442 Refurbishment Project

[DAVENET]

Let me know your tube solution. Have two to build this fall!

Kind of backed into the solution (of sorts) today. An old tie rod we had in the cabinet that was used on the Freightliner FS-65 platform has the same ends as above (but they were using Euclid ends when we bought it). The current Meritor number for the assembly is A2 3102Z3458. BUT, the tube is 60" long.

There is no listing anywhere that I can find for a 49" tube (with 1.125 threads). Since this rod uses only straight tubing (no tapers at either end), it will be pretty easy to chop to 49" and rethread the RH 1.125" threads into it. And since that end can free float, there is no reason to cut slots into the tube for a clamp to work.

 

[Track Addict]

Dave is on to the solution. After discussion the plan is to get a 1 1/8 12 TPI Right hand tap and a drill bit to match.

Friend has a pass thru lathe. Cut the right hand side off. Trill tap done.

Nice work Dave!

 

[Track Addict]

Making American Great Again Tie rods!

 

[Track Addict]

NNS(New New Stock) Tie Rods ready for modification to NOS Tie Rods.

Tucker collaboration at its finest with Covid Cross Threads Contamination happening!

 

[Track Addict]

Plan A failed. The pass thru lathe I have access to is not big enough. The ID of the pipe is close only needed a little reaming but I couldn’t get the tap straight by hand.

Plan B was to cut and weld the tubes using the factory threads.. Ground a nice V clamped and spot welded.

The trueness meets or exceeds Tucker manufacturing standards. These also come with a lifetime non-transferable Davenet warranty.

49” and 37.5” tubes ready to go on the sno!

 

[DAVENET]

Since the shafts were out to remove the transfer case & front turn assembly, I needed to call in a friend favor. The shafts both had dents from 50 years of the hard life and there was a lot of radial slop in both. And progressively worse as they extended. A friend of a friend works at a shaft shop so we sent them in. Even knowing the slow rotation application for the Tucker and light work going forward, his official opinion was "They're f**ked". Years and years of hooking up to drags, snow guns, other Tuckers, trees(?) and who knows what else beat them to death. Since the original slips haven't been made in years, everything was brought up to current day standards. Much more contact area on the spline section, so should be good for another 50-100 years.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

That there is some fine looking work.

Should actually be better than Tucker had it.

 

[northerndave]

Awesome work!

 

[DAVENET]

A little T-case freshen up

 

[Track Addict]

Anything to report from the inside? Bearing seals shims...

 

[DAVENET]

All A-OK. Crud clean, spit polish, shine.

 

[Pontoon Princess]

did you know

the tucker cap on the transfer case, is the very same one, used on the outside pontoon flange plate, the cap that covers the axle nut

 

[Track Addict]

Did you know when used on pontoons they used 3 screws?

 

[DAVENET]

The steering swing arm was getting blasted anyway for cleanup, but glad to have seen 1BG and track attics pod on cracking. Mine will definitely need Some tender loving care before repaint and install. Obviously a shitty repair the first time around which failed a second time. Even the hole in the bushing was installed 90° off in the top pivot and is completely cracked.

 

[Track Addict]

Wow!

Do you have a pic of how the piston hooks on the bottom?

Looks like somone welded in a pin and the piston is on the outside? If that is the case seems like addition twisting torque may put unneeded stress on the assemble and a return to factory alignment would be wise.

The rear mount must be worn broke bent or modified to get that angle I would think.

 

[DAVENET]

Optical illusion. I just had the pin hanging there during the photo before blasting. My pin comes completely out and my yolk straddles the lower arm just like yours. But it has taken a beating.

 

[DAVENET]

Fixed. T1 / A514 steel used in that saddle, so maybe (quite likely) The last person welding this up did not know what they were doing, or what they were working with. The fractures were enough that they (Multi-Weld Services) decided to remove the previous welds, V groove the cracks, clean the cracks, preheat the steel and weld to fill. Then those were ground flat where needed and quarter inch plates were added on three sides. Between the velvet smooth welds on the edges and the button welds in the middle of the plate, I doubt this will ever need to be touched again.

 

[DAVENET]

Round two

 

[DAVENET]

Round three

 

[DAVENET]

Final result

 

[olympicorange]

nicely done dave,...

 

[DAVENET]

Credit should go to Sno-drifter for the metallurgical assessment. Otherwise it would have been handled as mild steel (like probably happened the last time) and another failure would have been in the future.

 

[1boringguy]

Thanks for sharing your steering swing arm problem/solution. I just v'd mine out and welded, pre heat ect. But I figured mine was an isolated incidence. After seeing yours and TA's I don't think so. I was at Tucker Medford the other day and noticed a swing arm on a fab bench as I was getting the tour. I didn't get a pic but it looked to me like they had bent a piece of .250 plate, as an overlay essentially as you created from three pieces, and welded it on as a doubler for strength essentially the same as you did without the plug welds. Even though mine is now power coated I think I'll blast it back off and do the same as you, then repowder coat it. Its got to be a problem area that needs the extrastrength. ?

 

[DAVENET]

I have a feeling it is MUCH more of a problem than owners are aware. It really is not that big of a project to get it out. And a quick trip thru the blast cabinet will certainly reveal more than most expect. Mine was close to catastrophic failure. And it would be a bad situation if that happened way out. The key is realizing what it was made of so it can be repaired correctly.

 

[DAVENET]

Dash work

 

[Pontoon Princess]

very nice, how would you like all expenses paid vacation to tuckerville, oh, you will have to "do a little wiring",

where did you get the new looking heater knobs?

 

[DAVENET]

(1936-66) Heater Switch-Universal-12 volt

Universal Heater Switch for Chevy Truck This has 4 switch positions.

www.americanclassic.com

Looked forever for a vintage looking set that had both heat and defrost, but could only find heat. Internally lit like the OEM ones as well. Good enough for my application.

 

[Track Addict]

I have a cast orig clamp in the 69 for your steering column. Cat going to pieces next year to support some of MT Washington needs.

 

[DAVENET]

I have a cast orig clamp in the 69 for your steering column. Cat going to pieces next year to support some of MT Washington needs.

Thanks, mine is actually on my work bench. I took it off to clean it up and to make getting at everything easier. Also needed it free when putting in the M/C

 

[Track Addict]

What's that flat stock welded to the column?