Dually Wrecker problems...

[0ptikal]

Alright guys long time no post. Since the last post I picked up a few more 67 shortbed stepsides I've been working on. But the newest additions new to me. It's a 1970 C30 Dually Tow truck (sling truck) First problem two tires are shot and I need to replace them but while I"m doing it I understand the truck has "split rims" my first encounter w/ those but I'm under the impression so far there not the best thing to have. Is it a good idea to get rid of those? As well it seems the studs are smaller then the newer trucks. I found a set of 2006 dually wheels and tires fomr a 3500series chevy, will those work ok w/ the smaller studs? As well the other big issue is It's got a granny low manual. Feels about 4:56 gears in it the way it acts. I've got a 454 gen 6 crate I'm thinking about droping into it. Will the trany hold up and how hard is it to swap the bb in w/ that tranny. The top of the wrecker rig has 2 decnt size circular holes... like your supposed to put something there, but nothing htere a similar rig is on the ebay right now w/ the exception mine is a one winch in the center rig. auction number: 220096230361 And the lastttt thing as of yet. The top rear pulley is missing anyone know where I can find one at. BTW the bed from the research I've done looks like a holmes series 400 hundred or 500. Now I"m passing out been sanding on the cab all night. Thanks guys.

[bad_turbo]

need some pics of your additions to the family!

[sea chief]

I have the same problem with my 1970 c-30 dump. I had to run a split rim on the inside because the brake drum is so big. These are 16" and the originals were 16.5. I dont use it much so it doesn't matter to me. I have been planing on swapping out rear end with a newer year. If you want to change the gears anyway, that is the way I would go.

[special-K]

The only thing wrong with split rims is tire changing.Getting hard to find someone to do it.I`ve run newer rims w/9/16 holes on a drum brake truck,but wouldn`t recommend it.The center hole should bear on the hub.Your wheels take flat backed castle-looking nuts.The new wheels(`71-up/disc brake)use a spreader ring w/chemfered (beveled) lugs.You could drill and press new studs/spreader ring and lugs.Consider changing front to disc.You can swap an entire A-frame assembly from a`71-up to at least`89.Prolly could get wheels and tires included from a junkyard.Or,buy a donor.
The motor to the tranny?Hellyeah.They are bulletproof-tough.Pardon my ignoranance.Is a genVI the original bolt pattern?I mean the same as the first big blocks?It all bolts up if it is.
Holmes 440 or 550?I`d need pictures to answer the "hole" question.Is it assembled now?Have you tryed towing supply companys?What that one mail order catalog,A&W?Not sure,I have a catalog saved somewhere.
I used 16" Budd wheels on my`70 and had not rear drum clearance problems.

[kwmech]

If you PM me a reminder, so when I get home tonight I can give you a link to wrecker parts.

[0ptikal]

Well my Tow truck I bought off ebay about 60 miles south of richmond. Bodies ROUGH but looks like functionally it's in hella good shape. Winch works great motors a 350 w/ intake leak but runs great and tranny shifts fine. Brakes are firm when off soft when running. Missing one front lug nut stud already lol. But both right rear tires I know are shot one has a huge not in it. One is flatt. Truck from what I understand was an operational tow truck till 2003 then the driver got sick shed nearby caught on fire and truck was close enough the tires on the one side melted, paint peeled and cab lights melted. So water got in around the cab lights - sat on grass floor rotted out as well as rockers - and surface rust started but kid who bought it just sprayed over the flash rust and peeled paint so the truck looks horriffic Just started sanding tonight after work and it's coming out like the upper half of the cab is in great shape. I found some Dealer take off's on ebay from a 3500 series i think 2006 for 750 plus 200 shipping. But there 9/16th studs. Heres some pics of it. Hey also there are two levers on teh rear of the truck - one is obvious forward and reverse on teh winch.... the second one right one) doesn't do anything and barely moves is this a throttle control or such? I've always done 1/2 ton trucks. this is my first heavy duty truck and first dually lol.

[0ptikal]

The whole next to the light looks like a hollow tube whats it for some of the other trucks I've seen in pics have something there but I could never make out what it is?

[0ptikal]

