5 ton dump truck adventure ready to start

[Robo McDuff]

The pintle is not allowed in Europe, only for nato military vehicles. Standerd EU coupling looks like this don't know the english name for it. They range from small (up to 3.5 tons) to big, certified for 50 tons or more.

More on that in my other thread on that topic

 

[OPCOM]

It looks like you are well on your way to enjoying this truck. I know itis always more difficult in Europe to get the old American iron but that monster there has the possibility of a real fine item.

 

[Robo McDuff]

It looks like you are well on your way to enjoying this truck. I know itis always more difficult in Europe to get the old American iron but that monster there has the possibility of a real fine item.

yep

Some more pcitures, including of the remains of the swamp

 

[59apache]

congrats! nice monster

are you shure about the pintle? as far as i know the pintle must be automatic, for saftey concerns ( nobody between truck an trailer ).
there are often nato pintle hooks on ebay and these working automatic...
http://cgi.ebay.de/Faun-Ringfeder-N...370291824191?pt=NATO_Shop&hash=item56371cd63f

 

[Robo McDuff]

The standard modern nato pintle is a bit different from the old US version, which I have as seen on the picture. The modern Nato ones do have a bit these "catching mouth" typical for modern European trailer couplings.

I just bought one completely new one for 150 EUR, including a second new one intact bt for the actual catching mouth. The company had it returned after the buyer went bankrupt, and did not know what to do with it. Full EU specs, but not a loved brand name. No buyers for over a year, so the dumped it on me.

Anybody knows the English - US name for such an assembly?

 

[Robo McDuff]

Duncan,
With your Tatra 813, what coupling device do you have? A nato pintle or a standard civil EU "Catching Mouth"?

If nato, what did the RDW (Dutch DoT) allow you to tow with it?

 

[duncan]

I got it approved without official trailer hitch. I'm running the original tatra 100 000kg, 65mm coupling. It's massive, it swivels and extends to allow for hooking up very easy. The only problem for the DOT was "no official approval stamp". I would need to mount an EU approved reciever like you're working on.
Well, to **** with them. I'll see what to do the first time some LEO points at that 700 kilo lump of steel and tells me its not a safe trailer hitch Seriously though, I'd take a safe military trailer hitch over a cheap china model with an EU APPROVED stamp on it.

They also wanted me to remove the air couplings because theyre not auto-locking, remove the front trailer coupling because it's "dangerous", replace the tires because they didnt have EU approval stamps, add an extra low rear bumper to prevent cars from getting crushed under the wheels, etc etc etc. They basicly want everyone to drive a prius
All in all, took me 1.5 years of discussions and paperwork to get it approved anyway. But then again, I bought it without any paperwork whatsoever, so I guess they were a little more strict for me.

So, I would just leave the original pintle and get it approved without official hitch, unless you plan on using it commerially or something ofcourse.

 

[Robo McDuff]

I want to be able to tow something, and more important, I will be bringing the truck to the Czech Republic. So any official stuff has to be done in the beginning. The Groningen DoT people seem to be responsive (touch wood, fingers crossed etc) so I will try it.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Next step almost completed.

The first picture shows the old pintle hook, the new fish mouth coupling, and a shine new tube that made me a very happy man (no funny remarks please ).

AS you can see, the length of the shafts are similar, but the thickness not. Fortunately, the pintle is bigger. A nice man with a lot of old laths and metal working tools made this tube, a perfect fit around the fish-mouth shaft and in the pintle bracket. A well-invested $ 50. Shifting between the orignal and the fish-mouth takes about 5minutes. Probably, I will leave everything off during dumping operations, when raised to 90 degrees, the dump bed will probably hit the fish mouth.

Anyway, the last picture shows how the truck looks now. The dump bed is off, the new fish mouth is on, and the 5th wheel is laying ready on top of the frame.

 

[duncan]

Looks great man, but thats not a pretty place to work with our current weather! Not that I need to tell you ofcourse, you must've already noticed

 

[5tonpuller]

Dutch DOT Is worse then NY DOT?? WOW Shows what I know. I never thought that possible. ( well never thought that over seas would that bad ). Live and learn. How about Insurance? Here they want you to have over a Million dollar one for dump trucks.
5 Ton

 

[Robo McDuff]

Weather: the worst thing is, at home I have a nice 50 ton ramp and large shed with all equipment needed for anything on steel work (that is my son has, time to pull in some debts he he). Unfortunately, I have to do all the crazy things out here if I want to have Dutch papers.

INsurance is no problem, about 120 EUR / month PROVIDED you only drive around in parades and on sundays and never ever even thing about doing anything else with it. If not, you are just an ordinary truck and that would cost you about 1,200 EUR a year only for basic insurance as starters. Then they start talk about the rest.

 

[duncan]

Then you're doing something major wrong, insurance wise. I've insured as mine as a historic truck. Max of 4000km per year, but that can be changed, no parade limitations. Costs 150,- per year! Call the kind people at Overwater Assurantie and save yourself some diesel money

 

[Robo McDuff]

I was with the Wiggers Group, they were recommeneded. Initially they said that even going to Czech Republic for museum actions was no problem, occasionally doing some work was no problem, as long as I stayed belwo 8000 km per year. Premium would be 120 Eur per year. They gave me an intial cover (so I could go to the DoT), papers will be send later. The next week, a next guy calls me, stating that none of the companies they represent actually wanted to cover me UNLESS I refrained from anything but parades and standing in front of the museum.

I think especially the fact that I will take the truck to CZech Republic was a serious problem. That it was for restoration (much cheaper there) and a museum action did not impress them at all. No dice, thank you but no thank you. We will send you an offer where you can do all these thingsand work also, but it would be something like a normal truck insurance. Never heard back from them, never got the offer. finito.

I will call your people this week, see what can be worked out. Problem is, I do occasionally do some work with it legally and insured.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Spring is here again, you can see all the green blossoming, and everything is still there, nice and idyllic.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Ducan, thanks, the DoT threw out the mirror, as you mentioned.

More pics and details later, but things definitely are progressing. I am back in the Czech Republic, but we made some serious progress this time.

All the back brake lines were replaces and the system flushed with new fresh DOT 5 brake fluid and we adjusted the brakes. I had to look up in our "mobile office" how the vent line fitted to the master brake cylinder. In night, we had ice on the water again, two days later, we had to make a improvised shading tarpin to get some protection against the hottest day in Europe.

​

Using a magnet drilling machine, we managed to get the wholes perfectly drilled through the base plate for the fifth wheel and the frame. All went perfect until hole 8 of 10. Then the electricity shortly interrupted and restarted. The magnet stopped but the drilling machine continued drilling a bit later, falling and braking an18 mm mill-cut drill straight through. Anyway, you get the picture how it is going to look.

​

 

[Robo McDuff]

Finally got some time to put things on paper again. As mentioned in another thread, we are now street legal since July 2011.

The conversion freom dump truck to trailer worked a treat, for details see the tread about it.

Now we are waiting for funds to transport the truck to the Czech Republic and to continue with the restoration.