fish
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Posts: 58
|
Post by fish on May 14, 2011 15:52:28 GMT -5
Hey guys !
I just picked up the AMT Peerless RR logging trailer and could use some advice and pointers. I have never built a logging truck and I want to add a little diversity to my collection, but I need your help. It won't be a super-detailed build, but would like to build a believable truck at least.
Are there any major problems with the Peerless AMT trailer that should be corrected or fixed ? Pictures of logging trucks from the 70's would be welcome. Tips or advice on how the trailers were attatched to the trucks in the 60's & 70's would be great too. There are not a lot of reference trucks to look at in Wisconsin...at least not in my area.
Thinking about using a builtup ebay-special AMT Western Star from the stash for this project. Seems like an appropriate truck.
|
|
|
Post by bitner1970 on May 14, 2011 19:02:03 GMT -5
Hi Fish:
My concern with the AMT trailer is the reach, which runs through the trailer and hooks to the trailer hitch on the truck is way too small. i replace it with evergreen square plastic beam. If you do a google search you should get a ton of info on the trucks out there, past and present.
Cheers:
Bill
|
|
spimike
Local Delivery Truck Driver
loggin till the end
Posts: 17
|
Post by spimike on May 15, 2011 13:18:26 GMT -5
I just got one delivered yesterday, I agree with Bill the reach is the worst part. Mine is going to get a new reach tunnel, reach and bunk and stakes mods since its going on a italieri pete so i have to upscale just a touch. as far as hooking them up hasnt changed in years whats in the kit is whats on my real world log truck. Should be perfect mated up with a western star. Anything i can help with just ask i have a yard full of about 30 of them to go find things out. Good luck, Mike
|
|
rronning
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Heavy Equipment 911
Posts: 82
|
Post by rronning on May 17, 2011 7:06:59 GMT -5
Having grown up around these trucks and drove them myself from time to time I can offer some help 1 The reach is very inaccurate, it needs to a square not a narrow rectangle. 2 While the height of the stakes (uprights on the bunks) is accurate for older log trucks around the 80's most log trucks came with taller bunks to accommodate the bigger loads they could haul. On anything newer then about an 85 the stakes should be slightly taller then the cab of the truck and at least as tall as the headache rack with extensions. 3 Also on the subject of the bunks, when the big timber started to thin out most all driver removed the cables that hold the stakes upright and welded triangular steel plates in the corner where the stakes attach to the bunks. If you are building an older style log truck then install the cables but if this will be a newer truck I recommend the plates. 4 Make sure that the frame of the truck extends out past the rear axle a few (scale) feet. Real log trucks need this length built in to accommodate the compensator that is built in to the reach of the trailer. This allows (when the reach is properly adjusted) the tires of the trailer to roughly follow the drives of the truck which on twisting one lane dirt logging roads is a necessity. 5 When it comes to the headache rack remove the overhanging cab guard if it is a newer truck (anything after about 1970). 6 With older trucks the common practice is to place the bunks of the truck directly between the drive axles. With newer trucks (again about 85) the bunks are placed over just the front drive axle to get the weight of the load more on the truck. 7 To add some realism install a snow chain rack on one side of the truck and use the frame tray included in the kit near the headache rack. When detailing the truck get some scale binder, some very small chain and thick black or Grey thread and make some wrappers for you load. 8 If the truck is going to be displayed with the trailer in the up position build a small tie down system going from the trailer to the frame of the truck using the same method as the wrappers. 9 Get rid of the vinyl tubing that comes with the kit and use some thick black thread for the air lines. Also the air line hangers on the reach are not really common. Most trailers use cable looks instead. 10 for some detail you can add some very small but long springs to the bunks so that they auto correct to the right position when the trailer is lifted off the truck. Here are links to two of my log trucks if you want some reference. I hope that this is of some help. pete389.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=showroom&action=display&thread=4507pete389.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=shop&action=display&thread=4511
|
|
rronning
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Heavy Equipment 911
Posts: 82
|
Post by rronning on May 17, 2011 7:09:01 GMT -5
Oh I forgot to add that the plastic around the suspension on the trailer will have to be trimmed to get accurate movement of the the trailer axles. The trailer will never sit on the truck properly without doing this and will look very funny.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 17, 2011 7:16:16 GMT -5
That's some good information. Is the reach beam long enough?
|
|
rronning
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Heavy Equipment 911
Posts: 82
|
Post by rronning on May 17, 2011 7:19:39 GMT -5
In my opinion it is the right length for big timber like 4 - 8 log loads. Newer trucks are a little longer and these days some drivers by telescopic reaches to haul logs that will be milled in to power poles and such. I seen reaches push 60 + feet.
|
|
spimike
Local Delivery Truck Driver
loggin till the end
Posts: 17
|
Post by spimike on May 17, 2011 13:24:30 GMT -5
The reaches in our fleet are 26 ft long,we also have average 8 foot stingers on the back of the truck frames or full length frames, most of our old petes have bolt on stingers since they were converted lumber trucks the newer kw's have solid frames front to back.all of our stakes are welded some still have their cables but have been welded solid as well. My truck has 48 inch stakes with bolt on extensions since we haul very few 3 or 4 log loads any more. any more i can help with just ask. Mike
|
|
fish
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Posts: 58
|
Post by fish on Jun 10, 2011 13:57:40 GMT -5
Thanks for the info everybody. This project is about 4 deep, but I wanted to get a heads-up and start planning ahead.
|
|
tufftin
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Posts: 205
|
Post by tufftin on Jun 11, 2011 9:31:32 GMT -5
You can do several things with the reach if you are going to change it. In the old days they ran wooden poles so the reach was round and the trailer slid up an down on the reach for steering. Some of the units today run a square steel tube but instead of laying it in flat they turned a quarter of a turn and the corners of the reach are on the top and bottom and straight out to each side. It's just what ever floats your boat.
Mike
|
|
rronning
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Heavy Equipment 911
Posts: 82
|
Post by rronning on Jun 11, 2011 23:48:22 GMT -5
Ya there are a lot of options out there. You can also do like the old Pacific and Hayes did and put the compensator on the truck instead of in the reach.
|
|
tj
Local Delivery Truck Driver
Posts: 18
|
Post by tj on Jun 27, 2016 2:53:59 GMT -5
the reaches are 7" tall X 9"
|
|