Got around to doing some frame work today. Took sixteen inches out of the wheelbase and about a foot off the frame. New body mounts should be done tomorrow, so then I can do a real test fit.
I'm assuming the truck is 4x4 already? Always fun watching a build come together!
Yes, truck was born 4x4. Ex oil field. Don't really need all wheel drive but I do need clearance and for it to be tough. Got a good deal on this truck which was the donor for the body after removing the welding deck and front cabinet
First test fit Cashed in a favour with a friend who has a shop and couple ramps... Lifted like a champ, sure easier than a couple service truck cranes. Pleased with how it looks Body is off again for a bunch of repair and touch up work. Also now booked in for frame blast and paint. Won't be much to show for some time now, but on track for having the unit ready by November.
You're in the nice part of Alberta I see. Truck looks great BTW! Can't wait to see the finished product!
I live in the Crowsnest Pass Most beautiful place on earth Where in the province are you from?
BC but escaped to northern Alberta the day after highschool grad lol.
Picked the truck up the other day after having the frame blasted and painted. Looks a lot sharper More build pictures to follow.
Got the reel tree loaded up today and compressor hooked up. Getting real close to loading up with tools. Full body paint will be next year. Winter has shut me down a little earlier than I'd have liked.
Looking good SP! What's that white stuff all over everything?
That good sir is the annual polite reminder that winter is coming I was forced into the truck a week or two early as the track rod on my F550 snapped ... Strange failure especially considering it's less than two years old and genuine ford... The truck seems good tho. Discovered the waste gate was jammed open so lacked power. Think I've got it jammed closed now, makes about 21lbs of boost which is adequate tho won't get me anywhere quickly. Also since running the truck it doesn't have the engine hold back I was hoping for so I've ordered an exhaust brake kit from cat. Aside that I'm really pleased. Ride is nice, especially on the mine roads. I'm thinking it will become quite the truck.
Another story... But here's the failure that got me going
That will put you out of service. I know you've said it before but what size Cat is in the truck?
Just a lowly 3126. Down the road I foresee it being replaced and repowered. I with think a C10 with automatic transmission would be nice.
It might not be much for power, but keep the oil changed and that engine will disappoint you for years to come trouble free.
"Trouble free" and "3126" never went together in this area. Maybe it is our hills. Everybody hated them.
ECM shows 18something thousand hours... Must have been looked after before I got it...
C10 with a 6sp Allison 3000 series would be nice in that size truck. I have a 3126 variant in our 953C. Knock on wood it's been a great engine. 6,000 hours on the clock so far with no major issues.
From what I've heard from some mechanics is the 3126 was much better received in a machine application where it was run at a constant speed and routine maintenance was done. Not sure if that's true or not, but I had one grenade itself in a truck I bought used with only 80,000 miles on it, pretty sure from lack of maintenance. The thing was a gutless wonder though, god did despise hills when the truck was loaded AND the cooling fan would kick on, could hardly down shift fast enough.....
Still a little rough around the edges but the platform seems to work well for my application.
Ahh- the perfect service truck is nice, but the truck that can get out and go to work without being perfect? That's the one that's priceless. Glad to see you got the new one up and running. I always have grand ideas of everything I want to do to a rig, and then it goes into service, because I need it. And then all the little things take time, but at least I can make $$ while doing the little things. I'm going to get my own introduction to the 3126 world (kind of) - I think I have something coming with a C7. And I'm thinking its going to get a transplant also. Eventually. Once its made some $.
So it's been a while but the old trusty 3126 is finally being retired this fall. Truck has been great. +/-25k hours on the original block with pretty much everything else replaced. Replacing it is a rebuilt C10 paired to an 8LL. I'll get lower low gears and an overdrive in top to account for the lower rpm limit. Transmission is out of a tandem sourced separately Engine is out of a donor FL112, so I'll have evrything. The frame will need lengthening forward about 7 inches to accomodate the cooler group. I'll use the FL112 fenders and hood. I'll post progress pictures on here as I go.
We have a C12/13sp. in our 1999 IH 9200 single axle. We use the truck (with a bumper pull deck-over trailer) like a “large pickup” to haul our small equipment (5 ton excavator, skid steer, washplant etc) to various mining claims Really like this engine…burns really clean, starts good in cold weather and gets really good fuel economy (granted we are hauling light…).
My truck is about 36k lbs day to day. Occasionally I'll pull my small equipment trailer. Say for a transmission or final drive job etc.
