SO what do we know about "Big" 4x4 (10x10's)

[greywuuf]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

OK, I see your point - the engine alone is probably worth it


What kind of rear suspension does the C-70 have? A lot of those HD trucks have the walking beam suspension (either one pair of springs or four rubber pads) so you pretty much have to just find another rear axle/springs to convert to single axle. In fact I've known guys that found it easier to just cut the frame and weld in another rear frame/axle rather than mess with all the brackets.

Yeah just read where ALL of this year/series trucks with tandems had hendrickson equalizing beam rears. i am Hoping it is a spring pack and not the rubber blocks. Should know more next week.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by greywuuf

Yeah just read where ALL of this year/series trucks with tandems had hendrickson equalizing beam rears. i am Hoping it is a spring pack and not the rubber blocks. Should know more next week.

It doesn't really matter if you're going to swap in a single axle as the entire rear suspension would need to be replaced. Like I said before, it would probably be easier to just cut the frame and weld in the entire rear half of the donor truck.

The rubber pads suspensions were commonly used on log trucks. I think that they worked better in off camber situations with tall heavy loads.

[greywuuf]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

It doesn't really matter if you're going to swap in a single axle as the entire rear suspension would need to be replaced. Like I said before, it would probably be easier to just cut the frame and weld in the entire rear half of the donor truck.

The rubber pads suspensions were commonly used on log trucks. I think that they worked better in off camber situations with tall heavy loads.

I don't see why, if it all ready has a single spring pack mounted, why could you not remove the beam and u bolt the single axle where the beam pivot used to be ?

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by greywuuf

I don't see why, if it all ready has a single spring pack mounted, why could you not remove the beam and u bolt the single axle where the beam pivot used to be ?

That single spring is huge and designed to suspend the weight carried by two axles. I don't even know if you could bolt up a single axle in the middle of it - probably not without a lot of complication. I never heard of anybody trying it.

The walking beam set up is probably worth a fair amount to somebody who wants to upgrade their truck.

I worked for a guy that had two trucks at the time: a KW and a Pete. The KW was set up for logging (came from WA one of the big companies: Weyerhauser or GP ...) but the Pete had the proprietary air bag suspension. He made a deal with somebody that had a Hendrikson rear end truck and they literally cut the frames on both and welded them together to the different front halves. He also added a 4 speed brownie so the Pete had the same 13x4 gears as the KW. Some of the hills that had to be climbed with the kind of loads that he hauled, the original 13 speed Pete could not get started again if it had to be stopped for some reason, and you sure didn't wanted to even think about backing a load down those switchbacks!

So when he got done he had two almost identical trucks, both 350 Cummins, 13x4 transmissions, rubber pad walking beam rear end - the only difference was the cabs, KW vs Pete. With the 13x4 the lowest gear was down in the "bulldozer" range

[greywuuf]

there are spring shops around... even here in This state..... don't see cutting a frame when you have two perfectly good spring hangers all ready installed....I can see maybe pulling a leaf or two out of it but I dunno going to have to consider my options when i get it paid for and brought home

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by greywuuf

there are spring shops around... even here in This state..... don't see cutting a frame when you have two perfectly good spring hangers all ready installed....I can see maybe pulling a leaf or two out of it but I dunno going to have to consider my options when i get it paid for and brought home

Why don't you just save yourself a lot of time and money and keep the twin screw, and just run four singles on the back ???

Pull both wheels from each hub, then install one wheel flipped to the outside on the inner lug nuts. That way they should line up pretty close to the front tires.

I sometimes did that in the winter on my C-50 (only it was just single lug nuts). You get much better traction and it is quick and easy to throw a single tire chain on a single tire if necessary.

[greywuuf]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

Why don't you just save yourself a lot of time and money and keep the twin screw, and just run four singles on the back ???

Pull both wheels from each hub, then install one wheel flipped to the outside on the inner lug nuts. That way they should line up pretty close to the front tires.

I sometimes did that in the winter on my C-50 (only it was just single lug nuts). You get much better traction and it is quick and easy to throw a single tire chain on a single tire if necessary.

couple of reasons, I am not sure yet, but I don't know if I can get it registered as an RV with twin screw ( have to check into that) and it is cast spoke ( Dayton) wheels (in the back ) so it is not quite so easy as just leaving one off. plus if I do have to buy wheels / tires /hubs....4 is a LOT cheaper than 6 or 10.

[greywuuf]

Originally Posted by special-K

Do you know what conversion is under this truck yet?

I know you know this all ready SpecialK... but it is "FABCO" conversion still power steering, rockwell front axle. I will be moving the "spare" truck in the morning, hoping to post pictures of the old screamin Jimmy moving about, still do not have the boom and bed off of the 6x6, but am promised by OCT1
I have seen onother forums where fabco made 3 speed transfer cases. I cant wait untill I can discover a few more of the secretsof this old rig.

and I was mistaken... the front axle is called out, but the one on the SPID is not a powered axle and not the one that is in the rig.

[IMG]SPID4 by Greywuuf, on Flickr[/IMG]

[greywuuf]

Weird, I got a look at the spare parts truck that comes with the red 6x6 today. It is a standard single axle flatbed. But low and behold it USED to be a 4x4 !
https://flic.kr/p/xR4JPy