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Memories for us old truckers

Truck Shop

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That should make a nice toy. Details man, Details... :cool:

It's for the company use only. We are turning two of the oldest units into spares so while a drivers truck is in the shop he can drive a spare. Even under warranty allot of the dealers
have a truck tied up for days and weeks. We have three reliable dealers to take warranty issues to, stretched out over a wide area. But they complete the repair in half the time of most
other dealers so that's where we will tote them to. We have had a simple jobs like replacing the front drive unit for example take four to five days to be completed in a dealer shop.
In our company shop a front drive change out is 2 to 2 1/2 hrs, so we will drag those home. Insurance is fairly cheap and there is no tonnage on a fixed load so operational cost is not
that much.

A slip on fifthwheel style Zacklift is $32,000 plus and you don't have the 25 ton Holmes 750 to go with it. Plus you have to pull a tractor out of a haul to use it. This one has a 30,000 lb
wheel lift with four sets of forks and a plug in remote. It has a BC II, RTLO14613A, Reyco spring on SQHD's, steel frame.

We've reached a point with having 50 power units and running to North Dakota, Colorado and all over the northwest it's time to be more self contained with the company. The operating
cost of a cheap but reliable tow truck verses having a tractor setting in the back lot of the closest dealer waiting for repairs is apples and oranges. The amount revenue lost is gross.
This unit isn't costing the company much allot less than the slip on units. Every load is on a time table and sometimes just waiting for a towing company to arrive is a big wait plus in the
end the driver is hold-up in a motel when he could be in a spare tractor getting the load there and we are not pulling the closest unit away to finish that load. Plus the driver is making
a pay check.:) And because I use to own and operate a tow unit guess who is relegated to drive this one. The other two guys working in the shop will drive it also.

Plus It's a 1979 W900A-what could be better? IMO

Truck Shop
 
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RZucker

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Actually, that's a pretty sensible idea in today's trucking market. I've toyed with towing for customers... But the insurance and equipment was kind of an "eek" moment.
 

Truck Shop

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Here is one very nice LTL Mack in the Keystone Museum truck collection. The 350 Cummins was being out of framed and a unique inside frame power steering installed.

Truck Shop

image.thumb.jpg.e7a447826feee934c7348a59c82d9734.jpg image.thumb.jpg.4dc5e76beed0e942cf0697266a08dae5.jpg image.thumb.jpg.0720e6ed6bbf3e3d6269cc53a1a6d44a.jpg image.thumb.jpg.bc1cc879f373851fa2b00881e82d7354.jpg
 
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Junkyard

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500' of 7/8 wire rope lol. Geez. Holmes was pretty creative back in the day. It's a testament that so many 750's etc are still being used in some form or fashion. A 180 Cummins. Probably geared crazy low too. Pull anything just not very fast.....
 

Truck Shop

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OK, what is the story with the power steering?

Where he came up with that steering box I don't know, But I can find out. That right hand starter bell housing with the removable mounts are not that common.
Bells with single bolt mount cast into the bell were fairly common in the right hand starter application. But that steering gear looks like a Ross to me.

Truck Shop
 

RZucker

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Where he came up with that steering box I don't know, But I can find out. That right hand starter bell housing with the removable mounts are not that common.
Bells with single bolt mount cast into the bell were fairly common in the right hand starter application. But that steering gear looks like a Ross to me.

Truck Shop
Thinking back on it... those military 5 tons may have had an inside the frame steering gearbox. Not sure, it's been 18-19 years since I saw one.
 

Truck Shop

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I saw a early 50's KW C.O.E. on a drop deck headed east toward Lewiston, ID. today. Those trucks are few and far between, I haven't seen one in a years.
The one I saw was not near as nice as the one pictured below.

Truck Shop

DSC_3869.jpg
 

RZucker

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I love bullnose kw's

I have to say I would like to get inside of one to see if they are as roomy as they look. Of course being a non tilt cab you have to go through the interior to get to the engine. Been there on an old bubblenose Freightliner and a '56 KW K100? Not a lot of fun.
 

Junkyard

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There's a guy in Ks that has one of those. There was a story in Wheels of Time a few years back. He got it from the original owner (or his family don't recall) who had driven it all its life, 50 some odd years. They brought it to a show in Oklahoma a couple different years I was there. Really nice older guy and the truck was a survivor, more or less unmolested as it worked.

Junkyard
 
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