1/25 Revell Peterbilt 359

[JamesBC]

This is going to be my WIP, since I have just got back into building a few models, this truck will be only the second one. Have read a lot on this forum and watched lots of youtube. Understand that the last 35 years of work biggest thing I pushed around was a pencil and a mouse. So if you have any tips, hints, constructive criticism all things will help me build a nice model.  Since the only paint that I can get local is Tamiya, that is what I will be using. My start is kind of slow, mostly reading the insturctions and putting together exhaust pipes and filling gaps on couple of things.

[Gary Chastain]

Will be a fun and challenging project. Look forward to your progress reports. 

[trick my mixer]

You picked a nice kit to build. Every kits has its issues. It will build into a nice truck model.

[TruckerAL]

That's a pretty tough kit to start as your first one back. But, don't let that discourage you. It's an awesome result once it's all done! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to message me, or ask the guys here in this forum. They're great

[JamesBC]

Work done so far, fuel tanks will be painted aluminum and then a new band put on. Got that idea from someone on here. Still have one tank to clean the casted on band off.  Rad is in paint booth for black matt paint. So far am impressed with the kit, everything seems to fit nicely. The steering axle is ready to be put on frame and it went together with ease.

 

[Force]

Cut off the pegs on the brake chambers, they shouldn't be there.
I don't know why Revell put them there because no brake chambers on the market have these, it could be cage bolts but they are not used in normal operation, they are used when you have to cage the parking brake spring so the wheels can roll without any air in the system.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Force

[Rockford]

You're right Force, it puts a wrinkle in my socks every time I see those brake chambers, they just shouldn't be there. 

[JamesBC]

Thanks, ok cage bolts or pegs go. If a truck is ready to tow, is there a cage bolt sticking out about the same location? At least I know what Spring Brakes are and are released with air pressure, lol I think.

[Force]

2 hours ago, JamesBC said:

Thanks, ok cage bolts or pegs go. If a truck is ready to tow, is there a cage bolt sticking out about the same location? At least I know what Spring Brakes are and are released with air pressure, lol I think.

You are quite right there Jim.
When the cage bolts are not in use they are stored on the outside of the brake camber, or if you live and drive in areas where they salt the roads in the winter preferably in the toolbox on in any other dry place.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Force

[Rockford]

2 hours ago, JamesBC said:

Thanks, ok cage bolts or pegs go. If a truck is ready to tow, is there a cage bolt sticking out about the same location? At least I know what Spring Brakes are and are released with air pressure, lol I think.

If a truck's brakes were caged for towing all you'd see is the bolt head, it wouldn't stick out like in these Revell kits. 

The only way that would happen is full service air pressure, all brakes released and cage bolts screwed in just a few threads. Not something that would happen in normal use. Weird. 

[Force]

59 minutes ago, Rockford said:

If a truck's brakes were caged for towing all you'd see is the bolt head, it wouldn't stick out like in these Revell kits. 

The only way that would happen is full service air pressure, all brakes released and cage bolts screwed in just a few threads. Not something that would happen in normal use. Weird. 

Here is how a brake chamber with parking brake looks like on the inside.
The chamber with the heavy spring on the left side is the parking brake chamber wich needs air to compress the pring and release the brakes, without air this heavy spring pushes on the service brake diafragm and apply the brakes, it can be caged/compressed with a bolt to allow the vehicle to roll without air in the system if towed.

No air in the brake system or parking/spring brake applied.

Parking/spring brake not applied as the air in that chamber holds the spring compressed, and no service brake applied for normal driving.

Service brakes applied when driving when you push the brake pedal down to allow air into the service brake chamber and press on the service brake diafragm, the parking/spring brake is not activated as the air in that chamber still compresses the spring

.

 

You screw in the cage bolt to the parking brake diafragm and screw on the nut to compress and pull the coil spring towards the end of the outer casing of the chamber to release the brakes, pretty much like in the lower two pictures above when there is air in the chamber, so the cage bolt will stick out quite far when the spring is fully caged/compressed and here is how the caged brake chamber looks like.

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Force

[Rockford]

Haken, as usual, you're right. I've got a bit confused! 

[Force]

Well I have a commercial drivers license for full size trucks so I had to know how the air brake system on a truck works. ?

[JamesBC]

Thanks, makes more sense on what parts look like. So each set of brakes will need two airlines, one only has pressure on it when brake pedal is pushed, and the spring brake side will have high pressure when the truck is moving..

I suppose those air lines would run up to the cab and be what 3/4 inch high pressure lines?

 

[Gary Chastain]

Here is a drawing I use, not sure how accurate, but a good generic diagram. 

[Force]

On 9/25/2023 at 2:32 AM, JamesBC said:

Thanks, makes more sense on what parts look like. So each set of brakes will need two airlines, one only has pressure on it when brake pedal is pushed, and the spring brake side will have high pressure when the truck is moving..

I suppose those air lines would run up to the cab and be what 3/4 inch high pressure lines?

 

Yes that's right
The diagram provided by Gary is not so bad...a little small, tho',  here is a larger one with trailer and converter dolly.

Air inlets on the brake chambers, the rod on the upper left side is tha brake rod wich is cut to length when installed, on the left side of the chamber itself is the cage bolt, nut and washer when it's not in use and stored on the chamber.

 

[JamesBC]

Thanks everyone for the info. I can see that drilling small holes in the brake pods should have been done first. Looking at my frame it would be to hard to try and do it now. I did find a wire that is almost in scale for the airlines, and best part I have lots of it. Next truck up gets the airline..

[Gary Chastain]

Really good discussion guys, learning some stuff and thanks for sharing. 

[JamesBC]

Ok, after sanding and filling where the straps where on the fuel tanks, repeat that step again due to painting problem. Again with sand paper and more painting managed to get the straps glued on. Now big question to those who do this work on tanks, the plastics strap do you paint it black first or glue it on then paint it. Also when do you paint the tanks. I had done that first and then painted the straps. Then tried to glue them on.

Little work been done, mostly had been working on the tanks.

 

[trick my mixer]

looking good so far. If the tank straps are going to be the same color as tanks I would glue straps on and paint everything as one unit. If not I would paint straps separately then glue. . This a nice kit to build. 

[JamesBC]

That is what I did, painted the tank then painted the straps and glued them on. I have to admit it makes a big difference in the looks.

[JamesBC]

Question, the wind deflector would not  necessarily be the same colour as the truck?

Thanks and have a great day tomorrow.

[Gary Chastain]

Factory installed are usually the same color as the body, custom installed can be pretty much any color including polished/chrome metal.