R Model Sleeper on Rails

[Mr Black]

Has anyone had success installing a sleeper on rails to an air ride R Model cab?

I have seen that forum member Murranji is doing one but I really don't want to pull the R Model cab off again to mount the rail. Is there a way to mount some rails while leaving the cab mounted in the normal way?

I have just spent considerable time repositioning my cab to a custom height and have had a walkthrough cutout done to suit a CH sleeper. Both cab and sleeper are painted and the next step was to mount the sleeper in a fixed position and attach rubber sock to the air ride cab. Have had delays with installers and now I am thinking I would prefer to have the sleeper attached to the cab instead of the chassis (with a couple of air bags at the rear of sleeper). The cab is sitting about 4 inches higher than standard so I have plenty of room underneath.

Has anyone done this without pulling the cab off to mount it on a rail? Finally got everything in place and I don't want to go through that again - particularly given that cab is freshly painted.

Any tips or photos?

[Dirtymilkman]

I have thought about what you wanna do many times. It sounds like a awesome idea but I think it'd be best to lift the cab up and install rails under it. Simpler and probably quicker in the end. If you have a larger A frame or header you would only have to raise it a foot

[Dirtymilkman]

We used to run a wood beam through the cab with towels around them and lift

[fullfuel01]

my brother have a R model with integral sleeper.

[Mr Black]

We used to run a wood beam through the cab with towels around them and lift

That is roughly how we did it when we customised the cab height, which now is the same as an Australian Superliner II. Our mechanics used railway sleepers and bottle jacks. Just painful to do it again as I have just finished linking everything back up - not to mention that you can't even look at the gloss black paint without putting a mark on it!!

I was thinking of maybe running the rails more toward the outside edge so it bypasses the existing shock and airbag setup. Have to go out to truck today so will assess that idea. Just working from memory at the moment.

[Dirtymilkman]

I would run one continuous rail from front cab mount to back of sleeper and use a 2 bag air ride out of a newer truck

[steve p]

you don't have lift the cab off ,I made mine so it slid in from the back

[Mr Black]

you don't have lift the cab off ,I made mine so it slid in from the back

That looks awesome.

You should make them for sale. I would be your first customer. Would be at your door with money in hand immediately!!

[Mr Black]

you don't have lift the cab off ,I made mine so it slid in from the back

Do you think it would work ok if I ran rails with frame from front cab mount to back of sleeper with a couple of shocks and and a standard air bag at the back while leaving the standard shocks and air bag on the cab also? Would be similar to your set up other than it would work around existing cab suspension and have a second set at rear. I would still put a couple of bolts through rear cab bar into rails so it all works together. Not sure if having 2 points of suspension may cause issues when setting the air bags. Sleeper is 44".

How is the R700 coming along?

[steve p]

NO ,it would break the rails by having two different load points ,I'd use 75x75 x6/8 shs instead of 75x50x6 as I have used. two air bags are all you need I would use 4 shocks. should only take you 2 days to fabricate. re. the 700 just started rebuilding the 10 speed and then be starting on 1241 aux,verrrry slooooowly getting there

[Mr Black]

NO ,it would break the rails by having two different load points ,I'd use 75x75 x6/8 shs instead of 75x50x6 as I have used. two air bags are all you need I would use 4 shocks. should only take you 2 days to fabricate. re. the 700 just started rebuilding the 10 speed and then be starting on 1241 aux,verrrry slooooowly getting there

Thanks mate, yeah I thought that the 2 suspension points would cause some issues - wasn't sure if there was a way to make it work. Shame given I have just got the cab sitting perfectly but I think this has to be done now as part of the rebuild. I will no doubt regret it if I don't at least have a go at this now.

Can't wait to see the R700 on Brisbane streets. I know what you mean about progressing slowly. I can't believe how long I have had our R Model off the road - very hard to devote much time to it but am on the home straight now - it is actually starting to look like a truck again rather than a pile of parts!!