Starting the rebuild of the 6400. First are brakes and springs. Both top leaves of the front springs were broken but my local shop was able to fabricate replacements. Three of four brake drums are turned and all the brake shoes have new linings riveted on with a thin shim between the lining and the shoe to make them just a bit . Looks great. But one of the rear drums wobbled too much to turn. The hub itself turns about a half inch within the drum. Wheel studs are not loose at all but I found that the hub and hub flange (held on by the pressed-in wheel studs) has slipped between themselves. Looks like the hub is welded to the hub flange on the inside. Look down outside between the wheel studs, in the area between the hub flange and the drum face and you can see a triangular break in each inside weld. The other wheel has none of these little triangle break-out spots. I'm going to press out all ten wheel studs and see if it can be repaired by welding the hub flange back onto the hub, and then reinstall into the drum with new studs. Anybody seen this before? Is it repairable? Anybody know where I can source a replacement wheel and hub, just in case.
Hy Upstream, welcome, could you please remember to tell us the year of the truck you are working on. I would not attempt to have the hub welded, unless they turn out to be made of unobtainium.
Something is very strange, curious what it looks like apart. My guess is something broken and not worth it or safe to repair, probably looking for replacement parts. Without seeing more it’s hard to tell what’s going on though.
Thats a 1950 year model. The hub actually moves inside the hub flange. And yeah, I'm not going to do the welding myself as its likely beyond my skill level. More worried about uneven wheel wobble with using a super qualified welder kinda guy. Likely need to find a replacement.
Adventure motorcycle riding this weekend out in the Texas Big Bend area. But will post pics next week when I get the wheel studs driven out and the hub torn apart. In the meantime, tell your fellow Big Bolter's that I might need a wheel and hub for a 2-ton 6400.
Separated hub is repaired. Pressed out the ten wheel studs, disassembled the hub and flange. Took it down to a machine shop where they chocked it up in a lathe and shaved the rough parts on the inside, welded it back together on the inside and then back to the lathe for a redress on the outside flange face and hub OD and balance the entire drum assy. Looks great, already turned the drum for the rebuilt shoes. In fact, it was the drum turn that discovered the broken hub and flange, wobbled all over the place when we tried to turn the drum surface. This time it turned straight and true and the brake machinist congratulated the weld machinist for the quality of repairs. Bearings and brakes should last now.
Hy Upsteam, I am glad that you have everything repaired, you might want to let us know what shop did the work in case any one else needs similar type of work done.
Took the broken hub/flange to a machine shop in Austin TX, W2Macfab. They're on Airport Blvd just south of the Bolm intersection, address 760 Airport Blvd. Talk to Alan Redus 512.385.3770
Took the drums and brake shoes to Austin Brake and Clutch. Ronnie in back on the lathe is one of the old-school guys. Took off the minimum from the drums and shimmed between the shoe and the lining. Rivetted together as a sandwich. Job Well Done. Talk to Randall Howard 512.836.0482
Front suspension springs repaired by Atlas Automotive Spring & Alignment, 3535 E 7th St, in Austin. They do mostly 18 wheelers, buses and RV's. They built me a single top leaf to repair both sides. Also had them push in the new King Pin bushings, reamed them out, installed the spindles and pushed the new king pins that I sourced.
Engine boring to +.080 and crank & rod to +.040 is being done at Leo Machine, 8817 Leo Street in Austin. Again, I source the parts and do the repairs, but needed some help with the machine work. Talk to Danny at 512.282.5581
Chassis/frame is stripped clean. Will put it back together as a rolling chassis and then call the mobile media blaster, Texas Green Blaster in Round Rock, Tx (just north of Austin). They use crushed glass, wet or dry. I'll use dry blast on the chassis, price $400 for first two hours and then $200/hr after the minimum two-hour charge. Will let you know how that one goes. I'll do the etching and epoxy primer after media blasting.
