Red Horse Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Well took the B in to get a state inspection today. No problem. Got my sticker and drove a mile and a half to Gulf to fuel up. Finished, when in to sign my ticket, BS'd for 20 min. came out and when I grabbed wheel to pull myself up knew I had a problem. Wheel ends up in my hands. Snapped off right at upper bearing-which was obviously very worn. I guess you could say I should have noticed something ahead of time but in the like 6 years that I owned it can't say It ever felt too loose to me. I guess I'm lucky, I'm a "lightweight" at right around 200 pds. Guy that owns shop that did inspection goes closer to 300! Ultimately this thing would have failed but I'm thinking his 300 pd. "tug" when he climbed up (24" rubber ) may have started the break and then I finished it off. My build sheet says its a Gemmer 500 box. At some point original owner added power steering. Anyone have suggestions on best way to get box/steering column out? Guy that owns Gulf garage pounded a stud into steering shaft then put a socket on it with a Vise Grip I had a "Tiller" and could get it off fuel island. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry T Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Wow! Very lucky. I don't have an answer for you but I once had the pitman arm fall off of my steering box on my 1977 GMC Jimmy just as I left my buddy's farm. I wasn't moving very fast so fortunately I was able to drift off the road & stop, push it back on and get back into his driveway. The inability to steer, even at a low speed, is very overwhelming when moving! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattb73lt Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 WOW! Lucky that didn’t happen when you were driving!! Might be easiest to drop it down than trying to pull it up through the cab. Sourcing a new shaft shouldn’t be too hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Yikes. I lost a rag joint in my '70 F100 many years back. Was backing into the driveway, just about got it straightened out and woosh... the wheel just kept spinning. Ya, another lucky steering moment! Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james j neiweem Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Glad it broke where it did. Its good to keep the B's on the right side of the highway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kscarbel2 Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Glad you're okay Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgumby Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Well that’s the second time I’ve seen that happened. Luckily the fist time the guy was making a turn At an intersection I was behind him when he stopped suddenly. He got out walked back to me handed me the wheel and said here it’s your turn to drive. I said wow good thing you weren’t going down the hiway. That was a b81 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h67st Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Definitely better than on the freeway!! I was at the Howard Truck show in Fairborn OH a few years ago; Jerry had a nice Mack, believe it was an L model. The bumper and left front fender were missing, he said the pitman shaft sheared off on the interstate and took the driver into the median cables. Lucky for him the cables were there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Ike Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Not that its steering related, but in the early '90s my brother was racing his BMW 2002 at Bridgehampton and his buddy (also a 2002) had the clutch explode on him at 100+mph. Luckily the carnage went out the passenger side of the transmission tunnel and didn't amputate his legs. Quote Ed Smith1957 B85F 1242 "The General Ike" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Dang Bob! Good thing you saw that penny in the parking lot and picked it up because you needed some good luck! Esp. not getting back on the road..... Yikes! Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 Matt, Thanks for the offer. It looks so much smaller (the box) than the Gemmer 500 that is in it. As the only issue I have is the shaft broke, what you are suggesting is I replace shaft with this one? By the way, today with the help of my machete I hacked my way to what I believe was a B-42 a friend had in his yard. Box was very small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattb73lt Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Red Horse said: Matt, Thanks for the offer. It looks so much smaller (the box) than the Gemmer 500 that is in it. As the only issue I have is the shaft broke, what you are suggesting is I replace shaft with this one? By the way, today with the help of my machete I hacked my way to what I believe was a B-42 a friend had in his yard. Box was very small. Yeah, I was thinking the steering shaft might work for you. The box is for a FA 505 axle. I thought yours, last time I saw it, had a heavy front axle and would have a bigger box. So, I wasn’t sure if the shaft would or could be swapped. Someone may know. I have it if you want to try? I can open this one up and see what it looks like, too? Edited July 24, 2020 by mattb73lt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 I have never known of this happening to anyone before Very unlucky but also very lucky if that makes any sense Good luck sorting it out Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 24, 2020 Author Share Posted July 24, 2020 8 hours ago, mattb73lt said: Yeah, I was thinking the steering shaft might work for you. The box is for a FA 505 axle. I thought yours, last time I saw it, had a heavy front axle and would have a bigger box. So, I wasn’t sure if the shaft would or could be swapped. Someone may know. I have it if you want to try? I can open this one up and see what it looks like, too? Matt-thx very much. I'm checking on the shaft issue. And I also had the same box in a B-68 that I sold to a guy in Maine. So he was checking to make sure he still had the box. So if anyone reading this thread has a clue, please let me know. I'm also thinking I've got a machinist friend, might be able to rework the existing shaft with a new end. It broke right where the bearing sits. As to your thought of dropping it down, My engine is a 237 and it looks like as the block flares out a lot at pan, it would not get past that point. This thing started life as a gas job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Depending if the bearing has an inner race or if the shaft rides on the rollers? If no inner race, then the shaft would need to be case hardened to survive the rollers running on it, even with just slow speed use like steering. Is the shaft itself hollow? I've had my wheel off a few times, but assumed the steering shaft was solid. You made a comment above about pounding a stud in it. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j hancock Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 My B75 utilizes an upper bushing and hollow shaft. I try to squirt a little lube in ever so often when I remember. I think I will be doing a better job remembering now. 2 Quote JimIt doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleclutchinweasel Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 Ho-ly ________! Glad nothing worse happened. Quote "Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PC68 Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 I haven’t driven mine in 3 years now, we tend to forget these trucks are 60 years or better in age.....scary!! Thank goodness no one got hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 13 hours ago, Freightrain said: Depending if the bearing has an inner race or if the shaft rides on the rollers? If no inner race, then the shaft would need to be case hardened to survive the rollers running on it, even with just slow speed use like steering. Is the shaft itself hollow? I've had my wheel off a few times, but assumed the steering shaft was solid. You made a comment above about pounding a stud in it. FT, Inner race. And hollow shaft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattb73lt Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 I wonder how the worm gear is secured to the shaft? I was thinking about pulling that B-42 box apart to get the shaft out. If the worm can be removed and swapped and all the other measurements are the same, this could be a pretty easy repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 3 hours ago, mattb73lt said: I wonder how the worm gear is secured to the shaft? I was thinking about pulling that B-42 box apart to get the shaft out. If the worm can be removed and swapped and all the other measurements are the same, this could be a pretty easy repair. Matt I have a Mack Operation and Maintenance Manual Form TS 442. Only 208 pgs but attached is a picture of a worm and roller type box which is what you have I believe as well as a picture of the box I have which is a cam and Lever type. I'm assuming that the worm in both boxes is separate from the shaft??? And if so what holds the shaft to the worm??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattb73lt Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 I'm thinking it's keyed and pressed on. I'll dig into the box tomorrow to see. I'm not going to use the box again and I thought this might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Horse Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 8 hours ago, mattb73lt said: I'm thinking it's keyed and pressed on. I'll dig into the box tomorrow to see. I'm not going to use the box again and I thought this might work. thx Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowerman Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 wow i think of that from time to time,,,i drive alotta twisty roads,,,,,,,thank god it broke where it did,,,,and yes,,antiques,anything is liable to break,anytime....bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck Shop Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 The original that was in my B75 was totally shot, The upper shaft had two deep groves worn in it. But I replaced everything with a TRW-TAS power box and used a fixed column from a 98 T800. Quote One ping only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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