Well I did it, 2006 Freightliner Century Class, 70" sleeper

[Bigtrailer]

There will be a short section extended on frame. Pulled a measurement and desired 150" to center pin from back of cab was roughly 6" past frame. Could bolt that extension on. Will let shop make that call. I'm going to call around and find a shop near here for the bearings. Baton Rogue close. New Orleans close. We sorta in middle of these.

 

Oh it will be flat bed dovetailed and cut out in hitch area. I don't need a fancy deck. Don't get me wrong they are really nice but that would cost more than truck. Lol. I will add boxes as I get time. Will get tray for ramps under side of deck. Are the big boys 11 width necessary? Tires fairly narrow on Smart

I found a Home Depot all aluminum bed off a truck that had been taken off the chassis. It has 3 inch thick wall X members, 102 wide, and I cut about 2 feet off and married the rear channel back in. I paid $300 for the bed, put my full aluminum fenders on, total out of pocket for just the bed and install was $750. I had my polish guys buff all of it out for another $350, and now had a Smart car deck.

 

I had the same problem on ramps, but I got the thin ones that fold made for the Smart car from Discount Ramps, and with my gooseneck settup, my ramps lay flat between the fenders and the box for my recessed gooseneck. I haven't found I needed the big ones, I don't know where I would have put them anyway.

 

Tool boxes are Aero, I bought from Wabash Trailers. Merritt, Aero, Wilson, all the major brands can be bought commercially at any semi trailer company, and all sizes. 24 x 24 x 48 all aluminums run around $450 each. You can hang them off the frame on "L" brackets, or hang under your bed. They are already polished from the manufacturer. 24 x 24 x 60 are really good if you have the frame to do that. I put my winch inside the box, as most do, and have been happy with my 4000# Northern Tool winch with remote. Harbour Freight as one also that works just fine.

 

If you want pics, I'll give you, or anyone else my e-mail and show you pictures. I haven't been on here long enough to figure this out on posting, and, being "old school", it's an effort I will leave to the younger set of truckers.

 

Bill

[tippey]

Congratulations Glenn! We just obtained our truck 2 weeks ago from Rick Younger. I drove over from AZ to CA to check it out and drove home to complete part I of our change-over from a Class A to a 5th wheel that we don't own yet. More on our adventure on another post on another day.

Enjoy!

 

Tipper

 

 

 

 

[GlennWest]

 

I found a Home Depot all aluminum bed off a truck that had been taken off the chassis. It has 3 inch thick wall X members, 102 wide, and I cut about 2 feet off and married the rear channel back in. I paid $300 for the bed, put my full aluminum fenders on, total out of pocket for just the bed and install was $750. I had my polish guys buff all of it out for another $350, and now had a Smart car deck.

 

I had the same problem on ramps, but I got the thin ones that fold made for the Smart car from Discount Ramps, and with my gooseneck settup, my ramps lay flat between the fenders and the box for my recessed gooseneck. I haven't found I needed the big ones, I don't know where I would have put them anyway.

 

Tool boxes are Aero, I bought from Wabash Trailers. Merritt, Aero, Wilson, all the major brands can be bought commercially at any semi trailer company, and all sizes. 24 x 24 x 48 all aluminums run around $450 each. You can hang them off the frame on "L" brackets, or hang under your bed. They are already polished from the manufacturer. 24 x 24 x 60 are really good if you have the frame to do that. I put my winch inside the box, as most do, and have been happy with my 4000# Northern Tool winch with remote. Harbour Freight as one also that works just fine.

 

If you want pics, I'll give you, or anyone else my e-mail and show you pictures. I haven't been on here long enough to figure this out on posting, and, being "old school", it's an effort I will leave to the younger set of truckers.

 

Bill

Not to criticize but why aluminum? Know it is nice looking but weight is a plus. I saw some nice boxes at Tractor Supply. Looks like they work. Will measure when work complete and check some out.

[mr. cob]

Howdy Glenn,

 

Congratulations on getting your truck and joining the Freightliner contingent.

 

What made you decide to swap out the rod and main bearings, noise, low oil pressure, amount of miles on engine....................?

 

Dave

[GlennWest]

B50 of a detroit is 750k. It has 750k. Nothing wrong and good pressure just peace of mind. It's not a lot of money for the assurance you get.

[roadfitter]

HI GLEN

Again "CONGRATULATIONS!"

