SpreadAxle

I had trouble getting the link to work too, but the idea sounds cool.

You sure are an inspiration Tim. Wandering onto your site accidentally is what got me back into the hobby after years of being away from it. i also love being a part of this forum. I can't wait to see your next build.

How did I know, Miguel, how did I know. LOL. I knew it was only a matter of time before you could find the dog at the hydrant in a model railroad scale. I am seeing more and more of the "everyday stuff" for detailing, which is good. I've had a diorama idea in my head for years that I want to do, but since the model will be a truck or 2, I may have to scratchbuild some things. I want to do a garage scene with a truck going thru an overhaul. things like diesel engine gaskets, and other items willl definately be from scratch. Shop details are getting easier to find, so it may not be too bad once I get started.

you know that will be a pricey one.

That's incredible Dave! Are you a driver yourself?

Again, thanks so much. I wonder if the brown was the only color available in this upholstered version. either way, i think I will download the pix. If anyone has anymore good interior shots, even in black and white, that would be great. i can't wait to finish my cab, especially now that I can see some of the other details including the underhood shots.

there's a german(I think) website called John's model truck depot. On there is a pretty nice build of a single axle bottom dump trailer, being pulled by a pete 251. It looks like the truck from Duel, with a single axle. It's a very nice build. he only just built the one trailer. I see those all over the place in California. If that's not the site, I downloaded the pix to study, although I wish I knew the measurements for the parts. All I know is it's a 27' trailer. The double trailer and truck-full trailer combinations of the western states are some of the trucks I think would make cool builds.

I don't know who's making more modern day kits of vans unless you don't mind HO scale. I would check Walthers, because model railroaders get the newest, latest and greatest of everything. Other than that, I don't know.

I don't believe American trailers have those. I do know that in the western states, you will see tractors that have steeerable "pusher" axles. It's an air lift axle just ahead of the drives. these are usually pullling 3 and 4 axle trailers, but those are only in the 11 westernmost states, like Oregon, Washington, etc. If they do have steerable trailer axles here, I've never heard of them. Sounds like an interesting setup, I wonder how it works.

this looks like a good choice for the trailer. It shouldn't be too hard to "Americanize". dave's right about the air bags. Also, if you wanted to in the future, make the crossmembers narrower, the cement to the frame rails, for the dual tires if you wish. As for the spread, not sure as far as length vs distance between the axles. I pull a 48' with a 10' 2" spread. the 8'6" would look good though. It's right for a Canadian trailer. I've been told Canadian DOT doesn't like our big 10' 2 spread axles going up there, but I'm not 100% sure. May be according to what province you run. Anyway, good luck.

you did good on this one.

WOW DAVE. how do they afford it? Is most of the price taxes?

That is very true about the rear drive tires. On my Pete, i didn' get a chance to buy all 8 at once, but the ones I had to absolutely replace first, were the rear drives. My spread axle trailer does the same thing when pulling out of a tight turn. the rear whells just slide around. So many places I go are tight, so I have no choice, otherwise, I would make wider smoother turns.

the trucks of the western states have always been a fascination for me. You probably could make a set of grain, or bottom dumpers out of them. I see some of those that look like cut down freight boxes, and I know it has been done. Plenty of ABF/CF/Roadway/etc trailers out there for guys to cut up. The HO scale tomoato hauler I have is a black and red single axle Freightshaker cabover with a sleeper. That's how mine will be done, only, the paintjob will be like the boxart of the AMT early 70's issue of the white freightliner SD. If you remember, the pic showed a turquoise and white truck pulling doubles. I love that paint scheme. the bins should be easy to scratchbuild.

Thank you both. This confirms the painted metal surfaces, although I see a wood headliner. I like that. Thank you again.

