Aussie '59 2-26/33

[Guest 2-26owner]

Hi, I am new to this forum, its the closest thing to my style of truck I can find. I have a 1959 Dodge 2-26 ( so the id plates say, but its dual rear), the old flat top engine got canned many years ago so I've been told and has been replaced with a 225 slant six, I replaced the radiator with a newer one from an International truck, other than that it seems to be in original nick. I am slowly doing it up to roadworthy and need some help with brake parts, anyone know where to get cylinders and rubbers? They brakes went after I brought her home, rear passenger dropped its gutz, the brake drums look like a bit of a job to remove, have to take axle out ? Any help much appreciated, especially from Australia, but I have heard of shipping so if they still make or stock the bits for em in the US of A please let me know.

Here's a few pics of the old girl.

Michael

[Tony WestOZ]

Hi Michael,

Just got home and read your email.

I will post here instead.

Nice 2-26, shame the flat head has gone but slant is a pretty good replacment.

It has been a few years since I bought my last brake parts but you should be able to get the rubber parts from your local brake shop. If not either Repco or PBR should be able to help. The brake cylinders I had fitted with stainless steel sleeves, and I got some aluminium anodized pistons from PBR.

The new brake shoe linings done at a local shop.

I don`t know how you will go in Tassie but if have any trouble let me know and I will see what I can do over here.

As for having dually`s on the back, though the 2-26 is not listed as having the dual axle rear as an option I have seen several 2-26 trucks over the years fiitted with dual`s.

Does yours have a single spring pack with 12 or 14 leaves.

Is it fitted with the auxilary 5 leave pack that was an option on the 2-33`s that had duals as standard.

You should not have to pull the axle to do the brakes. Wheels off, adjust the brake shoes in and the drum should come off. It will not be quite that easy but the drum should come off without touching the axle or diff housing.

Workshop manuals come up from time to time on ebay for this model, or if you give some time I will scan the pages out of my manual on the brake section and email it to you.

Let us know how you go.

Tony

WestOZ

[Guest 2-26owner]

Thanks for the reply Tony, I pulled the wheels off and looked at it and went o dear this isnt like a car drum is it LOL and put wheels back on, I'll keep an eye on ebay, I swear there was one on there a few weeks before I bought the truck. I'm pretty sure it has the first set of springs you said, it only has one set per side not doubles. Do you know the GVM? It says 2.0 on rego, but catalogue says 7500lbs which I make to be more like 3.5 tons. I'll have a look at the drums again and see if I can work it out, failing that I'll get back to you on the photocopies, thanks.

Michael

[Tony WestOZ]

One thing I have learnt is that rego papers do not always tell the truth.

Over the years things become miss spelt or modified. I remember an old feller saying that the metric system caused a lot of problems within the various motor transport departments back in the 70`s.

My suburban van is listed on the papers as a 58 not the 53 that it is.

The basic GMV should be 7500lbs on the single wheel axle whether that was upgraded to 8000lbs like the 2-33`s with the dual wheels I can not be sure.

Maybe they ment to put down 2t as the weight it could carry, not the GMV, how knows.

[PatS....]

I don't know how it works down under, but here the DOT (Department of Transport) goes by the rated capacity of the tires to determine ACTUAL GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)

Even if the registration says the vehicle is rated for a certain weight, if the vehicle is inspected at a highway inspection station/weigh scale, the tires determine the actual capacity not the registration.

Some owners cheap out on tires and expect that the truck can still carry what the manufacturer rated it for, but the use of lower rated tires also lowers the legal GVW.

Might be something to check with your locals (the place where they weigh and inspect the highway big rigs).

The weight rating is on the tire sidewall.

That also determines the placement of the cargo, so that the front tires are not overloaded by having the cargo to far forward.