Just Bought '89 W900 need advice
 

I just bought an '89 KW W900 with a 444 Cummins and an 18sp. We plan on putting a silage/grain box and hoist on it. It already has a PTO. It needs a complete heater core. The engine was done recently with new turbo, injectors, heads, PT pump done, etc. I plan to put a dual line kit on it, and new vibration dampener and balancer. I will also change my fuel lines. The tires are near new. It needs new mufflers and the exhaust shortened so I can get under augers easier. I have to remove one fuel tank/ oil resevoir to make room for new resevoir and valves. Not quite sure what to do exactly there. The bunk needs to go too and the truck made into a daycab. If I could I would swap engine/ tranny into a good daycab. That could be hard to find though. The jakes only work on one level. The throttle needs a heavier spring as it doesn't drop the rpm like it should.

Feel free to share some wisdom if you like.

Chuck

Put a Pacer rev limiter on it, it will enable you to set the rpms at the most efficient setting for operating the pto. Once it is set the rpms will stay there no matter what, they will not drop off or speed up if you load or unload the parasitic application. Those engines are ok, they have the stc controls on them and can be quite finicky to get dialed in. If it runs good leave it alone.


What do you mean by "dual line" kit? Why are you going to change out the dampener? Is it short on power?

What is a pacer rev limiter? We have a LTL9000 with a 400 in it with a toggle switch operated air throttle. Rpms stay put at ~1000rpm.

The STC can have a switch to turn it off and on I believe. I will have to read up on the pittsburgh power arcticles on it.

The dual line kit supplies fuel to the front and back of the head. This equalizes the fuel pressure between the front and rear providing more fuel but also a smoother running engine. You get 25hp and a half gear on the hills and 1/4mpg. We did this on the 400 NTC and it worked as advertised. The newer N14's have two fuel lines.

Dampeners don't last forever and this one never was changed. The balancer goes on before the dampener and is about as close to balancing your rotating assembly without a teardown as you can get.

The truck has the 8 bag KW suspension.

Sounds like you have one on your LTL. The older p pumped NTC's will not hold a steady rpm with just a throttle actuator they will scream one minute then go to idle the next. The rev limiter was designed to eliminate that and allow the engine to work while standing and stay in the desired rpm range regardless of load.


I thought you were referring an AirDog or FASS dual line kit. Not much discussion on this board about large bore modding.


I have no earthly idea how you could install a "switch" to turn off the step timing controls. Do you know how that system works and how deeply rooted it is in the engine?


I know what the balance is, what it does and where it is located. I change them whenever I inframe or overhaul and engine, thought it was common practice for most folks.

Depending on the version of the 8 bag air ride you have you may want to reconsider.... ive been told that they do not agree well with grain/silage boxes........... the ride height valves will tend to start fighting eachother up and down when the box (or in my case a load of cattle) when it sways back and forth with changes in the road.... takes it quitea while to want to stay level when the load gets wobbling back and forth.

just my .02

what he said.


Seriously, just last fall. on a stretch of PERFECTLY flat straight highway just outside of my town. a bull hauler was flopped over on its side in the MIDDLE of the highway and livestock was roaming around the ditches and such. I saw it with my own eyes. thats exactly the case the suspension started twitching when the load started moving around side to side. litterally flopped on its side. the asphalt is still gouged perfectly from the front wheel studs when it layed over.


I've heard bull haulers say Petes are the best at handling live loads, that shift around. but then again I see all makes bulling bull racks.

Petes advantage for live load hauling, is the fact that they use leveling valves on each side. Kw uses one valve on the rear axle to level, and it doesn't do much for side to side reaction.

For box/dump trucks, I still prefer springs and walking beams. Less to go wrong when the load is in the air.

I agree with you completely about springs and walking beams with regards to the safety factor.

Mine must be a wierd KW then or just a goofy version of the 8 bag because i have one on each side:confused:

I have seen 8 bag kw setups with valves on each side, but they are not for ride control. One is for leveling, and one is for max height with optional "suspension up" piping. Those are mostly used in lowbed and winch tractor applications in this part of the world.

oh ok, that sounds like an interesting setup.... I should have mentioned that mine has 2 bag pressure guages on the dash?????

for the jakes check all the connections on the jake boxes first.

Both my KW's have two leveling valves. I just experienced the wobble side to side. I have to replace the bushings in the bars that go in the beavertails with oversize red bushings. It is also recommended with a normal load to have 60psi max.

I see they make timbrens for the 8bag suspension. I wonder if they would stop the sway.

When I have hauled cattle with my T800 I haven't had any sway issues.

I have to put an air gauge for each side in the cab yet.