Double sleeper run

[Vladislav]

It was looked so.

[mack mhe9]

its like his and hers own living quarters, how do you get parts for macks overthere?

[Vladislav]

When I was buying my R there was a pair of rear axles with.

They were stayed for a while at the place the truck was parked.

After the day I got the truck I thought to myself to bring home these axles and some other spares by Mack.

It would be nice to make a trip for some hundreds km with Mack, I thought.

Some time later we took off a 5th wheel and built wooden flat bed for temporary use.

Last Sunday I got my way up.

A couple of days before I have got a contact to the man who had one more the same truck as I have a pair now.

He took it into metal recycling due to a cranckshaft issue. He said me he had nothing of it at the moment but a sleeper. I came to interest and we have discussed the price. That way I removed my point of destination for plus 100 km - 700 in all.

Kept the sleeper, went 100 back and than kept the axles. Stayed for a night at my Mack's previous owner talking truck stories and went back home crossing a clouse fog most the way. Not too dramatic in all though this was my first long way run with a truck. Here's a set of shots from rainy Russian roads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by Vladislav

[other dog]

Nice pictures Vlad! You get the "randyp kodiakotronomy of the day award".

You have room for more-

[Vladislav]

I just blast myself of laughing :twothumbsup:

Although remember - the first Mack was bus !!!

[Retro Racer]

G'day Vlad,

She's a good looking truck. Does it ride well with the air bags? Tell us about the engine, transmission and diff ratios please. 

Looked like a nice drive home, but perhaps a little cold hahaha.

All the best

Roland

[Vladislav]

15 hours ago, Retro Racer said:

G'day Vlad,

She's a good looking truck. Does it ride well with the air bags? Tell us about the engine, transmission and diff ratios please. 

Looked like a nice drive home, but perhaps a little cold hahaha.

All the best

Roland

Ok Roland,

Let us pull this old thread back from... No, not from a grave. Ok, from... Hell, not from deep down under either. Ok, from a dusty past.

The way you see the truck here is how it looked a couple of weeks after purchase. All I got to do with it to that moment was only a pair of new bulldog mirrors. Today it feels much better. Polished Alcoa wheels were installed with new tall tyres (as it had from the factory), one tank polished and another completey redone (to be polished). Air filter is totally restored to the way I'd like to get it done. I got a pair of good cab doors which were blasted, painted and assembled with most new weatherstripping e.t.c. They're on the cab now. Almost new sleeper bunk was made by me and my guys of stainless steel. It's currently prepaired for paint work. The same with the hood which was excessively fixed about all cracks and damages and is getting love at my friend's paint shop. A kind of long story though as it used to be with paintwork.

As of ride smothness it's difficult for me to relate it to other trucks since I'm not a truck driver. It goes very good on a smooth pavement (as I suppose should be for NOT a car). But shakes as hell passing wash board or a dirt road. Sometimes I had to go nearly 5 km/h for some km's because of the hood starting jump and hit the firewall. Probably it's a normal thing for some roads we have here. I felt big improvement when first I put 11R24.5's in place of old and worn 285/75R22.5's, than following our discussion this past spring I dropped tyre pressure in the rears from 4 to 2.5 Bar (35pci). At least I got full contact of the rear wheel thread areas to the pavement. Due to many reasons I unfortunately didn't drive the truck much this summer so haven't got new experience.

Of its specifications the truck is a Canadian built one and seems it was specified mostly for highway use. I haven't notice US produced R's of the similar kind. Usually they are for heavy work. The one I have (I have them two BTW) has relatively long wheelbase (the size is unknown to me) with 60" Canadian spread in the rears. The frame is a single channel 1/4 thich standart R600 frame. The engine is in-line 6 Mack E6-350 4V with chassis-mount air-to-air aftercooler. Gearbox is Mack T2090 aluminium housing 9 speed with 0.71 overdrive. Drive axles are also Mack, coupled with Neway airride suspension. Ratio is 5.02. Two big round aluminium fuel tanks (400++ liters each, don't remember the figure) and a single bed Canadian-made sleeper of unknown producent (but serial, not a single-made custom one). Talking about it I would argue you statement on coldness of that appartment. Probably being originally designed for cold temps it has 2" (5 cm) glass wool insulation. Once I was doing the trip described above I stayed overnight in it when it was nearly +5 outside. I used my sleeping bag but felt like I woked up at my home room in the morning. Actually a bit nicer since there was nice environment around and little rainy.