Ok heres my project deal bad turbo. I've got a frame I just finished. It's a 5 - 5 drop disc front brakes new rear and was powdercoated black. As well all fastening hardware is grade 8 or stainless. Western front 2" drop spindles. Adjustible panhard bar - 3.73 rear gear ratio shock relocators and KYB drop shocks. I have a perfect core support powder coated and sitting on it as well. I have a perfect cab I just picked up from a friend 67, fresh media blasting, new floors, cab corners, and rockers. I'm putting on the frame (it's under the blue tarp in the pics. I have two perfect 67 stepside beds one of which is going to go on the powdercoated frame. As well as two perfect 67 front fenders. All of the above is OEM metal, no filler. Heres where the tricky part comes in.... I acquired a 99 LS1 from my cousins camaro and built it up. It's got a full balance and blueprinted forged rotating assembly, heads are stock right now but had a bowl cleanup and larger valves installed (thinking of switching to AFR) motors putting out about 475RWHP and was designed for nitrous application Its internals are teflon coated as well and the motor should be good for a few years of a dual stage 200 shot. But w/afr heads it should be 575RWHP. this is in return hooked to a T56 tremac thats been completely been redone and is trully been made bulletproof. Thanks to the guys at cartek. I can put this motor setup in the truck making it a great driver, or I just picked up a friedns project lt4 w/ trick flow heads, entire motor is same as the ls1, balanced blueprinted and 635 lift cam, full roller motor. Not sure which motor to go w/but also kinda held up right now on that build due to my ex trying to take my daughter from me again so my lawyers getting all my play money. Plus finally broke down to build a garage. Second project is the one w/the blue tarp on it pictured below. It's a 67 Stepside shortbed that has been media blasted and frame panted stock suspension and exhaust bent and ran already. As well as another perfect solid stepside bed. I'm thinking of cnotching this truck and airbagging it. And to be different I've got a 425 olds 66 tornada D block which is massive, and tourky as hell to go in that. The motors done but thats like a 2 year till the start project. Then I've got a 70 C10 stepside thats all origional w/origional interior and perfect has 30,000 origional miles w/ 3 on the tree and straight six. Paints horrible faded and some gang where I bought it from painted on in in the guys carport. I'll get some pics of that up in a few days. Then comes my origional 67 - 72 chev* truck baby. Bought this off a friend in the marines. it's another 67 c10 stepside. It's got dings dents and the guy my friend bought it from was a butcher. The PV line was ran to the Power brakes, wiring was haggard. Bed had one bolt holding it on, doors wouldn't shut, tranny wasn't bolted in just the driveshaft and bellhosuing supported it (305 w/400turbo . Steering wheel fell off in my hand first time i drove it. Brakes where new on front right and rear left. no trim or handles. Ignition system was so shot after 30 t would shake to death. no shocks, I mean wow dead. I decided to go rat rod and old school, semi flat black red hi gloss floor. It's got in dash dvd for my daughter and 6 disc dvd changer. B&M ratchet shifter, LED tails, 2.25" straight pipe till rear of cab then 3" back so it has that nice crackle and then deep tone. Replaced 305 w/ 68 327. MSD ignition, well you can see. THIS is my daily driver. I don't believe in trailering or just straight showing it. the newest vehicle I have is a 91 chevy 1500 thats given me more grief as of late w/ the dang TBI that I drive my 70 cutlass and the 67 the most lol. BTW Special K the Gen 6 is a crate 454 vortec I have w/ 502 heads for the truck possibly if the 350 needs to much work. I haven't run a compression test ont he motor. The intake gasket on the front apparently leaked for a while, and the oil pressure reads low. So if the motor needs an overhaul in the tow rig I'm pondering attempting to put the vortec (1999) in w/ carb setup.

[kwmech]

Try this: Western Wrecker Sales inc. 1-800-547-4985

[0ptikal]

heres some more

[0ptikal]

Thanks Kwmech I'll call them in the mourning.

[qksilver]

Those tubes are for the 500 version that the booms would split. The tubes were used as pivot point for the split booms

[0ptikal]

Any chance you know what version wrecker this is? As well the tubes arn't of any use to this rig though correct. As well any chance you know what the second levers for?

[kwmech]

That wrecker body looks to me like it is a modified 480. It has 480 booms, but they are supposed to be able to swing to the side. Somebody welded them together and added the center piece.

[0ptikal]

hmmm... how would they swing properly w/ a single winch?

[GMCMAX]

Our old 59 GMC tow that had a Holmes, the other lever was hooked to a cable that was hooked to the clutch arm. Pull the lever to release the clutch and stop the PTO to be able to shift the winch between neutral, in, and out.

[waimalu]

OPTIKAL By the looks of your wrecker pictures you are missing a lot of the wrecker unit parts. Also it looks like sometime down the line someone added stuff to it that was not correct sorry. IF you want to see a true holmes wrecker PM me,with a email address. I have a completely rebuilt factory Holmes Heavy duty wrecker . Its big not just a homemade pickup wrecker like a lot of people built years ago. Your kind of on your own for parts,because the Holmes wrecker company went out of business years ago. mine was not a easy build correctly. Its a attention getter every were I go. People always have questions to ask. And kids want to get on it.

[0ptikal]

Ya thats kind of the impression I'm getting lol The more I look at it the more I notice the welds are pretty haggard in spots and broken in others. I started grinding down some nasty welds and the booms have broken spots on them. Kinda starting to think the winch isn't origional either. looks like a few spots of the "head" bars against the cab have been torched out to fit the chain assembly on the winch.
Heres some more pictures I took the other day of the rear assemblies.

[waimalu]

OK OPTIKAL Check your email

[0ptikal]

Nice wrecker what size holmes unit is that lol? Btw how did you have your winches configured on the truck as in layout.

[waimalu]

All the winches are P.T.O driven from the transmission. Which a granny gear HD 4 speed. Its got a PTO gear box on each side of the trans. to run the winches. Its also has outriggers and split booms capable of picking up a 8,000 lb truck or car from the side. Each winch has its own drive shaft. All 5 winches are PTO not electric.

[Baradium]

I wonder if those holes were for bubble gum lights...

[0ptikal]

No the outer flat pieces were for the bubble gum lights from the pictures I've seen. Looks almost like a mount for diffeent height pully's or something form pictures I've seen. I'm looking at two booms right now that are perfect but not sure if they'll work in the truck. Looks like normally theres a almost triangle piece that bolts to the floor and the booms mount to it. Mine has the booms mounting directly to the floor. If I buy two new booms or use the modified one on my truck whats it going to take to get this rig operational? Wnch works but cable just goes straight across the bed right not no elevation or such.

[bad_turbo]

thats an awesome looking wrecker!! All our trucks need some work done

[special-K]

I figured your wrecker was pieced from another truck.The bed was "built" and the boom/frame was adapted.I need to get a camera on my`71 w/Holmes 440.