Jesus Freak's WMO tow truck

Jesus Freak said:

As long as it's the hydraulic fluid that burns. I know, that sounds smarty-pants, but there IS hydraulic fluid that is made so as not to be able to burn. Dip a rag in it and see if you can set it on fire.

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Wow that’s actually good info, although it was more general curiosity. I might have to check that next time I have a pile of it at work

IIRC a buddy of mine who does tractor servicing regularly drains the hydraulic fluid directly into his tank and drives home. Saves him having to dispose of it and it works excellently. Its usually quite clean. He drives a 94 PSD, so an IDI should swallow it easily. Definitely check if it is burnable though.

Happy Tinkering,
-CalIDI

We got a 55 gallon drum of that once. Shop furnace was not happy at all, and IIRC it didn't even mix with the rest of the wmo. I think it was silicone based at the time and it came from a machine shop down the street, no idea what they used it for.

So, I had some tow truck shenanigans today that I have to share: today is my day off, not a regular "day off" but the day that I try to do nothing if I can get away with it, but sometimes your ox falls in a ditch and you gotta rescue it. Today's ox was one of my managers at FedEx calling and asking if I could go pull a truck out of a hole. No problem, easy money, took the wife for the adventure of the whole thing.
So I get there and there's a newbie driver down a road he had no business down (there's a note on our devices and a drop box at the paved road) and he's wedged in the edge of the woods in pure majestic NW Florida sand. I have a couple pictures I'll post of this particular episode. So I got turned around and pulled him out and said I'd wait for him at the paved road just in case. So as I got out of there I watched him in my rear view.......he quit moving. I waited and watched and then my phone rang, he was stuck again. This time he just sank in the middle of the road, I backed down there, got him situated on solid ground again and drove off watching my rear view mirror.......he quit moving....... so I backed up and this time as I'm pulling him out a THIRD time the transmission blows a cooling line on his truck. So I'm on about a 15-20° incline, I've pulled his truck on a solid footing, but now his truck is done! So I decided to pull him to the paved road, up hill all the way, maybe 400yds, there was a couple steep hills and a steady incline. I went for it! AND guys, that NA 6.9 ZF5, 4.10 245/75/16 weighing in at 9150lbs got that 10Klb+ FedEx truck moving UPHILL......on Waste Motor Oil!!! and we were going until my clutch disk said, "uh uh ain't gonna do it! We made it well over 100yds, I NEVER LOST TRACTION!!! In the same sand he couldn't drive thru.
What an adventure. The home owner stopped to see what was going on, he was a bit upset at the driver for driving down there, especially when there's a note on our devices and a drop box. But he pulled me to the top of the hill with his tractor, my daughter brought us my wife's bronco and my lovely assistant towed my tow truck to the house with her pretty red 86 bronco.

Edit: the moral of the story: if you drive old stuff, get your wife a sweet old bull nose bronco!

Any clutch recommendations? Nothing outrageous, economical but good. I considered replacing it when I had all my tranny stuff a few weeks ago, but figured I'd be ok for a bit...... didn't expect this craziness!

Jesus Freak said:

Any clutch recommendations? Nothing outrageous, economical but good. I considered replacing it when I had all my tranny stuff a few weeks ago, but figured I'd be ok for a bit...... didn't expect this craziness!

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I have a cheap summit performance one in the black truck temporarily. Seems fine. Throw out bearing is noisier than should be.

Here's some pictures of my clutch. She ate the whole thing........ anyway, I've decided I have to "go the distance" with this clutch/flywheel thing. I've found luk conversion stuff for @$400 but there's this "Perfection Clutch" SMF flywheel kit for less than $300. Any thoughts on them being the same thing?

You’re getting good at removing transmissions

hacked89 said:

You’re getting good at removing transmissions

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Yeah, I was hoping that it would be a year or so before I did this but "the piper needed to get paid". No worries. My transmission performed FANTASTIC! No complaint there, a lower first will be nice when I find the elusive 460 ZF5.

I used to have a 460 zf, they do in fact exist. Sold it with the 460 when I converted my old man's truck.
as for clutch brand, I've used Luk in a lot of different vehicles, I'm sure it's a widely known brand. I've never heard of 'perfection clutch' so I'd be hesitant to use it.

Nero said:

I used to have a 460 zf, they do in fact exist. Sold it with the 460 when I converted my old man's truck.
as for clutch brand, I've used Luk in a lot of different vehicles, I'm sure it's a widely known brand. I've never heard of 'perfection clutch' so I'd be hesitant to use it.

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The "perfection clutch" is what they have on Rockauto.

Nero said:

they do in fact exist.

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They sure do. I've seen a few trucks with that combination for sale on Facebook Market place lately. It sure would be a high price to pay just to get the transmission to use elsewhere though.

Man that bugs me, I can't remember what I did with my zf 460, I'd totally sell it to Jesus Freak for a deal if I find it. Maybe I'll check my shed....

IDIBRONCO said:

They sure do. I've seen a few trucks with that combination for sale on Facebook Market place lately. It sure would be a high price to pay just to get the transmission to use elsewhere though.

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I don't do Facebook. I do all my shopping in people's back yards and craigslist.

Nero said:

Man that bugs me, I can't remember what I did with my zf 460, I'd totally sell it to Jesus Freak for a deal if I find it. Maybe I'll check my shed....

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Shipping would be kinda nuts. You could always vacation in Majestic NW Florida!