Picked up this log truck for $2500 a year or so back - juice brakes, gas motor, unknown loader. Ran good, always starts right up. 2 pressing issues - #1 has no brakes & #2 its way too much truck for the motor\brake package and the rear most axle is as unsafe as anything I've seen.
This is never gonna be a daily driven commercial rig - just a farm truck used to haul my firewood and an occasional load of logs. My intent is to make it safe, reliable and under CDL rated.
Here is where we started - 22' bed, rear most axle is dead, drive axle is 8' from the back of the loader frame
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/1028161609.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787872)
Dodging rain drops yesterday we took the log body off so we can get to work on the rest of the stuff that needs attention.
Started by building 3 wood cribs out of 6"x6"x3' pine & hemlock sawn by @pinefeller (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=32463) .
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0727181920.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787893)
Needed to be able to drive the truck out so I chained a piece of 6"x6"x14' steel across the front of the bed so we had something to jack against.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0727181921.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787892)
Here we are ready drive it out
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0727181921a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787888)
via magic of the internet its off that quick and easy - actually it took a bit of additional jacking and cutting with the torch to get it off - just about a 3 beer job, in between rain showers.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0727182009.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787887)
Here she is all naked
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0727182009b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787882)
Now for the ugliness - rear dead axle spring mounting
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0728180954.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787881)
trailing arm mounting - welds broken on both sides - whole thing just afloat
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0728180954a.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787878)
yikes!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0728180954b.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787876)
The chain was just wrapped around the cross member - guess that was their safety device in case the whole thing decided to leave home and head south.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/15805/0728180954c.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1532787874)
Plans are to permanently remove the rear axle, cut the frame down to 12' which is just about the center line of where the rear axle currently sits. Rebuild the brakes. Then cut the log body to match and reinstall. Hydra boost hydraulic brake booster, modern dual reservoir master cylinder & all new brakes lines. New carb & exhaust and then we'll have a look at the hydraulics, got a couple leaks and the whole system is way too fast, I believe I have too fast a pto, might need to re-gear.
More to follow
2500 is all that was worth. Somebody actually drove it like that ??? :o
Quote from: sawguy21 on July 28, 2018, 12:17:52 PM
2500 is all that was worth. Somebody actually drove it like that ??? :o
Couple hours north of Bangor Maine - different set of rules up there
Remind me not to go a couple hours North of Bangor. :o
So its just like tennessee then eh theya bub?
What do you own for a tow rig now? Heavy enough to pull this as a GN trailer?
Quote from: thecfarm on July 28, 2018, 01:20:17 PM
Remind me not to go a couple hours North of Bangor. :o
Funny thing is that is pretty much what folks up that way want!!
Could that be a John Deere roto boom?
that is either a ramey or tree king loader. but they are pretty much one in the same.
watch that chain and keep it lubricated. if it breaks the rotation is basically in neutral and it will find the down hill side in a hurry!
remember when you shorten the truck and body that you will need a place to set the grapple down.
and be careful what you say about those people from north of bangor, I imported wife from up there!
I only said something about that owner of the truck. ;D
That thing was not even safe to tow!!!!
Quote from: thecfarm on July 28, 2018, 09:51:20 PM
(http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=102405.msg1591396#msg1591396)
Quote
Remind me not to go a couple hours North of Bangor. :o
I only said something about that owner of the truck. ;D
That thing was not even safe to tow!!!!
No doubt & you're close enough to throw a rock to where I bought it...
I can't imagine running it as is but we all know people who would..
He was gonna drive it the 5+ hour trip back for me, all that with no brakes.... In the end he thought better of it and hired the tow truck..
Quote from: mike_belben on July 28, 2018, 04:41:37 PM
So its just like tennessee then eh theya bub?
What do you own for a tow rig now? Heavy enough to pull this as a GN trailer?
