heats quickly under engine braking power as the heat generated is dissipated in the oil cooler. The tag that is drive riveted to the engine block is from the Caterpillar Tractor Co. itself. It is not a Mack tag added later on. The serial number and arrangement numbers are stamped into this tag. There are no other accompanying markings pertaining anything to Mack Trucks at all. The dash gauges consist of the normal ones plus oil temp, "Brakesaver" application pressure, pyrometer, and a big Cole-Hersee switch for operating the glow plugs as the engine is indirect ignition. The keyswitch in the dash is nothing more than that. It does not operate the starter motor. To shut down the engine you pull a traditional knob from the dash. Both of my RL700 series trucks show on the line setting ticket roof mounted A/C units and both truck had the support bars welded in the upper cab structure. They looked identical although the 74 RL797 used a "Kysor" unit, and the 78 RL755 used a "Red Dot" vendored unit. Funny that the 74 uses a rotary type compressor, (Sanden, I think) yet the 78 uses a two cylinder York compressor. Both trucks were built with "Kysor" shutters although the 74 has a clutch fan and the 78 is rigid. The shutters are missing from the 74 but still present and operating on the 78. That oxblood interior is nice but overwhelming. Although the seat covers and door cards emulate this same scheme as close as possible I'd rather have a medium dark gray as more to my style. I'm not totally against staying as original as possible but really have no plans to sell the truck so may personalize it a little. I understand the economy of operating one of these engine is worse than "piss-poor" so that's really not an option. Guess it is pretty to look at and is much quieter that the females I reside with. Rob

I've seen that done at a truck repair shop but never used. I imagine it would last a bit longer than a typical 55 gallon drum due to thickness which only last about a year around here. They would last longer if I cleaned them out ever!! Rob

Yeah and mine has a "radical" cam too....... Rob

The figurine is leading with his backside. That is what is so unnerving. Rob

Think I've posted this before:

That reminds me: I fixed a Honda Element the other day that was hit in the front. On the dashboard was an Obama figurine bobblehead. My daughter and I delivered this vehicle back to the owner and she called me during the trip and said the Obama statue was "freaking her out". I told her to "bitch slap" the damned thing for posterity. She covered it with a paper towel and finished the drive. Guess I raised her right. Rob

Sonalert makes all kinds of warning devices and buzzers/annunciators. I have a catalog at work but I'm certain they would have something online available also. Rob

I have asked my wife to try to dig back into the archives of Cat's sales to discern the sales numbers of 1693/D-343 series engines of all variants sold to Mack trucks encompassing the years 1970-1980. The sheet that I have identifies four engines from a certain block of production and shipment from Peoria to Hayward, CA. Since it has been identified there were a few, but limited number of these trucks, (RL755LST) series produced, it would be nice to further the investigation. Of particular interest to me would be the amount of survivors, and of those, original survivors. My particular truck is completely original with the exception of the interior of which I have nearly rebuilt complete. All major components are original to the truck and the engine has been rebuilt with an out of frame major. It leaks oil terrible from the excessive use of red silicone sealant everywhere that has pushed out. Something of particular interest to me is the "P6" engine designation my chassis appears to be built with. The Mack literature lists this engine at 375hp, yet when I've ordered parts, (gaskets/seals) from the Caterpillar dealer in Peoria, the serial and arrangement numbers rate the engine at 425hp. I've not discerned this disparity as of yet. I've never pulled anything with the truck and the clutch is so weak it slips when bobtailing up a hill. It was driven here from Paducah, (sp)? KY without problem but it had difficulty pulling the hills in southern IL due to clutch slippage. Until my purchase I'd never seen an RL series tractor before. This truck was acquired to install my V-12 Detroit into. Upon seeing the straight rail frame, and literally disintigrated cab from rust, I almost did not purchase the truck. Either my inherent stupidity, or profoud fortitude caused me to make the purchase anyways. Being cold and having a nice barn to hide it in for a couple of months bought me some time to concoct an acceptable story before I informed "Momma" as it was early November; (you guys can appreciate this I'm certain). I feel I made the right choice by bringing this one home. I purchased a 26,000 mile ambulance cab for a replacement. had it media blasted clean inside and out, welded up some unneeded holes in the floor and cowl, then etch and epoxy primed everything. I have gone no further for about two years now. This investigation is "renewing" my interest. Rob

