Removing Walking Beams

[Truck Shop]

I know drive axle walking beam suspension isn't popular anymore. But for those people needing to re-bush one,
I have a Quick and Dirty way to remove the beams.

#1 park truck so axles are straight
#2 block front wheels and back off the slack adjusters on drives
#3 jack and support mid frame to allow for room to work
#4 remove rear tires and reinstall outside tires with just a few lug nuts
#5 remove the bolts holding S-cam to brake spiders on all four corners.
#6 swing S-cams with air cans attached straight up as high as you can and tie them up out of the way
#7 loosen the center bushing cap bolts or studs
#8 Get a gas powered cut-off saw and 5 metal cutting blades, 12"to 14" dia and a 2X6x12 long block of wood
#9 Set saw up on block for height, plus it will tilt the blade up ward
#10 wear face protection and gloves, fire up the saw and cut dead center of the rubber bushings on the end of the beams
#11 steady feed and it will cut through the rubber, steel pin, the centering puck and bolt.
#12 set-up time and cutting them out under two hours.
#13 drop the beams with a jack and knock out the remaining pucks from axle hangers.

I don't know if anyone can use this info but it's the fastest way I know of and have been doing it this way for 30
years. God I hope this comes out the way I typed it.

 

[JPV]

Thanks for the write up Truckshop, I followed it fine. I have only done a few walking beams but this sounds like a good way to tear them apart quick, kind of want to do a set to try it out! The outfit I work for has 9 KW 12 yard dump trucks and a lowboy and only one has Hendrickson walking beams. I think extended leaf is the best dump truck suspension there is, only draw back is all the parts are big and heavy for one guy to handle compared to everything else available.

 

[Truck Shop]

Thanks for the write up Truckshop, I followed it fine. I have only done a few walking beams but this sounds like a good way to tear them apart quick, kind of want to do a set to try it out! The outfit I work for has 9 KW 12 yard dump trucks and a lowboy and only one has Hendrickson walking beams. I think extended leaf is the best dump truck suspension there is, only draw back is all the parts are big and heavy for one guy to handle compared to everything else available.

I totally agree, either spring-beam or beam biscuit Hendrickson is the toughest for on-off road trucks, especially with a set of lockers.

 

[repowerguy]

I have never used a cutoff saw before but it sounds like a good idea, used a sawzall once but always used a torch with a #2 tip.

 

[Steeldriver]

just came across this thread and not to hijack, but will be getting into a custom build on a 2 ton using a walking beam which from the way shops make them out to be prehistoric. i have figured out brackets to mount to existing leafs. but there is literally no information on how these mount to axles nor setting up torque bars. most of this i have figured it out. its just getting twin Dana 80's onto one of these.

anything helps, would rather figure this last part out before salvaging and building.

 

[funwithfuel]

just came across this thread and not to hijack, but will be getting into a custom build on a 2 ton using a walking beam which from the way shops make them out to be prehistoric. i have figured out brackets to mount to existing leafs. but there is literally no information on how these mount to axles nor setting up torque bars. most of this i have figured it out. its just getting twin Dana 80's onto one of these.

anything helps, would rather figure this last part out before salvaging and building.

Not getting the idea. You want to run a pair of D80's on walking beams? Under a 450/550 chassis? I have never seen a D80 with a power divider option. I think I speak for all of us, we wanna see what you come up with, and what you intend to do with it. Please share , sounds cool.

 

[Steeldriver]

Not getting the idea. You want to run a pair of D80's on walking beams? Under a 450/550 chassis? I have never seen a D80 with a power divider option. I think I speak for all of us, we wanna see what you come up with, and what you intend to do with it. Please share , sounds cool.

yes walking beams, i have spent the better part of 4 years trying to wrap my head around what would be best talked to a lot of engineers for axles and other companies. what i need is impossible and not made. i blow the internals every 6 months or the axle even for a 110 or 145 Dana wouldn't do any better and no build shop will guarantee a axle. my d60 up front eats bearings every 10 to 20k and they literally explode. i build livestock fences so its mud, up to 60% grades rock crawling, crossing creeks rivers on 14k weight that will be getting increased to 18k. a class 8 truck doesn't work either as its to heavy and falls apart. Rockwell axles again are 2 heavy. so dividing the weight out. military trucks are to heavy also and dot is a pain.


