Some of the junk I get asked to fix

admin

Here's some shots of some of the junk they want me to fix. I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm going to tell them but I thought I would see if anybody else had better ideas than I can come up with. The rig was so dirty that I didn't crawl up there to see for sure but I'm figuring cast iron (though the surface did have the look of galled aluminum possibly from the transmission bell housing which has been sent off for rebuild). It looks like several holes have already been helicoiled or inserted. There's not much meat left on most of them. On top of that is the crack under the motor support. I don't really see any economical way to repair this without spending at least 2 days or more. I already know what the owner will say. He's the type who rarely fixes anything right. Attached ImagesMillermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Until he does something about the side loading on that trans from the belt or chain drive, the problem ain't gonna go away!!! From the looks of the back end of the engine I'd say that is the cause.                     JMHO,                                MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I didn't see it with the transmission on there. Usually there's a outboard bearing on the transmission. But knowing these guys there's no guarantee.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Stay away from it..Some things are way beyond repair..And you are "It" if you chose to do anything with it.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:My thoughts exactly. I get bad vibes all over for this one.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Of course from the owners side of the fence, what are his other options tho?  Looks to me he could be outta business without some sort of at least temporary fix. Bad situation all the way around. Is he done with that hole he's on?"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Didn't look like he'd even gotten started from what I could tell. I didn't see any signs that they'd been working much.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:If it was mine, I'd try something......ANYTHINGBein' as it's not mine, I would be a little scared to do anything to it.Gotta be a sweet ride with the broken cab mounts  Wanna bet the drivers controls are a little bit "off""Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:What does the tranny do? Reduce output shaft speed.                         MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:It's used to change the speeds going to the winches. Usually gets put in gear and left except when they're doing something different like bailing.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixitDidn't look like he'd even gotten started from what I could tell. I didn't see any signs that they'd been working much.
Reply:Definitely falls in the know repeat offender category. Unfortunately he also falls into the good customer category. He's about my fifth best customer according to my sales figures the last few years.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:I would tell him I would fix it for 5 bucks and the cost of a match.
Reply:irish,A lot of those Detroit flywheel housings were aluminum and judging from its appearance and the number of damaged holes I'd say that's what it is.  Pretty involved job to get it off and back on for a real proper fix that would involve a thourough cleaning, preheating, welding, slow post weld cooling and then machining (drilling/tapping).If it is aluminum, you can probably make do on that crack with a spool gun or stick aluminum after grinding it out and a case of brake-clean to rid all evidence of grease and oil.  And yes, I'm aware of the dangers of fumes developed by burning brake-clean - just make sure there are no traces of liquid before doing any welding.  Lots of compressed air to blow dry and it wouldn't hurt to give the area a bath in Acetone too.  Any repair would benefit from getting bolts back in the lower holes of those mounts as well.As for the transmission mounting holes, if it won't create any problems, the transmission could be clocked a few degrees clockwise to provide fresh material to drill/tap new holes in the flywheel housing.All this of course if you wish to attempt to take care of one of your top five customers and he has a complete understanding the repair is to be considered temporary and comes with no guarantees.And I agree with Sam that the ride in that Mack (or could be a later Brockway) must be a hoot.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I'd look for meatier inserts, key inserts perhaps, use (lots of)  red Loctite on everything, and safety wire all the bolt heads. Safety wire has advantages over other methods on hardware that is expected to loosen up.
Reply:I dunno Irish, it looks like all of 2 long days. Possibly there is enough room for you to put smaller socket head capscrews either side of the damaged ones after mounting things back up and just fix the crack from the outside and strap it.I've had my share of surprises with buying used stuff and I imagine the owner is used to it too. It's still depressing though.Matt
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55irish,A lot of those Detroit flywheel housings were aluminum and judging from its appearance and the number of damaged holes I'd say that's what it is.  Pretty involved job to get it off and back on for a real proper fix that would involve a thourough cleaning, preheating, welding, slow post weld cooling and then machining (drilling/tapping).
Reply:I would recommend studs for a replacement instead of bolts if you do get it fixed up but that's just me.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Originally Posted by DualieI would recommend studs for a replacement instead of bolts if you do get it fixed up but that's just me.