For the road speeds I looked over my speedo on the top gear and saw 125 km/h when the engine ran up to its limit revs and didn't accelerate anymore. Actually I didn't know the revs because of the tacho not working. Haven't heard anything wrong from the engine doing it though. GPS showed 119 km/h at the same time. Sure I didn't run it that way for a while. Doing 100km/h (60MPH) it sounds nicer and doesn't worry me.

A bit of more road speed would be good (nobody would argue). For that reason I found a set of carriers with 4.17. And than later I got T2070 7 speed tranny with 0.60. Swapping them both would be madness. Actually my 9 speed is too worn out (always grind no matter how gentle you are) so swap or rebuild is nesessary. 

T2070 is more like a 5 speed with two low gears as the addition. It has longer steps than T2090 to drive just 5 speed. Don't know how good it would be for E6 since it's not Maxidyne. Might work for a hobby truck having 350 horses to just bobtail. I'm going to put it in the next summer for a try. 

Vlad

[eddeere]

Enjoyed the pictures.

[Retro Racer]

G'day Vlad,

Thank you for taking the time to reply in detail 

I have the same problem on rough roads. My foot pumps the throttle and makes it much worse, especially in the first 5 gears.

Last week I went for a drive to fuel up at a new truck stop near work. It's was 34°C in the shade. So I grabbed myself a small can of Coke Zero and then instead of just driving the truck back to work, I drove to a Gleeman's. They're a truck spare parts and wrecking yard about 45 minutes drive from where I work and about 20 minutes from my home. It was the first time I have driven the truck on a hot day. PHEW! I had both front vents open, as well as the roof and drivers side bunk vent. Stopped at traffic lights, was like being in hell or Pizza Oven as a mate of mine calls his F model hahaha. Once moving the air flow was quite comfortable though.

Mine has a worn out 9 speed overdrive Road Ranger. I have been experimenting and I now only use five gears when taking off from traffic lights with the Maxidyne. 2nd, 4th then split to high for 6th gear, then 8th, then 9th. I have to drive it like a 5 speed Maxitorque and wait for the revs to drop on each gear change. Otherwise I can drive it like a hot rod using all 8 (not low). It's impressive if I get it right. Embarrassing when I don't hahaha. I think I want to change it back to a 6 speed over drive twin stick Maxitorque TRDXL 10780 as the overdrive will be .62 with 6.34 diffs...

Here's us on our wedding day. I didn't know my lady was filming at first. I thought she was just talking to me Hahahaha...

 

Keep warm over there mate

Roland

[mrsmackpaul]

Vlad the Thermodyne motors can be driven like a Maxidyne just fine I have had problems with the splitter on the 12 speed once grossing 90 ton drove 3000 km  with just the 5 gears and up some big long climbs they the Thermodynes that is will lug right down to 1100 and I just kept a eye on pyrometer and the Thermodyne would hang on at 12 revs for hours at a time with out it getting to hot on the pyrometer so I just let it lug 

So I guess what Im saying if my old bucket of bolts can hang on for hours at a time grossing 90 ton I reckon bobtail or even just a normal single trailer it would be fine with a five speed 

Before I went changing anything I would drop the nine speed apart and see whats crook in side they are fairly simple transmissions to work on and theres not a lot to go wrong 

Roland great video mate I find I get much better air flow in the cab with only one window open as I think both windows the air pressure seems to equal out and I end up with bugger all air flow 

 

Paul

[bts-4120]

there was several dump truck back in the day set up with 2070s and 5.32 gears on 22.5 rubber you'll be fine bobtailing around  if you pulled much you would be wanting some short rubber

[Retro Racer]

15 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

Vlad the Thermodyne motors can be driven like a Maxidyne just fine I have had problems with the splitter on the 12 speed once grossing 90 ton drove 3000 km  with just the 5 gears and up some big long climbs they the Thermodynes that is will lug right down to 1100 and I just kept a eye on pyrometer and the Thermodyne would hang on at 12 revs for hours at a time with out it getting to hot on the pyrometer so I just let it lug 

So I guess what Im saying if my old bucket of bolts can hang on for hours at a time grossing 90 ton I reckon bobtail or even just a normal single trailer it would be fine with a five speed 

Before I went changing anything I would drop the nine speed apart and see whats crook in side they are fairly simple transmissions to work on and theres not a lot to go wrong 

Roland great video mate I find I get much better air flow in the cab with only one window open as I think both windows the air pressure seems to equal out and I end up with bugger all air flow 

 

Paul

G'day Paul,

Yes I agree that one window down seems to work better. I tried two partially down on the way back and felt hotter, even though the sun was pretty much behind and to the left.