How this all works, is i use existing springs re stacked, mounts are plenty strong and going to a airbag over for 20k capacity. the walking beam will need 2 half inch shims into a c on both sides for a 4inch width. cut the cross tube and either replace or add in a new tube. now its on the truck,

for axles i figured it out last night, i didn't sleep. given the width of the walking beam and thickness of plates. going to use a 2 piece clamp and get shorting u blots and use exiting perches and will sling over bolt together. axle is on.

for torque bars going to weld or bolt in. both have there advantages. concerned on fatigue given the metal and its easier to change a bolt that snaps rather then a weld that takes the housing. but i will be also adding some steel to the housing to reinforce the flex in it more then likely will be bolting it in as i want to be able to drop a destroyed axle and add another without fabing or down time.

drive axles will be easy, i am dropping zf5 and going to a 9 speed on a 7.3 idi high altitude that's getting 25 mpg at 27k gross. adding in a 5831 spliter at 60% over drive which should kick rpms at 60 down to 1800. then using a Eaton divorced transfer case which allows twin outputs. found this out talking to there engineers its a build option. so front axle and rear is powered by transfer.or center axle. haven't decided if its better to have center powered all the time or rear most.

then going to build drive shafts should be 6 to 7 drive shafts. weight will be adding should be 1k, so should be about 9k but up to 10k when done on a crew cab 10ft bed. yes i have ran the numbers on weight if i can find what i need or will settle for heavier if price is decent. going to cost about $2,000 to build at most per truck.

brakes will be hydraulic or might go to air over hydraulic, which has its advantages. no air and brakes lock. and its not considered a air brake under regulations. interesting loophole/


tires i will be going to Humvee tires and 32 bolt wheels with run flats. the 32 bolts are dot compliant and carry a 7k weight rating per tire but 5k are easier to get. $50 per tire. 5.13 gear ratios rear. we destroyed most of the heavy tires in iraq, ha ha.

i already checked with dot regs and spoke in depth line for line recorded on the phone this is fully compliant and no issue. only regulation i have to comply by is lighting that will need more lights added. not hard and wont cost much.

what i intend to do is on 1 truck mounting a 4 pin back hoe "case 580" for a center and rear mounting positions, with a chain bed and conveyor offload positioning conveyor. the other truck going to mount a custom 8k 20ft Derick for drilling and post pounding/ pile driving. they did this back in the 50's and 60's its a lost art and skill, but i am going to use it and modernize the idea.


also might go walking beam on front axle also. but see how this works out. if i do that i will go to all steer axles for a 8x8 and use a hydraulic steer variable directional controller from a tele-handler.

 

[redneckracin]

I sure didn't follow all of that but I think you need to start a build thread

 

[Tenwheeler]

I know drive axle walking beam suspension isn't popular anymore. But for those people needing to re-bush one,
I have a Quick and Dirty way to remove the beams.

#1 park truck so axles are straight
#2 block front wheels and back off the slack adjusters on drives
#3 jack and support mid frame to allow for room to work
#4 remove rear tires and reinstall outside tires with just a few lug nuts
#5 remove the bolts holding S-cam to brake spiders on all four corners.
#6 swing S-cams with air cans attached straight up as high as you can and tie them up out of the way
#7 loosen the center bushing cap bolts or studs
#8 Get a gas powered cut-off saw and 5 metal cutting blades, 12"to 14" dia and a 2X6x12 long block of wood
#9 Set saw up on block for height, plus it will tilt the blade up ward
#10 wear face protection and gloves, fire up the saw and cut dead center of the rubber bushings on the end of the beams
#11 steady feed and it will cut through the rubber, steel pin, the centering puck and bolt.
#12 set-up time and cutting them out under two hours.
#13 drop the beams with a jack and knock out the remaining pucks from axle hangers.

I don't know if anyone can use this info but it's the fastest way I know of and have been doing it this way for 30
years. God I hope this comes out the way I typed it.

Best way ever! Thanks for the idea in one of your pervious posts!

 

[BB64]

drive axles will be easy, i am dropping zf5 and going to a 9 speed on a 7.3 idi high altitude that's getting 25 mpg at 27k gross. adding in a 5831 spliter at 60% over drive which should kick rpms at 60 down to 1800. then using a Eaton divorced transfer case which allows twin outputs. found this out talking to there engineers its a build option. so front axle and rear is powered by transfer.or center axle. haven't decided if its better to have center powered all the time or rear most.

then going to build drive shafts should be 6 to 7 drive shafts. weight will be adding should be 1k, so should be about 9k but up to 10k when done on a crew cab 10ft bed. yes i have ran the numbers on weight if i can find what i need or will settle for heavier if price is decent. going to cost about $2,000 to build at most per truck.

Steeldriver, I was blowing time this weekend watching Jay Leno's Garage clips on YouTube and this one popped up... reminded your project, so I figured I'd post the link...

