Need help to make a hitch

[Walker]

I've got no idea how yer gonna cut 3'4" plate either!

[Scott]

Oops Okay now it says 34" plate...

Thanks Walker.

[cutter]

Or did you mean 3/4" plate?

[Scott]

Big Rig-I was afraid 3/16" would not be enough without doubling the rail up. Well I guess I'll need to move the fuel tank and start planning for a rail upgrade.

[Scott]

Okay Cutter good catch, now it says 3/4" plate.
That's what happens when I let work get in the way of my fun stuff .

[big rig guy]

That's an interesting truck you have there, any chance of some info and more pics'

[Scott]

I'll post info on this rig tomorrow Big Rig, I am working at the "Bird Cage Liner Factory" (I work for the newspaper in Indy) right now and do not get off until 3:00 a.m. All my info/pics are at the house since something wiped my jump drive where I had all this stuff (and more) stored.

Scott

[sbi1]

If you just double up the rails with inserts like BRG suggested, you will probably be able to put the fuel tank back in the same place-or so I would think. Was this truck used to pull a ladder, or was there a body on it? Looks like it will be a unique tow truck. What kind/year of fire truck are you hauling?

[Scott]

sbi1-Yes this rig was originally used to pull a ladder for the Fall River, Mass Fire Dept (in service pic below). At some point in it's life they repowered it and put in a 6-71 Detroit and auto trans.
We separated the tractor from the trailer when it got here, not an easy job. There is not a fifth wheel as you know it, instead these rigs used 2 rings (1 on the tractor & 1 on the trailer) about 3' in diameter that are bolted together with twenty 9/16" bolts. Then since it does not have a set of dollys you have to find something to raise the trailer off the tractor, we used a beam and 20 ton bottle jacks.
As for what I'll be towing, normally the 20 Stutz seen below, but there are times I'll want to take someone else's rig to a show as well.
The third pic is my wife's 69 Ford Chiefs car. It is all original and served in West Paterson, NJ. I bought it for her birthday 2 years ago and she loves it.

[Dave Lee]

Cool toys Scott. Does that tractor handle funny going down the road, being that you're sitting so far in front of the wheels? The reason I ask is that, I once had a '66 Econoline, where you sat right on top of the front wheels and you would experience a lot of side to side motion especially, when making turns. You had to constantly, keep correcting the steering to make it go down the road in a straight line. I'm imagining that the feeling would be much more pronounced where you're sitting in relation to the front wheels or is it something you've gotten used to?

Dave