Western Star 4900 FA plow truck

[Biggu]

I’m in love ! Man this is out of this world. 
Jeff

[BK9300]

At this point with the pictures, I’m at about eight months into the build (October 2023) but had a break from it for June - August of 2023.  Was waiting for some parts initially and that turned into a bit of a loss of momentum.   Still, lots of motivation from looking in at the forum and work on the sander had me going again in September.  Flow of work was beginning to change from building to painting and detailing.  Plans for new work included adding the muffler bracket, the muffler and it’s shield, working on the hydraulic system, finishing the engine to the point where it could be installed, and painting all the attachments.  So, more priming and painting – and pictures!

frame dusted and ready for primer (rear wheels were going to be primed separately)

couldn't figure out how to handle frame and paint at same time, so made a rotisserie

could turn the frame 360°

I duct taped the rotisserie to a small turntable and was able to get at the frame from all angles, using Tamiya, grey fine primer (supposedly good for the metal bits as well)

 

hard to see, but the blue lines/arrows are pointing to temporary pieces inserted to prevent paint buildup, so the wing plow front mount would still slide up and down, and my future hydraulic lines could thread through their supports

painted the frame Tamiya satin black - lots of masking to paint muffler

muffler's been painted, but now had to mask off muffler and paint muffler support straps (and other places I had missed on frame - green tape!)

 

the muffler is representative of a Donaldson, mounted on Western Star's muffler bracket and brace

 

Thanks for hanging in there - more to come!

 

Edited August 14, 2024 by BK9300
double pic, wrong text

[Biggu]

I can’t say anything. My jaw has fallen from my face and is planted on the floor!!!! I am in complete awe in your scratch building and superb engineering. Having had my buttocks in the seat of one of these plow trucks for more years than I want to remember, I can tell you from hundreds of hours and thousands of miles driven this is with out question the MOST stunning and accurate replica of one of our trucks. Your attention to detail and obvious love for these trucks and company is unprecedented, Brian. This is the best truck model I have ever seen. And I KNOW how they should be and look and this is IT! This should find its home at head office in PG as a tribute to the good job we old guys did and the new crews do today. YRB was the BEST company I worked for in my 38 years of highways maintenance.  A pure delight to watch this come together

Jeff

[Gary Chastain]

Wow????

[BK9300]

17 hours ago, Biggu said:

I can’t say anything. My jaw has fallen from my face and is planted on the floor!!!! I am in complete awe in your scratch building and superb engineering. Having had my buttocks in the seat of one of these plow trucks for more years than I want to remember, I can tell you from hundreds of hours and thousands of miles driven this is with out question the MOST stunning and accurate replica of one of our trucks. Your attention to detail and obvious love for these trucks and company is unprecedented, Brian. This is the best truck model I have ever seen. And I KNOW how they should be and look and this is IT! This should find its home at head office in PG as a tribute to the good job we old guys did and the new crews do today. YRB was the BEST company I worked for in my 38 years of highways maintenance.  A pure delight to watch this come together

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff - never had a “seat” in one of these trucks, but I imagine the adrenaline could get up there driving one of them at speed on the highway.

[BK9300]

15 hours ago, Gary Chastain said:

Wow????

Thanks, Gary - appreciate it!

[Biggu]

Just now, BK9300 said:

Thanks, Jeff - never had a “seat” in one of these trucks, but I imagine the adrenaline could get up there driving one of them at speed on the highway.

Brian , I wish I could have taken you for a ride. The best nights were a heavy snow storm with LOTS of snow and pushing that one way for hours on end and watching the  discharge chute and the thousands of tons of snow blasting onto the shoulder. It was a rush and I loved it. The more snow the better. Also knowing in the back of your mind you were providing some safety to the travelling public. I took a lot of people for rides , you know the ones, those that said all we did was sleep in the  trucks? I changed many minds over the years. Most said they didn’t know how we did it and said they couldn’t do it. I think you would have had fun and really enjoyed it. I would love to do it one more time. Lol

Jeff

[BK9300]

Finished off most of the work on the muffler and added screen from Auslowe. Had also been giving some attention to the truck's hydraulic system.  The main tank and valve manifold assembly in real life were provided by Del Hydraulics.  Again, because I kept breaking the resin hose fittings, I carried on with drilling the fittings out and replacing the pipe portion with brass rod (0.5 and 1.0mm).  Several do overs in this area of the work. . .

added 0.3mm nickel rod to simulate the sensors on the muffler

screen from Auslowe

forgot to include a mockup of the hydraulic tank before painting the frame - WS Constellation cab needed a day cab panel from Auslowe;  didn't measure muffler correctly and needed to add to top of it before painting

facsimile of a ball valve for hydraulic tank

painted hydraulic tank, valve manifold, and part of plumbing added

drilling resin fittings for added strength

more plumbing added

started on fittings from valve manifold to plows, sander, etc.; Top Studio fittings with brass rod, Walther's brass nut and flexible hose from Ted's Modeling 

mockup of valve body fittings

fitting on the end of the valve manifold is the pressure inlet from hydraulic pump at front of truck

hydraulic tank installed prior to laying out the hose runs

 

I appreciate your patience with all the pics and thanks for looking in!

