I can watch this all day. My dad was a diesel mechanic and he told me when I was a kid that if I followed in his footsteps he would cut off my fingers. I listened to what he said, but I’d rather be doing what you’re doing than sitting behind a desk. Keep doing your thing JC and thanks for sharing!
You must keep any neighbors you may have up late at night wondering what they will see you do next. There are talkers and there’s doers and you get er done. Thanks for taking us along.
JC, love your work, especially that the missus is your partner. Kudos to you ma'am, you do an OUTSTANDING job detailing those filthy cabs and could run a side business just doing that! Story pole/witness stick is spot on every time once set up with correct measurements. Side note: I'm a former aircraft mechanic so I used safety wire pliers often...if you have a set, clamp them on the tie wrap and pull the knob at the end to initiate twisting action. They clamp fast and twist even faster. Great job folks.
i have seen the safety wire pliers but i dont have any. i dont mind using vise grips....it works ok. videos are much better when she can video and i can just work!
I just had to roll axels on 2 brand new trucks at work. One kw and one international. It’s amazing what a guy can do with a tape measure and a speed square
Man, the way you measure the holes is something I wish I thought of years ago. It's a huge timesaver and eliminates the chance of screwing something up.
Also another thing I use a line on the driveshaft for is to see if there's any twist in them later on. I've had guys so rough on gear they'll twist the driveshaft and besides keeping the orientation it's a great way to inspect the driveshaft. If you see the line start to twist you know there is a problem and can catch it before it bites you in the ass.
Your measuring technique is an adaptation of a "story pole" that has been used since the Gothic cathedrals - hell, the Egyptians. Carpenters, stone masons, steel fabricators, sign painters, etc (real ones) use this method for everything from window and door framing to cutting trim sets for windows and doors to stone carving repeating elements etc. If Heckle and Jeckle down at the shade tree sneer at what's worked for millenia - the Parthenon was built using storey poles - and adapted by you for transferring recurring measurements, it's their problem, not yours.
There's a channel with some dudes in Pakistan who take old junk trucks from Japan and remanufacture them into dumps and cargo trucks.What the do with hand tools and really big hammers is amazing.
Using the pipe like a compass to get it all the same is damn smart man. The old body shop I worked at when I was in school had marker type things in flat stock they used. They also made a punch cards of the holes to line up from the top and line up better, used old paneling for the cards.
That's a lot of work. You make it look easy and it helps to have the proper tools! And it helps to have an assistant that knows what needs done next ! I can't see how you could do it any more correctly! Thanks Mr. And Mrs JC
Excellent Video!!! Just purchased a 1956 Ford COE C-750 and first item on the list is take the 255" wheel base to 116" and your video is the perfect education I need to shorten my ride. Thank You So Much, Dennis M California
Boy that mag drill is the way to go I'm an old heavy duty guy did a lot of holes with a 3/4 electric and they were always a job. Had a apprentice wind one up and broke his wrist. The other thing I liked was when we moved from Twist drills to those cutters. really enjoy these especially the marking jig idea. The Drive shaft story was very familiar have to get a shop that will do it right the first and every time. U-joint angles and phase alignment will put you out of business if you have a full bore destructive failure and are the cause of a wreck Glad I found your videos
I think that your whiteness stick is a good idea I have helped my uncle shorten two frames when I was a teen It is supper easy to get your measurements off The people who say that your wrong probably never done one
"whiteness stick" lmfao...you mean witness stick! (Although the correct term is story pole) Supper is what you eat, Super is the word you are looking for!
zweg1321. it doesnt matter if others dont like the way i do it....it is exact every time and i never have to ream a whole or redrill. i will continue to do it this way until i find something better.
