My in progress trucks: Kenworth S2

[Superpeterbilt]

Well, rather than build a spread axle I decided to drag out a glue bomb stretch trailer and modify it to a tri axle. 

For starters, I modified a dump trailer suspension. I lowered it signifigantly, and built a new sliding assembly for it. I used dump trailer wheels with snap pete hubs and ROG tires. I added some AITM tool boxes, and cut out all of the molded in wood to be replaced with real wood. The trailer will be painted the same yellow as the KW. 

[Tesla]

Looking good Terry!!

[gatorincebu]

Looking good Terry!!

               X's 2  I'll bet that cutting all the decking away. Was a fun project ?  Not!!!!! lol   You made good use of the gravel trailer suspension .

 

 

           Be Well

             Gator

[gino]

nice work terry !  looks great hooked up to that kw that I like so much !

[Superpeterbilt]

I tried my hardest to put off this project, but my demons got the best of me. I knocked this out in a few ours, after scrounging my junk boxes for the neede parts. The inspiration is a photo from my Autocar book. I usually dont like twin steers, but this truck has a walking beam suspension in the front and thats just awesome. Here is the progress so far. Here is the inspiration. The left photo is before, right is after. 

Front suspension. I was able to find many pics of this truck online, and luckily found one that showed how the front axles attatch. 

Mack DM800 long framerails, Mack camelback rear, Autocar six spokes up front, scratchbuilt fenders. Rear wheels will be replaced with resin six spokes. 

Front axles are from Ertl Paystar kits, and are steerable.

[Mopar - D]

Terry you have this one looking good. 

[72 Charger]

That's really cool . I never knew that they ever did that sort of set up.

[gatorincebu]

 

    Terry,

           This is a cool project. I have often wondered about using a walking beam on the front end . Now I know I can .

 I really like what you've done thus far !

 

 

   Be Well

     Gator

[gino]

great work ! twin steer came out great !

[Tesla]

Now this is what I call a beast!! Clever use of a walking beam suspension. Very nice Terry.

[Superpeterbilt]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments. Theres going to be a lot of guess work with the steering linkage, but at least its all mounted properly and it all moves freely. The only thing I dont like about the 1:1 is how much smaller the front wheels are compared to the back, and the singles in the back. I will probably stretch the drum a bit to fill out the frame. I cut 1.5" off the end of the frame and stretched in the middle, so its layed out a little different than the stock Mack configuration.  

[gotnitro?]

Terry great timing on you twin steer autocar,  I've been collecting the parts for just a project,  except it'll be the twin boom Holmes 750 wrecker!! I was planning using a pair of autocar front axles, and the heavier mack rears. Guess we can never have enough wheels !!

Old Albion built one as a dump truck a few years ago..which helped inspire mine

Edited June 27, 2016 by gotnitro?

[gotnitro?]

How much did you stretch your frame rails? After our new born daughter arrived my bench has been off limits, but now a month ...already yikes...I'm starting to make time .

 

Thanks for any tips

[Superpeterbilt]

Terry great timing on you twin steer autocar,  I've been collecting the parts for just a project,  except it'll be the twin boom Holmes 750 wrecker!! I was planning using a pair of autocar front axles, and the heavier mack rears. Guess we can never have enough wheels !!

Old dominion built one as a dump truck a few years ago..which helped inspire mine

From my research on this truck I found that there was a fleet of these mixers, and some of them were sold of and converted. If I know the wrecker your thinking of, it was actually this same truck in the photo. This was later converted to a Holmes wrecker. I used the rear susp from the Paystar 5000 kit. It more closely resembles the set up on the truck, and is easily made functional. I made new hood sides. As you can see in photos, the fenders are just beneath the door, and the hood comes down this far also. The kit hood does not come down this far, so I made new sides. The height of the kit fenders was shortened also, and the top section removed. The rear of the fenders, at the cab back, is not correct and I need to remake them. That is the result of not wanting to go to sleep, and to much hard cider. As I said in the other post, these are Mack frame rails, stretched 1.5" in the middle, but Im not matching the 1:1s wheelbase. Mine is probably a little longer. I almost used the Rockwell rear set up from the dump truck kit, but I wanted more space in between the rears, so I used the Mack camelback.

[gotnitro?]

Thanks Terry! This is gonna make a Great addition to your fleet. 

The wrecker I was thinking of has Pendalls body works on the side, and is green /beige. The other mammoth truck I'd like to build is the American Towing one, where the wrecker section is much heavier duty.

Keep up the awesome work and thanks again

[Mopar - D]

Terry this is always a very interesting post you have here I never know what build you are going to show next in it and it does not matter because what ever you are working on is always great to read and look at. Thanks for sharing your talent. 

[Superpeterbilt]

Terry this is always a very interesting post you have here I never know what build you are going to show next in it and it does not matter because what ever you are working on is always great to read and look at. Thanks for sharing your talent. 

Dan, your awesome man. Thank you

[DRIPTROIT 71]

This is way cool! I've been wanting to see how the twin steers were made. I was going to build a Western Star twin steer years ago, but gave up on it.

[Superpeterbilt]

This is way cool! I've been wanting to see how the twin steers were made. I was going to build a Western Star twin steer years ago, but gave up on it.

Brian, I dont know how common the front walking beam set up was. Ive seen newer set ups that look more like the Reyco rear susp in the WFL Coe kit. I only know of these Autocars, and a few Peterbilts that had the beams. Its just too cool not to build, once you get past how ugly it is 

[mackd]

A really not very common suspension on a twelve wheels.

[Superpeterbilt]

Small update on the Autocar: I started working on the mixer drum. The truck in the photo has a chain driven drum, so I will be replicating that. I found some 3d printed scale roller chain and sprockets on McMasterCarrs website that I will be trying out. Ive used Tamiya scale motorcycle chain in the past, but I want to see how this stuff will work. For now I have ot sitting on some resin wheels that I took from another Autocar project until I order the ones for this. They wont be as big as the wheels in the pic. I have to say, with both front and rear susp functional, this truck stabilizes itself nicely. 

[10thumbs]

Hi Terry, man I really like the kit bashing you're pulling off, great stuff.  That's an interesting rig, and I enjoy the progress you post.  Heavy duty, yeah man!  I like.

[Tesla]

Looks good Terry! The chain driven mixer drum is period correct and I look forward to seeing it.

[gatorincebu]

 

    Terry,

           You've done some really nice work on this one so far. Enjoying the build thread !

 

 

      Be Well

        Gator

[gotnitro?]

Terry, nice job so far!! This is shaping up to be a serious truck! The heavy duty look really sets it off, and the mixer fits perfectly on the chassis

Edited July 31, 2016 by gotnitro?