Freightliner Coronado Frame Rail Change....

[mwilson]

Daimler Truck NA warranties the frame rails on a Class 8 truck for 500,000 miles in most cases. And yes, they do crack and need to be replaced on occasion.

I can order replacement frame rails by serial number and they will arrive with all of the holes punched and the correct length.

I walked by a rail replacement and thought that some of you might find it interesting. We do one side at a time, it would be a mess if you tried to do both at the same time.

Fuel tanks, battery boxes, air tanks, and anything else on the outside of the frame rail must be removed. Spring hangers, cab mounts, and so on. Once all of the items are removed and the bolts are out we remove the bad rail by pulling it out from behind, then slide the new rail right back into place and reverse the process.

The new rail has just been slid into position and they have started huck bolting the rear crossmembers...

 

[jgillott]

Wow. I've done a frame replacement one time with a friend on his '94 Ram. I thought that was a lot of work, but doesn't hold a candle to what you have pictured there.

 

[JR]

How many hours is involved in something like that?

 

[mwilson]

How many hours is involved in something like that?

I honestly can’t remember, it depends on how much stuff has to be removed that the customer or body builder added. I’ll ask in the morning. This truck has a wet system and logging headboard that had to taken off for example.

 

[TFucili]

Mike, are there even such things as double or triple frames like they used to do for HD/vocational stuff?

 

[mwilson]

Yes, double for sure and the occasional triple. We had a truck with a double frame that required both frame rails be replaced so I ordered 4 rails, 2 inner and 2 outer. Sometimes they double or triple frame the area around the rear suspension only, adds strength but keeps the weight down.

 

[TFucili]

Rough haul roads can sure tear some stuff up, even when the driver is not a cowboy.

 

[NIsaacs]

Is this common Mike or rare? Is that a 5/16's or 3/8's rail? It is very rare in my logging days. We did have a bad wreck one time with an aluminum framed IHC that bent the left frame rail almost to the ground, behind the cab, the load landed on it. The replacement was blank, what a job that was.

One nice thing about IHC, is the straight rail stopped at the front cab mount, then a drop frame bolted to it and went to the bumper. It was much easier to access some parts of the engine that way.

Nick

 

[mwilson]

I forgot to get the labor time. I’ll try to get it tomorrow.

Nick, 3/8” I think.

Used to be fairly common when there were a lot more loggers than there are now...

 

[mwilson]

All back together, the headboard is not on yet.

 

[jhenderson]

Not an easy job by any means. My buddy says there's no bad job as long as you get paid for your labor but sometimes looking at a big project can be daunting. Your guys do good work, Mike.

 

[Wayne M.]

Mike, are there even such things as double or triple frames like they used to do for HD/vocational stuff?

Most of our Macks are double frame. The Low Entry has contoured rails and they're not symmetrical. They actually bow in ahead of the cab mount. The R's and Granites are traditional, and are built like this one.
Mike, kudos to those guys. The cribbing is the make or break on that job. One wrong move and it's goodnight Irene! Also, they reinstalled the Huck fit fasteners. That's something we can't even do.

 

[mwilson]

We wore one Huck gun out, then upgraded to the "Huckspin Series 1"....DTNA truck plants are now using the "Huckspin Series II"...

Can not stretch or loosen like a bolt will.

 

[mwilson]

This is the style that we have..but ours is a Huck product. Could not find the exact video but this is very close.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq9xdTmXKiw

 

[mwilson]

The one that DTNA is currently using which will be what we buy next after wearing the current one out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_dD0MSXsc

 

[Wayne M.]

Thanks, Mike. I never seen it explained so well. Those go cradle to grave unless the component, bracket or whatever has to come off.

 

[mwilson]

This is what we had first.

DTNA had them on the line as well for years but moved on to the Huckspin II as this first system left the broken tails that snapped off underfoot of the production workers and created a dangerous situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVOzZxpkew

 

[TFucili]

Thanks for posting those videos, Mike. Definitely cleared up how they work/install better for me.

 

[HPSimpson]

Mike Thanks for posting the videos, change those rails is big job, but much easier with Huck tool, Thanks.

 

[mwilson]

Here's another one getting rails...the problem is obvious for sure...