What did you do to your truck today?

[jenandjon]

I have a couple grab handles off a Peterbilt that I want to put on the Freightliner to help the wife and kids get in easier. I figured a few self taping screws and we will be good but the skin is awfully thin right there by the doors. I will have to pull some interior panels out and find some structure.

[rickeieio]

Trying to put two pics in one post isn't working......

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by rickeieio

[rickeieio]

Lots of fiddling and screwing around, but got it.  Knocked the big lumps off the Volvo this morning.  Now it's getting a soft water rinse, courtesy of Mother Nature.

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, rickeieio said:

Lots of fiddling and screwing around, but got it.  Knocked the big lumps off the Volvo this morning.  Now it's getting a soft water rinse, courtesy of Mother Nature.

 

Have you run the litmus test ? It may be an acid rinse .

Edited April 10, 2021 by Pat & Pete

[Vegas Teacher]

15 hours ago, Jaydrvr said:

To post pictures, go to the site recommended by Jack. http://photoposting.is-great.net/

After selecting your picture and converting it into a URL, strip off the [IMG] from the beginning and end. Then copy the remaining link and post that into the forum using the Other Media link. A little clumsy, but it works. Jay

Thanks, did not know that before!!! 😃😃😃

[Jaydrvr]

6 hours ago, Vegas Teacher said:

Thanks, did not know that before!!! 😃😃😃

You're quite welcome! Can't wait to see your pix. Jay

[Vegas Teacher]

16 hours ago, Jaydrvr said:

You're quite welcome! Can't wait to see your pix. Jay

I got a lot done today, I am sunburnt, my arms burn from polishing by hand, and delt with the in laws all day. Everything turned out great. I am going to do everything I can to get them posted tomorrow. I am going to post on Facebook tonight if you are on there on the HDT forum.

Later Cory Ossana 

[Jaydrvr]

14 minutes ago, Vegas Teacher said:

I got a lot done today, I am sunburnt, my arms burn from polishing by hand, and delt with the in laws all day. Everything turned out great. I am going to do everything I can to get them posted tomorrow. I am going to post on Facebook tonight if you are on there on the HDT forum.

Later Cory Ossana 

"And a good time was had by all.." Jay

Edited April 12, 2021 by Jaydrvr

[Vegas Teacher]

I started a new Thread see New Seat Covers / Security lights / Clay Bar

Later,

Cory O

[jenandjon]

It snowed so I thought I would do a quick tune up on my generator. That turned into a couple broken bolts and needing new rings. I was going to actually follow directions and pull the heads off to clean the carbon. I sold have just kept buying new spark plugs. The first side came off real easy. The head gasket was leaking. Not a big deal they are $12. The other side was the one that wouldn't come apart very easy. So for now I am gong to pull it off the truck and install my spare. I may be in the market for a new generator. We will see. The bolts were really messed up so I'm not confident that the threads will be much good either.

Edited April 19, 2021 by jenandjon

[rickeieio]

Looks like it's time to polish those bolt removal skills.  I think I'd try the ol' "weld a washer and nut on the broken bolt" trick.

[jenandjon]

7 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Looks like it's time to polish those bolt removal skills.  I think I'd try the ol' "weld a washer and nut on the broken bolt" trick.

They started coming out then got tight. I worked them back and forth until the first one snapped. There were 4 that were stubborn. We will see how this goes.

[beemergary]

I put on my new Michigan Historical plate. Good till 2031 and only cost $35.00.

[jenandjon]

Found a little time to jerk the old generator out and get ready to put in the spare. Time to wipe the dust off the Brute and put it to work.  It will fit in there but I have to take the wheel kit off. Then I will plumb in the fuel line to run off my 50 gallon generator tank. I will be adding a second shut off on the fuel line. I have one on the tank I am gong to add one just before the inlet on the generator. Its gravity fed so shouldn't be a problem.

As for power the wire going to the old Onan will just get a plug put on. That will power up the breaker box on the truck. I will be able to plug my camper in the same way I always did.

The old Onan is getting mothballed for the time being. I need to evaluate if it's worth it to me to fix it or get a different one. I really would like a bigger one. All it needs is extract the broken bolts, finish cleaning the carbon, rings, head gaskets, head bolts, carb kit, reseal the intake and all new exhaust.

[Vegas Teacher]

On 4/21/2021 at 7:10 AM, beemergary said:

I put on my new Michigan Historical plate. Good till 2031 and only cost $35.00.

What part of Michigan do you live in? My wife's family is from the Grand Rapids area, they now live in Morley. We make it up to that part of the country about once every 3 years in the summer. I went once and only once at Christmas, I have never seen so much snow.

Later,

Cory Ossana - Vegas Teacher

[Vegas Teacher]

4 hours ago, jenandjon said:

Found a little time to jerk the old generator out and get ready to put in the spare. Time to wipe the dust off the Brute and put it to work.  It will fit in there but I have to take the wheel kit off. Then I will plumb in the fuel line to run off my 50 gallon generator tank. I will be adding a second shut off on the fuel line. I have one on the tank I am gong to add one just before the inlet on the generator. Its gravity fed so shouldn't be a problem.