[Rockford]

Patience? I'm in awe at the detail of this build, just fantastic stuff. 

[BK9300]

Thanks, Steve!  Patience, well, yes - I know there are lots of pics to wade through, but there is a lot to cover.

Edited August 15, 2024 by BK9300

[BK9300]

This series of pics finishes the hydraulic line runs from the valve manifold to the wing plow (front mounts), to the hard lines (for the wing plow rear mount and the main line run for any trailer use) and the underbody plow.  Runs left to go are the lines to the front plow, and the low pressure line from the bottom of the hydraulic tank to the pump and the return, high pressure line to the inlet of the valve manifold (need to buy more hose from Ted's Modeling!)

four hard lines connected

lines hanging by front fuel tank hanger are for wing plow, front mount; lines hanging by rear fuel hanger are for underbody plow

wing plow, front mount lines attached

underbody plow lines attached

all runs to wing plow, underbody plow and rear of truck now attached to valve manifold

I understand this to be a control valve for the pressure lines to both sides of the cylinder piston that raises and lowers rear of the wing plow.

Control valve in place; unfinished hard line extension (for trailer use)will exit out center of rear crossmember once frame is off rotisserie

two pressure lines for cylinder that raises/lowers rear of wing plow

 

Enough for today!  I appreciate your comments and thanks for looking in.

 

[Biggu]

Geez, Brian !

[BK9300]

The engine in the real truck is a Detroit 60 Series and I purchased a resin one from Auslowe in early 2023.  I worked on the engine on and off during the early part of the build and it got to the point that I needed it in the truck to carry on with the hydraulic line runs.  Will need to add some more detail once the cab, radiator and front plow lift group are in place.  Didn't take many pics back when I was working on it, so here is what I have so far. As always, I appreciate your comments!

fabricated a Delco Remy alternator, an AC pump and mounting bracket 

real truck had an exhaust gas recycler, so had a go at that

had to create plumbing for EGR back to intake manifold

So, I couldn't find (or identify) an Eaton Fuller manual transmission in the few kits I have, but I remember a conversation with one of our shop managers - there were musings about trying out automatic transmissions in our trucks (that didn't happen in my time with the company).  It may not be practical, but I used an Allison automatic transmission from Moluminum; added a vent tube from valve cover to crankcase; added aftermarket pulleys (many of the connections between delicate parts were pinned with brass rod to strengthen them)

 

 

Engine installed, belts installed, added an oil filler spout to this side of engine, as well as a dipstick with yellow handle, connected power steering hoses - more detailing needs to happen now that engine is in frame.  You can see the plastic hose run hangers attached to the bottom of engine and transmission

Engine needs a bit of a wash to bring out highlights more - this truck didn't have many miles on it when I took the pics

 

Now the final hydraulic runs can be made to front of truck!

Edited August 17, 2024 by BK9300
correct text

[Biggu]

This build comes under the "Epic" title....your 60 series looks great, did you turn those pulleys? They look really good.... interesting what you did and your take on the automatic.... personally for me, and I am only speaking for me , I much prefer a stick, 13 or 18 speed  is best for the way I went, as you can split the gears , automatics, were just starting to come in when I left, drove one once, and felt I wasn't completely in control. Just me tho...I felt with a 13 or 18 I was more a part of the truck, like an extension of me..... way back in the day we had an old school Allison automatic, and the down shift torque when the truck was empty  was fairly severe and consequently it was in the rhubarb almost more than on the road........... it was used somewhat sparingly after that, and sticks were the more preferred....it took some skill to be a good plow truck operator, with all the stuff that was required in the cab.... plow controls, wing controls, shifting, steering, not spilling the coffee.... LOL!! ?

[BK9300]

I used some pulleys I had in my "aftermarket" drawer, the supplier's tag long gone.  The Allison might not have worked in real life for a truck like this, but it was a topic for consideration for awhile at the shop.  I remember some fairly big, Halliburton, down hole cement pumper trucks in Fort St. John that were automatics (or the driver of the truck I saw could shift really fast!).  The Allison was plausible, so I used it.  Thanks for looking in!

