Frame and Sleeper mod questions

[philciborowski]

Sorry for such a noob question, but I am planning to take the Revell 359 Pete, and remove the sleeper. That in itself isnt the hard part. The issue come with the frame. When removing the sleeper, is it correct to shorten the frame any? Searching google left me with more questions, like did this ever come in a single drive variant... but I think just creating the daycab with the correct length frame is where I will start.

I did see some information that cutting at a 45 degree angle is best for strength, but where should the cut be and is it needed at all.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Deleted]

The answer is: it depends. Ok, so that's sort of a cop-out answer, but it's true. You can remove the sleeper, and either shorten the frame or not. Which kit are you building the Revell USA kit or the Revell of Germany kit?

Yes, the 359 did come in a single drive variant. Prior to 1976 (I think) it was called the 289; after that it was called a single drive 359. What are you planning on doing with your single drive 359? Are you thinking of a P&D (Pick-up & Delivery) tractor? Small dump? Maybe a box truck? You might be interested to know that single axle tractors are very common in California & Florida. In California they are used to haul just about anything (hay, tandem 28ft belly dumps, etc.); while in Florida they are common for hauling rock & gravel using a trailer similar to the AMT/MPC Gravel Trailer.

[philciborowski]

First, thanks for the info - super helpful.

The kit I have is the Revell US kit (not RoG). I was thinking that I would get 2 projects - the day cab and the short wheelbase. I have 3 trailers available to choose from (plus the van I have already built). I have a livestock, tanker, and gravel ones to build still. I could be way off, but I was planning to pair the gravel trailer with the day cab 359, and just have the short 359 as a stand alone. The live stock trailer would be paired with the Kenworth w900, and the tanker with the Peterbilt 352.

[Deleted]

The daycab 359 will look good with the gravel trailer, but you'll have issues with the Revell USA W900 with the livestock trailer. Don't get me wrong, it'll look good behind it, it's just that since the fifth wheel isn't adjustable the drop on the trailer hits the W900's frame before the kingpin locks into the fifth wheel. Since you're not actually hauling the trailer, it isn't a big deal.

I thought I had a shot of my W900 with the livestock trailer, but here it is with the tanker:


This isn't the 352 (it's the GMC Astro/95), but it will give you an idea what the tanker looks like behind a COE:


Here's my livestock trailer behind a Chevrolet Titan/90:

[philciborowski]

Hm that is good to know about the 900.. looks like it will be on its own, or with a different trailer. I think I saw the Chevy/Livestock hauler on here long long ago and it was what got me thinking about even getting it. I may put that trailer behind the Freightliner DD truck I already have.
I got into the truck game too late to get a lot of the older kits I actually like the look of.

The GMC looks amazing as well.

[78KW]

If you can get your hands on an amt 5th wheel and slide plate, or at least the slide plate and the 5th wheel carrier, simply cut away the molded on slide plate and use the amt slide plate and carrier under the kit's 5th wheel or use the amt 5th wheel and you can then use any trailer you choose. I ran into this when I built the W900 the first time as I was using the Trailmobile moving van kit. Of course, that's if you can get the spare parts.

[philciborowski]

Good to know- I have access to a 3d printer at work, so if needed I could model then print them - the issue would be in getting the dimensions correct.

[tj]

hello, here in Arizona and other states the single axle trucks are also used with single axle belly dump doubles. A single axle drive truck with belly dump doubles can get into tighter places where you couldn't with a tandum drive truck with a 40' sigle bbelly dump because of turning raidous .Good luck .