scotty362100 wow this must be fun for you complaining and showing people little mistakes. Now that I know there are people like you around I guess I’ll quit replying to videos
@@j.c.smithprojects seems like you do alot of these trucks. Do you Buy alot of them with Rust Jacking then cut and sell to order. I would be very interested in talking to you about 1 fairly similar. To what you have built. Looking for a custom rig that can haul a 20 ton gooseneck trailer that wont break the bank. New is way out of budget. Shoot me an e mail prisonguard77@gmail.com
I HAVE SHORTENED AND EXTENDED A LOT OF TRUCK CHASSIS. AND BUILT A FEW TIPPING BODYS IN MY TIME LONG BEFORE MAG. DRILLS, WATCHING YOU MAKES IT LOOK LIKE FUN NOW, MAG DRILLS WERE NOT AROUND WHEN I WAS DOING IT. THANKS FOR THE VIDEO. MARK AUSTRALIA.
hey these videos are very helpful, just finished moving the axle forward 36 inches on 2001 f650 and installed a 19ft rollback bed, took me 5 days in total and sold it on the 6th day! thank you for sharing these videos!!
LOL -GREAT JOB GUYS! AS FOR YOUR DUMP TRUCK.. HOPE YOU GET IT SOON .. THE OLD SAYING " THE COBBLERS KIDS DON'T HAVE SHOES". -CERTAILY APPLIES HERE.. I WOULD LIKE ONE OF THESE TRUCKS -SHORTENED FOR A SEVICE BODY(8') ? SLIP TANK -AIR COMPRESSOR-TOOLS ETC
I have absolutely no desire to do this. But I did thoroughly enjoy the video, your techniques and how you have found this niche to make a buck! Kudos to you!
I'd have spent 45 minutes PER HOLE trying to drill through that with my crap! All light duty stuff I deal with. That bit, and the drill setup was amazing. Looks expensive, but wow what a time saver. Well worth whatever the price! Great vid, Mr. & Mrs. J.C.! Nice work!
i did several of these projects with regular drill bits and a regular electric drill....this setup was an investment for me but it cut my drilling time down to 30-40 minutes total. the time savings may be well worth the cost of the drill and cutters if you plan to do this more than a hand full of times.
Boy doesn't a mag drill save a person from pushing their guts out, have used them a fair amount in the past, not a battery powered one just a electric one. Great job JC you've that job down to a science ! Regards OAG🇨🇦
i remember using a regular drill. i started with a pilot hole and worked my way up from there. i drilled 160 holes doing a similar truck. i remember waking up the next day so sore i didnt want to ever see a drill again.
20 years ago, I stumbled across real zip tie guns. Get 'em used on ebay ~$25. In one quick step tighten to pre-set tension and flush cut. No sharp ends. Try one and you will wonder how you got along without it.
I'd love to get one of those Milwaukee battery mag drills at least with that type of magnetic base no worries about power going out like my electric one. When I got my mag drill first time i used it power went out and almost dropped it i was kinda prepared for it mine never came with safety straps so i made my own and bracket attached to screw holes in side of mag base. I use mine a fair amount but not enough to justify the cost of the Milwaukee cordless mag drill. Good job on shortening the wheel base ive seen people cutting frame then weld back together this much better and safer plus now axle is mounted to better condition framework without the rust 👍👍
An old guy I used to work with would make short work of dealing with drive shafts - he made up a fixture where he could clamp the shaft in some 4 inch angle for alignment - get some good tacks on them anthen just sew them up - worked slick as a gut.
the shop i use puts it together using a base mount dial micrometer and gets the run out with thousandths of an inch and balances the entire shaft as a unit. its not cheap but i am happy with the results.
Great video, with explanation and everything. It seems you also have a good cámara woman, and helping hand too. Thats a plus. Thanks I enjoy it very much.
