are walking beam suspensions interchangeable if they look alike but on different makes of truck or does a manufacturer of the truck set the width that the beams and the mounting points on the axles are set apart. what I have is a Volvo roll off truck with walking beam suspension pins and bushings in the center pivot are shot no good junk and an international 4600 garbage truck that is sitting on new walking beams and hardware and this truck is not ever going see road time again. They are similar in appearance in terms of mounting and shape with the exception of one set being almost never used and are going to waste holding up junk and the drivable one is hauling containers on old worn parts. So does any one think I would be on a fools mission to tear out the internationals whole suspension and axle set up and install it in the Volvo would it work? Im wondering if there are particular things like the size of the bushings and pins im sure the brake components can be fixed easy enough but im not sure about how the universal joints and shocks or gear ratio match up but I figure they look alike and it would save money if I can even get away with salvaging the beams alone. These trucks are a 90"s model 4600 ihc garbage truck with walking beams and the other is a 2001 Volvo with a walking beam setup both have live axles and the payload don't ever really go beyond 16 tons any info will be much appreciated thank you
Most rear ends and axles are similar if not the same, ih doesn't make them, neither does volvo, so if it were me, I'd switch them or try, what are you out but time. I was always told mack makes their own but all others are component based and from a few manufacturers. If you were to go a salvage yard and try to find used parts, I can about guarantee you they won't come out of the same make and model of truck you have now.
I'd think the only difference might be frame width and that's easily checked with a tape measure. I think though it would be more work to do the swap than replace the bushings in the worn unit.
Frame width is probably the most common feature of ANY truck with the exception of a pickup (non cab&chassis) as far as that goes you'll find that 33.5" seems to be a magic number for some reason, why pickups are 37" I have no idea maybe someone can help answer that? But then again when we're talking Volvo or Mack anything is possible lol
yup once I don't think im gonna save much pulling two rear end sets and swappin them and the bushings aren't that expensive but what turned me off was good ol nd winter set its icy grip around every ones balls here and chased us inside
All class 7 and 8 trucks use that 33.5" frame spacing because the frames are straight and need to be that narrow to clear dual wheels on the back of the truck. Pickups are designed for single wheels, that's why the dualies on the back of a pickup stick out.
Possibly but I have seen trucks with 315 duals as well as trucks with 255 duals Dual wheel Cab and chassis trucks also use a 33" frame width, if you want or have a 37" It started out life as a pickup truck Not sure where the 33" came from, more than likely the old story about train track widths..... It's a long story and I won't get into it but it involves Romans and carts and horses asses lol Pj
Long story short: The ruts in Roman roads in England, from Roman war chariots, caused wagon and cart builders in England to use a wheel to wheel axle spacing of 4' 8-1/2" to follow those ruts, horse drawn trams used this spacing and when locomotives replaced horses, some of the early railroads continuing up to the present day use this spacing for the rails. Spacing was supposedly picked by the Romans based on the width of a horses ass.
Lol yup same story I heard