A/C in a B model

[Freightrain]

Glenn. I already dynamated the floor and doors. Will be doing the firewall this winter. Good for sound and heat. Yes the doors are drafty and would like to put new seals around them to help. This unit is 14k btu so I think it will cool it well enough no matter how much hot air seeps in.

I spent countless hours working this a/c system in my head. No room for third groove pulley. The fan blade is too close and rear groove is too close to water pump casting. The a/c is directly beside the water pump so the front belt will have plenty of contact coming from crank and up/over compressor to water pump and down to alt and then to crank. The rear belt will be stock location(crank-waterpump-alt-crank). I don't for see any issues with slippage on anything.

I don't have room on the roof for red dot because of my vintage bubblegum light.

[theakerstwo]

I installed my condenser on top of my camper which was a refrigerator box that we made a hunting wagon out of.If I can remember tormorrow I will take photo of how I did my pulley.I and thinking it was a B model engine pulley but I have a 315 engine in it with a after cooler mounted in front of the grille.The pulley I used was a two sheeve but I took another one like it and cut one groove off of it and used brass and welded it to the rear of the first pulley.Back in the med sixtys I worked for mack here and I remember installing the roof mount on B models cause they were still in production when I started working.We had to install a roof reinforceing kit in the roof to hold them.The drive belt pulled off of the crank pulley and thru a idler that was mounted to the six bolt timing cover up front.It was a poor drive system.

[Freightrain]

I have a nice matching single groove pulley from a ford engine. I was going to cut it to fit and weld it on. There is no room on the back side and the fan blade is in the way on the front. Literally no place for it. I thought of going electric fans on motor?

I actually laid the pulleys out on my AutoCAD just to see how it looked with a belt and the contact area.

[Freightrain]

I'm making headway: I have the bracket somewhat completed but a few details. I have a belt that fits, I'm cutting the hoses to fit. I even started the engine last weekend for a minute to see if the belt is working. So far, so good.

I have the condensor mounted under the bunk: The lines are run, just need to cut to length and send them out to get crimped. I also need to get the wiring run to everything.

I'm also working on the air steering. The mounting bearing was NLA for the cylinder. I found a similar version, but the OD was smaller. I whipped up a bushing at work and pressed the bearing into it. Worked otu perfect: I needed 1.312 OD, the bearing was 1.188.

Installed:

I also needed to fix up the original mounting bracket. Since the original bearing was junk, they just drilled the bracket to 3/4" and stuck a bolt through. I fixed that with some bushings also.

The bushings also space the cylinder to the middle of the bracket. The original kit had just spacers, but I just made it all one piece. Perfect!!

I have it all hung under the truck. I'm working on getting the added air tank mounted to the frame and lines run. I also got the flipper valve mounted inside the truck. I had space next to the CB, over the a/c unit. I made a bracket and milled the opening to fit just like they do in the dash. Just need to label it in some manner.

[j hancock]

Nice progress for some summer road trips!

[57 bcr]

Nice job,Larry. I also have an Air-O-Matic steering system that I would like to put on the BCR. I like the Rancho boot idea,as mine is dried out too. Al

[Freightrain]

Ya, after finding out a replacement boot was $75...........I knew I had to find a better way! Lucky I had a couple new Rancho boots in the garage. Though they are only like $9 at Summit Racing.

[Dirtymilkman]

Will the condenser flow enough air mounted there?

[57 bcr]

I would think. With the electric fan mounted on it, he should be ok. Heavy equipment A/C units are set up that way.Most do a good job in the cooling department. Al

[Freightrain]

I was thinking along the same lines. Should be plenty of available air under the bunk to be able to be pushed down by the fan. If not, I'll get a BIGGER fan!!

I spent yesterday building brackets to hang the additional air tank for the steering. Got some air lines run. Can't say I got real far, but little steps at a time. If I had enough brass fittings laying around I could go farther. Never seem to have the right ones. Every Saturday I walk into Cross Truck with a list a mile long.

[Freightrain]

Well as of today the air steering is functional! Pretty happy with it. Few loose hoses to tie up but all is well. I have the a/c bracket painted and installed. The hoses are all cut to length and I will get those crimped. Only have to get a few wires run to make it work. We're getting closer.