Great content y'all are very knowledgeable on the medium duties and big rigs. Watching y'all use the mag drill reminds me of when I was doing some metal work overhead and ended up with a shard of metal embedded in my eye. Not a fun experience . I used a magnet to pull the metal and after I went to the eye doctor they ended up having to scrape the rust out of my eye over the course of a couple weeks. The doctor strongly advised against using a magnet and always visit them first. So always make sure you wear appropriate eye wear 😎
Great follow up video, love the details!! I want one of these. I will be contacting you when I finally have the funds to buy. Hope you don’t plan on retiring any time soon. If you do allot of these you could make jigs to hang on the frame with cutouts that would allow you to line the mag drill up for each set of holes a little quicker. Just a suggestion for even more efficiency and standardization.
Thank you for the detailed video, very interesting that mag drill. Nice how the airlines come together. I agree, don't move a wire from its spot it has conformed to. Do they discontinue the trucks in service because of the rust? I have never heard of a wreck because the frame gave way but then again, that wouldn't make the news unless they could give someone a black eye over quality concerns. I'm sure DOT catches the rigs before they give out anyway. DOT can be up in your face over the littlest things but then four or more little things become big. I wish they could figure a way to stop the rust from forming but new trucks cost more than a decent home anyway. I have never seen the old corn queen cab go on anything. Maybe a dump truck with all the amenities if the newer trucks air conditioning and tilt just to mention a few. The old queen was wide but I'm afraid not that wide
i have to move on to another project now.....i sold my daily driver so i need to get another one set up like my old one. i want my fuel tank, lots of tool boxes, gooseneck hitch, 2" receiver hitch, pintle hook, flatbed and so much more......i wonder which truck will replace it?
On the zip tie tails I just bought the new Snap On flush cut cutters. Cuts them perfect and leaves no sharp ends. I know you like their tools..check them out
Yeah it's shaky.... I love shaky! You got it going bro on the layout tech. The test is when it goes back together like it did, that is proof your system is awesome@ 31:20 Slang for good is " That's bad " slang for solid is "That's shaky" At least that is the way I take it. I wish I could give more than one thumb's up. You make this look easy, but I know better. They oughta use the star system this vid would get 5 stars from me.
The Lennox water soluble lube is better for lube on annular cutter, in my experience. I will mail you some if you like. I have more than a lifetime supply. I mix it with water in a spray bottle.
? Could you cut the top and bottom of the frame beam off , and slide it up inside the other. Using some heat to bend it in to get started and to jack it tight inside the frame bolt or weld , should be super strong.
Hello I really like the video and how simple and efficient your procedure is. I have a truck Volvo 670, it has a longer than regular semi-trucks frame length and I want it to shorten to the frame like a regular Volvo 670. So, I want to know if you can do it for my truck. Thank you
That frame drill works a lot better than my hand drill and a 8 foot 2 by 4 & piece of chain and your helper stays tied up pushing on the two by four you gotta oil your own drill I love the right tools🔩🔧
You do really great work 😁👍🏿 I'd like to know where you are located. I have a Freightliner FL70 that I would like to have my checked out...I'm trying to put it back on the road.
it was an investment but it cut my drilling time down to 30-40 minutes from several hours. good annullar cutters are a small investment also.....i think both are well worth it if you do this more than a couple times.
Nice little fleet buy, you can sell the boxes and if guys want the trucks do what you did to this or sell it as is and you will have some drive shaft and other parts you can use in another project or down the road... that kind of a bummer that the shaft got goofed by the first guys, not exactly confidence inspiring when you have new mgmt in place make you wonder if quality will be an issue down the road, at least the other guys saw it and told you and got it right for you. Quite the little project, that Magnetic milwaukee looks pretty slick, I know I remember in a video a long while back you drill some holes in a frame I dont recall whether it was with this Milwaukee though, how did the batteries fare with all the drilling out of curiosity?
one battery did the last truck and this one. the mag drill can be some what cumbersome to get set up on the side of the frame but after it is ready it cuts like butter.
@@j.c.smithprojects Nice. I wondered about that because usually if your drilling thru metal like that it can whip thru batteries pretty quick if you were using a regular drill but that mag seems to do the job pretty well and I am sure Mrs JC helping with the Lubricant makes things go a little easier and save on bits.
