Hatfield, PA to Reading and Back to Atlanta.

Continuing phase two of the trip to PA, I drove from where the truck was stored with the Dingo and Trailer in Hatfield PA to Reading, PA for the Airshow and then from there a 4 days later back to Atlanta.

Total miles for both up to PA and back to Atlanta was
1346 miles

Total Fuel fro both to and back from PA was 208 gallons not including the last 76 miles from the Wilco Hess Truck Stop in Carnesville GA. Based on going up and down hills along various legs, I got ranges of fuel economy from 9.2 mpg on the leg from Fort Chiswell to Carnsevile to 7.2 from Georgia to Fort Chiswell. Most of the ratings were 7.5-7.8 coming back from PA.

Overall average speed was around 48 mph, 53 mph was comfortable. The GPS indicated that the truck would go to 57 mph at red line, whether this was error on the speedo or tach is unclear, but I tried to stay at 54mph or lower based on GPS indicated speed.

In Pennsylvania, I added lockout hubs to the front wheels. I didn't notice any clear change in feel, but I hadn't driven the truck in months before I put the lockout hubs on.

In Carnesville, Ga, I stopped and weighed at the Cat Scales to see what total weight with fuel was.
Weight for the truck was:
6460 lbs on the steer axle
10720 lbs on the drive tandems
9020 lbs on the trailer's tandem axles
Gross weight was 26200 lbs

I ran 75 psi on the front tires, 60 psi on the rears and 90psi on the trailer wheels.

Modifications to the truck to date are:
-Overson Engineering Lockout hubs on the front axle
-dual front floods under the bumper
-single rear flood aimed at the trailer
-24-12 volt converter added to the firewall for power to an accessory jack under the dash for the GPS unit and iPod for music as well as power for the Tekonsha Brake controller mounted under the dash at left of the steering wheel for trailer electric brake controls.
-Free flow muffler added to exhaust system
-outdoor carpeting added to floor of cab for moderation of sound and air flow into cab.
-CONUS Red Reflective "|_ _|" markers to tail gate.
-90° bend on air intake mushroom

Future plans are for a swap to super singles or at a minimum to swap out the front tires for fresh rubber.

Total hours on the truck to date are 1474. I figure an oil and filter change is in order soon as well as service for the rear and front hubs. The rear hubs were on the trip to PA rather cool. On the trip back, they were somewhat warmer, in part due to the trip, but I suspect also due to the higher temperatures making them warmer. Non were amazingly hot tot he touch, just warm. The Front hubs were initialyl cool to the touch on the trip, but on the long day Monday, they were rather warm when I stopped at a rest stop in SC for a long bathroom break and check of the truck's systems.

No significant leaks were observed, though some gear oil was seen to have been expelled from the axle breathers and some spatter on the wheels and fenders. Nothing clearly is indicative of a leaking hub yet. A seal on the transfer appears slightly leaky as well as there was an occasional smell of Gear oil after stopping. A Check of levels on the way up didn't show any clear problems, just foaming of the oil in the case.

Is your IP pump turned up any? Sounds like the truck ran good for you.

Dennis

To my Knowledge Dave and Joe never turned the truck's pump up at all. I'd like to do that in the future, but, I want to get a pyrometer first and get used tot he truck before I try upping it's horsepower.

You should have known this was coming:

Excellent information, Ryan!
So, for the segment shown below, your mpg was about 9.2? That's very good.... was that a non-stop drive?
I assume the rear stub axle is still installed on your truck.

In addition to the data you collected, I like to check the tire pressures and temp also.

Thanks Ryan, just sorry I wasn't able to meet up with you.

Ditto on the pictures.

So, for the segment shown below, your mpg was about 9.2? That's very good.... was that a non-stop drive?

Click to expand...

Yep, non stop save for one rest top in South Carolina, I think it was north of Spartanburg just inside SC from NC.

Front left
http://www.freakchylde.net/~ryangill/CanadaReading2006/CanadaReading2006-Pages/Image52.html


and Front Right tires

http://www.freakchylde.net/~ryangill/CanadaReading2006/CanadaReading2006-Pages/Image53.html

Not much rubber left. Those are going to become trailer tires I suppose.

What was interesting was using the front hitch to push the trailer off my street up my side yard and into the back. It made the process trivial as compared to difficult. I even managed to avoid a car parked on the street in the process.

The side yard 'drive way'.
http://www.freakchylde.net/~ryangill/CanadaReading2006/CanadaReading2006-Pages/Image55.html

A note regarding front tire wear: The biggest offender is the solidly connected two rear tandem axles. You will never find a OTR truck tractor running with the tandems coupled together (on paved road).
After 10,000 miles on my fronts, they are only now starting to show wear on the outsides. I'll take the tires off and turn them over before next road trip, so that they can wear on the insides, which still look brand new, for an additional 10,000 miles.

Did you install the front hitch or did the truck come that way? I have seen a PS article on it and was just wondering.

I installed it myself. When Squirt Truck, a friend of his and myself went to recover the Radar System Trailers, we used it to maneuver one of the trailers up onto a transport trailer and it made things trivial. I was worried about trying to back my equipment trailer into my back yard, but the front mounted hitch made it as painless as can be. I started it up the driveway, got it half way up the hill, backed out some to get it angled better and then drove right in. Having the ability to see the trailer directly and steer it directly with your front wheels close to the hitch is amazing for reversing a trailer. I can actually see it as an easy means of backing a shelter carrier trailer into a spot which is well nigh impossible with a backing trailer.

One of these days, I want a 6 wheel 7 ton trailer from WWII, and what ever I use to move it around will get a front mounted hitch to make maneuvering that beast easy. They're shown in this thread...http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5559&highlight=wheel+ton

Here is the PS mag article on the front pintle:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/module...ile=index&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php on the front pintle:

As practical as a front pintle hook is, I've always shyed away from putting one on my equipment because it wasn't a military option. No after seeing the TM, I just might!

Is this TB available somewhere, logsa didn't show it?

TB 9-2300-415-40. Front Bumper Mounted Towing Hitch. 30 November 1972.

It sure does help in moving a trailer around. I added one... steel plate behind it for reinforcement.

IT also makes a great place to secure that front winch chain. I can't say enough how much simpler having the hitch on the front made putting the trailer in my back yard. When it was delivered by my friend, he had a smaller pickup with power steering and it took him longer to back it in than it took me to just drive it right into the back yard with the deuce which is larger, heavier, slower, harder to steer and longer than his Pickup. It probably took me longer to hook up and unhook the trailer than it did to push it in. I need to get that mirror setup for hooking up the front hitch if I don't have a ground guide.

Makes me think that a 4x4 Deuce with the front mounted trailer hitch would make an amazingly excellent spotter vehicle.

Hey Ryan,
I have been looking for some info that I thought was in this thread, but can't find... do you remember how fast you were driving up I-77 from NC into VA?

I like numbers, can't help it.

Thanks,

For the steep grade on I77 near your place, about 25 mph. Either straining near the top of 5th gear low range or in 3rd gear high range. But then I was at 26,200 lbs with a trailer back there and no fuel fiddlyness. The rest of the way it waggled from 45-55mph depending on hills and such.

The pintle hitch will make easier to load a dead veihicle on a trailer with the trucks winck.