9670 Suspension Rebuild

Discussion in 'International Forum' started by farmersamm, Sep 21, 2011.

  1. farmersamm

    farmersamm Bobtail Member

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    Sep 8, 2011
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    This is a bumper to bumper rehab on an old cabover. 23 years have been hard on the old iron.

    The rear suspension was first on the list.

    All springs, at the hanger pivot points, were less than 1/4 worn through so didn't need replacing. And no cracks were detected in any spring packs.

    The hangers, and equalizers, were worn beyond service.

    All fasteners were thrown out as soon as they were removed from the chasis. New fasteners were used in every hole. New lock nuts were also used. International is fond of using fine thread fasteners in the suspension. I prefer them because they cause less wear on the frame rail if they move and rub over the years. Coarse thread has a tendancy to eat metal. IIRC fasteners accounted for about $150 in the total parts bill.

    A word to those who are maybe considering a DYI project of this nature........TORQUE THOSE BOLTS TO SPECS. And retorque them after the first load cycle, or about 500-1000 miles. Don't depend on an impact wrench to tighten fasteners use a good torque wrench.
     

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  3. farmersamm

    farmersamm Bobtail Member

    11
    2
    Sep 8, 2011
    0
    Aftermarket parts were used entirely.

    Owing to suppliers trying to hold inventory down, sometimes aftermarket parts are "universal" in nature. Designed to fit a variety of applications.

    In this case the front hangers were designed to fit a truck with a longer fifth wheel slide, and the upper bolt flanges on the hangers were made to fit over the slide bracket. In this case I don't have a longer fifth wheel slide, so had to make allowances for the "universal" fit.

    Spacers were milled and drilled to fill the void.

    I prefer a long piece of stock linking the two bolt holes. It's more stable and will resist movement over time.

    This was a relatively simple modification.

    A mill is a handy thing to have.

    A note on bolt hole location. Use a locating punch with a very light tap, then make the actual center with a centering punch. You'll save the locating punch this way. IT'S NOT MADE TO BE HIT WITH A SLEDGE:biggrin_255:
     

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  4. farmersamm

    farmersamm Bobtail Member

    11
    2
    Sep 8, 2011
    0
    The front suspension was a total replacement job except for the front hangers.

    New rear hangers, all pins, and new springs.

    The truck is front heavy, and the jackstands had to be located directly behind the rear hangers just ahead of the fuel tanks. This entailed moving the air tanks out of the way to find some free frame space for the stands. To safely balance the truck I lowered the front end loader arms on the rear part of the frame. Just the weight of the arms rested on the frame, no down pressure was used (hyd pressure can bleed off)

    About the only problem was the front bumper on the right side of the truck. It had been bent to a position which blocked access to the pin retainer bolts on the front hanger. A porta power, which sits in the tool chest for long periods unused, was just the ticket to bend the bumper out of the way. Gotta love the specialty toys. They mostly gather dust, but come in mighty handy on occassion.
     

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  5. Heavyd

    Heavyd Road Train Member

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    Feb 4, 2009
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    Great job! Thanks for sharing!
     
  6. jab8283

    jab8283 Bobtail Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Indiana, U.S.
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    Oh my, an old FedEx tractor. Yes I've driven a few of these and remember them well especially that confusing 7-speed Eaton transmission. Could never tell what gear it was in, had to search 'n' shift. Mine didn't have Reyco suspension however, by the time I was driving them they had airbag suspension but still rode hard. Funny thing is, when Reyco's are tight, they actually rode pretty good but a loose one, bouncy bouncy bump. Nice to see you took an active interest in restoring the suspension on this truck as I bet it made a huge difference.
     
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  7. VisionLogistics

    VisionLogistics Road Train Member

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    Dec 8, 2011
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    This thread deserves a huge BUMP for his effort. Great pictures, fun to see! Thank you.
     
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