New O/O, Old truck what do I need to keep her in top shape?

I don't have hardly any experience with Macks. I do know that an outfit around here would hire warm bodies in the fall to haul sugar beets. These would have been R models, and I don't know what engine but they had 5 speed transmissions. The engines had to be tough because that must have had at least a 1000 rpm split between gears.

 

Im wondering if you guys have a good website to order running lights? I’m wanting to put some on the front bumper, and under the cab doors.

also I’m curious about putting some chicken lights on the freuhauf trailer but worried about drilling into the aluminum and causing structural damage? Anybody have any experience with that?

 

Agreed. Only additive ill use is seafoam. And only because that crap has been known to help with varnishing issues since before i was born.

 

Hey I have family in the tri-city area of Michigan and theirs a big sugar beet plant in bay city, MI i believe

 

Love those old Macks. Used to see one on 422 pulling a bucket regularly. They make great local haulers.

 

Man’s best friend a (mack) DOG

 

Blackstone Labs or Oil Analyzers.

I have been using Blackstone, but a company I acquired used Oil Analyzers. I don't have an opinion between the two.

 

Do u just put it on the 5th wheel plate like you would grease?

 

very cool! What do they charge for that?

 

I like your setup. That looks like a very nice truck and for local work very nice.

I don't know what area you are in but I assume you have the right Bridge formula to get the maximum out of the trailer and that wherever you are that you have work like you would have for a tri axle. Where I'm at in Pennsylvania there is dump trailer work but it's different work from Tri axles generally. But the good thing is you can always get a different trailer and go run Freight or do something else if you needed to or you could buy a low bed or a landoll or whatever else.

I would advise you beyond what the others have said, to pull your wheels off and check the wheel bearings. Myself when you drain the oil I would just pull the hubs off and inspect the bearings and put new seals in and make certain that the bearings are torqued properly. Do this front and rear.

Anything that is an unknown truck I would replace the starter and alternator and keep them as spares. Check your turbo for play. If the turbo blows up that can cause problems.

Replace your shocks. They go bad constantly on the truck you'll probably replace them several times a year.

I would pressure test the system, let it set for a couple of hours. It'll surprise you what you'll see.

If you really want to be Dependable you've got to go over all those s cams and slack adjusters and for myself again, a used unknown truck, all new brake Chambers on it,.

When I put my truck together and I ripped all the old crap off of it, every single one of those brake Chambers were not cut right and not stopping the truck right.

I would look over all the engine mounts, cab mounts, radiator mounts. I would replace the windshield wiper motor because on an unknown truck it's going to go out at the worst possible time. Replace the sprayer and the switch inside the truck.

If it were me I would use regular oil and change it every 10,000 mi, or use synthetic, and I would grease that thing every weekend front to back and make sure every single solitary fitting takes grease.

If it were me I would make sure that you have a transmission gauge and you have gauges for your Rears that way you can monitor what's happening.

I think other than that I would go over the front end and make sure everything is right.

I would also figure how many miles are on it and when Mack recommends rolling in bearings. If it's time, a set of bearings is really inexpensive and that's the best thing you could ever do for yourself for longevity.

That just looks like such a nice truck and you got it from the first owner.

Gotta wish you good luck with that.