I don't know why I have such a massive chubby for this build...but I do.

There's just something about building a real truck for real work.

Well let me throw this pic at you for grins, the guy that is coming to help me out also has a '94 3500HD. His has a Dynamic self-loading wrecker unit on it, which are pretty good units, wish I had the bucks to lay out for one - the job would already be done! His truck still has the 6.5 in it though.



That pic was taken about 5:30 AM, after a whole day/night of us working on it here in my shop. He had just bought the truck in Ft Lauderdale and was driving it home, stopped in here to take care of some issues before continuing on. It had some serious wiring problems, most due to just plain hackery, but also some doof had installed HID's (it had the single sealed beam grille, we changed that out for composites) and didn't put on a relay. The headlight switch, pigtail, high/low beam switch and its pigtail were all burnt to a freaking crisp. So we fixed those, did the grille/headlight/harness swap, he did a bunch of other wiring repair under the dash, we swapped in a standard bench seat to replace the ruined Dodge seat that was barely hanging in there, some other stuff we did I can't even remember.

Richard

SCHWING!!!

If only it were a square...

hows the truck comming along ?
my guess is that you have the wreckingunit of the old truck now but working on replacing the parts hacked up by the preious owner

My buddy Nick has been hard at work designing a mounting system for the Sneeker wrecker unit and hauler bed. Here's some early drawings, and his notes:

"The blue outline is the bed its self, the Yellow Outline is the truck frame, the Red is the new frame for the bed and sneeker, the Cayan are the slide rails. The frame is going to be a perimiter frame that bolts on top of your existing frame made from 3x6" box tubing. At the very rear it will have a piece of 1/4" steel plate as a tail board that supports the slides for the sneeker, with a pair of 1/4" plate gussets that fit just inside of the frame rails. The frame rails at the rear will also tie in to the perimiter frame for the unit keeping your frame in line. Keep in mind that the gussets are not drawn yet in the side view, nor is the back of the frame beveled to clear the bed, and the crossmember that supports the front of the slider rails for the unit has yet to be drawn as well but I have a pretty slick idea for it. The crossmember will have the ball mount on top of it for your 5th wheel ball. Thus making it really strong, and spreading the load over the entire frame."







Richard

More updates from Nick:

"Retracted and extended drawings"





"Concept becomes reality"









"I still have to fabricate all of the tail board, the slides, and caps for the slide brackets, as well I need to bevel the end of the frame so it will clear the bed and cap it, and I need to build the hydraulic tank. As well I need to pick up the 5th wheel ball and get it put in place."

Richard

since the frame on the picture is made out of boxsection he might as whell use that as a hydraulic tank from the looks of those whelds its watertight it should hold a couple of gallon of oil , its pretty thick too so you have some flesh to weld the bungs too

i realy need to get intoo a cad cam program someday those drawings look pretty proffesional and i know he can run the proggy to slide that system in and out and make sure its strong enough for the job too

Not a bad idea but he would have had to section off an area that wasn't going to have holes drilled in it for mounting anything. Won't be a big deal to source, modify, or just make a tank for it; I've got my buddy at the wrecker shop hunting around for a spare one that will fit.

Another update from Nick:











"Getting the tail board built, still a long ways to go, I have to get it all welded out, and I have a set of gussets to cut out, as well I have to build another cross member with a mount for the hydraulic slide."

Richard

hello again hows the project going

Not much to report, but looks like we're getting ready to dive into the wrecker unit install. Here's a small update,

Nick's just about got the framework ready so tonight I began the teardown of the wrecker unit from the old truck. First things first, get the hydraulic pump moved over. The unit (Deweze kit with a Parker pump) is now installed on the HD. While I was in there, I also replaced the A/C compressor with a known good unit; old one was locked up.


This pic is for reference; it shows the upper radiator hose setup on a previous wrecker of mine with the same kit and engine. I've got to splice the hose and add a generic section w/a bend to clear the pump. This wasn't an issue on the donor truck because the 3" body lift placed the radiator neck above the pump so the hose just barely cleared it.


Last two pics are just for fun; they're the most recent pics I have of the truck while it's clean! They're probably also the last pictures of it before the wrecker framework gets installed.




Richard

Man, that thing is kewl lookin.

Now to chop out the wrecker unit. First removed the valve body assembly and hose reel, which required pulling the wiring, disconnecting a bunch of hoses and making a huge mess.


Then cut out the first extension cylinder as the previous "builders" pinned it at both ends and then welded metal around it so it wasn't removable. (Nice closeup of some of their handiwork, too.)


Unit now supported with the chain hoist, I can start my cuts on the slider tubes, which are thick wall (1/4") 3" square tubing.


With four cuts through the tubes, I've got the wrecker unit lowered down to rest on top of the engine hoist legs. Helper bags are aired all the way up and rear axle is on stands at their tallest point in order to slide the unit out from under the frame.


Last picture - wrecker unit completely out and sitting on the hoist. A sharp eye will notice the one ton overload leaf spring supporting it across the front.


Richard

Most pictures ever for one of these updates!

Drilled out rear crossmember, removed mudflaps, getting ready for Nick to cut the frame.


Nick grinding off old booger welds.


Getting the framework into position


Good view of rear frame cuts.


Framework set in place.




Had to remove load-sensing proportioning valve bracket to clear slider mounts.


Tailboard view.


First tab placed and drilled, using existing factory frame holes.


Front tabs tacked.


New slider tubes installed.


Nick beating the unit into place with 20 lb sledge then beginning the welds.






Front and rear views of unit installed in framework!




Richard

It was after midnight so this is an "early Thursday" update - more welding on the slider tubes...






And the wrecker unit is finally hung in the framework.


After hacking the other crossmember out (leaving a small section to support the shock) we installed the unit it on the truck for a test fit - and it fits like a glove! Still some more work before it's complete but at 4AM it's time for sleep.




Richard

Worked until 5~6 AM so we crashed without an update...so here's some of yesterday's work:

Cylinder mid-mount piece tacked and pre-heating in fire before finish welding. We used an old Dodge dually wheel for a fire pit.


Nick welding it up...


Post-heating to keep warpage to a minimum; two hydraulic cylinders fit into this piece with tight retaining pins.


Welding the mounts to the front hydraulic cylinder crossmember.


Crossmember mocked into place and tacked, mid-mount piece dropped into place, cylinders pinned in.


Nick finished up the welds on the rear cover plates, grinding them out.


Unit reinstalled on truck, front tabs are bolted in using existing frame holes, two holes drilled in each side on rear, all bolted in!


Today we killed a lot of time running around picking up parts. We've got fittings and fresh supply hose for the hydraulic storage tank, hydraulic oil, some bar for re-making mudflap mounts, another piece of bar for a hose bracket, etc. Looks like we have a plan for mounting the hydraulic tank and the valve body but just ran out of steam for doing those jobs today, so hoping to get a fresh start early tomorrow.

Richard