DaBears Day Cab
 

So before I moved to AZ I had built a roller for my red knight hauler as I was gonna stretch it out. BUT after a month or so here I needed the funds so I sold the Knight Hauler :( SO I was going thru stuff today and found the roller and a day cab i was working on I decided it was time to finally make the day cab to pull the dump trailer. Im gonna have to re cut the rails and shorten it up a bit by about 4-6" maybe more. Everything will be custom except the axles and trans. Will be riding on Super singles up front, air ride all the way around, It'll get a set of Ben's stacks, Steps, tanks, deckplate, grill, breathers from Russ. Eventually wheels from Steve. It'll take some time to finish this one :jaw: yep no overnight build for me.... :eek: Heres where im at so far. the rails are not chopped yet and need some input as to how long it should be for a stretched day cab. Havnt decided yet Pete or KW. KW would be easier and i SUCK at bodywork... Colors are a secret until its all done.
I took some pics of where i thought the cab should be and where it currently sits before the chop. (mind you the frame was built to stretch a knight hauler)

Heres the uncut frame with cab next to the trailer..
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pspyptyad1.jpg

Heres where cab currently sits
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps59afoqzy.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pszbyvlfoi.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psw1bvrava.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psfaewifjy.jpg

Heres kinda where i think it should sit..
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psbugrhdsm.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps4y0fzn4k.jpg

Here's what's done on the cab so far still a long way to go
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pswoapeq4d.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psu1fdz08u.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psobitsozu.jpg

I have another cab that got tweaked in the move somehow (hood is kinda twisted) so ill use that one to practice whatever changes i make next.
It will have a 4:1, no MFU but maybe ill put a Servonaut in it.. Depends on funds for this project. I may put a tag on it or make it a tri axle. I have lots of ideas and pics i would like it to look like.

Let me know what you think

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

good start dude id leave the length alone and put a 3rd axle onto it and make a triaxle and yeah use that twisted up cab for practice.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Glad to see your back at it. Cant wait to see the updates. Looks like a start of another great build.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Boy it would be easier if the parts store was closer LOL.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

HaHa LMAO :lol::lol:

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Glad to see ya building again Aaron! I think frame length looks perfect with cab in that spot. Is this your first day cab build? Anxious to see how it works for ya.:)

Mario

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Tri Axle wouldn't be bad or maybe more along the lines of a lift tag axle?


Thanks Buddy. Was getting bored and driving the family crazy :lol:

Tell me about it!!! :p

I knew you'd understand it

Thanks Mario!! No its not my first day cab build ive built 3 other ones but this one is for ME not a customer or for sale. Before I would just go by the stock King rail length or used stock rails. I have a set of stock globe rails but that was a short day cab. The little red day cab I build before was on globe rails..

But hey at least ill be joining the Conventional Club now ;)

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Very great work friend

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Boy, if you didn't cut the frame, even with a lift axle, that would still put the word large, in large car! Nice work so far, Aaron! Are you going to cut out the light buckets next?

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Nice job either road you take it will be great...i like the stretched look myself

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Hi Aaron, Glad to see your back in the build scene!
It's yours and up to you how you proceed but since you asked I'd say if you want a show piece leave the frame the length it is. If you want a work truck shorten it up where you reset the cab, it looks about right. If its going to remain the tractor of choice for pulling the dump trailer leave it as a tandem. IMO tri-axle tractors under tandem trailers just look like over kill and a waste of motive power!
Just remember make it yours and if you go slow things are bound to change and who knows what you might end up with! Have fun and take lotsa pictures!

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

It would look cool with a lift axle, I wouldn't go tri-drive. It would look real cool if you put a lift on the trailer to.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Thank you

Tell me about it the Frame measures out at 28inches :jaw: little long for a daycab

I think it looks cool that long but not practical for pulling a dump trailer

Thanks buddy! Yea I think ill chop about 4-6" off so it'll be about 22-24" long I like tag axles but I agree unless you have a massive load with a oversize trailer with 3+ axles on it it looks funny. I will prob pull the lowboy too but still that's only a tri axle. (which is getting an overhaul too):)
-and come on Kent you should know me by now it'll be overkill with pics as usual :cop:

Tailer has no room for another axle on it the way it was built. The box is gonna get a makeover and maybe the suspension swapped out for a linked rear but that's about all it'll handle. I take pics

Thanks for looking
Bonus is I only live 10 mins from Rick at PMD so if I need emergency parts im covered. lol

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

So heres what I came up with.