As for power the wire going to the old Onan will just get a plug put on. That will power up the breaker box on the truck. I will be able to plug my camper in the same way I always did.

The old Onan is getting mothballed for the time being. I need to evaluate if it's worth it to me to fix it or get a different one. I really would like a bigger one. All it needs is extract the broken bolts, finish cleaning the carbon, rings, head gaskets, head bolts, carb kit, reseal the intake and all new exhaust.

I just took my generator to the shop to get fixed. Carb, was all gummed up and I had old gas in the tank that was causing the problem. $165.00 later runs like new, I am not 100% sure it was worth it on an 10+ year old generator but the "D.W." said no on buying a new one, So I said "Yessss Deeaarrr" and paid for a clean up and repair.

Later,

Vegas Teacher - Cory Ossana

[trimster]

Made the final templates for the skirts on the new bed-build. When done, they will be painted the same as the truck.

[beemergary]

On 4/23/2021 at 11:27 AM, Vegas Teacher said:

What part of Michigan do you live in? My wife's family is from the Grand Rapids area, they now live in Morley. We make it up to that part of the country about once every 3 years in the summer. I went once and only once at Christmas, I have never seen so much snow.

Later,

Cory Ossana - Vegas Teacher

Lapeer area about 100 mi. east of Grand Rapids.

 

[jenandjon]

Got the driveshaft pulled out. There is some play in the splines. They were pretty dry. I greased the crap out of it but still had a vibration on the back side of the hills. Abut where the cruise would kick off and the truck would coast.

The guy I have helping me on this project noticed that my ride height looked too high. I dont have a picture so I will explain as well as I can. I am referring to the blocks on the axle and the block on the frame where it rests when you dump your air.

When the bags are fully inflated he said there should be 2 1/2 inch gap. I have about a 4 inch gap. I called freightliner but they couldn't help me because Its been singled and all the info they have on my vin is for a tandem truck. If anyone reading this has a single axle would you please measure your gap for me and let me know where you sit. I dont think it matters if its a Volvo, freightliner or KW or whatever. All these trucks are essentially the same from the frame down.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

11 hours ago, jenandjon said:

I called freightliner but they couldn't help me because Its been singled and all the info they have on my vin is for a tandem truck. If anyone reading this has a single axle would you please measure your gap for me and let me know where you sit. I dont think it matters if its a Volvo, freightliner or KW or whatever. All these trucks are essentially the same from the frame down.

Give Roger Jones a call.  His Freightshaker should be the same as yours.  With the my Volvo that was singled short, the height is at the stock setting, but the front drive axle and driveshaft are factory.

 

[Scrap]

https://www.westernstartrucks.com/_Assets/BodyBuilderBook/08Suspension_Mar2017.pdf

I don't think you can use a single axle Airliner ride height (page 8-5) because they are usually made for 10" ride height.  They have different bags, seats, front axle spacers, engine slant, etc to get there.  I think you'd still need to use the fwd axle ride height from a tandem (page 8-6)since all the tandem parts were used.

For trailing arm suspension you can also go at it the other way around.  If you saw the angle number cast into the seat when you installed it, you can use a digital protractor zero'd out on the rail.  Then put it on the machined surface of the input yoke and play with the leveling valve.  When protractor hits the listed seat angle then you know you're at ride height.

[jenandjon]

Well I ran across a guy a Facebook with a factory single. He said he was 2 1/2 inches of clearance. That just happens to be the same as the front axle on the tandem I measured. So that is what we are going to shoot for.

Jen got the drive shaft in to the machine shop yesterday and got new splines welded in. He said they looked good but I know I could wobble the drive shaft around so we did it any way.  One of the U joints was a little stiff so replacing that also.

[jenandjon]

7 hours ago, Scrap said:

https://www.westernstartrucks.com/_Assets/BodyBuilderBook/08Suspension_Mar2017.pdf

I don't think you can use a single axle Airliner ride height (page 8-5) because they are usually made for 10" ride height.  They have different bags, seats, front axle spacers, engine slant, etc to get there.  I think you'd still need to use the fwd axle ride height from a tandem (page 8-6)since all the tandem parts were used.

For trailing arm suspension you can also go at it the other way around.  If you saw the angle number cast into the seat when you installed it, you can use a digital protractor zero'd out on the rail.  Then put it on the machined surface of the input yoke and play with the leveling valve.  When protractor hits the listed seat angle then you know you're at ride height.

Thanks for the link I am going to save that for future reference.

[jenandjon]

Everything back together and test drove. Everything seems to be good.

On to the next thing. Got the spare generator in the box. Its a little louder in there than it is out of the box. I will have the door open when its running. Should be plenty of ventilation. I have to get a 30 amp plug so I can run off the breaker box on the bed and plumb in the fuel line so I dont have to worry about gas cans.

 

 

[Cotreker]

My project list: 

1. Weld more steel on the bumper hitch for safety; pulled 25,000 boat last summer and it stressed it.

2. Have Volvo update the ECM; truck recently went dead on road then restarted (display service ECM)

3.  Install new exhaust muffler; might attempt to make it "weed burner"

4.  Outside lower frame mounted 48" storage box

5.  New tires 6 on drives

Road trips....