Boonies are the boonies no matter what state they're located in.. Not sure what you meant by a GN trailer but this wasn't safe to tow empty, never mind with a load on it..
there used to be lots of dolly wheel trucks around just like yours. they all had a chain. after the truck was unloaded the pins were pulled from the chairs. then back up on to something to lift the axle. then pull the chain up through the body and hook it in the key hole. every paper mill had ramps to back up on to to chain up the dollies
I was saying instead of driving that turd around only on the farm.. Would it make sense to chop the truck up into a trailer that could actually be used out on the road?
Quote from: snowstorm on July 30, 2018, 06:18:25 AM
there used to be lots of dolly wheel trucks around just like yours. they all had a chain. after the truck was unloaded the pins were pulled from the chairs. then back up on to something to lift the axle. then pull the chain up through the body and hook it in the key hole. every paper mill had ramps to back up on to to chain up the dollies
well I learned something today - thanks for that - makes much more sense now...
Quote from: mike_belben on July 30, 2018, 09:10:13 AM
I was saying instead of driving that turd around only on the farm.. Would it make sense to chop the truck up into a trailer that could actually be used out on the road?
that exact thought has crossed my mind - may end up that way eventually - we'll see how things progress
If youve got a dump truck, tapping into the wet line isnt terrible. A pintle trailer backs into the woods just like a skidder, tires all pretty much track the same path. If the loader does full swing you could put shortwood in the dump and long on the trailer. Im talkin tandem air brake really real truck of course. Hillbilly log train. Or a flatbed stake side truck and a gas motor on the trailer?
I assume they were lifting the rear axle with the chain hooked to the grapple? Id probably fix it and keep it in there.
Quote from: mike_belben on July 30, 2018, 10:41:19 AMId probably fix it and keep it in there.
Horrible 70's hydraulic brakes and a 392 gas motor tells me I'm safer with a smaller truck = smaller loads = less likely
to get into trouble.
If I get to the point where I need a tandem axle log truck - I'll hire one. I'm not in the logging business..
-J
a 392 was a nice motor. if you ever set the timing it times on #8
Quote from: snowstorm on July 30, 2018, 06:18:25 AM
there used to be lots of dolly wheel trucks around just like yours. they all had a chain. after the truck was unloaded the pins were pulled from the chairs. then back up on to something to lift the axle. then pull the chain up through the body and hook it in the key hole. every paper mill had ramps to back up on to to chain up the dollies
Funny how what once was common practice is now considered ignorance.
What was the purpose of chaining up the dollies?
less tire wear, sharper turns, more traction when empty. still common to have one or two air lift axles on trucks and trailers here.
Quote from: snowstorm on July 31, 2018, 05:04:21 PM
a 392 was a nice motor. if you ever set the timing it times on #8
I haven't looked it up - which is #8? Rear most on the passenger side I assume...
Quote from: Maine372 on July 31, 2018, 08:39:07 PM
less tire wear, sharper turns, more traction when empty. still common to have one or two air lift axles on trucks and trailers here.
We see lift axles on semis but that setup is a new one for me.
Quote from: jason.weir on July 31, 2018, 10:35:46 PM
Quote from: snowstorm on July 31, 2018, 05:04:21 PM
a 392 was a nice motor. if you ever set the timing it times on #8
I haven't looked it up - which is #8? Rear most on the passenger side I assume...
its marked on the intake manifold
Quote from: moodnacreek on July 28, 2018, 06:32:18 PM
Could that be a John Deere roto boom?
no like someone else said tree king or ramey
Quote from: sawguy21 on July 31, 2018, 10:47:56 PM
Quote from: Maine372 on July 31, 2018, 08:39:07 PM
less tire wear, sharper turns, more traction when empty. still common to have one or two air lift axles on trucks and trailers here.
We see lift axles on semis but that setup is a new one for me.
Back in the day, before regulation, loggers would take a one and a half ton ford or chevy and put an extra rear dead axel under it, any axel, to haul more weight. People had common sense and stayed out of the way of trucks back then. If the driver got on the horn that meant he couldn't stop. On this IH they could chain up the axel on the way home .