Option A Which is just about stock King Hauler length
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psea823ddd.jpg

Or

Option B which is about 24" long which to me looks better
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps6d1cd63a.jpg

I like Option B better myself and will prob go with that. lol Just thought I would see what you all thought? I want a large car but still need it practical to pull the Dump trailer or lowboy.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Definitely option B! A little extra frame is always nice.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

opt B is def. better

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

"B" is the best...


Wayne

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

OK Option "B" won anyways. lol here's what I was able to accomplish running back and forth to the storage unit to get a tool I need come home use it to find out I need a different drill bit etc..... So no I think I have almost all the tools here I need. I was able to get my frame cut took 4" off and then I got the front holes re drilled and the frame back together. I am very happy I went with the 4" cut not the 6" cut. Still Have lots of parts to aquire and LOTS of body work to do but here is how it looks with the trailer and alone.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psd867a020.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psa38aedb8.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps07c7e5d3.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps088ee254.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps18320c93.jpg

I have some heavy duty springs in the rear right now to handle the extra weight of a full load. Trying a few different ones out to see what I like best this was just a mock up
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psd59fce41.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps7fe3b8e4.jpg

Still need to figure out if im going KW which I prob am but how far I am going to go with it.. May leave fenders the same and just get grill and add double headlights.. May order whole cab and hood from russ. Gotta figure out my steps, tanks, grill, stacks, and a few other things. So it will be sitting in this state for some time now as I slowly get parts in.
I have the paint picked out and im excited
Still not sure if im using super wides up front or not..
Thanks for looking.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Can't wait to see how it's going to come out.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

looking good. I voted for B myself lol

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Looks good Aaron, keep the updates coming!

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

I too liked B, nice truck

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Looking good! Have a color picked out yet?

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Me too!! I know what I want it to look like and the hundreds of pics I have for refrence..

Thanks!

Ill try as I get stuff ordered and in ill post an upfate

Thanks

Thanks! and yes I sure do have the color picked but im not sayin yet :cop:

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

OK so I have been looking thru hundreds of pics and decided im going to with KW even though I really like Petes.. SO I took an old bumper and got these ready
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps5mhxt2bc.jpg

So now I have to start the cutting process for them to go into the cab, have the lines drawn but no cuts made yet had to go to bed so I can get to work on time.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psepuvpgu0.jpg

so to be different and liking how Goose19's (thank you for the thread link helped a lot) visor came out I decided to swap the aluminum for this
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pszxjw1kay.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps7vyyhtuv.jpg

Before bed I was able to get some more putty on the roof to fill the light holes ill no longer need and to finish filling the stupid sunroof they put on these trucks, and also more on the back to smooth it out.Also got putty on the visor corners to smooth them out. I think I may cut in a rookie window still as I am thinking of having a headache rack or maybe Steve's locker box on it which then I wont need one.... The more I think of what I want to do the more my wallet hurts lol :lol:

Well that's all for now.
Thanks for looking

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Great work on the rig Aaron ,very nice body work ,I vote for the headache rack ,I used a clear lens from a welding hood for the back glass on my rig ,worked geat ,keep up the great work !!!:)

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

That is a great idea! I had never thought about the clear lens on a weld helmet! Thanks for sharing that! I'm going to give that a try myself.

Truck is looking great, Aaron. I like that visor. Nice to see something a little different and unique!

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

OK so I figured since this truck is being build primarily for the dump trailer this was the best spot for this.

I am starting on the visual makeover on the frameless dump trailer that Travis built that I now own. The trailer works awesome so I am not going to change anything mechanical with it.
I have been looking and taking this trailer apart over and over again looking for ideas and ways to make a new dump body. I honestly couldn't really find a way to do so without having the sides milled out. so heres what im thinking and let me know what you think.

