1943 Federal 606 truck Inertia Starter 

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That is the darndest truth. And I pay more for a new cell phone than I did for my $450. 1965 Chevy nova used in in 1976.... Man things have really gotten screwed up.

@@stevethomas5209 I know, and you can fix the old stuff with basic tools. The new stuff, even if you know what's wrong, and know how to fix it, you still need equipment just to reach a certain board or be able to see the darned things.

That's why I drive a 95 old caprice police car.

@@peteragersea377 is it a hoopty. Lol just kidding. I bet it runs great. I wish I still had my 65 Nova.

Yep don't see many double axle trucks in that era

Note to self: Leave engine running when robbing bank 😝

Note to self make sure vehicle is not in gear

Some piston engine aircraft used them

slabiciune-I'm not surprised you've never heard of it.They went out of business shortly after WW2.They were one tough truck.

Federal also had a twin engine semi tractor where two 6 cylinder engines were side by side each other independently powering a rear drive axle on a 3 axle tractor

PETERBILT definetly copied the looks of tgem old trucks. Just look at the wheels !!!! Then look at a Modern Peterbilts wheels.

Up hill, in the snow, both ways. lol

Lol women can't use tools

That's cool , man the old dairys were much smaller.. What a tough truck...

Jim ,you forgot to mention Hand milk the cows, run some of milk through a cream separator which hopefully was electric or gas and not hand powered. Farm people that grew up in the Depression learned not to waste anything, if you couldn't use it, your neighbour could, the neighbour broke it and you could fix it,you did. When the war happened "everyone" did their part and still kept the farming communities strong.

@@catsbyondrepair And you can't use your brain....

Lol

Yea that's my thoughts exactly , doesn't need restoration , just keep it rolling and look after the important stuff , beautiful.

very comon in 60-70s and in USSR aswell

That type starter was used on many aircraft. Maybe still is. Key in "inertia starter".

They are pretty common with radial engine aircraft

Hello Captain Capital, We Meet Again!

@@ImpyLane Okay, I'm Sorry I Just Don't Recognize Your Screen Name. Did We Comment Together On A Different Channel?

Exactly

The Curtiss P-40N Also Came This Way. I Read About It In The Autobiography, 'Into The Teeth Of The Tiger' By Donald Lopez. Mostly, They Were Converted Back To Electric Start In The Field.

I've gotta get this book

Would take 12 minutes for it to creep into you at .005mph! Haha

Just study aircraft inertia starters. If you really want one you'll learn what's necessary to get one without spoon feeding. You may find air starters (still readily available) easier to work with. They're a very old idea used on Class 8 trucks, construction equipment and some military vehicles including T34 tanks (since batteries dying in Russian winters was normal).

I figured it was as soon as I saw that front hub. But note that it says right in the description that it's a 6x6, so yes.

I have no idea, but I do know that for smaller American trucks, the nomenclature-based ratings are typically not much more than half of the actual payload rating from the builder. Maybe the same thing is true for bigger trucks like this, and that would explain what you've noticed.

@@ericl2969 Like you, no clue, but here that would be pulling all in 44tons

Does she turn your crank as well?

Got pix?

There is no VIN, just a serial number. On this truck it's on the left front frame rail just above the knee action shock absorber. It will probably be "16M" followed by 5 or 6 numbers.

It's a dual ignition six cylinder, 2 spark plugs per cylinder. The inertia starter is very small and compact, you can see the entire unit near the end of the video. The whole thing weighs about 20 pounds. A lever extends a shaft on the inertia starter to engage a shaft that is bolted to the front of the crankshaft. The engine was already warm when I made the video.

@@whitewb28t87 It looked like 2 plugs per cyl - hence the question ! So how well does it work on a cold engine ? :) Drive-wise, is it permanently connected to the crankshaft ? I'm particularly interested as I have thoughts of an 'emergency' vehicle and I'm planning to avoid it having a battery as that becomes a maintenance issue.

@@millomweb It will start on a cold engine but it is easier to have a 2nd person to work the choke. It is hard to crank it and then run up inside the cab by yourself. It is not permanently connected to the crankshaft. Give me your email and I can send you some more info. By the way you will still need a battery to power your ignition system unless you have a diesel engine.

@@whitewb28t87 Model T's have the choke control by the crank handle :) There are way to automate the choke & throttle settings :) I've heard that modern petrols 'go off' with age - so diesel would be my choice in any case. My e-address is on my channel 'About' page.

Who needs air-ride seats when it has air-cushioned front spring shackles? Yeah, I know, in spite of those, I'm sure the ride was pretty brutal.

Probably skeeters

I'm pretty sure they just left running in the cold

Battery went dead in my car not long ago. Wish my Chevy Trailblazer had had one then! 😆

American made is always better, nuff said.

The only problems back then they had generators don't need no current to make current and alternator had to have current to make current

Not anymore EMP proof than any other old car. It's still a gas engine, with spark plugs and coils. EMP doesn't kill starters.