Reply:WHYYYYY isn't somebody mounting an all out search for another flywheel housing???? Wouldn't that be cheaper than what you're going to have to do?                               MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I'm lookin'!!!irish,If the engine options tag is still on the valve cover, see if the flywheel housing 'type' number is still legible.Last edited by duaneb55; 06-08-2010 at 12:03 AM.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I have nothing clever here. Something got loose and made a mess, the face is likely not true any longer, multiple cracks at the mount area and many holes in the face are toast.I also see one capscrew missing from the mount and no safety wire on the remaining capscrews (is safety wire even normal with this type of mount/use?). That is just a mess...Matt
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55I'm lookin'!!!irish,If the engine options tag is still on the valve cover, see if the flywheel housing 'type' number is still legible.
Reply:Originally Posted by Matt_MaguireI have nothing clever here. Something got loose and made a mess, the face is likely not true any longer, multiple cracks at the mount area and many holes in the face are toast.I also see one capscrew missing from the mount and no safety wire on the remaining capscrews (is safety wire even normal with this type of mount/use?). That is just a mess...Matt
Reply:Hmmm, disassemble the aluminum housing and remove anything and everything.  Then soak the big chunk of aluminum in some cleaning solvent.  Then dry all the cleaning solvent from all the cracks and the nooks and crannies.  Then gently heat the entire thing up to 'sweat' some more grease and oil out of the aluminum and all the cracks and nooks and crannies.  Then repeat the solvent soak and then the dry it all up stages.  And then maybe yet another warm it up, and then soak it, and then dry it again.And that's all before you even get to -attempting- any sort of weld repair.Then maybe run some dye penetrant testing to find all the -other- cracks in the aluminum housing.Then grind out all the cracks, and then maybe get to the welding.And after the welding would probably be machining to true up all sorts of mounting surfaces and making or fixing the tapped or drilled holes.Sometimes replacing the broken parts is faster and easier and less expensive.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...Originally Posted by irish fixitNo tag on the valve cover. Knowing this bunch I'm not sure I would trust it even if it was there.
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Not unusual for the data tags to be missing.Nope, that's the model number and with a parts book one can figure out what 'type' number the FW housing is.  The SN will be a 6A-XXXXXX number.
Reply:Either way I bet you're breathin' a big sigh of relief!!!                              MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I think this fella is sharper than it may appear... Keep the taxi meter running and take notes while you're driving!Matt
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusEither way I bet you're breathin' a big sigh of relief!!!                              Mike
Reply:Hey Irish, glad to hear ya got off the hook on the marriage proposal to that old engine.  Have ya done the swap yet?  Or is his number one hand gonna do that?  Either way it looks like ya dodged the bullet on a big PITA for a change.  Every body needs a BS break once in a while.  Glad you got yours..My luck usually runs like this:  I get it running, get it swapped, run it about a week on the job, it blows up and the old unrepaired engine gets nominated to get put back in.  All the while, the owner is crying about how much money he is losing, and doesnt want to pay what it takes to do the job.  Sound familiar?  Glad ya finally got a break.I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Thanks.   We swapped the flywheel cover last week. Once I got a good close look at the new flywheel cover I found that about 3 holes where not in good shape. Thus I drilled and tapped all of them to 7/16" NC about 2" deep. We then made some studs out of 7/16" bolts with full 1 1/2" of thread on the 7/16 portion and turned down to 3/8" NF thread after that. However we've been waiting all this time for the transmission. It finally arrived today. It was then that I found it needing a throw out bearing. One will be here tomorrow. But other than that I've not had much time to look at it. I do need to get some pics of the transmission and see if Duane knows the answers to a couple of questions I have. Hopefully I'll get those tomorrow. This has been a week of working late. I got home at 10:15 last night. I'm only in here now cooling down and letting the Dynasty cool down before going back out there and welding on this cattle trailer again. We welded on it till 8:30 Tues night after the owner had ripped 8 cross members out from under it but needed it the next day. Today it's in here getting some other inside repairs now that it's washed out. The cross members where easy compared to this inside welding of cracks. It's impossible to get all the contamination out of the cracks thus TIG is the only way I've found to weld them. But with a air cooled torch and the 200 amp Dynasty on a hot day like today we both need time to cool down.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Yo Irish - Progress sounds good.That's a pull-type clutch, used to be a Spicer, but with corporate mergers and buy-outs, who knows what name it's using this year.Anyway... I'm surprised that the release bearing wore out, and I'm also surprised that you were able to buy a bearing and sleeve separate from the cover assembly. Internal adjustment is critical. You'll have to brush-up on proper adjustment procedure, especially if you're swapping parts. Don't wait until it's together to find out that you can't "paw" the adjustment ring around. Disc orientation is critical too.The custom 3/8 x 7/16 "step" studs you built - very good idea.I hate to say it now, but the studs are a common stock item; I believe IH had an OE clutch housing application for them.Good Luck
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepYo Irish - Progress sounds good.That's a pull-type clutch, used to be a Spicer, but with corporate mergers and buy-outs, who knows what name it's using this year.Anyway... I'm surprised that the release bearing wore out, and I'm also surprised that you were able to buy a bearing and sleeve separate from the cover assembly. Internal adjustment is critical. You'll have to brush-up on proper adjustment procedure, especially if you're swapping parts. Don't wait until it's together to find out that you can't "paw" the adjustment ring around. Disc orientation is critical too.
