Hey guys,

It's been a while since I had much interaction with my Brockways as I always have mutiple projects cooking at the same time. Some projects, like the house and the shop seem to receive higher priority than the Brockways.

This past week I was sick with the flu, or flu-like virus. It was really bad, so bad I actually went to the doctor and then took about 5 hours off of work. I was prescribed some medication which physically helped me feel better. However, I was still dragging mentally. Then the stars aligned this Friday. Like most of us here I have old iron disease. What pills, cough syrup and an inhaler couldn't fix, an old Brockway could. Sometimes there is nothing better than a hefty shot of old iron for the mentally anemic.

The Brockway that joined my fleet is from Shawn (THEPATRIOT), an F361LL. The truck is in better shape than I am normally used to buying. Which gives me a jump on actually making some headway on one of the projects.

Hey Mark...

Glad to hear you're feeling better... No fun being sick like that...

Glad to see the Patriots truck went to a good home. Any progress on the rollback?

Tom

Hey Tom,

Gosh, the rollback. It has pretty much sat untouched or over a year. Now, adding another truck kinda throws a small wrench into the rollback project. Originally, the rollback was going to be for the 257. However, the project quickly outgrew the capacity of of the 257. The 220 probably wouldn't have enough power, the frame rails were definitely not up to par, no power steering..etc. So I bought a K361TL that was converted to a Cummins 290, P/S, 13 speed---pretty good running truck.

Here is a pic of that truck:


The truck is rusty here and there and the seller insisted it was a parts truck that he was just going to scrap. Well, o-k, I could use some of these parts on the 257. We picked up the truck and I realized it is no worse and probably slightly better than my 257. So, I might as well make the K361 the base for the roll back instead of using it for parts.
That decision makes me wonder what I am going to do with the 257. Keep it? If so, make it a smaller rollback? Sell it? I like it, but don't want too come into work one day to see a rusty silouette of a 257 on the ground from letting it sit so long.
Now, with the F361LL, everything is in such better shape that I am not sure whether to make it the rollback project or to go with my original intent of making it a tractor.

Flip a coin?

Or, what do you guys think?

K361TL was originally a tractor, converted to a dump and had a Cummins 290 put in. 13 speed, 44K Hendrickson suspension. There is body rust, but that isn't a deciding factor. The seller claims the frame was rusty, but I can't remember if I looked or not. If the frame is rusty, this would be the better candidate for the rollback as I would need to beef up the frame rails anyway to use a 15 ton rollback deck.

F361LL Caterpillar, 20 speed, 44k Rockwell suspension. Frame is perfect---but too short for the rollback. Hate to cut a nice frame.

I'm kinda thinking to take the truck that is the most f'd up to perform the major surgery on.


thanks,

Mark...good to see you posting again. Nice collection you have started.
Had that same nasty illness as well. Still not 100% but getting there.

Looks like you got the ....which way do you go first issue as well.

Glad to see that Patriots truck went to a good home.

Hope to see ya in Cortland this year if you can make it.

Stretch

The K is already a nice dump so keep it together. The F is a great candidate. I would buy two lengths of rail and extend the frame as needed. The body is already off the back and frame is open to work on it. 1674 Cat is grossly under-rated hp, most old time Cat guys will tell you they are a easy 300 horse. From experience I can tell you they will give a NTC 290 Cummins a real fight on a good hill. 44K suspension will be all you need for the rollback and the Brockway 300 series frame rails are a lot bigger than those of a 257. As for what to do to the 257, if you can afford to, keep it, it's a nice truck, if not sell it to support your conversion of the other truck. Just my two cents! Glad to see you're back on the board.

I took a look at the K361. The frame is single and is flakey here and there. I will make the K361 into the rollback since this frame needs attention.

A while ago I posted about whether to go with air ride or Hendrickson. The Hendrickson is already under the truck, so it is one less thing to buy.


I would like to make it to Cortland. I can't see any reason why not. In fact I am pretty excited to go. The chances of me taking a Brockway are about .001%. But, I might wear Brockway T-shirt.


thanks,

Hey Stan,
The dump body on the K361 is in really bad shape. I wasn't initially planning too keep a dump truck. Just a rollback and a tractor.


thanks,

The nice thing about the F is that it's the perfect length for a tractor. And since the K needs frame work, anyway... I think you're on the right track, is the F a double frame? They're both nice looking trucks!

The F is a double frame. I'd kinda hate to make any modifications to it since it is so nice.


I need another building.

Are all the 361 frames 10 3/4" tall?

No, that's the heavy frame, standard is 9"

Hi Mark,
Glad to see you got the K361, while the dump body was bad, the rest of the truck is in too nice shape to cut up. That truck was a real runner after the 290 was installed, it was a little pokey with the 250 in it.
Mike

The K361 had a 250 before the 290? Sounds like te Detroit was gone out of it for a long time.
The seller mentioned the 290 had about 20,000 miles on a rebuild. Do you know if that is near accurate? Not that it really matters much as the engine does run good.

thanks,

The F361LL got here a couple days ago.

Looks good Mark! The fleet is growing