I do remember that to get the torque on most diesels 20-30 yrs ago and beyond, you had to be in the 1,800-2,100 rpm range. "lugging" the engine at lower rpms was a BIG NO NO. the bossman would get mad if you lugged it. But, nowadays, your torque is in the 1,200-1,450 rpm range, so you are encouraged to operate @lower rpms. I know mine is governed to 1,800 rpm, but in top gear(13 speed and 3.55 rears) that is still 85mph roughly. Hey, I had to know what my new toy could do! 8) LOL. But I keep near the speed limit, which is 70 in most of the states I run. My old engine would go up to 2,200 rpm, but with a 3.70 rear axle ratio and a 10 spd, it needed some rpm to get those higher speeds, but it was a '98 Cummins N14, so the torque was in the lower rpm. I don't drive very fast, but when no one's looking, I do like to see what it will do at least once if the road is empty. 8)

I want to clarify something. As I rebuild my autocar DC tractor, I'm trying to figure out, were the interior surfaces mostly metal and the same color as the body? Or were they upholstered? :? I originally left the interior walls black and painted in a flat white"headliner". I know the dash was woodgrain. I haven't seen an Autocar in years, up close anyway. If you have info on DC and A64B interiors that would be great. Anyone with a color pic willing to share that would be appreciated. looked on Hank's website. hard to find interior shots of the 70s A-cars. i think they were metal surfaces on the walls(no upholstery) that were the same color on as the outside of the cab, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm getting ready to paint the cab later in the week. I'm sanding/priming right now. thanks for your help. 8)

Wow, after rereading the questions regarding my steer axle, i didn't realize what an attention getter it was. it really didn't take long. After building 2 Revell AG 359s, i wanted more of my truck to have poseable steering. It was fairly simple to do. It's just the cutting that was the biggest pain, otherwise, it wasn't bad. Just make sure to really shave everything smooth after cutting, especially the tie rod ends. You will notice that when finished, one wheel will seemingly turn tighter than the other, which is ok, although it's really noticeable on this ford. On any truck I've driven, except my current tractor, I turn my axle stops inward for the tightest possible turn. the right wheel will always cut tighter. I'm just hope it doesn't become a bear to operate once it's painted. I better get the primer on this frame. I'm way overdue. the only thing painted is the engine.

Looks good casey. thanks for letting me know about that color.

It's a grain hopper. According to the sheet it's a 1998 Wilson. I don't think it has the live floor, but it looks like the kind the has the doors you crank open with a landing gear crank. i noticed quite a few grain trailers have the landing gear type gear box by the two bottom doors that you crank open, but not sure. My stepfather bought these from Walthers(any model railroad stuff, and I mean anything, they have it), and he couldn't wait to show them to me. I also have a modern day livestock van in Ho scale that I would love to enlarge the measurements and build in 1/24. I think it's by lonestar. When I get home, I have another HO scale to 1/24 or 1/25 inspiration to work on. it's a set of 27' flatbed trailers with the fibergalss tomato bins on the decks. You will see these bins all over California in the fall when harvest time comes. the bins are removable, so you can use the trailers year round.

i like the scale dio dptydawg. Today's weigh stations are really big, with inspection barns out back, so I would definately do what you did with building an older version. As for the fuel island, i've been kicking that one around for years. Since so many of the kits are of 60'/70's/80's trucks, i thought an older style with the hoses coming down from the roof of the canopy, and the windshield washing ladders(all but gone from truckstops now) would be great. Still in the works, but even if I just do one pump and truck on a shelf, it can work. i just have to get a good backdrop.

I will post a pic of what the Idle Aire unit looks like from the inside. Theres a door that opens at the end of the tube, and on that door is the menu screen. Next to the vents is 4 electrical outlets, an Ethernet connection, phone jack, and a cable tv plug that you connect the cable to your tv. Oh yeah, they thought of it all. I go out of my way to use this service whenever possible. It's worth it. the heat and a/c work too good. You will wake freezing in the summer, and ready to join the Polar bear club in the winter. lol. No matter how big your sleeper, it heats/cools very well. these are popping up everywhere. this one in the pic is in Baytown, TX at the TA(east side of Houston). They are making their money for sure.

I'm going to asume that's an ISX in there. I like this idea Tim. it would look good in an actual diorama. Cool concept. Very, very cool. I like it.

I spent monday evening stripping the old paint off the cab/hood/fenders. I thought I still had a can of Testors Classic Black, but I don't, so I'll just be going with a gloss black, and either the kit striping again, or I also have a KFS pinstripes and scrolls decal sheet that is about the color of the frame. May do a little of both. I used Polly S ELO(Easy Lift Off) and this stuff works great. Although if left on too long, some parts will have a spiderweb cracking much like a windshield when hit, but a little putty and sanding will cure that. I'll have the painted pix on here soon. Thanks for watching guys. It's making me keep on going.

I like what I see here.