[RCP57]

Originally Posted by woodhog

Very very nice I luv it man that thing is big

Thank you very much...yes it is BIG!

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

Hmmm, I'm seriously gonna have to consider getting a tig welder... no way could I ever mig such parts together like your link bars without destroying them. Great Show again Reg.

Thanks Joe, I would say that TIG is great for our hobby. With a little practice even a guy like me can turn out some decent stuff and there is virtually no fumes and never any sparks/spatter.

Originally Posted by JAMMER

Reg you have done some very nice work here keep it up. Ed

Thanks Ed, complements like yours keep me motivated!

Originally Posted by sparkycuda

The suspension detail is amazing! Don't know if I'd have the nerve to try making axle housings - but your results are really great. Yes, it is a good feeling to roll it around - just got the motor and driveshafts finished on my Payhauler - another step forward.

Enjoying your build immensely.

Ken

Thanks Ken!....so where are the pics of your Payhauler????? I love that build!

Originally Posted by 9W Monighan

Always amazed on how well you tig weld all of your parts. Keep it coming.
Making the rears sure looks great.

Thanks very much. It makes me think that I'm doing something right when someone like yourself is impressed.

Originally Posted by catmack

Reg,

Looks great, what material are you using for the axles?....and I noticed you pressed bushings in, are they bronze impregnated? I probably overlooked those posts. I like the custom stuff like this. Keep up the fine work. Colin

The axles are made from cold rolled steel, the housings are aluminum. Yes the bushings on the inside are bronze oilite.

Originally Posted by Bigrigger

This is a one-of-a-kind rig! A lot of rigs claim to be "custom", but this is as true to that as you can get! Excellent work, I can't wait to see more!

Thanks, No matter what hobby I have pursued in life I have always rathered to build versus buy. Partly because I have yet to win the lottery...Ah, who am I kidding if I won I would buy more machinery!

Originally Posted by D8R

Reg, looks like you're working full time with model building, when not checking forum every day, I have to go back a page on your tread to see what's happend since last time.
Those axle bars looks very good, with that rubber inside it's just like the real ones.



Thanks for that pic, will do one, looks handy!
Dan

Yes Dan I have been pretty much working on this full time(ten hours today). I'm obsessed at the moment! I'm going back to work finally next week so I have been pushing myself to get as much done as possible!

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Once again, nice work Reg! The radius and torque rods look good. Question though....is there supposed to be one more rod, running parallel with the axle, that ties into the chassis frame rail? I've never seen a Kenworth like this, so maybe they don't have them? I'm not sure of the proper term for a rod like that, but I think they call panhard bars in the rock crawling world. The truck is looking great! Standing on it's own feet.

Nate Thanks! These trucks don't have a panhard bar. The earlier trucks(848-early 849) with underslung springs did have them but appearently they had too many roll overs so Kenworth went to a different suspension setup(the same as Hayes and Pacific) with overslung springs. I guess the spring pack is enough to keep the axles centered.

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OK, Todays update... well actaully it's been a couple days. I FINALLY almost have the front diff finished. I need to weld the gears to the shafts and do a little more prettying up to the housing but it works. I have started the rear diff too but I'm still waiting on the ring and pinion....AND MY MILL DIED! I'm not sure what happened. I shut it off because I was done for the day, then I changed my mind and decided to drill another hole(this is just like riding a motocross bike, never say just one more lap cause thats always when you crash hard). I flipped on the master switch and nothing happened. It seems like there is a blown fuse or something. No magic smoke escaped and there is power to the mill. Anyone have any ideas? BF30???

I didn't take many pics of the process....but here is a little vid of it spinning...

http://youtu.be/Wrq2KidK3JA






Reg