What have you done to your 5 ton this week?

[Truckoholic]

Sadly I do not. But even my dad's 14 inch metal chop saw wouldn't cut a 6 inch diameter pipe like this. You'd have to cut part way through and then flip it over and cut from the other side, and then getting your cuts to line up always sucked. I guess my main problem is figuring out how to get a line marked on the pipe so I get the angles right. If I could have a nice line on it, I could make my plasma cutter work, and use a grinder to clean it up. I've found websites that allow you to enter the diameter of the pipe, and the angle you are wanting to cut, and you can print out a template that you can wrap around the pipe that gives you the guide line. But my printer won't print big enough for this big of a pipe ha ha. Had I known I was just going to be ending up utilizing the muffler in the way I did, I would have just bought a stack that was already cut like that, but I couldn't find any of them tall enough for what I was thinking I was going to need. But now that I ended up using the muffler like I did, I could have gone with one of those shorter already made CAT stacks. But, I got this five foot piece of 6 inch aluminized pipe for $60 as opposed to $168 for an already made 6 inch CAT stack. So as long as I can figure out how to cut it, welding it won't be a problem for me and I will be money ahead. Unless I have to go spend $300 on a big chop saw. ha ha

Do you have a metal blade for a chop saw? You could cut the pipe on there.

 

[Marcel]

Sadly I do not. But even my dad's 14 inch metal chop saw wouldn't cut a 6 inch diameter pipe like this. You'd have to cut part way through and then flip it over and cut from the other side, and then getting your cuts to line up always sucked. I guess my main problem is figuring out how to get a line marked on the pipe so I get the angles right. If I could have a nice line on it, I could make my plasma cutter work, and use a grinder to clean it up. I've found websites that allow you to enter the diameter of the pipe, and the angle you are wanting to cut, and you can print out a template that you can wrap around the pipe that gives you the guide line. But my printer won't print big enough for this big of a pipe ha ha. Had I known I was just going to be ending up utilizing the muffler in the way I did, I would have just bought a stack that was already cut like that, but I couldn't find any of them tall enough for what I was thinking I was going to need. But now that I ended up using the muffler like I did, I could have gone with one of those shorter already made CAT stacks. But, I got this five foot piece of 6 inch aluminized pipe for $60 as opposed to $168 for an already made 6 inch CAT stack. So as long as I can figure out how to cut it, welding it won't be a problem for me and I will be money ahead. Unless I have to go spend $300 on a big chop saw. ha ha

Why don't you have a machine shop cut it with a band saw? Wouldn't be very expensive.

 

[Truckoholic]

That's probably the best and easiest option. They've already got the tools.

 

[Marcel]

Make sure that the cut is straight. Some bandsaws wander so the cut may come out cockeyed. If so than have them touch it up on a milling machine for a perfect angle.

 

[Another Ahab]

I guess my main problem is figuring out how to get a line marked on the pipe so I get the angles right. If I could have a nice line on it, I could make my plasma cutter work, and use a grinder to clean it up. I

Sometimes you can get a pretty straight cutting line around a cylinder by using a rubber band as a guide.

In your case it would have to be a Big A** rubber band.

 

[ODDBALL007]

I took my old junky mirrors off and have fabbed these on.

 

[dawico]

Today my 6 inch exhaust pipe came UPS

So this evening I spent a couple hours putting it on. I discovered that although I like loud big diesel trucks........this engine, without a turbo on it, is just too loud straight piped. Even though it wasn't too loud for me personally inside the cab, it is just plain embarrassing to drive when it is straight piped. Ha ha. Everyone would turn and stare, not because it was a cool Army truck, but instead to see what was causing all that horrid noise!

So what I did, since I didn't have a 4 inch to 6 inch reducer/adapter anyway, and needed to go from 4 inch to 6 inch somehow, and also wanted to quiet it down a little bit, I decided to just modify the stock muffler and use it effectively as a reducer.

The stock muffler is way too quiet for my liking, but no muffler at all was no good either, so I cut the 4 inch pipe out of one end, and stuffed the 6 inch pipe down inside there and welded it in place, and then used my plasma cutter to cut a big section out of the inside on the other end, so that it works more like a resonator and has very limited flow restriction.

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I wanted the stack to stand up straight, so I had to modify the brackets, which required, not only moving the bottom one out, but also putting it at an angle, since the further you push the bottom of the muffler out from the truck, the further forward it moves because of the angle of the exhaust pipe coming from the engine.
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And because I was too cheap to go buy a 6 inch exhaust clamp (them things ain't cheap!), I just made my own by welding two long bolts on the ends of a piece of metal strap and bent it around the pipe. Forgive my ugly weld on the top of the muffler. Ha ha. All I have is an arc welder right now, and that muffler is made of pretty thin stuff. Besides, the plan is to eventually modify the muffler guard, and put it back in place, and it will hide that weld a little better.
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The whole exhaust is going to get painted with flat black wood stove paint as soon as I go to the store and get some. And the stack is not going to be that tall when I'm done. The idea, is to cut the stack and weld it into this style

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when I can figure out how to cut the angles right. I know that one cut needs to be 22.5 degrees and the other needs to be 45 degrees. But I don't know how to do it without a big band saw with a big miter box or something. I've never seen a sawzall blade that long, and my plasma cutter would make an absolute mess of the cuts.

The stack makes a nice low rumble now, and is just about right. No longer deafening, yet it sounds good.

I also installed one of those Auber 1812 digital Pyrometers to see what my exhaust temps are running. Gets up to just over 1000 degrees under heavy acceleration, and in the 700-800's when running level at 55. I've got a number 20 fuel button in right now. Haven't put my turbo in yet.
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Put about 120 miles on it since installing the new cylinder liner and piston, and all seems good! I have owned many diesel big rigs and other diesel vehicles, and never have I had one where the engine oil stayed so perfectly crystal clear as the engine oil still is in this truck right now. I'm sure after a few hundred more miles it will start turning black like normal, but it trips me out that it is still so perfectly clear. Every other truck I've ever owned, the oil would be completely black again within a day of changing the oil and filter. Very very happy with this truck so far!
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I am pretty sure I have seen metal cutting Sawzall blades that are long enough to cut that at any of the big box stores.

Looks good.

 

[Truckoholic]

Done I like it.



Went down to Wallace Marine Park boat ramp in Salem Oregon this evening. Just out for a nice evening drive.


Went to the Freightliner dealership in Salem to get some anti freeze, and when I came back out from the parts department, my truck was surrounded by Freightliner mechanics from the shop, out there checking my truck out. ha ha

 

[RedBlok]

Done I like it.

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Went down to Wallace Marine Park boat ramp in Salem Oregon this evening. Just out for a nice evening drive.
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Went to the Freightliner dealership in Salem to get some anti freeze, and when I came back out from the parts department, my truck was surrounded by Freightliner mechanics from the shop, out there checking my truck out. ha ha

Too Bad you could not Thom Sawyer them into helping work on your truck. Always good to have extra skilled mechanics to help out.

 

[dawico]

Done I like it.

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Went down to Wallace Marine Park boat ramp in Salem Oregon this evening. Just out for a nice evening drive.
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Went to the Freightliner dealership in Salem to get some anti freeze, and when I came back out from the parts department, my truck was surrounded by Freightliner mechanics from the shop, out there checking my truck out. ha ha

What did you end up cutting it with?

 

[dawico]

This is my cheapy door lock. It is a 4" gate latch that will accept a padlock if so desired. The hidden installation is key to the system.

I just did the drivers door and combat lock the passenger door. I have a soft top but every little bit helps.

I drilled a 2" hole and mounted the latch direcly under the door. It worked out so I have to push the door to get it to release even after turning the latch.

 

[Truckoholic]

What did you end up cutting it with?

I went ahead and used my plasma cutter. Figured out how to measure the lines to get the angles right, then used tape around the pipe as a guide, then drew the lines on, then cut with my plasma cutter. And what proved to be most instrumental in making it work was my big 7 inch angle grinder that, because the grinding wheel was big enough, I was able to put it flat against the cut end of the pipe, and grind the cuts nice and flat so the ends would go together right.

 

[Csm Davis]

This is my cheapy door lock. It is a 4" gate latch that will accept a padlock if so desired. The hidden installation is key to the system.

I just did the drivers door and combat lock the passenger door. I have a soft top but every little bit helps.

I drilled a 2" hole and mounted the latch direcly under the door. It worked out so I have to push the door to get it to release even after turning the latch.

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Love it. Think I might do something similar.

 

[dawico]

Love it. Think I might do something similar.

I used a 4" latch because it had a little more throw than a shorter latch. It is a tight fit in there though.

I lined it up on the back to mark the holes and used lock nuts so it wouldn't come loose. All the metal in that area is pretty thin so the drilling is fairly easy.

I am very happy with the result though.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[hgun]

Its not what I have done to my 5 ton. But it became a motor home to a Robin who decided to build a nest and lay four eggs on top of my rear diff. I will be nice and wont move it until their gone

 

[Marcel]

Its not what I have done to my 5 ton. But it became a motor home to a Robin who decided to build a nest and lay four eggs on top of my rear diff. I will be nice and wont move it until their gone

Yes, it's nesting season.

 

[Rmtaunton]

Had that happen once in rouge of my trailer , but had to use it , I grabbed an old piece of canvas that had been outside for probaly a year carefully covered my hands with other and moved nest to the top of a Column on my front porch , momma found them and watched them all being fed and finaly fly from my rocking chair on porch

 

[Goobs]

Added a light bar to the roof and some to sides and rear..

 

[Coffey1]

Where did you get lights and what were their cost.

 

[MyothersanM1]

I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled, with new plunger seals and grease, the M939-series front brakes I picked up a couple of weeks back for my air brake conversion project. The air chambers received new diaphragms and collet nuts.



This is a before shot....


I started a thread in 5-Ton Mods on my air brake adventure...
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...Brake-Retrofit&p=1720313&posted=1#post1720313