The potential impact of any EMP within an expected range is a bit overstated I think. Yeah, it will knock out some stuff but there will likely be some vehicles, and other electronics, that still work. Not saying its impossible, but having an EMP that covers all areas in a sufficient magnitude to wipe out all electronics is highly improbable. And like, Ryan mentioned, and EMP has no impact on cars without electronics, which is not the same and having an electrical system. Sure, it might take out the updated electronic ignition in my 68 Camaro, but if drop in an original style points distributor, it will run just fine. Same goes for just about every vehicle made before the early 70s. And then there is diesel. With a mechanical fuel pump and fuel injection, some diesels only use electricity to power the starter motor (asseccories not withstanding)

Vw idi diesel. Think 80s diesel rabbit. Remove the shut-off plunger from the injector pump and bump that bitch down a hill. Pull up to a tree and tap it , and dump the clutch in 3rd to shut it off. See, I already have it thought out. 😝 I try and use my head for more than a hat rack.

@Adam Barnes Not as much effort as trying to crank it directly.

Yeah because spark plugs don’t use electricity

It wasn't just Americans, a whole lot of German military equipment from tanks to airplanes had the same kind of starters.

My favorite are the shotgun shell starters!

Not just American, inertia starters were widely used all over. British aircraft and I believe some tanks, German tanks and other vehicles, etc.

They were avaliable on Fordson tractors too.

@@philyew3617 Yes post WW2, and by history books you mean the words of the victors, that’s how it goes. In a world where you are trying to best your opponent, calling some scientist war criminals is a complete waste of a potential advantage, it goes beyond your morality, and there is nothing you can really do about it.

No sir i would fail

If today's truckers had to drive something like that, there would be a total of 7 or 8 trucks over the whole length of I-80.

No, it's the same reason we aren't still using horse and buggy, it's called technology.

I still have my 89 Mack cabover. Though I have not used it commercially for over 15 years, but I let a newer driver take it out this last summer... And after an hour he still couldn't get into the cadence of driving it. The clutch is heavier, the shifter is clunkier and more deliberate, the steering is heavier and needs much more attention. The difference to him was night and day. yet he somehow thought driving my truck was much more satisfying and fun. Not unlike when I drove my friends grandfathers 50's GMC 5 ton with a Detroit 6-71 which had a 6-quadplex and additional 2 range diff. It was a world away from anything I ever drove, and probably the most fun I have ever had driving something. His advice was drive it like I hate it. And it didn't disappoint.

I like taz, hope they don't get rid of him for being racist....

They may have used that for the sound

It was better because people wanted it to work when needed not work on. Them people built our nation and the young ones destroyed it

You have described the basics of how an inertia starter works extremely well. Think of the old fashioned "friction drive" toy cars that had a flywheel that you sped up by pushing it along the floor and then releasing it. Same basic idea.

Is anyone better than Pratt-Whitney.

My father had one. Had a motor to spool up that starter on his

That model of starter was also used on aircraft. Would have been one already in Air Corps inventory, making replacement parts ez to obtain.

I have a A&P a few still out there on vintage planes some had one that used a electric motor to wind up the flywheel in the inertia starter .

How the Luftwaffe started planes. (Maybe the idea was that a battery would be only dead weight, once the engine started).

The Germans were big on inertia starters. They not only used them on tanks but aircraft as well. The Me 109 also used an inertia starter, for one.

Was that tiger 131 it has one too along with the electric starter.

@@johnsiders7819 I don't remember exactly which Panzer tank it was. But it would make sense to have both the electric and the crank. I can't see it having no electric and them stalling it on the battlefield and having to get out and crank it to start again. The Germans would have lost so many battles on account of that. Funny.

And also from the sound it's supposed to be a diesel.

@@shandfan That is a diesel. Back in the day, before turbos and blowers you could hear the individual cylinders pop like that. With turbos all the exhaust sounds are mixed and blended together.

@@lesschattermoresplatter5769 Oh yes...that reminds me of the best example here......the 4 cyl Boxer by Subaru.At the front,sounding 4 flat as a diesel,but at the back...a petrol with a badly adjusted ignition. One thing....it reads here GASOLINE. Just THAT made me doubt,you see?

@@shandfan my mistake! When they show a view of the engine it appears to have a distributor cap and spark plug wires on the front near the top of the engine.

@@lesschattermoresplatter5769 Must be true! At war beginning most of these vehicles still had petrol engines.During war time,with several of them the engine was replaced by a Herculess or Cummins Diesel.The same was true of big trucks like Diamond T and Ward La France.You should hear that sound....lovely!!!!! Trucks like Chevvy,GMC,REO or Dodge remained provided with petrol engines.Another great engine manufacturer was the Canadian Waukesha.

Ha ha ha ! 😉

that was a air starter

Yes, it is a shame there was no explanation in the video.