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1/16 scale Kenworth W900 tri-axle heavy haul tractor


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Hey guys 

 Yeah I know another one...it's  a disease...please I need help...lol?;):omg:

 Ok now that thats over. I'm starting a build thread on a 1/16 scale Monogram Kenworth W900 Conventional kit. I plan on doing it as a tri-axle heavy haul, with custom made headache rack, custom made air lift axle,  decals from Jerry at modeltruckin.com.

  I'm using the kit Caterpillar 3408 V8 engine, but I'm fully plumbing it with custom Cat oil and fuel filter decals. It's going to have aftermarket 385/65R 24.5 front floats, 385/55R 22.5 super singles for the lift axle and 12.00R 24.5 drive tires. I'm using the kit wheels, but I had to customize them to fit the front floats and the super single tires.

  I've  started in on the frame construction. This kit had a flaw when I got it, the passenger side frame rail was a short shot :wallbash:. I was devastated because these kits are scarce as hens teeth, or OH MY GOD! expensive on Ebay. So, I found a guy on YouTube that was making a custom stretched KW and I asked him if he had any left over parts and viola! He came through, he sent me a bunch of parts both rear frame rail sections, extra cross members and extra air bags. Here are some pictures to look at.

RMX-2501-2T.jpg

this is the kit I'm using for this build.

20210719_210623.pngthis view shows what I'm trying to accomplish.

20210716_152526.jpgthis view shows the front float tires and wheels

20210716_152354.jpgthis view shows the super singles for the lift axle.

20210716_153052.jpgthis view shows the drive tires

20210716_153342.jpgthis is another view of the drive tires and wheels.

20210714_120306.jpgthis view shows the new, but not out yet, (it's coming around Christmas time) Diecast Masters XL120 Specialized lowboy trailer in 1/16 scale. It's going to be for their 1/16 RC Freightliner Cascadia (the blue truck in the photo). If this is anywhere near as good as their 1/50 scale diecast one, I'll be using it for the Big KW's trailer, along with a Bruder Cat 336 excavator for the load. Yeah this is going to be HUGE!

rs=w_1280 (1).jpegfront view of the trailer.

rs=w_1280 (2).jpegrear view of the trailer. Well that's it for now be back soon with more updates

Ron G 

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Now that you've informed us, I will be looking out for the lowboy trailer too.  I have some 1/16 scale stuff.  The Pete 359, KW W900 Aerodyne, a couple of the Fruehuaf trailers.  

Some 1/16 scale after market stuff I got from Australia or New Zealand (can't remember which) back in the day.

A Detroit Diesel V8, Cat 3406, Cummins Big Cam, half and tandem fenders.  A Peter 367 cab that was cast by amateur.

 

Some day I will put this stuff to use.

Edited by chuckyr
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10 hours ago, chuckyr said:

Now that you've informed us, I will be looking out for the lowboy trailer too.  I have some 1/16 scale stuff.  The Pete 359, KW W900 Aerodyne, a couple of the Fruehuaf trailers.  

Some 1/16 scale after market stuff I got from Australia or New Zealand (can't remember which) back in the day.

A Detroit Diesel V8, Cat 3408, Cummins Big Cam, half and tandem fenders.  A Peter 367 cab that was cast by amateur.

 

Some day I will put this stuff to use.

Sounds like you got a few projects to do.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

 Got some more work done on the frame.

20210723_160003.jpgthis view shows the drivers side battery box.

20210723_155946.jpgthis view shows the frame and rear wheels/tires.

20210723_160041.jpgthis view shows the drivers side battery box with the cover off. The wooden block is representing one of the (4) batteries that will be in here, the other sides box will house one of the air tanks. 

20210723_155603.jpgthis view shows the truck partially assembled for pictures. The sleeper floor will be shortened to a 36" sleeper and a headache rack will be added.

20210723_155634.jpganother view of the KW 900L heavy haul tractor.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

 Well I have the 36" sleeper done. I cut 2 scale feet out of the kit sleeper to create this.

20210725_160453.jpgThis view shows the 36" sleeper in place on the frame. I have to cut off the rear sleeper mounts from the frame and move them forward to fit the new 36" sleeper.

20210725_160432.jpganother view of the sleeper. You can see the fender rubber lips that I added to the front fenders after grinding the opening bigger to fit the large front floats. Well that's it for now be back soon.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

  Ok, I have the lift axle done, except for some final details to the mounting brackets.

20210727_162311.jpgthis view shows the lift axle and the drives.

20210727_162812.jpgthis view shows the lift axle with the brake drums attached. I need to add some rib detail to the mounting brackets.

20210727_162758.jpgview of the lift axle from the bottom.

20210727_162727.jpgthis view shows that the lift axle clears the drive shaft.

20210727_162852.jpgview of the lift axle from the other side.

20210727_163025.jpgthis view shows the air bags from the 1/24 Italeri Western Star kit that I used for the axle air lift bags. 

20210727_163227.jpgview of the lift air bags from the front.

20210727_163812.jpgthis view shows the air bags that I added to the front suspension.

20210727_163752.jpgcloser view of the front air bags.

20210727_164023.jpgview of the front axle from the bottom.

20210727_162046.jpgthis view shows what the big KW will look like.

20210727_162129.jpgview from the top, the lead holders are there to represent the headache rack position. I have scale rolled aluminum fenders for the drives and the lift axle, also a drop visor and Texas bumper in aluminum coming in the mail. Well that's it for now be back with more updates soon.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

  I have the headache rack done. I just need to go over it with some filler and do some sanding.

