New truck
 

So I finally bought myself a truck. I am now the proud owner of a 1997 Peterbilt 379-127. :jump:

Specs:

• Engine: Caterpillar 3406E
• Transmission: 13-speed Eaton-Fuller Roadranger
• Wheelbase: 260"
• Wheels: 24.5"
• Interior: American Class
• Sleeper: Unibilt midroof
• Hood: 127" (longnose bay-bee)

Whoever said money can't buy happiness obviously never tried buying a Pete! :choochoo:

:pics:


Sounds like ya got a nice nice truck. What do ya do with it? Independant, leased, what kinda wagon do ya pull?

:pca1:

I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. I'm turning it into a show truck; I have non-commercial registration/insurance on it, so I can't really pull anything.

Pics!
 

It took me longer than planned, but here are the pics of my new toy :U:

http://www.bigrig.org/photos/d/4689-...rom+front.jpeg

http://www.bigrig.org/photos/d/4709-...rom+front.jpeg

SLick looking truck. it needs a flatop sleeper and a set of 8inch bulhaulers with no muffs

nice lookin truck lil elbo grease and cleaner to get that crome jumpin and clean what do you haul

:U: bigger stacks, smaller sleeper, and extend the frame and you'll be in there:choochoo:

Nice truck :U:

I won't be hauling anything with it; I bought it as a show truck. Straight pipes definitely need to happen, I'm trying to figure out if I can get a side pipe setup to look good. That may prove difficult, though, so I may stick to stacks.

Sleeper stays. Flattops look good, but I like having some room in my sleeper. :)

Nice truck. :yeah:

you gonna be sleeping alot in it?? Since its a show truck and all...then just extend the frame..those trucks with a stretched out frame are sick:yeah:

Cant blame you ther. i dont like side pipes but the is just ny opinion.

looks good as it is

8" flat top stacks with the ting tings :choochoo:

how do they do the frame stretches on them trucks anyway? I know it's just c-channel frame rail section, but do they cut the frame and weld in the extensions or is it cut and then bolted in or how do they do it?

you going to drive it to shows of tow it

If you're planning on stretching in front of the drivers:

Cut the frame at an angle, or V it, or whatever...fab guys have their own ways, but never cut straight down vertical..that's bad.

Then, add your new piece, weld it in place, fishplate the hell out of it, and add a inner sleeve or outer channel "double frame" on the stretched area.

If someone is planning on hauling weight, that's the best approach, along with additional gussets in the bunk area.

Pure show trucks which run around bobtailed all the time are sometimes done differently.


If you're planning on stretching behind the drivers, like for a motorhome, toyhauler, or what have you, the best approach is same as above, although some people just cut the back of the frame at an angle, weld on an extension, and fish plate it without the double channel....

Mr. Miyagi, not questioning your advice, I'm just trying to understand why. So, why would your "V" cut or cut at an angle as opposed to straight down? Since you seem to know what you're talkin about, where would you begin to take your measurements from to ensure that you're cutting from exactly the same place on both frame rails? Finally, what is fishplateing? I do some and I stress SOME fab, LOL, at my job. I'm still learning, I've just never heard that term. I also read on a big truck forum that it's good to heat the surrounding area of the frame around where you're gonna weld so everything cools down at the same rate to avoid the weld trying to pull away from the frame due to one or the other cooling faster I'm guessin?

Angle cuts or V cuts yield stronger finished products. The welded area is going to be the weak point, or the areas directly around it, so having a V notch or angled cut distributes the load over a larger surface area. There is some weld theory and metallurgy involved to get into a long winded technical answer, but in a nutshell that about does it...

A fish plate is another piece of steel welded over the top of a connected area to add additional support and strength. You weld it up, grind the area smooth, then weld another small section over the top of the joint. That smaller section is the fish plate.

Heat treating is pretty advanced, and will yield a better finished product. The key is the cooling down at the same rate part....too fast and you'll end up with nearly case hardened steel...strong against wear but brittle--bad for a frame. Heat stick pens are good for this....similar techniques are used for welding cast iron.

To get the job right, there are many, many, MANY measurements that need to be checked, checked, rechecked, and checked again. Lots of levels, plumb bobs, string lines, keen eyes, patience, and a big well equipped shop to handle it.

To do it right takes talent and experience. A lot of people stretch frames who have no business doing it, in my humble no-mind opinion....of course hauling loads of logs in and out of the woods is different than building a show truck or something that hauls light, fixed loads.

Just my opinions...could be wrong, probably are....

looks good :U:

hope to see the finished product one day

Nice looking Pete!:ok1:

must be nice to have a pete for a toy !! lot's of guys these days can hardly make a living running them for a job. :humm:

Yeah, I agree with Sluggo. I wish I was that lucky!

I'm going to disagree with you here to an extent, lots of people do it this way, but I am NOT a fan of cutting and splicing in a piece. Weld on the back, and redrill with a liner that is bolted in by the suspension as well as the 5th wheel. We have done verticle cuts that haul decent weight (85k avg) with no issues. And some of this was on 1/4 inch rail. Granted its not oilfield, or logging work but still gets stress and strain. Why the additional gussets in the bunk area?? Planning on 140" double eagle??

Someone asked how to stretch a frame...I gave them answers based on a couple different ways to do it.

We cut up vertical 1" from the bottom, then across at a 60 degree angle until 1" from the top and go straight vertical again. It seems to work.

We've done extensions to the rear and slid the axles and bunks back before. It works fine, too and some guys like this method as it requires two main structural weld points.

But then again some guys like avoiding the hassles of removing the entire rear suspension/drivetrain and using the between cab & axle stretch, and I've heard talk of not wanting to stretch @ the rear and slide axles back as that area of the frame is under lots of stress to begin with, and punching new holes for the rear driver, moving the front driver rearwards, and either adding additional welds to seal holes makes for a weaker rail....guess a guy could through bolt the liner with those holes, but like I said before there are many methods people use that work.

Gussets around the bunks are even more important if you're extending the rear of the frame and sliding axles back. Lots of new stress and new weak points at the rear of the frame. I've seen 5th wheel slide mounts tear the tops out of the channels on 105,500 chip trucks.

Lots of ways to do everything.