Memories for us old truckers

[DMiller]

A lot tougher old guys then. Built the world we live in.

Appears a Supercharged Cummins in the Koehring.

 

[Tiny]

I know most of you think of me as that school bus guy but can anyone post about the older Days ? from 1980 to 2013 I WAS into a bit of heavy hauling for a crane outfit

 

[Tiny]

This is a 76 W900 . I suspect there isn't a bolt that hasn't been messed with that old truck . It HAD torsion bar rears that was replaced with reyco . it HAD a 5 n 4 but changed to an 18 speed . Not sure what engine it had but when I drove it was a KTA 525 ( they said it was a big loader engine ) that was dynoed at 600 horse . From the 1st time I started driving this thing it leaked oil from the very front and I was told the front crank seal was leaking . not bad going down the road but stop after coming off the highway and an 16 inch puddle would form . other mechanics said it was the crank seal and no one did any this with it . On a slow day I washed it up and found the oil pan only had copper washers on half the bolts . never leaked there again .

The 1st picture is a 718 link belt crane house rated 250 ton . 110,000 lbs so you never went thru a scale. This picture is a chiller that was replaced . no weight , just oversized .

 

[Truck Shop]

I know most of you think of me as that school bus guy but can anyone post about the older Days ?

There is a 2$ fee good for life time. Nice photos Tiny!

 

[Tiny]

Drug a bunch of these around . Not much fun . At no time could you relax . 110 foot and 97,000 lbs , the longest you could get out of the plant without a steerable trailer

 

[Tiny]

Since I cant sleep one more . Bank took over a portable batch plant and we were hired to tear in down , 120 crane and me with an 11 ton boom tractor mount . I had the stage the pieces so an outfit could roll up and go . We were down to the last two chunks . I wheel around two get the next load and the bottom dropped out . This plant had set there for two years and it had been a hot dry summer but the wash out pit never dried out . This 93 pete had a 20,000 lb front axle and was nearly maxed out with the boom over the front . truck and boom were 33,000 bobtail . I was hung hard . unloaded the right rear side so no traction . There was a 655 deere loader sitting within 1000 feet of us . crane op grabbed his keys and recued me .
have no clue who it belonged to but ...

 

[DMiller]

So not believe I ever saw a wash out pit dry
Now batch dump hole
That was always Dry and rocked up

Musta been PITA as to getting that Pete free

 

[DMiller]

Guess were thinking moving to easier life in the bus racket? How’d that pan out?

 

[DMiller]

Thinking back, I probably woulda been better off to have stayed at the quarries.
Money was decent, work not all that times critical, daylight only usually unless OT, always a dump close where did not have to pay trash service and plenty of scrap to pay extra to collect up. Do not know how well would have tolerated the FruinColnon safety department or their sub management group but could have made a good dime off of them.

Just filthy, freezing cold or smoking hot, lung choking dusty, loads of old friends and good parties
Best times I had in my youth

 

[crane operator]

and me with an 11 ton boom tractor mount

https://www.ironplanet.com/for-sale...h=5000,q|boom+truck&rr=0.5&hitprm=&pnLink=yes

I saw this for sale a while back, and thought it was your old rig, but I couldn't remember if you drove a pete or kw. It looks like its from your old outfit. The parent company did close a couple of their quarries by me this summer.

 

[Tiny]

https://www.ironplanet.com/for-sale/Boom-Trucks-Simon-Ro-TC-2851-Straight-Boom-on-1994-Kenworth-T800B-T/A-Truck-Missouri/3725059?h=5000,q|boom+truck&rr=0.5&hitprm=&pnLink=yes

I saw this for sale a while back, and thought it was your old rig, but I couldn't remember if you drove a pete or kw. It looks like its from your old outfit. The parent company did close a couple of their quarries by me this summer.

View attachment 232220

The parent company from Ireland who bought us wanted the quarry's but also had to take the construction side also . After a few years they started selling the construction companies . It a started on the east coast and worked it's was here after about a year . We had two divisions , Crane rental and the bridge department . That truck was part of the bridge side . It was bought by a gent who wanted more boom and a better truck than I was running . They got that but at a cost .

The original driver had been driving a 78 Autocar with I believe a 10 ton boom with a tiny 230 Cummins in it . I had to take that machine and a load of barrier down I35 to Olathe Ks , Never got to high gear . So when Grant got into the one in the picture he was in high cotton . It was 13' 4" tall IIRC . It always felt scary top heavy , That might have been from the KW 8 bag rears . It randomly would break bolts in the swing ring . The swing was too fast for me . Again I think the 8 bag rears hurt it ... If you picked up something heavy over the rear then swung over the outrigger the inflated air bags would not exhaust fast enough and it would rock up the off hand rigger . Scared you to death . The "Hog Rack" between the boom and cab turned into a catch all .

 

[Truck Shop]

"Hog Rack"

Ah Ha--hauling rotary tails on the side.

 

[Tiny]

So not believe I ever saw a wash out pit dry
Now batch dump hole
That was always Dry and rocked up

Musta been PITA as to getting that Pete free

That road behind was harder that the hubs of hell . Hooked to the back of that track loader and it just pawed the ground , Finally turned it around and used the bucket teeth to help .

Guess were thinking moving to easier life in the bus racket? How’d that pan out?

The construction side was more physical but the people were all headed in one direction , Semi professionals and goof balls when the work was done . Boss understood when things went sideway . seemed to always have plan . while the mechanic side was important it wasn't a huge deal if something run long and didn't get done in time . Plenty of spares

The Bus drivers are just goof balls for the most part . Boss is 50 miles away and this bus boss has no clue . The mechanic side of busing is worrisome due to the cargo moved . Any mistake could endanger kids and my granddaughter is one of them .

 

[Tiny]

I will shut up after this post .. This was before my time but the guys there loved to tell this story . police blamed kids being vandals but they always thought it was a labor dispute . Plucked out of the Missouri river and just set it on the trailer . The truck a 73 W900 was the one I cut my teeth on Later 350 horse Detroit 8v71 5 and 4 . Still love the sound of a Detroit . Think that was a 7E they rebuilt afterwards . Old Pete the Stewart drove it when this happened .

 

[DMiller]

Easy lift short boomed on that Mani.
Anything goes in the drink around here in the Mighty Mo gets shipped to scrap, will never get the silt out of it.

 

[skyking1]

Cool pictures, Tiny. I never had the "pleasure" of running a tractor mount without all the outriggers of a boom truck. That sounds a bit daunting.

 

[DMiller]

All relates back to Chart, do ONLY that which is allowed By CHART in the house, argue and ignore the chart any crane is a problem.

 

[skyking1]

When the airbags come into play on a pick that's out in left field for a guy like me who picks the tires off the ground

 

[Truck Shop]

Stack mirror on the radiator cowl. The place where I took this photo reminded me of the movie----
The Hills Have Eyes.

 

[Truck Shop]