-- episode title was "1942 Dodge Power Wagon Restomod".

Good Luck!

 

[crane operator]

drive axles will be easy, i am dropping zf5 and going to a 9 speed on a 7.3 idi high altitude that's getting 25 mpg at 27k gross. adding in a 5831 spliter at 60% over drive which should kick rpms at 60 down to 1800.

If you are getting 25 mpg, hauling 27k, you don't need to swap transmissions. You don't need to do anything to it. In fact, I don't think you would need to work for a living, you could just sell the magic carpets that you have under that truck to everyone...


Not that your project doesn't sound neat, but I own a 7.3 and it doesn't get anywhere near that for mileage. I hear of a few guys dancing around 20 with tall gears and driving around empty with their foot out of it, but I don't hear anybody calling out numbers like that loaded.

But maybe you live in buford, wyoming, and drive to cheyenne loaded every morning, and run home empty, I sure haven't seen everything.

up to 60% grades rock crawling,

OK....

You know I've seen guys doing pipeline and powerline work on severe slopes. Typically it involves dozers and winches, deadmen anchors, and such. The powerline clearing boys have some pretty light built- wide rigs that work some severe slopes with their cutters.


As far as walking beams, I run several cranes with walking beam suspension. Smooth ride is not one of their finer points, but they are durable. Not real popular anymore with air ride, but they have their place. I'm not sure their place would be in climbing 60% slopes, where I would think severe travel would be more important.

Truckshop's method for removal is similar to what I've done, I did mine with a porta band saw, but I ran out of throat with 3/4" to go, and had to finish with a sawzall. Next time I'll come up with a quickie saw. I came into a shop after a guy went after a set with a torch, and it was a black smoky stinking mess.

 

[Truck Shop]

One gigantic problem with walking beams on severe slopes is that as soon as it breaks traction the axles will try to hop. When that happens good by pinion or ring gear, the best
that usually happens is a snapped axle. Been there seen it happen several times, both drives exploded at the same time. Not trying to pour water on fired up ideas, go for it.

Truck Shop

 

[funwithfuel]

But if he's running through a drop box wouldn't he have an interaxle differential? That way it's not direct drive to axle 2 & 3. Or am I inferring too much?

 

[Truck Shop]

Well if it doesn't take out the drive units it will take out the drop box, One thing tandems do not like is hopping on loose ground. The shock loads to the drive train will take it's toll.
Replaced a set of 461's on a rotary drill rig some years back and those are big tough rear drives, started up steep slope broke traction on loose ground it tried to hop next thing he
knew he was rolling back.

Truck Shop

 

[RZucker]

Well if it doesn't take out the drive units it will take out the drop box, One thing tandems do not like is hopping on loose ground. The shock loads to the drive train will take it's toll.
Replaced a set of 461's on a rotary drill rig some years back and those are big tough rear drives, started up steep slope broke traction on loose ground it tried to hop next thing he
knew he was rolling back.

Truck Shop

Replaced many a ring gear rivet for the same issue.

 

[td25c]

Low gear rears for the rough games . They wont bounce & hop around like a road truck out of it's element .


Engine & driveshaft spinning fast & wheels turning slow cures all that .

 

[RZucker]

Low gear rears for the rough games . They wont bounce & hop around like a road truck out of it's element .


Engine & driveshaft spinning fast & wheels turning slow cures all that .

I hear that, if you can idle through, that's the best.

 

[td25c]

I hear that, if you can idle through, that's the best.

Spot on RZ !

The torsional effect is crazy for a road truck in an " off road " situation .

It's like dropping a long extension on an impact wrench & expecting the lug will come loose . Aint gonna happen !

Road trucks have there place hauling product . Leave the rough work to the fellers with low gears & slow turning tires . LOL !

 

[Truck Shop]

Low gear rears for the rough games . They wont bounce & hop around like a road truck out of it's element .


Engine & driveshaft spinning fast & wheels turning slow cures all that .

I don't believe this discussion has anything to do with road trucks, where did you pull that out of your a$$. And who started this thread about walking beams?

Truck Shop

 

[td25c]

I don't believe this discussion has anything to do with road trucks, where did you pull that out of your a$$. And who started this thread about walking beams?

Truck Shop

Post # 12 . Talking about walking beams hopping on a severe slope .
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/removing-walking-beams.56119/#post-756144
Misunderstanding could be from what I call a " road truck " . Road truck to me has rear ratio of 3.55 to 4.33 . Could have any kind of suspension .

Off road is in the 5 something to 7 to one on the rear .

They wont hop & bounce like a road truck with the low rear cogs . Might spin out but it's so slow they don't hop around & damage anything .