Progress at last......

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Phil

Much to my chagrine my C15a cab 11 is a local rural mechanics conversion...... best I can estimate is they had access to a gun tractor or C60 w/w and transplanted the various parts including a two speed T-case. We can see telltale evidence of rear corner gussets that have been removed and re-assembled with large bolts instead of rivets. Very well done and they copied the winch truck installation fairly accurately except for the front fairleads which they mounted centerd on the front bumber.....looked good but made it useless unless you wanted to slice the exhaust pipe and half the oil pan.

I intend to reinstall the front fairlead in its proper off center location..... although I intend to install a cable on the winch I doubt if I will ever use it for a front pull..... will also need to repro some pig tails rope guide for the side of the frame, all in good time.

Happy to say I got the U-bolts installed with new nuts tonite with Rob's assistance...... next is to re-assemble the front axle....big issue here is that my original axle had a replacement late model circa 43-45 inner yoke on the short side and on the long side was the original Rzeppa axle.... been trying to find a "good" short inner axle for a while to match the other early model. Did find one as a result of CC5 but the inner components were rusted solid..... did free up the parts but the intricate complex machined surfaces and large balls are badly pitted and would probably heat up badly in actual running conditions. But I have now learned how to identify the early axles by examining the end of the axle after removing the casr iron hub cap. I still have two axles to take apart for possible donoar inner guts..... I have not givenup yet. Worst comne to worst I will install two matching late model inner axles and get on with it...... otherwise I will be too old to drive the darn thing by the time I get finished.

Anybody has wisdom to share on the early cab 11 inner axles????

Bob C.

Bob C.