Mack DM frame

[fullfuel01]

early 80's mack DM single frame. motor and transmission is gone, cab is junk, frame is perfect with a set of 44 on camelback 40's 4.17 ratio. 138'' from the back of the cab to the end of the tandem according to my memory, remeasurment is needed.  It's perfect to reframe an old rusted double frame DM. 1200$ located in Joliette Quebec, we can help with shipping. Make a reasonnable offer, we don't want to scrap it. call/text for pictures and info

[Prowrench]

please provide dimensions ,especially interested in length from back of cab to rear of frame. I have an 87 r model with factory double frame and i need to repair,replace, or patch my rails you can text me 630-202-7051 Thanks Rich

[terry]

DM frame will not work for a R model reframe, unless you are going to put a R model cab on a Dm frame, I wanted to try this at one time but never got it done. Will take some fabrication but could be done.    terry

Edited July 8, 2019 by terry

[Vladislav]

R-model cab is too different against one off a DM. Offset cab has almost different cowl but it also seats much more to the front of the chassis. So seems like plenty of customizing, no straight way using just factory parts.

Front end of R and DM rails is almost different, as said above. Otherwise I would ask all your questions the same day the listing was posted

Vlad

[Prowrench]

Well that"s why i asked for length of frame from back of cab to rear of frame because that is the straight section of a DM frame rail. Thanks for the input Rich

[terry]

2 hours ago, Prowrench said:

Well that"s why i asked for length of frame from back of cab to rear of frame because that is the straight section of a DM frame rail. Thanks for the input Rich

Thought you  were doing a complete frame replacement.    terry

[JoeH]

On 7/8/2019 at 11:10 AM, Prowrench said:

Well that"s why i asked for length of frame from back of cab to rear of frame because that is the straight section of a DM frame rail. Thanks for the input Rich

Even still, DM frame may be different. My DM (it's a double frame) frame is about 13-15? inches tall for the first couple feet behind the cab, then it tapers to 11 inches for the rest.  If you only need straight rails you could contact PG Adams. They make frame rails. But they unfortunately can't do the R model splay around the engine and trans.

[Vladislav]

PG Adams seems as the way to go.

DM (and RD and many other) frame rails have different heigth than an R.

[Vladislav]

22 hours ago, JoeH said:

 But they unfortunately can't do the R model splay around the engine and trans.

Does anybody can?

[JoeH]

12 minutes ago, Vladislav said:

Does anybody can?

You can buy rails from your Mack dealer, so somebody is making them...

[terry]

2 hours ago, JoeH said:

You can buy rails from your Mack dealer, so somebody is making them...

But I bet the average guy can't buy from them, have to be got from mack.     terry

Edited July 12, 2019 by terry

[Rob]

51 minutes ago, JoeH said:

You can buy rails from your Mack dealer, so somebody is making them...

last set of rails I'd purchased from them, (PG Adams) I was told they were starting to offer the splay. That was back in 2013. They were not offering the "fishbelly" however.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Rob

[6368]

30 minutes ago, Rob said:

last set of rails I'd purchased from them, (PG Adams) I was told they were starting to offer the splay. That was back in 2013. They were not offering the "fishbelly" however.

I was told no splay about a year ago .by them.

[Rob]

7 minutes ago, 6368 said:

I was told no splay about a year ago .by them.

They must not have been able to control the "springback" acceptably well enough to offer for production then. This was explained when I asked.

[JoeH]

1 hour ago, Rob said:

last set of rails I'd purchased from them, (PG Adams) I was told they were starting to offer the splay. That was back in 2013. They were not offering the "fishbelly" however.

As of last December they couldn't do the splay. We were pricing out reframing our DM686SX.  Belly they could do, but not the splay.

[mrsmackpaul]

1 hour ago, terry said:

But I bet the average guy can't buy from them, have to got to mack.     terry

Mack dealers in the US are very different than Australia by the sounds of it as dealers out here are only to happy to help no matter how old or difficult it may seam or at least that is my experience 

 

I reckon I could walk into any dealer and order R model rails if I had the chassis number 

Yes they would cost a few bob, but if we want Mack Australia to support our old junk we have gotta pay for limited stock items to be made and held

 

Paul 

 

[Rob]

37 minutes ago, JoeH said:

As of last December they couldn't do the splay. We were pricing out reframing our DM686SX.  Belly they could do, but not the splay.

Yup, backwards from what I was told but that is a while back. I also asked about the fishbelly as I was looking at a B-53 at the time and didn't acquire the truck as was told they could not do them.

[6368]

11 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

Mack dealers in the US are very different than Australia by the sounds of it as dealers out here are only to happy to help no matter how old or difficult it may seam or at least that is my experience 

 

I reckon I could walk into any dealer and order R model rails if I had the chassis number 

Yes they would cost a few bob, but if we want Mack Australia to support our old junk we have gotta pay for limited stock items to be made and held

 

Paul 

 

You can get frame rails from the US dealer as well somewhere around $ 20k  for a full double set.  I have no problem with them making a profit..but it seams to me that pricing is designed to discourage the repair of older trucks.  Bring on the PAI frame rails.

[Prowrench]

any contact info on pg adams? Ispoke with Watts mack he told me no longer available

[Rob]

6 hours ago, Prowrench said:

any contact info on pg adams? Ispoke with Watts mack he told me no longer available

https://www.pgadams.com/

[Prowrench]

Thanks I checked them out it seems to be the place to get them from, even if they can't spread them in the front i would have them make the straight sections and splice them in

[Rob]

3 minutes ago, Prowrench said:

Thanks I checked them out it seems to be the place to get them from, even if they can't spread them in the front i would have them make the straight sections and splice them in

Be very accurate in the dimensions you supply them as their tolerances are very tight. You specify a 3.25" top flange and that is what you will get as near exact as can be manufactured.

Talk to Taja, whom knows the business well. She will send you a diagram you place your measurements upon and send it back. They will confirm and your rails will be produced on short order.

[Prowrench]

sounds like a good plan I'll do that. I spoke to a few companies locally and when you tell them the dimension and type of steel they say no problem but when they hear truck frame they say they can't do it.

 

 

 

[Prowrench]

I'm looking for an old paint scheme I remember it being on a Mack calendar, it was an R-Model painted silver with red stripes it might have been a mixer. Sound familiar?

[Vladislav]

Of what I met as an issue with PG Adams rails is the bend radius at the corners was larger than I have on my R600 single frame rails. Taja was very friendly indeed about communication and help but said they could't make those corners any sharper. So I'm in search for solution so far. Didn't like the idea of welding straight sections at all. It's a single frame and i hate any inserts to be installed or fit double rails since I want to keep all original. Started looking for ordering straight sections but that soft band would't fit perfect with my front showing the seam. And additionally to cut in the frame itself my country's regulations don't allow frame modifications. So I would loose the truck's registration if someone make a frame check.