Had to open up the flywheel housing mounts to 5/8 and bolt up the new mounts. That's roughly where the new front cross member will sit so the frame extension is minimal. Nice progress. Tomorrow I'll finalize the frame and front cross member and add the PTO to the 8LL
Little more effort than anticipated but pleased with the results. Found out yesterday the hole in the cab floor needs to me moved further back. Mildy annoying as my floor liner is discontinued. Extension finished and cross member installed. Almost ready for motor installation.
Did a test fit yesterday. Turns out I accounted for everything except the cab bulkhead. Despite the cab looking identical it's not. I need to cut out the dog house and swap in the dog house from the donor truck. Bit of a set back but is what it is. Let the cutting and welding begin!
Half way through welding in the bulkhead. Went fairly well. I over cut the top a little bit was able to fully weld it together. Engine is now installed. Electrics all finished. Next big job will be fitting the hood and aligning it all correctly
First test fit of the hood Note The cab is not aired up May fit another quarter inch shim....
Looks like it's coming together really well
Yes. This week has been a lot slower. Tho I knew it would be the small details that are the most time consuming. PTO and driveline on today and remake the clutch lever. Hopefully a test drive Sunday / Monday.
More slow progress this weekend. Driveline and PTO installed tho I may seek an alternative PTO housing as it's sure close to the front driveshaft. Radiator, hood and front wiring harness bow installed and clamped in place neatly. Exhaust work tomorrow morning and lengthening the coolant lines to my service body. I'll probably mount up the original front bumper (if it fits) just to get back to work. Then I can fab up the new one at my own pace between work. Going for a Sunday afternoon beer now!
Another slow week. New pipework for the PTO, thanks to Lethbridge Finning for building me the pressure hose. Ended up buying a new pump as swapping it around from side six bolt to bottom eight bolt I inadvertently put it on in reverse which didn't do it any favors. New pump fixed that right up. Threw on the original bumper for now to free up down time which actually looks pretty good on it. A morning of tidy up chores tomorrow and then we'll take it out for a spin.
So after a couple of road tests. Found a few teething problems but nothing serious. The neutral switch didn't cross over correctly and bound up the low / high split so I took that out for now. Had to re flash the speedo in ET to match the 3126 spec as the driveline did not match the C10 configuration. I'm really impressed with the conversion. Low end ratios are perfect, without even trying the low range in the transfer case yet. 8th top (overdrive) is also a perfect match to the RPM. 100kph is 1800 rpm. It's now a dream on the highway rather than screaming at 2400rpm. I'm looking forward to using it in the bush now having Jakes will be awesome. As with every job like this there are a few down the road jobs I need to look at but that's me being picky.
We want pictures!
Looks like it's coming along well. I have an fl80 tandem axle boom truck with a 3126 and 8ll in it. I've thought about swapping a c10 or c12 in its place. How bad was the electrical part of the swap?
Real easy. I had a complete truck (2000 FL112) to take parts from but if you find the correct motor, the ECM pin out will match. Mine was a 70pin J1, all I had to do was add Jake brake returns to the dash. Everything else was a direct connect. I used the factory truck engine to bulkhead harness.
New hood and front end look. Engine is about as stock as I could make it. Unless you know, you wouldn't know it wasn't built like it. I made a neat aluminum trim for the shifter as the hole was further back. The trim covers the cut lines from the floor insulation.
And I had to add my old CAT Diesel Power logos.
Sweet truck. I think I just watched a Youtube video about this?
Not my truck. I try to keep away from the internet machine!
Nice work! Should be a really nice service truck! Good for bush roads, I bet your fuel mileage will improve as well. We really like the Cat C12 in our old ihi 9200. My pickup is down currently so had to drive this truck (in photo) 520 km to staging area (then shuttle fuel etc with atv)….so know all about a screaming small diesel… the Brazilian 6.6l in this cab over needs 2400rpm to do 85km/h! If low traffic try to keep below 2200rpm as fuel consumption is terrible at max rpm… The C12 is at 1475rpm @ 95km/h…and as you mention…Jake’s!
Here's a couple of the whole unit the other day
Looks good! I bet those steer tires weren't cheap...
Thanks and I got a smoking good deal on them.... I swear by good year rubber And they look tough as nails
What size are they? Do you have 11R22.5 on the rear axle?
385 65 22.5 on the steers 11R 22.5 on the drives
So the steers are about an inch taller than new 11R 22.5 tires. But if the rears are retreads that makes them a little taller?
Ya something like that. The tire sizes are factory spec and accommodate for the fron and rear diff ratios and steer axle hub reductions. Unlike 99% of single axle 4wd trucks my steer axle is obnoxiously heavy duty and has hub reductions.