I did my ROR&MAINS around 850,000. I was told at that time I probably still had another 150,000 on them before any worries, sometimes I worry a lot. At that time I replaced everything on the lower end. Including the oil pump and any/all sending units and sensors. Detroit's run a bit more pressure than the other brand engines. When first started up, even at 70*, oil pressure stays constant around 45/50 psi. After it's all warmed up, 170* or so it idles at 25/30 psi but once you mash the peddle it goes right back up to the 45lb psi range. "RUNS SWEET", I DO HAVE A FEW STORIES TO SHARE when we meet up.

I would wait to do the mains till you need an oil change since your going to drain it anyway.

I suggest to most newbies to have a rod/main inspection at an oil change. Since your changing the oil anyway it takes about an hour or hour an a half and a new rubber pan gasket ($45.)

HAPPY TRAILS! Any questions don't forget to ring!

 

roadfitter

[Bigtrailer]

Not to criticize but why aluminum? Know it is nice looking but weight is a plus. I saw some nice boxes at Tractor Supply. Looks like they work. Will measure when work complete and check some out.

Well, this is what happens when your on the road so many years. All you have is a KW zip code. Lots of time to stare out of the windshield at folks driving past. Some say it comes from having a need to shine and polish. Others say, "chrome won't get ya home!", and call it a waste of time. All I can say is, Not a thing wrong with steel,

 

A company called Beyers makes nice and strong metal boxes, had them also. If ya all are running day after day in salt up north, stainless, or aluminum boxes will pretty much last forever. Metal sweats, and rusts the floors and hinges right off. Look on the flats and drops that you pass, and you will see there is hands down more aluminum boxes.............Wow, didn't mean to go on a tangent, got to rest after that one!

 

Bill

[Jack Mayer]

The 12" ramps have a higher rating than the wide ramps. Or did at the time I bought mine. There is ABSOLUTELY no issue with the 12" ramps and as Rocky said, they handle and store easier. I do not care for the flex in the wide ramps - but that is just me. I winch up and stand outside and adjust the front tire by hand as necessary. it is easy to load it. Like Rocky and most everyone else I drive off. After the first "experience" it is all good. I let Rocky do it the first time on my truck - it WAS his car, after all

[Jim & Wilma]

For an alternate view on ramp widths, I offer the following in support of 19” ramps:

• When I looked at the tire tracking margin between the two, I came up with the following numbers when the SMART is centered:
  • 12” ramps have about a 2” margin from the inside of the front wheels to the inside edge of the ramp and have about a 2” margin from the outside of the rear wheels to the outside edge of the ramp
  • 19” ramps have about a 5 1/2” margin from the inside of the front wheels to the inside edge of the ramp and have about a 5 1/2” margin from the outside of the rear wheels to the outside edge of the ramp
• When I bought the Big Boy II ramps from Discount Ramps, there was no difference between the cost or load rating, both being $650 and 2000 lbs – I believe that still holds
• Bed design incorporated the 19” ramps at no additional cost or loss of other storage capability
• I can’t speak to the difference in sag, other than I’m using what I’ll call the “Roger method” of putting one side of a 1” x 1” angle as a wedge at the hinge point. This improves the deck break angle and reduces the chance of rubbing the SMART belly

Call me a sissy, I went with the 19” ramps.

[rickeieio]

For an alternate view on ramp widths, I offer the following in support of 19” ramps:

<<snip>>

Call me a sissy, I went with the 19” ramps.

Okay, yer a sissy, but one who puts a good bit of thought into it.

 

I have the 19" x 10' ramps. Thus far, I've only used them for motorcycles. They would be heavy for an older person, which most of us are, or hope to become. If all goes well, I hope to load the smart, for the first time, before Christmas.

[Nigel]

If I was doing it again I would buy the 12" wide ramps. The 19's are quite heavy. I used to drive a car carrier and I had 12" X 7' ramps on it and had no issues loading and unloading any car including smarts with them. I know what Jim is thinking about the margin for error but look at where you park your car everyday at home. Are you ever more than an inch off centre? If you are than maybe you should have the wide ramps.

 

JMHO

Nigel

[billr]

The 12" Ramps were not avail way back when I got ours. LOL. But I may have went with them as well due to the wt. I think they do have a higher cap and less flex. My storage for them could have been smaller.

 

I like the 19" but could manage on the 12.

[GlennWest]

I will go with 12". Dw nay have to load Smart sometime. I believe I would be very naive to not think that. Lighter the better for her.