Yup, them Peterbilts sure look nice on the shoulder with the hood flipped and the driver first scratching his head, then ass as he awaits another tow truck. Rob

Had to be after me. I first seen um just after the civil war ended and Lee surrendered to Grant at Appamatox. I had borrowed a "future looking glass" invented by Simon Barsinister himself to plan heists. Rob

I got to get a set of those "women baffles". Mine seems to be noisy. Rob

VIP is still in business. They make all sorts of wheels and pricing to match from good quality to excellent. Rob

Hi there. Yes my truck is RL755LST35359. I don't know the serial number of the wrecked truck but I've been told mine, and it, were sisters. I have not been able to definitively prove it however. All research done by myself, Rhasler, two Mack dealerships, and Mr. Snowey Doe, (RIP) of the Mack museum indicate there were only two RL755L series trucks produced. I do have newspaper photostat copies from a southern Illinois newspaper of the wreck of the other truck in 1979. This is really all I've had to go on. I've spoken with a couple of people that knew Mr. Bob Eckstein when he operated the truck we all are seeking information to. I was told it was the final RL755LST built by a guy that knew him well. He is the person that told me the engine was a "hopped up" 1693TA, with a 13 speed Fuller trans on Neway air ride rears. It, like mine, was on drive spokes with disc aluminum wheels up front. Nobody has been able to prove this truck was actually built as an RL yet one of the photos I snatched from a 1983 "Overdrive" magazine rather clearly shows RL-700-L die cast emblems on the hood as mine does. Not once was it mentioned he had passed; even when I mentioned I would like to locate him. At the time I did not know about there being two different sleepers on the truck so didn't ask about that. I was told he, (Mr. Eckstein) was a steel hauler, and another party told me the truck also worked a dry van at times. I'm going to be in the Chicagoland area all next week attending training classes. I'd like to stop in and "chat" with the gent if I can get the name. Rob

Rick, I've seen those arms not be any good a couple of weeks after they were installed. I would go with Fred's suggestion and replace it again. If this is not the problem I suspect something in the governor flyweight bushings are too tight, or binding. This could be a weak spring pulling the flyweights back to the low speed setting also. Regardless, I don't think I would use the pump shop again with thier apparent attitude. Rob

If the rod journal has had a bearing spun on it, best to regrind the shaft. Rod journals take a lot more abuse than the mains and .0015 out of round is inviting trouble. Rob

Peterbilt is by far the most quiet truck on the side of the road out there. This is because you cannot hear them over the wrecker unit that is towing them to the repair shop. Rob

I have sent over a dozen pumps to these guys and never had to send one back. Reasonable pricing and rapid turn around. http://www.waterpumpkit.com/ Rob

I'm quite certain Brockway was acquired by Mack for more than to just eliminate competition. The amount of R&D funds expended is great with any item leading to production. Mack as far as I know had nothing readily available with the large radiator needed to support 400+ hp that was in the future for truck builders from engine manufacturers. The R700 series of trucks would have needed the nose lengthened or modified to fit an appropriate radiator such as what the RW series ended up with. I like Brockway also. Probably will end up with one to install my "spare" 1693TA into. They are extremely uncommon around here and may enlist some help to locate one in the future. Rob

I like the sound of a natural aspirated engine under a decent load no matter the brand, but through mufflers. I'm most fond of Mack, and Detroit Diesel. Rob

Hi Bob. You can put any rear axle under the truck but will need to move the saddles on the axle housing appropriately. In the B series of truck most frame widths were 33.5" and a lot of other vendors were 34" in width. This of course moves the springs and saddles 1/4" on each side further out. Finding round tube spring seats are usually best acquired at a trailer parts vendor as most trucks nowadays use a square, or rectangular housing. I've used "Hutchens" spring seats several times when swapping axles on a single axle truck. Not too bad of job, I usually plasma cut the original spring seats from the new axle, and finish dress the remaining stubs with a grinder and flap disc. Typically I have the driveline in the truck and hooked up to the rear axle drive yoke with weight sitting on the rear springs. You then rotate the rear axle to the correct driveline angle, spot weld the spring seats to the tube, raise the truck and weld solid. this is assuming a round tube axle. If square tube, shims must be used for the correct driveline angle. Glen, or Herb can fill you in much better than I, but this is the way I do it. Rob