[Chariots of Fire]

And to think that a lot of that extraordinary detail is going to be covered up by a body and cab!  That is just outstanding work!!  Knowing your subject matter is very much on display here but the execution is what makes it stand out.

[Biggu]

42 minutes ago, BK9300 said:

I used some pulleys I had in my "aftermarket" drawer, the supplier's tag long gone.  The Allison might not have worked in real life for a truck like this, but it was a topic for consideration for awhile at the shop.  I remember some fairly big, Halliburton, down hole cement pumper trucks in Fort St. John that were automatics (or the driver of the truck I saw could shift really fast!).  The Allison was plausible, so I used it.  Thanks for looking in!

OH, NO,Brian, don't get me wrong, today , automatics are THE thing, LOTS of the trucks have them and yes even our plow trucks, it is just 'MY" preference to have a stick...  your automatic is well placed, and is very much like the real deal of today no question there for sure, and it looks good the way you set it up, and besides, its your truck, and you can set it up any way you see fit, and this is fit !

[BK9300]

6 hours ago, Chariots of Fire said:

And to think that a lot of that extraordinary detail is going to be covered up by a body and cab!  That is just outstanding work!!  Knowing your subject matter is very much on display here but the execution is what makes it stand out.

Charles, I appreciate you having a look and thanks for the compliment!  Working out how to make the sander body removable - have figured that out for the sander’s hoses and attachment to frame but not for the eventual wiring.  Should still be able to see a lot of the detail (I’m hoping)

[Gary Chastain]

OMG………..wow, that is some detail, just outstanding detail. 

[BK9300]

1 hour ago, Gary Chastain said:

OMG………..wow, that is some detail, just outstanding detail. 

Thanks very much, Gary - just means I have too much time on my hands! - glad to be back doing this hobby!  Looking forward to that logger taking shape on your workbench.

Edited August 19, 2024 by BK9300

[BK9300]

With this post, I will be caught up on my backlog of pics for this build - real time going forward!

Can't be certain why, but, hubristically, or stupidly, I've been keeping a log of time spent and what I did while at the bench (anybody else do this?).  To date, for better or worse, I've logged over 600 hours - I have to admit that about 20% of that time has been me looking at pictures over and over, trying to figure out how some part needs to be built.  And, with what I am hoping to get accomplished to complete this truck, could be several hundred more.  That may be a bit crazy, but I sure enjoy it!  This post is about running the hydraulic lines to front of the truck.

this line, from the bottom of the hydraulic tank goes to the inlet of the hydraulic pump at front of truck 

the low pressure line has been threaded through the hangers, now the high pressure return line to the valve manifold is being threaded (the fuel line will be tucked up into the frame eventually); there are a couple lines running to/from the transmission to the yet to be built oil cooler mounted on the rad

two additional, smaller lines, at the bottom of the hangers, run to/from the front plow lift cylinder and back to the valve manifold

so, two lines need to be plumbed to a hydraulic pump; two lines to a transmission oil cooler, and two to the front plow lift cylinder.  More work needs to be done on rad and front plow mount, before these lines can be finished off; more work to be done on engine wiring

better view of transmission oil cooler lines, sitting on top of plastic hangers

Need to get some painting done on the attachments and sander . . .thanks!

 

Edited August 19, 2024 by BK9300

[BK9300]

Painting, for me, is the most challenging aspect of the process of model building, and I've struggled with it in the past.  I marvel at some of the paint jobs on this forum, from show car finishes to amazingly weathered and worn out derelicts.  My goal is neither show finish or weathered - I'm hoping to make the truck look as good as the real one did, rolling out of the shop with it's new attachments, ready to go to work.

not the truck I'm modeling, but this tridem was fresh out of the shop

some attachments painted,  several to yet to prime, and all to be put back together!

Tamiya fine surface primer used, initially

Our trucks were painted with "Wheatland Yellow".  There seem to be several versions of this colour on the web.  MCW's version laid down great, very forgiving, but too orange

 

need to find a better colour match!

[Biggu]

School bus yellow?

Jeff

[DRIPTROIT 71]

WOW!!! WOW!! WOW!! Did I mention WOW!! Make sure to check all those fittings for leaks.? Amazing work going on here!!

[BK9300]

5 hours ago, Biggu said:

School bus yellow?

Jeff

Appreciate the suggestion but likely going with Tamiya Camel Yellow - need to test paint a panel and see how it looks compared to pics of real truck