[Bigtrailer]

Glenn,

 

My wife, Michele, can put the narrow ramps up, and drive off the bed. We are both 69. I have her in the car when we winch up just in case something happens to the cable. She knows how to use the emergency brake also. Yes, I have a remote, but it is the extra safety issue.

 

Bill

[HERO Maker]

Okay, yer a sissy, but one who puts a good bit of thought into it.

 

I have the 19" x 10' ramps. Thus far, I've only used them for motorcycles. They would be heavy for an older person, which most of us are, or hope to become. If all goes well, I hope to load the smart, for the first time, before Christmas.

Rick, 10' longs ramps? Is your deck a lot lower than the rest of us? If not, then I would strongly suggest the piece of angle iron that Jim talks about. His was maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch and it gave him more that an extra 1/2 inch clearance on his belly (the smart's belly). You may need a thicker piece of angle iron, and maybe a 2 x 6 at the bottoms of your ramps. Go slow that first time and check it out, or your smart may yell at you!

[Jim & Wilma]

For an alternate view on ramp widths, I offer the following in support of 19” ramps:

. . . . . cont'd

• The 12" ramps are 56 lbs/ea and the 19" ramps are 54 lbs/ea
• Per Ray at Discount Ramps, there's no significant difference in deflection between the two, though I think this calls for some testing - maybe at the Eastern Rally

Sorry Glenn that we hijacked your post and appreciate you letting us have fun discussing the merits of this and that.

[GlennWest]

I'm enjoying and leaning.

[rickeieio]

Rick, 10' longs ramps? Is your deck a lot lower than the rest of us? If not, then I would strongly suggest the piece of angle iron that Jim talks about. His was maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch and it gave him more that an extra 1/2 inch clearance on his belly (the smart's belly). You may need a thicker piece of angle iron, and maybe a 2 x 6 at the bottoms of your ramps. Go slow that first time and check it out, or your smart may yell at you!

Okay, you made me think about it. I went to the Discount Ramps site and found they don't offer the Big Boy II in 10', so I must have 12'. Never measured them. Bought 'em at a motorcycle trade show for a serious discount.

I'm enjoying and leaning.

So, which way are ya leaning?

[GlennWest]

12" ramps.

[Jack Mayer]

Perhaps the Big Boy ramps have been changed. But I will tell you that the ones I have looked at CLOSELY flex significantly more.....and I mean a LOT more - than the 12" ramps. They also were rated for 1000lbs each, vs. 2000lbs each on the 12" ramps. Obviously either work. But there is absolutely no issue with the 12" ramps IMO. At the time I bought mine they were stronger, flexed less, and lighter in weight than the Big Boy ramps....but like I said, that may have changed. At the time I bought there was only one "smart car" ramp....and that was the 12". Now I see there are Big Boy ramps listed as "smart car" ramps.

[rickeieio]

So, this thread is meandering along.......can you say hi-jack?

 

Weight rating q....If a ramp is rated at 1,000#, is that a weight placed in the middle? One wheel is off the end when the other is at the middle of the ramp.

 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

[Dollytrolley]

So, this thread is meandering along.......can you say hi-jack?

 

Weight rating q....If a ramp is rated at 1,000#, is that a weight placed in the middle? One wheel is off the end when the other is at the middle of the ramp.

 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

 

Rick,

 

How do you Hi-Jack a bunch of ...........geezers......... (or soon-to-be-geezers)............

 

Every "side-subject" is.........just another day above ground........

 

Drive on............(Hello.........Jack)

[GlennWest]

Those aluminum boxes got me thinking. I do travel up north, Denver area, some times. Rig welders say their steel boxes rot out up there. Need to protect them or use metal other than carbon.

[Darryl&Rita]

Pro's and con's for both.

Aluminum boxes will explode at the welds, almost without exception. Better supports will slow it, but I haven't seen one yet hold together.

Aluminum will "sow-belly", causing more stress to the welds.

Aluminum will oxidize, and hard to polish unless smooth.

Steel will "sow-belly", unless the bottoms are thick enough to resist the dynamic load of material bouncing down the road.

Steel will shed paint, eventually, but can be re-painted easy enough. (Our deck is all steel, and there is just the beginnings of rust on a few seams, and we carry a gas can inside almost year round. YMMV.)

Stainless solves all the above problems, but hang onto your wallet. $$$