Hey guys, I have done some extensive searching over the internet for the last few days and have come up with very little. I know if I want an air brake truck, or the ability to tow an air brake trailer buy a different truck...

However if I were to purchase a late 70's F800 w/gas motor, 34k rears, and 12k front, w/wetline kit, my questions are:

I can handle all fabrication/swapping/modifying myself, so if I either put a 12V or engine driven compressor on with all applicable components, can I swap just the axle brake components onto the truck? Would it have the same axles as a air brake truck, just for some reason they spec'd it with hyd brakes? Or is there more to it than that and would be easier to source complete air brake axles than picking up necessary axle components?

 

I don't know for a fact, but I'll bet the axle housings are different due to the bracketry differences between juice and air brakes. So you'd want to source entire axles. An engine compressor would be needed to get the volume a 12v just could not deliver.

 

A '70s gas truck? Are you in business to make money or do you just want an expensive hobby?

If you are going to work it, get a much newer oil burner with air and all the other correct stuff to start with.

Your focus should be on the business, not nurse-maiding an troublesome antique.

jmo, but your mileage will be terrible with a gas truck like that.

 

I have done many. When you get into big jobs there's not too much difference. My
last one I did is one of my dump trucks a former low mile 1953 F900. A 1969 F850 or
F900 fell into my lap. The 1953 had single speed axle with juice brakes, so we put
the 1969 two speed 'air' in the 53. The front backing plates' air' bolted right up.
Installed new spring cans in the rear Napa. As luck, the 1969 was a 391FT and the
1953 we put a rebuilt 391 FT so compressor & mount is the same. All plumbing
is Bendex plastic tubing. Air to rear for 20 ton Eager Beaver. Its easy to do if you
are a hard core trucker. I probably spent $200 on little things valves lines clamps
etc. Also installed a 5 sp HD Clark with OD. One Reason; I have a total of 3000
dollars in this truck with a new bottom. Reason II, cost of replacement. It can handle
my Cat 215 LC D excavator, can handle 10yds material no problem. 7 miles a gal,
thats alright. We have 2 1954 F800's & 1 1953 F900 all 391's 5 & 2 OD power
steering and this winter haul'ed thousands of yds of snow & they ran all day all night.
Reason III, no payments to Ford credit (been there) Reason IV a new six wheeler
for I guess 60 grand don't make sense with payments Maximum insurance plus plates.
In closing, I never never had problems in my life with air; Juice brakes around here
a constant problem a thorn, those are the ones should be outlawed. And we have
a barrel on blown rusted brakes lines & hoses from new vehicals. My own 9 yr old
F350 lines replaced twice cause they put that stupid spring rust collector on the lines.
How come? Those idiots bring out the salt trucks when its raining or a frosty morning.
And on the TV they said (July last week) the snow finnally melted in Boston. Really.

 

If you're only changing backing plates, where/how are you mounting the cans, slacks and inside ends of the cam rods?

 

This isn't to go over the road trucking with. I am looking to eventually get it in ready shape to haul a stepdeck with round bales from fields to farm is all. Nothing I need today, but there's a nice one that I have had my eye on and if I can get it right, I wont have a problem swapping some things and possibly a diesel in the future. I am more about making things how I want them, than buying something expensive and not being able to tinker with it to how I want it because of how much I have invested already.

 

In that case......