As most of you regulars on here know I am shopping for a dump truck. My most recent find is a 91 mack 613. It has a double frame and a crack in the inner frame, just in front of the left rear dual. I have gotten a couple of estimates to get it fixed at around 3 grand. I was told if it got repaired, the weld in the frame would pass safety, and be safe to use. What do you guys think?? The truck also has a bearing of some sort out in the rear tandem axle. I was thinking for transport to take off the duals, unbolt the rear driveshaft and chain up the axle. Then drive it home, but its about a 3 hour drive. Would that be something that would be safe to do, or am I out to lunch? Where i work we have had to chain up axles on trailers before to get them to a shop to be repaired or whatnot, and i havent personally seen it done on a tractor unit, but ive heard of it. Thoughts and opinions appreciated
I think I would keep lookin'
The cracked frame would scare me, got in on changing a frame rail once, never again. I don't know that I would trust the weld myself. I twould take a really fine touch to keep from welding both rails together. I would think even a little bit of weld between the rails would start it cracking again.IMO As far as the rearend, If you can tell that it is deffinetly the center chunk, and not a wheel bearring, then I would yank the short shaft, and the axles, seal the hub ends with plastic and cardboard, and go home. (stopping frequently to check oil level in the hubs so they don't run dry and cook a bearring) Unless it is really Dirt Cheap, i,also would keep looking
thanks for the thoughts and opinions guys. The truck is actually at an auction, and ive decided to bid on it for cheap enough that it would pay to use the box and hoist off of it, and if it goes higher then that, bye bye! The guy that said he could repair the frame said he basically had to take the one frame right away from the other one to properly fix it. I wouldnt weld it myself either haha. As for the rear end, i think it was the wheel bearing on the right side that was screwed. I jsut thought yanking the driveshaft and tires, then chaining the axle up would be quick and simple to get home is all!