20210729_173110.jpgthis view shows the rear of the headache rack. The doors are diamond plate with custom door handles and hinges.

20210729_173048.jpgside view of the headache rack. It's a scale 12" deep.

20210729_173027.jpgthis view shows the front of the headache rack and the mounting brackets.  

20210729_173006.jpgtop view of the headache rack.

20210729_172647.jpgside view of the truck with the headache rack in place.

20210729_172549.jpganother view of the headache rack on the truck.

20210729_172459.thumb.jpg.5aa1eac62e1efc5f911f631a59871ac5.jpgview looking forward of the headache rack and truck. Well that's it for now be back with more updates soon.

Ron G 

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Hey guys 

  The headache rack is going to be painted to match the truck, although I my do the doors in polished aluminum.

 Ok I got some more work done on the big KW. I made a new fifth wheel mounting plate with scratch built gear racks (real pain in the posterior!) and lowboy trailer neck ramps.

20210730_150036.jpgthis view shows the rear of the truck with the scratch built lowboy neck ramps, movable fifth wheel and custom mounting plate and gear rack.

20210730_150703.jpgview looking down on the fifth wheel setup.

20210730_150622.jpgthis view shows how the fifth wheel fits to the neck ramps.

20210730_150415.jpgside view of the whole rig.

20210730_150445.jpgview looking down on the big KW. Well that's it for now be back soon.

Ron G 

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Hey guys 

  I've been working on the Cat 3406 V8 for the Kenworth. I had two engines, the one from the Peterbilt and the one from the Kenworth. I cut out the cast on oil filters and starter from both engines. I shaved them down the middle, sanded them smooth then glued them together. This gave me a complete oil filter system and a starter. I also cut out the other side of the block and used this peice to fill in the hole from were I cut out he oil filter and starter.

20210802_174146.jpgthis view shows the new oil filter and starter attached to the engine block. You can see the area where I repaired the engine block behind the filters and starter.

20210802_174105.jpgthis view shows the other side of the engine block. Lots of clean up on these parts to get rid of parting lines.

20210802_174235.jpgthis view shows how I modified the intake so I can add the intercooler pipes to the radiator intercooler.

20210802_174126.jpgthis view shows how the new oil filter and starter look like from the bottom. I still have to fill in those two depressions in the oil pan.

20210802_174412.jpghow about these for a hood ornament.:o:D. The guy who printed these (3D printed) there supposed to be 1/24 scale he is doing me a set at about 75% this size, because I think these are a bit to big. He printed me some batteries but mistakenly did them at 1/24 scale, so he's redoing them for me for free. I'll post pictures when they get here.

Ron G 

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Thanks guys 

  I did some more work on the Cat 3408 V8 engine. 

20210804_163029.jpgthis view shows the plumbing that I added to the engine. The copper colored wire is the throttle linkage. The green wire on the bottom is the fuel return line back to the fuel tanks. The green wires on the top are the fuel injection lines.

20210804_163010.jpgthis view shows some more plumbing. The green wire on the front is the line from the fuel priming pump/filter to the fuel injection pump. The large black line is the one from the fuel transfer pump to the primary fuel filters on the frame at the front.

20210804_163121.jpgtop view showing the fuel injection lines to the heads. Well that's it for now be back soon.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

  I've done some more work on the KW. I have the fuel tanks about 75% done. And I have the engine painted in Cat yellow.

20210805_175742.jpgthis view shows the kit tank on the left and the new 120 gallon tank on the right.

20210805_175724.jpgthis view shows the fuel cap and chain. The tank is made from a piece of Plastruct 1 1/2" diameter ABS tube and end caps.

20210805_175705.jpgcloser view of the fuel feed fittings and fuel cap.

20210805_175545.jpgthis view shows the fuel tank mounting bracket.

20210805_175622.jpganother view of the fuel tank mounting bracket. Need to make three more.

20210805_180728.jpgthis view shows the engine, oil filters, pulleys and fan.

20210805_180709.jpgthis view shows the now, painted Cat yellow, Cat 3408 V8. I need to do some detail painting and weathering. I received the rolled aluminum fenders, bumper and visor for both the Kenworth and the Peterbilt in the mail today. Well that's it for now be back with more soon.

Ron G 

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Thanks Bigred

Hey all 

  Did some more work on the big KW. I got the rolled aluminum fenders, visor and front bumper from  Ryan Mlynek off of Ebay. Here's what they look like.

20210806_154301.jpgthis view shows the rear dual fenders and the ones for the lift axle. Thay have a protective film over them that you peel off to reveal the polished aluminum surfaces.

20210806_154236.jpgthis view shows the visor and the "Texas" front bumper.

20210806_154526.jpga closer view of the fenders.

20210806_155633.jpgthis view shows the custom fuel tank and the engine now detail painted sitting in place.

20210806_155611.jpgcloser view of the Cat 3408 V8 engine. Well that's it for now be back soon.

Ron G 

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Hey all 

 Did some more work on the fuel tanks.

20210809_162422.jpgthis view shows the new fuel tank temporarily in position on the truck. 

20210809_162402.jpgthis view shows the tank straps, which are made from 0.02" thk. Plastic strip sitting on black rubber strips. These will be covered by chrome mylar tape and are attached to the mounting brackets with pins and bolts.

20210809_162346.jpgcloser view showing the mounting brackets.

Ron G 

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