[b61mack]

Looks good, hope everything works out for you. AC is nice to have in a B model.

[Freightrain]

Well, as of Sunday it is complete. The a/c is all hooked up, lines, power, belt. You can turn the unit on and the fan works and it also powers the fan on the condensor. I had to add a tensioner bolt to the compressor to allow for easier belt adjustment. Just sitting in the cab with the fan on high.......it is quite a blast of air. I think if it cools as well as it should, it should be quite chilly. We'll see how it does with the old drafty cab at highway speed. I think it is suppose to be 14K BTU and that is larger then a typical small window air conditioner, so with this little cab I think it will be good.

Now if I could get the door of the garage open I could charge the system. The air steering is complete and function also. The only thing needed is a GOOD washing to get all the greasy handprints off everything.

WIth the weather taking a turn for the WARM this week(hitting 50 all week) I think the ground might settle a bit and allow the door to open? The gravel is heaved and it has the door wedged up against the track nice and tight.

[thomastractorsvc]

Are you going to take it some place to charge or use the "over the counter" arctic freeze?

[Freightrain]

Just Azone generic 134a.

[Ezrider]

for about 100 bucks you can get 30 lbs of r 134a if you get it in the drum. i don't know how often you work on ac systems but for me with two semi's 3 pickups and 2 cars it seems every year you have to fix the ac on something. comes out way cheaper in the long run than buying the regular do it yourself ac cans. then you can get a vaccum pump and manifold gauge set for about another 100 to get a proper recharge

[farmer52]

EZ,

Does a person need a "permit" to buy R134A in bulk?

[Ezrider]

as far as i know you don't. last one i got i just walked into my local Napa and told them i needed a 30lb bottle of 134a. they had it on hand and sold it to me. it was a little more there but i needed asap when i bought it. you can get them on e-bay and other online sources a bit cheaper than napa. about $120 at Napa. 30 lbs will go a long ways you can do many many vehicles with 30lbs and after the first few the rest are basically free compared to the price of the do it yourself cans.

i think it was r-12 that you had to have a licence for as its environmentally unsafe. but r-12 is pretty much a thing of the past anymore.

i got my vacuum pump on ebay for about $50 and my manifold gauge set for about $40 after a fair bit of use i have had to replace a few of the fittings on the gauge set.

[Freightrain]

I have guages, no pump(Yet). Been looking online but not sure how big of pump I should get? Buddy has one I can borrow, but thought if I can get one for $100 I just buy it and have it for any service down the road. Seen all various capacities and just don't know how good of one I should buy.

The DIY cans are like $13/each for 1lb of std 134a(not dyed or sealer type). So, it does add up if you buy the 30# can. Something I might look into. I have contact at local Napa, so might get it cheaper yet.

[41chevy]

A standard automotive service vacuum pump is sufficient, you only need to pull 29 inches of vacuum for the moisture and impurities to get pulled out. My AC vacuum pump came from a GF refrigerator. Been using it for many years. I had to change one fitting to use it with the 134-A gauges. Only need licence for R-12 and R-22

One thought, is your condenser meant to work laying flat? It does pull out the heat but it also converts the "freon" from a gas to liquid (or vise versa) same as a radiator. It might not work flat.

Paul

[MACKTRUCKS4]

I picked up a 30lb. bottle at Sams last summer for around $88. No license needed.

[Freightrain]

I told the place where I bought it what I was doing. They didn't seem to think it was an issue. All else fails I might have to stand it up. Or maybe angle it some?

All the pumps I've seen are all over the place for CFM and single/two stage. All depends on how much you want to spend.

[41chevy]

You may have to angle it. You have to wait to see how well it cools. Go to an appliance repair and grab used a 110V refrigerator compressor. One side is suction the other is discharge. Set up the discharge side with a twist type valve to open or close it. you tie into your gauges off the suction side.

[Ezrider]

a friend of mine has a vacuum pump made from a a old refrigerator. it works quite well. my ac vacuum pump is a 1/3hp single stage pump it works just fine gets the job done just not quite as fast as some of the more expensive ones.

[Freightrain]

Ya, the ones I've seen on Amazon, typical small 1/4 or 1/3 hp for under $100. Just didn't know how much vacuum they will pull. I know they won't do it fast, but that is not an issue.