Hard @ Work

[Griff]

As some of you know, I'm a truck driver. I'm not exactly a just leave it alone, I like mine personalized. I have full fenders over my drives.


The brackets for which have been giving me some trouble the last couple of years... they've been there for about 15. No big surprise. So, on my way home I stopped and picked up some steel to build new ones, and planned on making them over the Christmas holidays. However, after dropping my trailer Monday at the factory where I pick up the majority of my loads, I started hearing a rattle from the back end. Yep, sure enough, the right front bracket had broken again.




The old brackets were made of 1-¼" square tubing with 3/16" wall. The steel I bought Monday was 2-½" x 1-½" x 3/16" wall. I wanted 1/4" wall, but no one had any in stock. I got enough to built new brackets for both sides. (I think)! I also bought some ¼" cold rolled plate to make some gussets out of. I shouldn't have bought it in a 4'x4' sheet. I'll have to go someplace to get it cut into manageable sizes. (I think I get the new brackets all tacked up, fitted in place and make some templates, and that way I can get them cut all at once.

Working outside is not for me. I got up to 59ºF today. Okay temp if you're busy doin', but a little on the chilly size if you're standing around... "thinking". (Some folks know how to do this stuff... I'm just fakin' it, makin' it up as I go along. Took me about 2-½ hours to get set up to start work... then, it was, "...hey, this grinding wheel is just about ground down to a nub! So, off to ACE Hardware to get a new grinding wheel. And the special wrench to take off the lock "nut"... decided to get a couple cut-off wheels, they'll make grinding all the stub left on the frame plate a little less work... (I'd make new plates, but they're bolted thru the frame to a crossmember, grade 8 bolts and torqued to about 300 ft.lbs. My drive ain't exactly flat, being rock and gravel, and taking that crossmember out would be a bear to get lined back up, once it shifted!

The original brackets were set at a 15º angle toward the outside. The wider steel tubing I'm using dropped that to a 10º angle. Got the "vertical" piece cut with its 10º angle for attaching to the frame plate, and have the horizontal bar cut to length, but it was almost dark when I make the mating cut on the "vertical" piece, so it doesn't quite line up! HEY! I said I don't what I'm doin'! I figure if I get the first side done by Friday, I'll be doin' great! Tomorrow, I'm wear thermals under my jeans! More to follow after another day of fixin' mistakes!

[fordwannabe]

Ah. The joys of being an owner operator, when your not driving you are fixing stuff. Actually Griff, some days I do miss it. Not many but some. Good.luck on the fenders, it.looks like you have things well figured out.

[Sixgun]

Yep...for over 40 years I heard it daily from owner/operators. Just when you get one thing fixed, something else goes.....sounds a lot like the 1978 Ford pick up I drove for 20 years.

Well....the Black Rose looked pretty good in this picture from last summer.-----!--Driver looks a little tired though.--- ---6

[AJMD429]

Work and learning stuff at the same time...

[Blaine]

Take it easy, Old Timer....

[piller]

I think that most of us have done some learn as you go type of work. I will suggest that you purchase a can of Rustoleum spray paint base coat and cover the brackets up to keep them working as long as possible. A refresher once a month might not hurt. There is a version found in the automotive section of most Wally World stores which claims to chemically reform rust into a primer base which resists further rust. If it keeps you on the road making money rather than spending time on repairs, it would probably be worth using. I think some form of cathodic protection would be even better, but I am not quite sure what type of metal would be best for the sacrificial anode and where to place it for best results. Maybe a magnesium block bolted to the fender some place? A place which works on boat motors would have the replacements for the ones used to keep corrosion prevented on the lower unit of the motor. They would already be cut to size and drilled so that installation should be quick and easy.

[Nath]

Good photos and good work Griff.
Can you track a small gusset plate on the bent areas?

N.

[Nath]

Me goofing around.

https://youtu.be/f_46AEOaESk

N.

[Pitchy]

If you were closer and it wasn`t winter I`d offer to help but it would be out door work and it`s just to cold.
Good luck with it Griff it looks great and Happy Holidays too ya.

[Old No7]

I can't help you with the repairs -- but good luck!

One does wonder though, if THIS is what you are carrying ? ! ? !

Looks like a great match to your ride!

Old No7

Black Rose 01.jpg

Black Rose 02.jpg

[Hawkeye2]

I wish it were 59 out today, 42, cloudy and I'm doing an engine swap on my lawn tractor. I grew up in Maine and I can say you haven't lived till you have laid in the ice and snow at 20 or more below changing a starter so you can go to work that day.

[octagon]

Those fenders are cool
Just saw some snow 18 - 20 good sized flakes

[RIHMFIRE]

very nice ride Griff
If its not one thing that breaks.....its another....
How many mile so far on the rose?

[Griff]

it got up to a balmy 39ºF today. Finished the cuts and tacked up the two parts of the main bracket. Test fit it... and ay caromba! It's wrong! Oh wait... the suspension has leaked all it's air out... Find out tomorrow if it'll fit when the suspension is all aired up.

Yes, I got a late start... kept hoping it'd warm up more!

Rihmfire, the Rose has 2.47 million miles on her. I bought it used with 258K on it.

[Rusty]

Thanks Griff, every time you post tales of your exploits it reminds me why I've been a company driver for 38 years. When I go in at the end of the day I say hay boss here's you keys. Oh by the way, the truck is broke, I'll see you tomorrow.

[Griff]

A few days of cuttin' and shapin' the steel... Then a few more test fitting everything before welding... Then a day making templates for the small (but bigger than the old ones) gussets that will help with stabilizing the whole assembly, and adding rigidity to the joint welds, then the weekend for doin' other projects... replacing the fluorescent tube lights in the reloading room, shop and barn alley with LEDs. It's now much brighter than the previous fluorescents! Monday I took the templates off to a fabricator that has a plasma cutter table, and got the gussets cut to size, easing the amount of grinding needed before welding.

Before gussets:


And while weding the gussets in place:


I'm blaming the couple days of rain, the cold mornings and such for the slow progress. But, I really don't want to have to do these over for many years to come. I'm not sure the spousal unit is buying it!

[Griff]

And today's accomplishments include: the gussets gettin' welded in place;


Then the fender mounting plate;


And, finally, a coat of primer;


Now, on to the other side!

[Griff]

Been a little cold the last couple of days, so I let the primer cure for a full day, then today, finished the last coat of color. Ready to install tomorrow, and then it's on to the left side front. All the pieces are cut, need welding, and then finishing all over. SWMBO sez I planned to take all of December off!

[piller]

As long as what you have done will help you when you get back on the road, then it should be worth the time spent.

[Griff]

As long as what you have done will help you when you get back on the road, then it should be worth the time spent.

So far, so good. Got a serious test going south out of Jackson MS on US49! Down in Wildwood, FL now, and snapped this pic of the completed installation!


Next time home, I'll begin the rebuilding of the left front bracket... it needs it, (though it still seems sturdy enough):