Freightliner DD Help needed

[72 Charger]

Hi I have just got a Freightliner DD and Ive got as far as putting the front axel on . It looks as though the axel is to wide for the cab ?

Have I built it wrong, do I need to narrow the axel ? Ive heard that the front axel needs to be moved forward but by how much I dont know? I have also heard that the cab steps are wrong but what is wrong I dont know?

Are there any other faults with this kit that I need to know about ? I have already moved the headlights down as I DO know that they are to high!

There is also 2 parts for the rear suspention that on the instrutions just give a vage location under the first rear axel ,But I have no idea where they actually fit .

Does anyone have a photo of where the go?

If you can help me any information would be greatly reseved

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Petetrucker07]

Yes the axle is too wide, by about .125. Just section it in the middle. Im guessing the axle is too far forward, im not sure since i lowered mine and eye balled it in the wheel well. I don't know about the steps being wrong, but they are a real pain to put together. The suspension pieces you are referring to, i think they are lower links. They go from the bottom side, right under the rear axle, forward to the middle point. I maybe wrong on that, but thats where i think i put them.

[mistermodel]

the axle is a bit too wide,but much worse is the mounting pins,they are off center.put the cab on the frame then center the axle.Some amt axles have spacers that hold the wheel pins,if the freightliner has them you maybe able to elliminate them to tuck the wheels in

[Old Buckaroo]

Dave spend a few hours reading the different builds on this truck. (go back at least 20 - 30 pages on the workbench) The axle is too wide , as everyone said. I forgot how many mm's I shortened mine. If you are building an older truck before front brakes were required it is ok. If using the kit brake drums they tires will stick out like a mudder truck.

The instructions show the cab realease handles wrong - handles face down not up.

A lot of builds have trouble with the shift tower also.

Not my build but a good reference

Edited November 16, 2014 by Old Buckaroo

[Petetrucker07]

Yeah shift tower will mess with ya. Theres an oval piece that goes into the interior tub with the shifter attached to it. Glue those to the tub. Leave the shifter pieces for the frame, on the frame. Do not attach them together like the instructions. Itll bind and the cab will not sit level, on the rear cab frame mounts.

[guitarsam326]

Dave, I built mine as Sean said, left off the front drums and it looks ok. the part I hated most was the two piece cab, I know why it was produced that way, but still, its aggravating to say the least.

[72 Charger]

Thank you eveyone for the tips I can see this one is goin to put up a fight . I got the cab joints sorted(mostly lol) I had just put the drums on the front so the axel will have to be cut oh well never mind . I havent got to the gear shift tower yet so that will be FUN . This is one of my Holy grail kits so I WILL enjoy it I will go and have a look at some other builds .

Thank you again guys most helpful

Dave

[lapazleo]

The steps are correct but they are modeled after a prototype step that Freightliner never actually put in production. I've only seen one truck with them at a truck show in the early 70s. They are technically correct but not what went in to production. A quick web search of pics should be helpful.

[72 Charger]

Thanks Leo I was wondering about the steps on it . I will have to make some that are correct for a prodution truck

[Art Anderson]

Dave, I built mine as Sean said, left off the front drums and it looks ok. the part I hated most was the two piece cab, I know why it was produced that way, but still, its aggravating to say the least.

Consider that when AMT tooled up the Freightliner, most tractors didn't have front wheel brakes--I eliminated the brake drums on the one I built way back in the day.

Art

[lapazleo]

I believe Porkys resin has them

[mistermodel]

Those steps first apeared as a time dc special order that carried over to other customers.The steps were in production for one or two years then updated,but were options.Even in 73 or it might of been 74 when ladder type steps came into law you could order a freightliner with out them.Freightliners were a true custom ordered truck.The cab is two piece because a standard non sleeper cab was produced first,amt was just cutting costs.Front brakes were optional on tandem trucks because the law said "must have brakes on two axles".Thats why the first version standard cab had them it is a two axle truck,again amt carried over some tooling.The thinking about front brakes was the fronts would lock up and have no steering control and back then they kept the front as light as possible.it is possible to get the cab seam pretty good if you put a sandpaper on a piece of glass and sand the edges square

Edited November 18, 2014 by mistermodel

[Goodwrench3]

Hi all:

I just started on an AMT "Pabst" beer wagon dual drive Freightliner COE this weekend myself -- interesting reading here !

There also seems to be a mis-print in the instruction sheet about the frame cross members ?

Here is the section of the sheet I'm referring to:

Note the instructions say "2 Mid crossmembers (2 pcs. each)". Well, I can locate the two cross members shown in the diagram - but only * 1 * piece for each of them (not including the brackets on either side that are glued to them).

Here are the cross members in the kit -- note they are *1* piece each -- I don't see anything else that would go with them:

Am I missing something ? Or is that a mis-print ?

It also seems a bit strange there isn't a more "positive" cross member attachment in the frame -- there's only these 2 pieces and one in the very rear. Other than that there's only the from engine support.

Thx

[angelo7]

They don't go together. They go like an inch apart from each other. And yes, they are one piece only each.

Edited March 22, 2015 by angelo7

[Goodwrench3]

Cool. Thanks.

I just looked at the re-issued Freightliner DD on the Round 2 site and the posted instructions there -- looks like they corrected it in those instructions.

[Goodwrench3]

Hey --

Got another one for ya ...

Assembling the Cummins engine -- the fit of the oil pan to the block seems funky. Note in the photo below how the front lip of the oil pan extends out past the front of the block a bit (yes I sanded the rear where it is against the bell housing so that the front of the pan would rest on the pin molded in the block):

When I placed the front cover on the block (see photo below), the front lip of the oil pan is about flush with the front cover except for the area where the front cover doesn't extend to the side of the oil pan. You can still see the lip of the oil pan:

Any help/advice much appreciated !

Thanks

[angelo7]

Looks ok to me. Mine is exactly like yours.

[Petetrucker07]

There's not much you can do about it. You probably never see it once it's in the truck.

[Goodwrench3]

10-4. Just wondered.