Yeah, the RR probably only needs bearings and shifter work, but I like the taller overdrive of the Mack box compared to what the RR can offer. It'd be nice to get 100kmh...

 

Roland

[Vladislav]

On 04.01.2017 at 0:10 PM, Retro Racer said:

Mine has a worn out 9 speed overdrive Road Ranger. I have been experimenting and I now only use five gears when taking off from traffic lights with the Maxidyne. 2nd, 4th then split to high for 6th gear, then 8th, then 9th. I have to drive it like a 5 speed Maxitorque and wait for the revs to drop on each gear change. Otherwise I can drive it like a hot rod using all 8 (not low). It's impressive if I get it right. Embarrassing when I don't hahaha. I think I want to change it back to a 6 speed over drive twin stick Maxitorque TRDXL 10780 as the overdrive will be .62 with 6.34 diffs...

Here's us on our wedding day. I didn't know my lady was filming at first. I thought she was just talking to me Hahahaha...

G'day Roland,

My T2090 has 5 low range gears and 5 high ones. With 5th low (5th) and 1st high (6th) of the similar ratio. So Mack just doesn't count one of them calling the tranny 9 speed. When bobtailing I start on a flat ground I just use the lowest gear of the High range (Mack calls it 5th). Than switch further every step having them 5 at all. Looking the transmission chat that gear I use for a start has 2.79 ratio. It's fast a lil bit and I go low range when uphill or crowling in tight spots. If we look for Mack 5 speed T2050 tranny (and also 6,7,8 speed T2060,T2070, T2080 not considering their crowl gears) the 2nd speed is 3.05. So having one of those units I might drive it as a four speed box. Having the lower 1st gear (5.24) for narrow starts. 

The current box I have I can't drive as a hot rod no matter I really want it or not. The shift clutches seem so worn so you sometimes spend 5-10 seconds putting a next gear in. You loose the throttle, get a gear off, wait for a moment than start to put it in. It grinds so you wait a lil bit more. And if you didn't get it in it grinds again having engine revs now low. So you hit gas and try again. If not (again!) you can try to level the shaft speeds playing with gas and keeping your feel on the shift lever for a chance. As the previous owner said to me when showed that process, if you can't put it in better stop on a shoulder and start from the 1st.

Just too many drivers went through the truck and the most trucks they drove before and after had synchro gearboxes.  

Interesting to see the movie you driving. Difficult to get a hard feeling but it seems my ride is much softer. At least when you go on pavement the cab doesn't do catches. I sure have way longer wheelbase.

Have a good time,

Vlad

[Vladislav]

On 04.01.2017 at 0:50 PM, mrsmackpaul said:

Vlad the Thermodyne motors can be driven like a Maxidyne just fine I have had problems with the splitter on the 12 speed once grossing 90 ton drove 3000 km  with just the 5 gears and up some big long climbs they the Thermodynes that is will lug right down to 1100 and I just kept a eye on pyrometer and the Thermodyne would hang on at 12 revs for hours at a time with out it getting to hot on the pyrometer so I just let it lug 

So I guess what Im saying if my old bucket of bolts can hang on for hours at a time grossing 90 ton I reckon bobtail or even just a normal single trailer it would be fine with a five speed 

Before I went changing anything I would drop the nine speed apart and see whats crook in side they are fairly simple transmissions to work on and theres not a lot to go wrong 

Roland great video mate I find I get much better air flow in the cab with only one window open as I think both windows the air pressure seems to equal out and I end up with bugger all air flow 

 

Paul

Paul mate,

My 6 cylinder animal is called Econodyne!! And it can't boast of its total health. During multiple overhauls and modifications it lost some minor parts like for example a puff limiter. The turbo is of an unknown source either. Injectors should go on a bench and I suppose with the pump as a company. Describing its function I can state it smokes like a burning hell when you have your revs low. 

I hope I will go with just 5 speeds or maybe only 4 as I said in the post above. Not sure I will almost go off with T2090 9 speed. But currently I have neither good ones and the overdrive of 0.71 I would prefere faster. Can swap the rears though. The current 9 speed tranny would probably need a set of high range gear wheels and a set of sliding clutches to mate them. I doubt they are cheap new ones and doubt on easiness finding such parts used. I might trace a used box with some other issue locally to boil a can of soup of all the old iron. Let's see. 

It just looks attractive to me though to put another tranny in the truck to keep it running while tinkering with parts.

Vlad