Reply:I'm still awfully curious to know how far the rear trans mount is from the centerline of the v-belt pulley. I still think that's what's causing all this heartache and misery.                          Maybe not,                                             MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammIf it was mine, I'd try something......ANYTHINGBein' as it's not mine, I would be a little scared to do anything to it.Gotta be a sweet ride with the broken cab mounts  Wanna bet the drivers controls are a little bit "off"
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixit. . .I just noticed that the throw out bearing on the transmission wasn't any good. Now I wonder if the clutch forks on this transmission are going to work. . . .
Reply:A couple photos would be helpful irish but I'm with denrep on based on your desription the replacement trans has a 'push' type clutch (seperate throw-out bearing) that is a completely different animal from the original 'pull' type with integral bearing.  Adjustment of both are quite easy and just require different procedures to get them right but the first order of business is to sort out what you've got to work with and the available options.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:[QUOTE=irish fixit;40 It's impossible to get all the contamination out of the cracks thus TIG is the only way I've found to weld them. n.[/QUOTE]huh?could you elaborate on that? i would have thought 6010 for cowcrap contamination, and tig only on clean metal...?.
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI'm still awfully curious to know how far the rear trans mount is from the centerline of the v-belt pulley. I still think that's what's causing all this heartache and misery.                          Maybe not,                                             Mike
Reply:Damn Irish, I'm sorry I put the bad MOJO on ya.  I thought you avoided that PITA, but it looks like you got it back to roost.  Looks a ton better than the before pics, now the T/O bearing and stuff.  Does it ever end?  Keep pluggin, it will go away sooner or later.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:You get all the fun jobs......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Looks like the standard easy pedal clutch check the front cover for wear and the bushings on the cross shaft clearance is 1/2" between brake and front cover, as far as the pots go acid works the best then a good rinse and wipe with acetone(spent a lot of time last summer patching floors took a while to figure out a way to get the urine smell to quit coming up when welding them)"Liberalism is a mental disorder" Dr. Savage
Reply:Originally Posted by RbeckettDamn Irish, I'm sorry I put the bad MOJO on ya.  I thought you avoided that PITA, but it looks like you got it back to roost.  Looks a ton better than the before pics, now the T/O bearing and stuff.  Does it ever end?  Keep pluggin, it will go away sooner or later.Bob
Reply:irish - check your PMs and unfortunately that input snout and throwout fork won't work with the pull-type clutch.  The other air line also goes to the low/high range shift shuttle valve on the side of the trans.Where did the old gearbox go?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55irish - check your PMs and unfortunately that input snout and throwout fork won't work with the pull-type clutch.  The other air line also goes to the low/high range shift shuttle valve on the side of the trans.Where did the old gearbox go?
Reply:Finally got done with this nightmare project. I'm sure I'm going to get some flack for my method of mounting but it was the best I could do in the time available. I found that they originally had a fairly complicated frame that the clamped to the end of the old transmission bolted to the floor of the bed and was pulled by the pull bolt shown in the pic. It would of been a full days job to rework it to fit this transmission. I believe on the original mounting setup the real fault was the fact that the engine wasn't bolted down properly. The transmission mount was fairly good but they just had a couple of pull bolts holding the engine. I had already made a plate that bolted to the end of the transmission for a pull bolt so all I had to do out there was weld a strap with a hole in it to that plate. I was going to fab a mount on the bed to pull to but it worked out so that I could actually get it to go into the original pull mount. I looked at the skid to bed interface and didn't like any of my options so I took the easiest that looked like it would work. Attached ImagesMillermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm