Patracy's "SEMTT"

[Tinwoodsman]

Looks like something Tom Cruise would pop out of. Seriously, it is looking good Andrew.

 

[patracy]

Well the new shaft came in today. And I'm disappointed to say the least. It's nothing more than the same shaft I have with a 7/16" hole bored through it and 1/4NPT taps on the end. The oiling port is nothing more than a 1/8" hole drilled in one side. Could have done all of this for nothing but labor instead of $60. Oh well. I'll try to get it reassembled tomorrow. Got the new shaft in the freezer to try to shrink it a bit. (interference fit)

 

[papabear]

Well the new shaft came in today. And I'm disappointed to say the least. It's nothing more than the same shaft I have with a 7/16" hole bored through it and 1/4NPT taps on the end. The oiling port is nothing more than a 1/8" hole drilled in one side. Could have done all of this for nothing but labor instead of $60. Oh well. I'll try to get it reassembled tomorrow. Got the new shaft in the freezer to try to shrink it a bit. (interference fit)

Welcome to the hydraulic world...if it says "wrecker" or "medical service" or "military" anywhere in the nomenclature...it costs about 10-20 times more than say...a dump truck...but it's the EXACT same part...just totally different cause someone drilled a hole or changed a part number.

Just to prove my theory, here's a short story:
I needed 8 bearings(big ones) for a 40ton wrecker under reach. Called the manufacturer and they were $250.00 each but they only had two and it would take two weeks to get the rest!
A friend of mine told me to take an old bearing to "Motion Industries" here in town so I did. The tech looked at the bearing, typed the # into his puter, looked at me and asked, "how many do you want Sir"??

I said I needed 8 and he whistled and said...man...that's gonna hurt you!! Those darn things are 65 bucks a piece!!

 

[mendo]

Well the new shaft came in today. And I'm disappointed to say the least. It's nothing more than the same shaft I have with a 7/16" hole bored through it and 1/4NPT taps on the end. The oiling port is nothing more than a 1/8" hole drilled in one side. Could have done all of this for nothing but labor instead of $60. Oh well.

you talked about that earlier, you decided since you didn't know exactly where the oiling was that it was worth it to spend the $60, I agree, you know now, but you didn't know then.

I would have done the same as you, it was the right decision! now go install it, take pictures and post! this is a great thread! would love to see it in person if you ever get to the west coast!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Well the new shaft came in today. And I'm disappointed to say the least. It's nothing more than the same shaft I have with a 7/16" hole bored through it and 1/4NPT taps on the end. The oiling port is nothing more than a 1/8" hole drilled in one side. Could have done all of this for nothing but labor instead of $60. Oh well. I'll try to get it reassembled tomorrow. Got the new shaft in the freezer to try to shrink it a bit. (interference fit)

I used to build dang near everything myself. Spend weeks on something I could have bought for $100. There is a lot of pride in pointing to something and saying, 'I built that.' However times they are a changing. Starting to learn that sweat equity actually has a value, and it is going up every year.

And the plate over the fuel tank looks 1,000,000,000% better. I also utilize my wife as 'soldier B'.

 

[215Dave]

Approaching 2 weeks with no update... Anything to report?

 

[patracy]

Honestly I haven't done much. Work is crazy and I'm going to wrap up my limiting factor in two weeks. (Closing on my old house) However, I did get the PTO countershaft installed. Actually have the PTO re mounted on the truck as well. I picked up a fitting I needed for it today at lunch to plumb in the supply line. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to install the feed line and test it out. After that, I should be ready for the crane.

 

[215Dave]

Understand the "worker factor" completely. Significant other and weather a close second. Glad to hear some progress has been made. Best of luck with finalizing the old house. Plenty of people here waiting with baited breath for updates and of course, pics!

 

[patracy]

I have to say, if I ever hear the letters PTO another time in my life, it will be too soon. Since I couldn't get the depth gauge in, I did this by hand. I ended up taking the PTO cover plate and opening it up to make a shim out of it. I'm not sure why it'd require that much shimming, but it finally is in, working and not whining. I did booger up the output shaft seal though during install. UGH! So I've got one on order that should be in tomorrow. I've got to reconnect the cable setup though. But it's in place and working.

I doubt I'll be able to work much on it tomorrow. But I'll try to get the cables back in place. Then I'll start on mounting the hyd pump and driveshaft. After that, maybe, possibly, hopefully, if I'm lucky..... I'll set the crane on the frame.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Funny, I hear mention of subbing the wives for soldier B. My wife is Air Force and doesn't acknowledge the title soldier, only airman. Secondly, she won't even cut the grass on the side of the house where the trucks reside! In her world there is no such thing as a TM, it's a TO.

 

[patracy]

I realize it's been over a month since my last update. But I've been working 60+ hrs a week at my main job. Dealing with selling my old house. And other chaos. Work hasn't progressed like I had hoped, but I have made some progress. I'll need to take more pics. As these are dated.

Hyd pump/brackets are made/installed. I've removed the "battery box" from the passenger side, it's going to move to the spare tire rack. The crane has been installed on the chassis as well. I still need to install the other half of the bolts, but I can't until the hyd. are working.

I've picked up a lot of steel to start framing in the engine enclosure. I'm going to use expanded metal panels from the M750 on the sides for "doors". They'll help provide plenty of airflow as well. As well as re-purpose some of the shelving I saved.

Hopefully work will start slowing down a tad so I can get back to this. I'm kinda worried I won't have it ready for the rally.

 

[212sparky]

looking good as always!!!!!!!

 

[patracy]

Well work still is keeping me busy. But at least the old house is 100% behind me as of yesterday. Since I have a free weekend. (Last one for a while, Son is playing football) I'm going to try to knock out a few things. I've had the skeleton of the doghouse framed for a while now. But I'm starting to skin it. I still need to hammer out some dents here and there and I want to add some corner stripping on the sheetmetal edges. I'm also going to install some rubber weatherstripping between the cab and doghouse to seal it off and add a strip over the hinge area. Plan over the holiday is to get the other side done. It will not be hinged, but rather a section of expanded metal to allow heat from the exhaust (and future turbo) to easily escape. Also going to try to construct the "mud flaps/fenders" too. I'm going to reuse the air filter and mount it up there as it's sitting. I've still got a looong way ahead on this project. I know I'm not going to be ready for the rally due to work/family schedule.

 

[M920]

Well I can feel and totally relate to your 'pain'. Seems like every time I finally get started back on the FEMTT project, somthing more important comes up.
Glad to see that you at least find some time to work on the SEMTT, it is looking really good!
Keep the pictures comming!

Soni

 

[M920]

Any updates on the SEMTT? I miss reading your thread.....

 

[patracy]

Any updates on the SEMTT? I miss reading your thread.....

I'm still in the same boat. This weekend will determine if I'll get any "time back" on the outcome of my son's football game. (If they win, they go to the bowl series) Just between all the stuff in my personal life, and all the work (main job, SS, and my sideline). My "wrench time" is at the bottom of the list.

 

[M920]

Well, I can certainly relate to that, but I really hope that you can get back to working on your SEMTT project soon!

Soni

 

[L1A1]

Subscribed opcorn: !

M.

 

[patracy]

I actually got a few hours to tinker. Well I wouldn't say I tinkered much. I'd say I spent more time looking over it and trying to figure out where I left things. That said, I did get the passenger side expanded metal screen secured on the doghouse. I also got angle iron cut for the fender mounts. I also cut some sheetmetal out for the fenders. But I've got to have them bent. I also realized I was low on fastening hardware. I also found that I left the pack of welding rods open and they're ruined now! I guess I'll go to TSC tomorrow and restock. So no pics, but at least it's something instead of nothing. ::

BTW, my son has to play in the bowl series next weekend. Sooo, we'll see when my weeks turn back to normal....

 

[Recovry4x4]

Winter is coming. Weather good enough to work outside!