To start tonight I started the grueling task of sanding the top rails. here's some shots of just a quick hand sand and polish (once I find a place to set up my wheels it'll get re sanded and wheel polished good!!)

Not sanded bottom rail
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psq9yaw6yo.jpg

quick sand and polished top rail
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psghopvwhb.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psiak9jsri.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps92v8wsgf.jpg

Now since I cant really replace the sides I can dress them up before the sides get painted so I came up with this... I am going to cut strips of styrene and make "ribs" for the sides. should look something like this (still playing with width and spacing)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...pspttsvmcn.jpg

they would be glued in place and painted with the truck to match for a matching pair...

Thoughts or ideas? the I thought about completely making new sides all together as well as the front making the front at a slightly slanted forward angle.. but that again requires some metal bending tools and cutters I don't have access too... but I can make it look similar to a rib sided dump trailer. I know that most frameless are tub or round bottom dumps but that's even more work (not that it prob couldn't be done)

Thanks for looking

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Looking good...I like the idea of adding heavy springs....you just gave me an idea with my 6wheeler build!

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Awsome start!!!! What I would do with the trailer sides: Get a big piece of styrene insert over the the ribbed middle part, so you have a one piece smooth sides. Then paint it the same color as the tractor. Then polish all the rails around it!!! Keep working on it and you"ll make look awsome!!!

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

About the trailer.... just the newer end dumps tend to be tubs...my 1982 hilbilt frameless is ribbed sides... Even the older aluminum frameless were ribbed....the reason tubs are popular is that there is less places for the load to stick and some weigh less due to the use of less metal....the tub also acts as a reinforcement due to where it is welded to the top rail and under sides.....

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

OK so now that RCX is over with I can start working on some stuff again.
was doing some mock ups with the day cab and im kinda liking the fenders on it but im not sure ill stick with double humps. what do you think?
Trailer isn't going to change much but it WILL be getting lights.. Lots of lights I hope as soon as I can figure out how to hide them all short of adding a c-channel piece inside the dump box. I could add a light strip to the bottom but not sure how itll look. anyways heres todays playin around
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps32533d84.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps77dda4ef.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psc99116bb.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ps2aa6ef94.jpg

Don't think the fronts will stay the same. will still prob keep the super wides but may change which ones. Front bumper will not be a low one as I want this truck to be able to go anywhere I wanna take it. so far my parts list I still need are
grill
steps
tanks
frame plate
rear and front bumper
new stacks
gear reduction unit
and all electronics esc, servos, light kit
AND maybe a whole new cab.. HAHA itll get finished one of these days I guess :rolleyes:

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Aaron I am happy to see you're back at it again.:bounce::bounce::bounce: Does this mean you're not getting out? I hope not because you are one talent this board and us would miss you friend.:( Now you have done some nice things to this and I expect you to keep it up.:bounce::bounce::lol::lol::lol:

Big John

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

I was never getting "out" completely was just making room and finances for my list of projects to start. I have a really nice one starting soon. Been in the research stages for some time now and am starting to figure it out. BUT I wanna get this day cab done to pull the dump trailer so I can start on a new trailer for my orange truck. And then start my pup for the blue dump.. The list goes on and on. HAHA

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Good to see you posting up some of your work again, Aaron. I want to know what the super secret project in the works is! :D You sound as bad as me, with all the planned projects floating around in your head.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Good to see you building again Aaron.. truck is look good....


Wayne

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

hey man awesome work so far keep it up I LOVE THAT VISOR keep up the great work man.

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Looking good Aaron!!:cool: Cant wait to see this finished!!:D

Tim

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

I knew you wouldn't ever get out of the hobby;) one of the first guy's I met at Indy and could tell right away, great person and a true passion for the hobby. That never goes away!:)
Hope to see ya at Indy next year?

Mario

Re: DaBears Day Cab
 

Looking good. Love the dump trailer. Yours was the inspiration for my build. Keep the progress pics coming